Listening forward: approaching marine biodiversity assessments using acoustic methods

Area of Science:

• Marine Ecology
• Bioacoustics
• Conservation Science

Background:

• Ecosystems face rapid changes, making species diversity tracking crucial for habitat management.
• Quantifying marine biodiversity is challenging, particularly in underwater environments.
• Passive acoustics, an established ocean observation technique, is emerging as a viable tool for marine biodiversity assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a timely review of emerging passive acoustic methods for measuring marine biodiversity.
• To summarize the history, challenges, and best practices for using acoustics in marine biodiversity assessments.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical applications of passive acoustics in assessing marine biodiversity and community structure.
• Critical assessment of current challenges in acoustic biodiversity measurements.
• Outline of recommended practices and considerations for future acoustic biodiversity studies.

Main Results:

• Passive acoustics presents a cost-effective and efficient means for monitoring marine life due to sound's underwater propagation.
• Significant challenges remain in applying current acoustic indices for accurate biodiversity assessment.
• New analytical tools, including source separation and machine learning, show substantial promise for advancing acoustic diversity assessment.

Conclusions:

• A cautious approach is recommended when applying existing acoustic indices to assess marine biodiversity.
• Sufficient preliminary data and robust sampling strategies are essential for capturing habitat patterns and variability.
• Continued development and application of advanced analytical techniques are vital for realizing the full potential of passive acoustics in marine biodiversity monitoring.