Trade-offs in telemetry tag programming for deep-diving cetaceans: data longevity, resolution, and continuity

Abstract Background Animal-borne telemetry instruments (tags) have greatly advanced our understanding of species that are challenging to observe. Recently, non-recoverable attached cetaceans increased in use, but these devices limitations data transmission bandwidth. We analyze trade-offs the longevity, resolution, and continuity records from satellite-linked tags on deep-diving Ziphius cavirostris context a behavioral response study acute noise exposure. present one collection programming scheme balances resolution against longevity address specific questions about responses animals exposure experimental contexts. compare outputs between two regimes commercially available tag: (1) dive behavior summary defined by conductivity thresholds (2) depth time-series at various temporal resolutions. Results found vary more precisely dives record stream an acceptable error range for application. determined 5-min collected 14 days balanced with achieving complete or nearly diving 6 out 8 deployments. message reception rate several fold employing boat based capture system. Finally, tag deployed group concurrently high-resolution recorder showed high concordance. Conclusions conceptual framework iterative process matching research we used which should be applicable wide studies. Although designing new hardware was not feasible time, were able optimize sampling regime instrument meet needs proposed analyses. Nevertheless, other designs, complicated intersection animal bandwidth systems can often create severe mismatch among questions, collection, analysis tools. More flexible purpose-built will increase efficacy studies scientific yield relative inherently higher risk invasive