Influence of recording devices and environmental noise on acoustic index scores: Implications for bird sound-based assessments

Ecological Indicators, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 159, P. 111759 - 111759

Published: Feb. 1, 2024

Passive acoustic monitoring serves as a minimally invasive and effective method for biodiversity assessment, particularly in bird through the application of indices. However, use different recording devices types environmental noise (e.g., rain, wind, stream, traffic noise) lead to signal distortions that affect ecoacoustics Currently, there are no established guidelines specifying technical requirements signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) threshold accurate calculation To enhance accuracy indices assessments, this study investigated impact (rain, on In study, we selected six indices: Acoustic Complexity Index, Diversity Evenness Bioacoustic Entropy Normalized Difference Soundscape used four simultaneously record 104 h bird-sound data at same location. addition, 44 noisy signals with intensities were artificially synthesized comparison. The sound then analyze effects assessment. Our results showed (a) all affected by device used; (b) each index had sensitivities types; (c) was SNR above which effect negligible. This provides recommendations selection determines thresholds signals, contributing refinement protocols acquiring preprocessing These findings aim establish standardized acquisition future

Language: Английский

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Acoustic indices estimate breeding bird species richness with daily and seasonally variable effectiveness in lowland temperate Białowieża forest

Ecological Indicators, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 148, P. 110027 - 110027

Published: Feb. 20, 2023

Acoustic indices have been proposed as rapid and easy to apply tool for biodiversity estimation of vocalising animals without the need individual species identification. However, inconclusive, or even opposite dependencies between acoustic animal found in various studies suggest that their effectiveness is environmentally variable. Here we examined how three indices: Bioacoustic Index (BI), Complexity (ACI) Diversity (ADI) predict bird richness a species-rich, lowland temperate forest Europe – Białowieża Forest. We recorded soundscape early late spring at 84 recording points. analysed 72 1-min sound samples collected per point evaluate well from perspective single sample, survey they follow daily pattern singing activity. When compared values with number detected manually samples, BI best richness, independently time season but variably across day, while ACI ADI showed weaker dependency, variable both seasonally daily. The correlation each index was stronger part season. Averaged by point, correlated more strongly mean total provided better than survey. At level most (rho = 0.584), -0.347). followed activity pattern, yet greater before peak estimated manual spectrogram scanning listening recordings. In this study moderately providing useful forests. seasonal variation should be taken into account analysis. Using instead comparisons improved measured different aspects biodiversity.

Language: Английский

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Monitoring soil fauna with ecoacoustics

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 291(2030)

Published: Sept. 1, 2024

Ecoacoustics—or acoustic ecology—aids in monitoring elusive and protected species several ecological contexts. For example, passive (PAM), which involves autonomous sensors, is widely used to detect various taxonomic groups terrestrial aquatic ecosystems, from birds bats fish cetaceans. Here, we illustrate the potential of ecoacoustics monitor soil biodiversity (specifically fauna)—a crucial endeavour given that 59% live yet 75% soils are affected by degradation. We describe sources sound (e.g. biological, geological anthropogenic) ability technology differentiate between these sounds, highlighting opportunities current gaps knowledge. also propose a roadmap for future development optimized hardware, analytical pipelines experimental approaches. Soil an emerging field with considerable improve ‘soil health’ diagnostics. Indeed, early studies suggest can be successfully applied ecosystems grasslands, temperate, tropical arid forests) land uses agriculture, viticulture, natural restored ecosystems). Given low cost, minimal intrusiveness, effectiveness supporting assessments biosecurity risks, advocate advancement management applications.

Language: Английский

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Bird Diversity of the Dry Chaco: Impacts of Land Use Change on Communities and Soundscapes

Austral Ecology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 50(2)

Published: Feb. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Agricultural expansion has had negative impacts on biodiversity worldwide. Regions with high human pressure, such as the Dry Chaco in South America, require rapid studies to understand environmental and potential loss. Ecoacoustics been proposed an efficient method for promoting assessment of threatened regions. Using a unique field‐based bird community dataset, we evaluated performance two commonly used acoustic indices (acoustic diversity index complexity index) representing avian richness continuous forest corridors Paraguayan Chaco. Our results from manual identification recordings showed higher species sites (40–61 species) than (22–36 species). In contrast, found no difference between or corridors. Contrary our initial expectation, there was not significant association when considered across all sites. However, partial weak correlation values We argue that habitat fragmentation edge effects might have altered soundscape corridors, favouring activity rather richness, which affects response. study suggests must be cautiously because other variables, besides are involved characterisation (e.g., vocal activity).

Language: Английский

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Evaluating the efficacy of small-plot restorative management in an urban park using low-tech soundscape tools: an exploratory study

Urban Transformations, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 7(1)

Published: Feb. 13, 2025

Language: Английский

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Testing the soundscape response to silvicultural interventions in a controlled before-and-after experiment

Biological Conservation, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 306, P. 111116 - 111116

Published: April 8, 2025

Language: Английский

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An Exploration of Ecoacoustics and its Applications in Conservation Ecology

Biosystems, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 245, P. 105296 - 105296

Published: Aug. 15, 2024

Language: Английский

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Acoustic indices as proxies for bird species richness in an urban green space in Metro Manila

PLoS ONE, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 18(7), P. e0289001 - e0289001

Published: July 28, 2023

We assessed eight acoustic indices as proxies for bird species richness in the National Science Complex (NSC), University of Philippines Diliman. The were normalized Acoustic Complexity Index (nACI), Diversity (ADI), inverse Evenness (1-AEI), Bioacoustic (BI), Entropy (H), Temporal (Ht), Spectral (Hf), and Richness (AR). Low-cost, automated sound recorders using a Raspberry Pi placed three sites at NSC to continuously collect 5-min samples from July 2020 January 2022. selected 840 samples, equivalent 70 hours, through stratified sampling pre-processed them before conducting index analysis on raw data. measured Spearman’s correlation between each obtained manual spectrogram scanning listening recordings. compared coefficients pre-processed. wav files assess robustness Fisher’s z-transformation. Additionally, we used GLMMs determine how predict based season time day. rank GLMM showed significant, weak negative correlations nACI, 1-AEI, Ht, AR with richness. suggest that performance are dependent various factors, such local noise conditions, composition, season, Thus, ground-truthing should be done applying studies. Among indices, nACI was best-performing index, performing consistently across independently highlight importance pre-processing data urban settings other noisy environments analysis, this strengthens values

Language: Английский

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Research on spatiotemporal variation characteristics of soundscapes in a newly established suburban forest park

Urban forestry & urban greening, Journal Year: 2022, Volume and Issue: 78, P. 127766 - 127766

Published: Oct. 25, 2022

Language: Английский

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A frequency-dependent acoustic diversity index: A revision to a classic acoustic index for soundscape ecological research

Ecological Indicators, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 155, P. 110940 - 110940

Published: Sept. 15, 2023

In recent years, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) has been widely applied in the field of soundscape ecology. Meanwhile, indices, as an important tool for rapid biodiversity assessment (RBA), have also attracted increasing attention. However, considerable evidence demonstrates that existing indices are susceptible to noise, which poses a challenge wider applications indices. this work, we firstly provide insights into how noise affects used diversity index (ADI), revealing global threshold scheme (i.e., −50 dBFS all time–frequency bins) generate binary spectrogram (spectrogram containing bins denoted '1′ with power above and '0′ below) is key factor makes ADI sensitive noise. To address problem, propose revised version named frequency-dependent (FADI), employs new reduce impacts on its values. Specifically, considering floor along frequency axis usually varies practice, i.e., colored rather than white exists recordings, floating thresholds adapted level at each bin were employed further incorporated ADI. Controlled computational experiments using recordings conducted where manipulated levels introduced different signal-to-noise ratios (SNR). It was shown proposed FADI significantly robust within much SNR range compared Furthermore, singular example real-world recording verified effectiveness highlighted promising potential PAM.

Language: Английский

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