Resourcefulness is a key feature in a field biologist. Archbold Biological Station scientists are immersed in the field, where harsh elements like unrelenting heat, insects, water, and toothy critters sometimes turn even the smallest accomplishment in the field into a tall task. Being a biologist often means trying to make the most of resources, figuring out how to keep things running against the odds.

Increasingly this means relying on solar power in the field. An example can be found in Archbold’s Corridor Observatory. The Corridor Observatory operates as the eyes and ears for monitoring wildlife corridors in south-central Florida. It’s a network of 250 camera-traps and audio-recording devices carefully placed throughout roughly 50,000 acres of south-central Florida, providing Archbold scientists a glimpse into how the landscape is being used by our wildlife neighbors.

The data these devices produce is immense, and powerful. It’s also costly. Keeping sensitive electronic devices working is hard work, and it’s expensive. In one month, the Corridor Observatory devices exhaust hundreds of batteries. It’s not only expensive; the ecological footprint of generating electronic waste is out of step with Archbold’s conservation mission.

Biologists often must choose where to devote precious resources for any given project. Until recently the battery expenses may have cut short the length of our data collection on the Observatory. With the availability of affordable solar technology, we are able to opt out of our reliance on batteries and opt in to using the sun’s freely available energy to extend the life of the project, which increases the value of the data we collect. "Using solar power means our research doesn’t just last longer, it also proves we can adapt to the landscape we’re studying. Every panel we install is a step towards understanding our ecosystem more deeply and sustainably because it keeps the project alive without an expiry date,” explains Archbold Research Assistant Fin Ouweleen.

The solar panels and audio recorders must be customized in order to work properly, which involves soldering and joining cables. It will take around 20 hours of manufacturing to outfit enough solar panels to deploy across the entire Corridor Observatory, which is the stage of work the Archbold’s Predator-Prey Program is currently pursuing. This effort is of note in the wildlife monitoring community because it represents some of the first work towards powering a camera-trap and an audio recorder with solar power. The devices are co-located at monitoring sites, which allowed Archbold’s scientists to test out a design whereby a single solar charger powers each device.

While the camera-traps, audio recorders, and solar panels were all designed for outdoor use, the field conditions of Florida present a particular challenge to electronic gear. Sand, water, heat, theft, ants, cattle, bears, and rodents are all significant threats to the equipment. As such, every detail, from the internal wiring to the positioning of the panel in the field, must be intentional and supported by testing.

Archbold’s Predator-Prey Program is currently performing this field testing. So far, 10 solar panels have been outfitted and deployed and have shown no signs of malfunctioning over the past 3 months. Every month that they remain working, they save the program roughly 50 batteries and $80 and provide evidence that supports continuing to deploy our solar solution. With every new panel, The Corridor Observatory moves towards more sustainably operating our electronic eyes and ears.