Rthoptera: Standardised insect bioacoustics in R

Abstract

Abstract Almost 100 years after the dawn of insect bioacoustics, freely available and robust analysis tools and protocols are still needed. We introduce Rthoptera, an open‐source R package designed for robust analysis of insect acoustic signals. It delivers accurate temporal and spectral measurements, along with intuitive visualisations, through a streamlined workflow. Interactive applications ensure accessibility for researchers across all levels of technical expertise. Four new acoustic metrics for discrete units are introduced: Spectral Excursion, Pattern Complexity Index, Temporal Excursions and Dynamic Excursion. A Broadband Activity Index with potential use in pest monitoring is also showcased. Accompanied by an appropriate recording protocol, our workflow can become part of a standard analysis protocol for insect bioacoustics.

Keywords

• acoustics
• automated measurements
• interactive plots
• orthoptera
• R‐package