Bio-logging science: sensing beyond the boundaries
Year: 2004
Type: article
Abstract: : Bio-logging has emerged as a tool in animal biology much as genomics has emerged as a tool in the study of cellular and organ function. Bio-logging is certain to increase in its importance and to influence the way we study events and processes that are beyond the usual boundaries of perception and that are remote from the observer. It is pro-viding insights into the behaviour and function of organisms in environments that are hostile to the observer and in natural situations. In terms of the way that data are collected it has much in common with remote sensing and Earth observation. This includes post hoc analy-sis and interpretation of extensive data sets involving a low diversity of measured variables. Owing to the sparseness of data sets, practitioners need to develop better methods of apply-ing the data to models of the organisms being studied. Although increasing technological sophistication is leading to collection of a greater diversity of variables, this also brings com-plications of interpreting multi-dimension data sets. It appears that technology currently con-strains the type of biological questions that can be addressed but there is a danger that tech-nological advancement could result in a loss of focus on hypothesis testing. There is evidence that the discipline of bio-logging is developing a substructure within which specialist teams of modellers, theoretical and field biologists, and engineers collaborate to address complex biological questions. key words: bio-technology, ecology, informatics, bio-logging, physiology
Authors: Ian L. Boyd, Akiko Kato, Yan Ropert‐Coudert
Institution: University of St Andrews
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W1585518124