Human contributions to global soundscapes are less predictable than the acoustic rhythms of wildlife
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Global soundscapes reveal predictable biological rhythms overlaid with human-generated noise. Urban areas, with more technological sounds, challenge animal communication due to increased noise pollution.
Area Of Science
- Ecology
- Bioacoustics
- Environmental Science
Background
- Global soundscapes are a complex mix of biological (biophony), geophysical (geophony), and human (anthropophony) sounds.
- Anthropophony includes speech and technophony (sounds from technological devices).
- Understanding the balance and impact of these sound sources is crucial for ecological studies.
Purpose Of The Study
- To characterize the contribution of human activities to global soundscapes.
- To compare soundscapes in urban green spaces with nearby pristine environments.
- To investigate the factors influencing biophony and anthropophony.
Main Methods
- Utilized passive acoustic recorders at 139 sites across 6 continents over 3 years.
- Paired urban green spaces with nearby pristine sites for comparative analysis.
- Analyzed recordings for bird species richness and 14 acoustic indices, correlating them with environmental and anthropogenic factors.
Main Results
- Latitude, time of day, and day of year significantly predicted biophony metrics.
- Anthropophony (speech, traffic) exhibited less predictable patterns.
- Urban green spaces showed greater technophony dominance, reduced acoustic diversity, and fewer quiet periods compared to pristine sites.
Conclusions
- The global soundscape is characterized by predictable biophonic rhythms, augmented by geophony and anthropophony.
- Urban environments present a noisier soundscape for wildlife.
- Increased anthropogenic noise in urban areas poses significant challenges for animal communication.
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