Data from: Diel activity, frequency and visit duration of pollinators in focal plants: in situ automatic camera monitoring and data processing

1. Data collection on interactions between organisms and their environment have traditionally been conducted by on-site human observations, a time-consuming enterprise that could explain the shortage of around-the-clock observations of free-ranging wild animals.

2. In this paper I outline a time-efficient procedure to collect data on flower-visiting animals. The objectives were, first, to model diel activity rhythms by using cosine-based mixed-effects regression models (cosinor method) on data from an established automatic video monitoring system and, second, to test the use of a cheap off-the-shelf digital camera modified for automated monitoring of flower visitors. Two different model systems were studied: foraging bumblebees visiting focal white clovers, monitored around-the-clock (193 h) to model diel activity; and honeybees visiting thistles, monitored over a shorter period (5 h) to test the applicability and reliability of a new method for monitoring pollinators. The data were automatically entered and processed using R-scripts after manual filtering of the images, obviating the need for manual data entry prior to analysis.

3. For diel activity in bumblebees, the model that gave the best fit included the 24-h fundamental period and one harmonic, a 12-h period to modulate the signal, together with temperature. The bumblebees were exclusive diurnal, with activity starting about 5 h after sunrise, peaking sharply in the afternoon and ending about 1 h before sunset. In addition to time of day, activity also increased with temperature.

4. The off-the-shelf digital camera, Canon PowerShot®, with motion-detection script, were triggered by every flower-visiting honeybee. In addition to recorded visitor frequency and visitor duration, it enabled high-resolution images, which could be important for species identification.

5. Automatic camera recording is advantageous for close-up monitoring, compared with continuous video recording, because the latter demands more time and effort in reviewing the material. It could be used to study a range of different species such as pollinators, on-plant behaviour of herbivorous animals, cavity dwellers or cavity breeders. Moreover, the procedures for automatic data entry, data processing and statistical analysis for modelling diel activity rhythms could have great relevance for researchers using other types of camera monitoring systems operating 24 hours per day.

1. 传统上，生物与环境间相互作用的数据收集均依赖人工实地观测，这类工作耗时耗力，这也解释了为何针对自由活动野生动物的全天候观测数据十分匮乏。
2. 本文提出了一种高效的访花动物数据收集流程。本研究的目标有二：其一，依托成熟的自动视频监测系统获取的数据，采用基于余弦的混合效应回归模型（cosinor method）构建昼夜活动节律模型；其二，测试一款经改装以实现访花动物自动监测的现成商用数码相机的应用效果。本研究选取了两类模式系统：一是对访目标白三叶草的觅食熊蜂进行全天候（193小时）监测，以构建其昼夜活动节律模型；二是对访蓟的蜜蜂进行短时（5小时）监测，以验证新型传粉者监测方法的适用性与可靠性。在人工筛选图像后，数据可通过R脚本自动录入并处理，免去了分析前手动录入数据的步骤。
3. 针对熊蜂的昼夜活动节律，拟合效果最优的模型包含24小时基础周期、一个用于调节信号的12小时谐波分量，以及温度变量。熊蜂为严格昼行性动物，其活动于日出后约5小时启动，午后达到活动峰值，于日落前约1小时结束。除当日时段外，活动频次亦随温度升高而增加。
4. 这款现成商用数码相机为佳能博秀（Canon PowerShot®），搭载运动检测脚本，可由每一只到访的访花蜜蜂触发拍摄。除可记录访花频次与访花时长外，该设备还可获取高分辨率图像，这对物种鉴定具有重要价值。
5. 与连续视频录制相比，自动相机录制更适用于近距离监测，因为后者需要花费更多时间与精力对录制素材进行复盘。该方法可用于研究多种类群，如传粉者、植食性动物的植株活动行为、穴居生物或穴居繁殖类动物。此外，本研究中用于自动数据录入、数据处理以及昼夜活动节律建模的统计分析流程，对其他采用24小时运行的相机监测系统的研究者而言，亦具有重要参考价值。