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Going with the flow: tidal and tag influences upon the performance of acoustic telemetry systems

Rachel Mawer Orcid Logo, Novella Franconi Orcid Logo, Toby Linley-Adams, Georgie Blow, Oliver Duke, Amelia Jones Orcid Logo, Carina Rees, Mark Breckels, Stephen Gregory, David Maxwell, Randolph Velterop, Dave Clarke

Animal Biotelemetry

Swansea University Authors: Rachel Mawer Orcid Logo, Novella Franconi Orcid Logo, Toby Linley-Adams, Georgie Blow, Amelia Jones Orcid Logo, Carina Rees, Dave Clarke

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DOI (Published version): 10.1186/s40317-026-00453-5

Abstract

Background: Acoustic telemetry is a widely used tool for studying the behaviour of aquatic species. Underpinning acoustic telemetry research is an understanding of parameters influencing the ability of receivers to detect tags, facilitating accurate study design and interpretation of the data. Tide...

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Published in: Animal Biotelemetry
ISSN: 2050-3385
Published: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa71673
first_indexed 2026-03-25T10:38:30Z
last_indexed 2026-03-26T05:32:20Z
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Underpinning acoustic telemetry research is an understanding of parameters influencing the ability of receivers to detect tags, facilitating accurate study design and interpretation of the data. Tide is a regular predictable phenomenon that may affect detection probabilities, for example via signal loss and/or distortion due to water movement. Here, we examined the performance of acoustic receivers in the Bristol Channel, UK (an area with one of the largest tidal ranges in the world), investigating the influence of tidal phase, tidal height and other covariates such as receiver orientation and depth on the detection efficiency of acoustic tags.Results: Tidal phase had a strong influence on detection efficiency, with reduced detection efficiency during the mid-tide period when water movement was greatest. Detection efficiency was further reduced during spring tides, where tidal flow is increased, and with larger surface waves. Moreover, surface-deployed receivers experienced stronger tidal effects compared to receivers deployed on the seabed. Detection range varied with tide, falling during mid-tide periods. The distance at which 50% of expected pings were detected fell by 44% for low power test tags from high water to mid-tide. Detection ranges also varied with tag model and power, with low-power tags having smaller detection ranges compared to high power, and test tags having smaller detection ranges compared to receiver sync tags.Conclusions: Detection efficiency and range can strongly vary throughout the tidal cycle. Neglecting the tidal cycle when analysing acoustic telemetry data may result in erroneous conclusions regarding animal behaviour in response to tide (e.g. incorrectly assuming animal absence is due to tide) or poor study design for future studies (e.g. fine-scale arrays with receiver spacing too wide for positioning during mid-tide periods). Given the regular nature of tide, we highlight the need for acoustic telemetry users to quantify and understand tidal influence on their study systems with the same tag models as to be used by animals and adjust study design and data analysis appropriately.</abstract><type>Journal Article</type><journal>Animal Biotelemetry</journal><volume/><journalNumber/><paginationStart/><paginationEnd/><publisher>Springer Science and Business Media LLC</publisher><placeOfPublication/><isbnPrint/><isbnElectronic/><issnPrint/><issnElectronic>2050-3385</issnElectronic><keywords/><publishedDay>0</publishedDay><publishedMonth>0</publishedMonth><publishedYear>0</publishedYear><publishedDate>0001-01-01</publishedDate><doi>10.1186/s40317-026-00453-5</doi><url>https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-026-00453-5</url><notes/><college>COLLEGE NANME</college><department>Biosciences Geography and Physics School</department><CollegeCode>COLLEGE CODE</CollegeCode><DepartmentCode>BGPS</DepartmentCode><institution>Swansea University</institution><apcterm/><funders/><projectreference/><lastEdited>2026-03-25T10:48:56.9623492</lastEdited><Created>2026-03-25T10:35:13.7548069</Created><path><level id="1">Faculty of Science and Engineering</level><level id="2">School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences</level></path><authors><author><firstname>Rachel</firstname><surname>Mawer</surname><orcid>0009-0003-0114-9691</orcid><order>1</order></author><author><firstname>Novella</firstname><surname>Franconi</surname><orcid>0000-0002-4572-4083</orcid><order>2</order></author><author><firstname>Toby</firstname><surname>Linley-Adams</surname><order>3</order></author><author><firstname>Georgie</firstname><surname>Blow</surname><orcid/><order>4</order></author><author><firstname>Oliver</firstname><surname>Duke</surname><order>5</order></author><author><firstname>Amelia</firstname><surname>Jones</surname><orcid>0009-0001-0024-5521</orcid><order>6</order></author><author><firstname>Carina</firstname><surname>Rees</surname><order>7</order></author><author><firstname>Mark</firstname><surname>Breckels</surname><order>8</order></author><author><firstname>Stephen</firstname><surname>Gregory</surname><order>9</order></author><author><firstname>David</firstname><surname>Maxwell</surname><order>10</order></author><author><firstname>Randolph</firstname><surname>Velterop</surname><order>11</order></author><author><firstname>Dave</firstname><surname>Clarke</surname><order>12</order></author></authors><documents/><OutputDurs/></rfc1807>
spelling 2026-03-25T10:48:56.9623492 v2 71673 2026-03-25 Going with the flow: tidal and tag influences upon the performance of acoustic telemetry systems b326ca8a689948f5f72cea5d46cf2194 0009-0003-0114-9691 Rachel Mawer Rachel Mawer true false 578d65c768ecf9d38a6cbb457d57d744 0000-0002-4572-4083 Novella Franconi Novella Franconi true false 522cd29818d603b992d21e1d831c110c Toby Linley-Adams Toby Linley-Adams true false 49c7c06609ab871b32400d9880dfb1be Georgie Blow Georgie Blow true false a791f1f632cf4918255ad87224d98edb 0009-0001-0024-5521 Amelia Jones Amelia Jones true false 438e5c6841a70304bffc39cf5849caad Carina Rees Carina Rees true false 7dd44d260e3bf7afb7bdd3f57a31bf0f Dave Clarke Dave Clarke true false 2026-03-25 BGPS Background: Acoustic telemetry is a widely used tool for studying the behaviour of aquatic species. Underpinning acoustic telemetry research is an understanding of parameters influencing the ability of receivers to detect tags, facilitating accurate study design and interpretation of the data. Tide is a regular predictable phenomenon that may affect detection probabilities, for example via signal loss and/or distortion due to water movement. Here, we examined the performance of acoustic receivers in the Bristol Channel, UK (an area with one of the largest tidal ranges in the world), investigating the influence of tidal phase, tidal height and other covariates such as receiver orientation and depth on the detection efficiency of acoustic tags.Results: Tidal phase had a strong influence on detection efficiency, with reduced detection efficiency during the mid-tide period when water movement was greatest. Detection efficiency was further reduced during spring tides, where tidal flow is increased, and with larger surface waves. Moreover, surface-deployed receivers experienced stronger tidal effects compared to receivers deployed on the seabed. Detection range varied with tide, falling during mid-tide periods. The distance at which 50% of expected pings were detected fell by 44% for low power test tags from high water to mid-tide. Detection ranges also varied with tag model and power, with low-power tags having smaller detection ranges compared to high power, and test tags having smaller detection ranges compared to receiver sync tags.Conclusions: Detection efficiency and range can strongly vary throughout the tidal cycle. Neglecting the tidal cycle when analysing acoustic telemetry data may result in erroneous conclusions regarding animal behaviour in response to tide (e.g. incorrectly assuming animal absence is due to tide) or poor study design for future studies (e.g. fine-scale arrays with receiver spacing too wide for positioning during mid-tide periods). Given the regular nature of tide, we highlight the need for acoustic telemetry users to quantify and understand tidal influence on their study systems with the same tag models as to be used by animals and adjust study design and data analysis appropriately. Journal Article Animal Biotelemetry Springer Science and Business Media LLC 2050-3385 0 0 0 0001-01-01 10.1186/s40317-026-00453-5 https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-026-00453-5 COLLEGE NANME Biosciences Geography and Physics School COLLEGE CODE BGPS Swansea University 2026-03-25T10:48:56.9623492 2026-03-25T10:35:13.7548069 Faculty of Science and Engineering School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences Rachel Mawer 0009-0003-0114-9691 1 Novella Franconi 0000-0002-4572-4083 2 Toby Linley-Adams 3 Georgie Blow 4 Oliver Duke 5 Amelia Jones 0009-0001-0024-5521 6 Carina Rees 7 Mark Breckels 8 Stephen Gregory 9 David Maxwell 10 Randolph Velterop 11 Dave Clarke 12
title Going with the flow: tidal and tag influences upon the performance of acoustic telemetry systems
spellingShingle Going with the flow: tidal and tag influences upon the performance of acoustic telemetry systems
Rachel Mawer
Novella Franconi
Toby Linley-Adams
Georgie Blow
Amelia Jones
Carina Rees
Dave Clarke
title_short Going with the flow: tidal and tag influences upon the performance of acoustic telemetry systems
title_full Going with the flow: tidal and tag influences upon the performance of acoustic telemetry systems
title_fullStr Going with the flow: tidal and tag influences upon the performance of acoustic telemetry systems
title_full_unstemmed Going with the flow: tidal and tag influences upon the performance of acoustic telemetry systems
title_sort Going with the flow: tidal and tag influences upon the performance of acoustic telemetry systems
author_id_str_mv b326ca8a689948f5f72cea5d46cf2194
578d65c768ecf9d38a6cbb457d57d744
522cd29818d603b992d21e1d831c110c
49c7c06609ab871b32400d9880dfb1be
a791f1f632cf4918255ad87224d98edb
438e5c6841a70304bffc39cf5849caad
7dd44d260e3bf7afb7bdd3f57a31bf0f
author_id_fullname_str_mv b326ca8a689948f5f72cea5d46cf2194_***_Rachel Mawer
578d65c768ecf9d38a6cbb457d57d744_***_Novella Franconi
522cd29818d603b992d21e1d831c110c_***_Toby Linley-Adams
49c7c06609ab871b32400d9880dfb1be_***_Georgie Blow
a791f1f632cf4918255ad87224d98edb_***_Amelia Jones
438e5c6841a70304bffc39cf5849caad_***_Carina Rees
7dd44d260e3bf7afb7bdd3f57a31bf0f_***_Dave Clarke
author Rachel Mawer
Novella Franconi
Toby Linley-Adams
Georgie Blow
Amelia Jones
Carina Rees
Dave Clarke
author2 Rachel Mawer
Novella Franconi
Toby Linley-Adams
Georgie Blow
Oliver Duke
Amelia Jones
Carina Rees
Mark Breckels
Stephen Gregory
David Maxwell
Randolph Velterop
Dave Clarke
format Journal article
container_title Animal Biotelemetry
institution Swansea University
issn 2050-3385
doi_str_mv 10.1186/s40317-026-00453-5
publisher Springer Science and Business Media LLC
college_str Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchytype
hierarchy_top_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofscienceandengineering
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Science and Engineering
department_str School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Science and Engineering{{{_:::_}}}School of Biosciences, Geography and Physics - Biosciences
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s40317-026-00453-5
document_store_str 0
active_str 0
description Background: Acoustic telemetry is a widely used tool for studying the behaviour of aquatic species. Underpinning acoustic telemetry research is an understanding of parameters influencing the ability of receivers to detect tags, facilitating accurate study design and interpretation of the data. Tide is a regular predictable phenomenon that may affect detection probabilities, for example via signal loss and/or distortion due to water movement. Here, we examined the performance of acoustic receivers in the Bristol Channel, UK (an area with one of the largest tidal ranges in the world), investigating the influence of tidal phase, tidal height and other covariates such as receiver orientation and depth on the detection efficiency of acoustic tags.Results: Tidal phase had a strong influence on detection efficiency, with reduced detection efficiency during the mid-tide period when water movement was greatest. Detection efficiency was further reduced during spring tides, where tidal flow is increased, and with larger surface waves. Moreover, surface-deployed receivers experienced stronger tidal effects compared to receivers deployed on the seabed. Detection range varied with tide, falling during mid-tide periods. The distance at which 50% of expected pings were detected fell by 44% for low power test tags from high water to mid-tide. Detection ranges also varied with tag model and power, with low-power tags having smaller detection ranges compared to high power, and test tags having smaller detection ranges compared to receiver sync tags.Conclusions: Detection efficiency and range can strongly vary throughout the tidal cycle. Neglecting the tidal cycle when analysing acoustic telemetry data may result in erroneous conclusions regarding animal behaviour in response to tide (e.g. incorrectly assuming animal absence is due to tide) or poor study design for future studies (e.g. fine-scale arrays with receiver spacing too wide for positioning during mid-tide periods). Given the regular nature of tide, we highlight the need for acoustic telemetry users to quantify and understand tidal influence on their study systems with the same tag models as to be used by animals and adjust study design and data analysis appropriately.
published_date 0001-01-01T05:35:05Z
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score 11.1007595

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