Tune in to voices of the seascape
An NPR short piece aired today on “soundscape ecology” is focused exclusively on the terrestrial environment, featuring sound clips of elephants, ants, and nighthawks. Its overall point, however, is worth considering when studying the acoustics of killer whales and their environment. As the article says, “we should pay attention to the ecological characteristics of sounds and their spatial-temporal patterns.”
What does the din of underwater anthropogenic noise mean for the Northwest’s marine species — not only endangered killer whales, but also other marine mammals, soniferous fish, crustaceans, and beyond? What do killer whale calls and fish sounds mean for other species? How do our region’s marine biological sounds and underwater noises vary geographically and through time?
As we continue to study ocean sound at Beam Reach, we might consider the research agenda the authors propose for soundscape ecology:
- measurement and analytic challenges;
- spatial-temporal dynamics;
- soundscape linkage to environmental covariates;
- human impacts on the soundscape;
- soundscape impacts on humans;
- soundscape impacts on ecosystems.
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