Einjähriges Forschungsprojekt (ERBA-SOUND) durch das Smart City Research Lab (SCRL) gefördert!

ERBA-SOUND will establish long-term acoustic monitoring at multiple sites on Bamberg’s ERBA island to systematically assess biodiversity in a near-natural area within the city. The focus is on seasonal analysis of animal sounds—especially birds, but also insects, amphibians, and bats—to study ecological patterns at the urban–nature interface.

Phase 1 starts in April 2026 and runs for one year with four sensor locations in the island’s north, covering the full main bird song season (April–June), subsequent breeding periods, autumn migration, and wintering. From May to September 2026, recordings will also include ultrasound to capture peak bat activity. The project aims to analyze seasonal and daily activity patterns across taxa, validate results with expert annotations from local conservation groups, build practical experience in deploying and maintaining recorders, and develop a robust GDPR-compliant data protection concept for urban acoustic research.