Bioacoustic Baselines for Intact Forests.

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Conservation Biology
• Bioacoustics

Background:

• Forests are critical for regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide and harbor immense biodiversity, making them central to climate change mitigation and species conservation efforts.
• Current carbon sequestration initiatives often lack biodiversity impact assessments due to cost and complexity, compounded by a scarcity of reliable biodiversity baselines.
• The Soundscape Baselines Project addresses this gap by establishing global bioacoustic baselines in intact forests.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the Soundscape Baselines Project, a global initiative focused on collecting and analyzing bioacoustic data from intact forests.
• To demonstrate the utility of bioacoustic baselines for future biodiversity conservation and outline steps for operationalization.
• To identify priority areas for future baseline data collection and discuss the long-term value of bioacoustic monitoring in a changing climate.

Main Methods:

• Utilizing a modular system of passive acoustic monitoring and ancillary data collection within remaining intact forests.
• Engaging local teams of scientists, conservation practitioners, and community members in data collection and analysis.
• Emphasizing data and equipment usability, community engagement, and fostering a network of scientists across forested nations.

Main Results:

• The paper describes the Soundscape Baselines Project initiative and presents initial results.
• Demonstrates the potential application of the collected bioacoustic data for biodiversity conservation.
• Identifies priority regions for expanding baseline data collection across global intact forests.

Conclusions:

• Rigorous biodiversity baselines, established through bioacoustics and collaborative science, are fundamental for evidence-based, equitable, and transparent conservation.
• Bioacoustic baselines are invaluable tools for understanding and managing Earth's forests amidst rapid climate change.
• The project aims to build an interconnected network, enhancing global capacity for forest biodiversity monitoring and conservation.