EN
Bat detectors increasingly are used in studies of the ecology and behavior of bats. A number of assumptions are implicit to these studies, although these assumptions rarely are stated explicitly and sometimes are not recognized by researchers. The strength of inference resulting from echolocation-monitoring studies is, in part, a function of the extent to which underlying assumptions are met. Recognition of underlying assumptions is thus an important facet of the design and interpretation of echolocation-monitoring studies. In this paper, I outline and discuss six key assumptions underlying most echolocation-monitoring studies. Accounting for sources of temporal, spatial, and sampling variation is key for designing robust studies and for meeting the assumptions underlying echolocation-monitoring studies. Bat detectors increasingly are used in studies of the ecology and behavior of bats. A number of assumptions are implicit to these studies, although these assumptions rarely are stated explicitly and sometimes are not recognized by researchers. The strength of inference resulting from echolocation-monitoring studies is, in part, a function of the extent to which underlying assumptions are met. Recognition of underlying assumptions is thus an important facet of the design and interpretation of echolocation-monitoring studies. In this paper, I outline and discuss six key assumptions underlying most echolocation-monitoring studies. Accounting for sources of temporal, spatial, and sampling variation is key for designing robust studies and for meeting the assumptions underlying echolocation-monitoring studies.