Bring The Noise: How Soundscape Ecology Helps Conservationists
Dear EarthTalk: How does “soundscape ecology” help the environment?
—L.M., via email
A vast web of species, including humans, connect ecosystems across the globe. Understanding the interactions animals have with their environments reveals that sound is key to that connection. Soundscapes are the combination of all natural and man-made sounds within an environment. Three major sound types contribute to a soundscape: sounds generated by organisms, non-living natural sounds (like from sunlight, water, soil, air and temperature), and sounds from humans or human-made technology. They are referred to as biophony, geophony, and anthropophony respectively.
The study of bioacoustics has shown how vital soundscapes are for inter- and intra-species interactions. Maia Persche, a field biologist and bioacoustics researcher at Baraboo Hills Research Collective, explains the complexity of a soundscape: “…species that evolve together in an ecosystem all call at a different time or pitch, so their calls don’t overlap, and they can be heard above the background… Like, if two frog species call at the same time, maybe one will have a high pitch, and one will have a low pitch. Or if they have the same pitch, they might call at different times of the day.”
The primary disruptor of natural soundscapes is anthropophony, or noise pollution. Noise pollution impacts species behaviors and can cause habitat fragmentation. Due to different levels of tolerance for acoustic disturbance, a habitat may be inaccessible to animals even if it appears intact, due to noise infiltration. Noise pollution also affects humans. According to UCLA Health, chronic exposure to high decibels is linked to an increase in stress hormones, risk of heart disease, and cognitive impairment.
Silence is not the solution, but instead we must embrace and recapture natural soundscapes. Landscape architects, like Ohio State University’s Dorothée Imbert and her students, are incorporating soundscape ecology into new designs. Their novel proposals at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, New York, include raised bluffs and an “acoustic planting matrix.” This strategy uses native plants to dampen noise in some areas and attract noise-tolerant animals to others. The pursuit of natural soundscapes is not limited to land. Coral reefs, teeming with life, are also being researched. A study by Timothy Gordon with the University of Exeter found that introducing healthy reef soundscapes to dead reefs improved fish presence.
Whether improving the environment for sensitive species or human wellbeing, natural soundscapes achieve meaningful goals. You can start by actively engaging with local planning processes, like attending annual master plan meetings. This is a great way to advocate for a step toward soundscape harmony and away from noise pollution.
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