Transfer Entropy Analysis of the Interactions of Flying Bats

In this document, a low-cost, portable, non-invasive method of collecting the 3D trajectories of flying bats is first presented. An array of commercially available camera and light components is used alongside a number of well-established calibration and triangulation techniques to resolve the motion of agents through a 3D volume. It is shown that this system is capable of accurately capturing the bats' flight paths in a field experiment. The use of non-visible illumination ensures that a natural cave environment is disturbed as little as possible for behavioral experiments. Following is a transfer entropy analysis approach applied to the 3D paths of bats flying in pairs. The 3D trajectories are one-dimensionally characterized as inverse curvature time series to allow for entropy calculations. In addition to a traditional formulation of information flow between pair members, a path coupling hypothesis is pursued with time-delay modifications implemented in such a way as to not change the Markovianity of the process. With this modification, trends are found that suggest a leader-follower interaction between the front bat and the rear bat, although statistical significance is not reached due to the small number of pairs considered.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Engineering Mechanics

Department dc:contributor.department

Engineering Science and Mechanics

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2015

Author dc:creator

• Orange, Nicholas Brian

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Abaid, Nicole

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Mueller, Rolf
• Hanna, James
• Ross, Shane D.

• Transfer Entropy
• Animal Behavior
• 3D Tracking

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

vt_gsexam:5487

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/53955