Audio and Images from Daintree Rainforest, Queensland, Australia
Audioelicitation
Audioelicitation is an experiential nature connection process that involves exploring ecosystems through the auditory lens. We use Zoom HN1 recording micophones combined with high quality headphones to help participants listen more deeply. The process of augmenting ones hearing heightens the nature connection experience and they can hear with 'new' more sensitive ears.
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Multiple studies have shown that people who listen to natural sounds have better focus, mental clarity and less anxiety. Natural soundscapes are also a great way to identify species present in an ecosystem as well as overall ecosystem health.
Soundscape Ecology
Soundscape ecology is the study of the acoustic relationships between living organisms, human and other, and their environment, whether the organisms are marine or terrestrial.
Soundscape ecologists study the relationships between the three basic sources of sound that comprise the soundscape: those generated by organisms are referred to as the biophony; those from non-biological natural categories are classified as the geophony, and those produced by humans, the anthropophony.
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Using recording devices, audio tools, and elements of traditional ecological and acoustic analyses we can study soundscape structure. Soundscape ecology has deepened current understandings of ecological issues and established profound visceral connections to ecological data. The preservation of natural soundscapes is now a recognized conservation goal.
The image above is a spectogram; a visual representation of audio data. Through a visual analysis of soundscapes we can determine what is making up the acoustic ecology.
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We can study ecosystem health through examining the spectrogram, which shows us a visual representation of species richness. Using soundscape ecology we can study the diversity of an ecosystem and get an idea about how much human impact there is.
What I Offer
Tailored audioelicitation and soundscape ecology programs and workshops to suit your institutional curriculum and community group.