Determining and accounting for detection range variability and interoperability issues in acoustic telemetry studies: Lessons learned and way forward

Acoustic telemetry is widely used to track aquatic animal movements, but detection range variability and inter-operability between product manufacturers can significantly influence data interpretation. This study synthesizes key lessons learned from experimental setups aimed at quantifying detection range, assessing inter-operability and their effects on telemetry-based research. These experiments not only provide insights into best practices for receiver deployment and study design to minimize biases, they also offer valuable knowledge on how to perform sound range tests. Besides the considerations on how to optimize range tests, we discuss approaches to quantify methodological constraints of acoustic telemetry set-ups in a way that is relevant for ecological researchers aiming to get the most out of their data. By incorporating detection range and inter-operability considerations into study designs and analytical pipelines, researchers can improve data reliability and comparability across studies. The increasing standardization of telemetry data in combination with the recent innovations in terms of inter-operable acoustic networks stimulate data sharing and collaborations. Since uncertainty and biases are as much part of the data as the ecological information they contain, a crucial next step is to standardize the way methodological constraints of networks are determined and shared.