Synchronizing 3D LiDAR-based reconstruction of animals and environment for in situ ecosystem characterization

Recreating the physical structure of the world in three dimensions offers insights into the fine-grained changes of ecosystems and the principles of ecosystem organization. However, suitable data to synchronously measure how animals interact with their environment in three dimensions are scarce. This dimensional discrepancy between three-dimensional animal information and environmental structural data can have major implications for ecological studies. Here, we introduce a LiDAR-based trapping sampling method centered on the concept of three-dimensional animal remote sensing, aiming to enhance animal ecological research by synchronously collecting three-dimensional animal information and habitat structural data. Such efforts are valuable because they establish an effective bridge between animals and their three-dimensional habitat, facilitating a deeper understanding of their interactions and ecosystem dynamics.