Acoustic sensors enable efficient and non-invasive monitoring of a wide range of species, including many that are difficult to monitor in other ways. Although they were initially limited in application scope largely due to cost and hardware constraints, the development of low-cost, open-source models like the Audiomoth in recent years has increased access immensely and opened up new avenues of research. For example, some teams are using them to identify illicit human activities through the detection of associated sounds, like gunshots, vehicles, or chainsaws (e.g. OpenEars).
With this relatively novel dimension of wildlife monitoring rapidly advancing in both marine and terrestrial systems, it is crucial that we identify and share information about the utility and constraints of these sensors to inform efforts. A recent study identified advancements in hardware and machine learning applications, as well as early development of acoustic biodiversity indicators, as factors facilitating progress in the field. In terms of limitations, the authors highlight insufficient reference sound libraries, a lack of open-source audio processing tools, and a need for standardization of survey and analysis protocols. They also stress the importance of collaboration in moving forward, which is precisely what this group will aim to facilitate.
If you're new to acoustic monitoring and want to get up to speed on the basics, check out these beginner's resources and conversations from across the WILDLABS platform:
Three Resources for Beginners:
- Listening to Nature: The Emerging Field of Bioacoustics, Adam Welz
- Ecoacoustics and Biodiversity Monitoring, RSEC Journal
- Monitoring Ecosystems through Sound: The Present and Future of Passive Acoustics, Ella Browning and Rory Gibb
Three Forum Threads for Beginners:
- AudioMoth user guide | Tessa Rhinehart
- Audiomoth and Natterjack Monitoring (UK) | Stuart Newson
- Help with analysing bat recordings from Audiomoth | Carlos Abrahams
Three Tutorials for Beginners:
- "How do I perform automated recordings of bird assemblages?" | Carlos Abrahams, Tech Tutors
- "How do I scale up acoustic surveys with Audiomoths and automated processing?" | Tessa Rhinehart, Tech Tutors
- Acoustic Monitoring | David Watson, Ruby Lee, Andy Hill, and Dimitri Ponirakis, Virtual Meetups
Want to know more about acoustic monitoring and learn from experts in the WILDLABS community? Jump into the discussion in our Acoustic Monitoring group!
Header image: Carly Batist
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Software Engineer for last 20 years and running a conservation organization for last 3 years, looking for more opportunities to implement tech skills for conservation
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I'm a MIDS graduate student at UC Berkeley working on a citizen science app for automated frog call identification. I'd like to know how users interact with such apps and their pain points. This 5-minute survey will...
27 September 2024
The African Bioacoustics Conference!
18 September 2024
After all the discussion about calibration yesterday during the bioacoustics hardware call, I figured I should link to my talk on the subject from a few years ago.
6 September 2024
The Coral Research & Development Accelerator Platform opened it's Coral Accelerator Program 2024 for internationally collaborating teams to apply with innovative projects ranging from 'novel early-phase' to 'final...
26 August 2024
The IQOE Task Team on Low-Cost Hydrophones for Research, Education and Citizen Science would like to understand the needs of all hydrophone end-users. Please answer a few questions in this online survey! By...
26 August 2024
Join us for Season Five of the WILDLABS Virtual Meetup Series, tuning in to the world of Bioacoustics! Laying the groundwork for our new horizon scan research, each event will convene cross-sector experts to explore a...
22 August 2024
Join us in celebrating this year’s Judging Panele Award winners!
19 August 2024
Join us in celebrating this year’s Community Choice Award winners!
15 August 2024
Vote for your favorite submissions that best demonstrate conservation impact, novel innovation/discovery, and strong storytelling of the work and the sector.
12 August 2024
On the final day of the #Tech4Wildlife Photo Challenge, we wrap up looking at past and current submissions that feature the fastest growing areas of conservation tech. Today’s topic: bioacoustics!
9 August 2024
We are thrilled to introduce our new horizon scan, which will chart the future of bioacoustics. By collectively prioritizing emerging innovations that could transform the field, we aim to build consensus, facilitate...
5 August 2024
Wildlife Acoustics is proud to offer a grant program to support the advancement of wildlife research, habitat monitoring, and environmental conservation
4 August 2024
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Hi cosmicspittle, Many thanks for the pointer, I shall discusss it with our local tech disussion group here tomorrow morning. One of the guy's, the PhD candidate... |
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Acoustics | 4 years 10 months ago | |
Hi Wildlabbers, We've got a fascinating paper to show you, as shared with us by Claude Miaud. This study looks at how amphibian... |
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Acoustics | 4 years 11 months ago | |
I thought this article might be interesting to people in this group: "It’s common knowledge that bats navigate and search for... |
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Acoustics | 4 years 11 months ago | |
Hello to you all, I hope everyone is doing ok during this Covid-19 contingency. Jsut sharing this adaptation for the water proof case for the Audio Moth. https://www.... |
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Acoustics | 5 years ago | |
Johnnie, Great. You can get me at work on c.abrahams@bakerconsultants.co.uk Ta, Carlos |
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Acoustics | 5 years 1 month ago | |
Hi everyone, Thanks for attending today's episode! You can find all of the collaborative notes at the link below, and we also encourage you to use this thread to connect... |
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Acoustics | 5 years 1 month ago | |
Hi everyone, If anyone is looking for the episode's collaborative notes, you can find them here: https://notes.datawrapper.de/p/Tech_Tutors_Episode_3 This doc... |
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Acoustics | 5 years 1 month ago | |
Hi all, There is a conversation underway in the "Ethics of conservation tech" group on best practices for responsible ue of... |
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Acoustics | 5 years 2 months ago | |
How do we get notified for the next group buy? |
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Acoustics | 5 years 2 months ago | |
Hello all, I am new to recording but have been learning about acousting environmental monitoring for several years now. Covid19 has me... |
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Acoustics | 5 years 2 months ago | |
Hi Isla, Range at which animals hear sounds depend on 4 things: 1) the frequency (pitch) of the sound of interest. As a rule of thumb, lower frequency sounds travel... |
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Acoustics | 5 years 3 months ago | |
We used the following lithium batteries. URL: https://fortebattery.en.made-in-china.com/product/FBDEubqyfGhH/China-C-Size-Lithium-Batteries-Cr26500-Cr26500se-... |
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Acoustics | 5 years 3 months ago |