Journal article
Human contributions to global soundscapes are less predictable than the acoustic rhythms of wildlife
Nature ecology & evolution, Vol.9, pp.1585-1598
09/2025
PMID: 40634696
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Abstract
Across the world, human (anthropophonic) sounds add to sounds of biological (biophonic) and geophysical (geophonic) origin, with human contributions including both speech and technophony (sounds of technological devices). To characterize society's contribution to the global soundscapes, we used passive acoustic recorders at 139 sites across 6 continents, sampling both urban green spaces and nearby pristine sites continuously for 3 years in a paired design. Recordings were characterized by bird species richness and by 14 complementary acoustic indices. By relating each index to seasonal, diurnal, climatic and anthropogenic factors, we show here that latitude, time of day and day of year each predict a substantial proportion of variation in key metrics of biophony-whereas anthropophony (speech and traffic) show less predictable patterns. Compared to pristine sites, the soundscape of urban green spaces is more dominated by technophony and less diverse in terms of acoustic energy across frequencies and time steps, with less instances of quiet. We conclude that the global soundscape is formed from a highly predictable rhythm in biophony, with added noise from geophony and anthropophony. At urban sites, animals experience an increasingly noisy background of sound, which poses challenges to efficient communication.
Details
- Title
- Human contributions to global soundscapes are less predictable than the acoustic rhythms of wildlife
- Creators
- Panu Somervuo - University of HelsinkiTomas Roslin - Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesBrian L Fisher - Madagascar Biodiversity PartnershipBess Hardwick - University of HelsinkiDeirdre Kerdraon - Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesDimby Raharinjanahary - Madagascar Biodiversity PartnershipEric Tsiriniaina Rajoelison - Madagascar Biodiversity PartnershipPatrik Lauha - University of HelsinkiLukas Griem - University of Applied Sciences (Germany, Dresdan)Petteri Lehikoinen - University of HelsinkiPekka Niittynen - University of HelsinkiEsko Piirainen - Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryMarkus Lumme - Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryVille-Matti Riihikoski - Finnish Museum of Natural HistoryOrlando Acevedo-Charry - Florida Museum of Natural HistorySolny A Adalsteinsson - University of St. LouisMaaz Ahmad - Abdul Wali Khan University MardanSandra Alcobia - AOSOL (Portugal)Jón Aldará - Faroe Islands National MuseumNigel R Andrew - Southern Cross UniversitySten Anslan - University of TartuAlexandre Antonelli - Royal Botanic Gardens, KewJulieta Soledad Arena - Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología VegetalSantiago Arroyo Almeida - Universidad San Francisco de QuitoInes Aster - Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsgesellschaft m.b.H (Austria)Hannu Autto - University of HelsinkiAnahi Aviles Gamboa - University of St. LouisJoaquín Baixeras - Universitat de ValènciaMario Baldauf - Tiroler Landesmuseen-Betriebsgesellschaft m.b.H (Austria)Rosario Balestrieri - Stazione Zoologica Anton DohrnGaia Giedre Banelyte - Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesAdrian Barrett - Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (Western Australia, Perth)Pedro Beja - Universidade do PortoThomas Olof Berg - Nova Southeastern UniversityBenjamin Bergerot - Ecosystèmes, Biodiversité, EvolutionElizabeth G Biro - University of St. LouisPedro G Blendinger - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y TécnicasLoïc Bollache - Laboratoire Chrono-EnvironnementMagda Bou Dagher Kharrat - European Forest Institute (EFI) (Spain, Barcelona)Stephane Boyer - Université de ToursErika Bridell - Uppsala UniversityMartyn Brotherson - Botanic Gardens and Parks AuthorityLeslie Robert Brown - University of South AfricaHannah L Buckley - Auckland University of TechnologyErika Buscardo - Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP)Nokuphila Buthelezi - eThekwini MunicipalityLuciano Cagnolo - Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología VegetalAlice Calvente - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do NorteGiovanni Capobianco - ARDEA-Association for Research, Dissemination and Environmental Education (Italy, Napoli)Laura Carreón-Palau - Pronatura NoroesteSuzanne Carriere - Government of Northwest TerritoriesBradley S Case - Auckland University of TechnologyJenyu Chang - Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute Council of Agriculture, Executive YuanJuan Matías Chaparro - Instituto Nacional de Técnica AeroespacialChi-Ling Chen - Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute (Taiwan, Taichung City)Christine Chicoine - Center for Northern StudiesMadeleine Christensson - Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesFrancisco Collado Rosique - Servici Devesa-Albufera (Ayuntamiento de Valencia), València, SpainWilliam Colom Montero - Uppsala University (Sweden, Uppsala)Ricardo do Sacramento da Fonseca - Monte Pico AssociationLuís P Da Silva - Universidade do PortoAnamaria Dal Molin - University of Rio Grande and Rio Grande Community CollegeTad Dallas - University of South CarolinaMaria Carla de Francesco - University of MoliseJorge Arturo Del Ángel-Rodríguez - Colectivo de Académicos Sudcalifornianos A.C. (Mexico, La Paz)Ricardo Díaz-Delgado - ICTS-RBD, Estación Biológica de Doñana-CSIC, Seville, SpainThomas Dirnböck - Environment Agency AustriaIka Djukic - Environment Agency AustriaPhilile Dladla - eThekwini MunicipalityJeremías Domínguez Masciale - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y TécnicasThiago Dorigo - Universidade do Estado do Rio de JaneiroErrol Douwes - eThekwini MunicipalityTorbjørn Ekrem - Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyHelena Enderskog - Uppsala UniversityCharlotta Erefur - Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesMuhammad Fahad - International School and College of Cordoba, Batkhela Campus, Malakand, PakistanMohsen Falahati-Anbaran - Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyArielle Farrell - Swedish University of Agricultural SciencesGabriel Ferland - University of GuelphEmanuele Ferrari - Water Research InstituteAxa Figueiredo - Department of ForestryFernando Forero - Reserva Natural y Cascadas Los Tucanes, Gachantivá, ColombiaInga Freiberga - Czech Academy of Sciences, Biology CentreAndrea Frosch-Radivo - University of ViennaLuis Alberto Ganchozo Intriago - Universidad San Francisco de QuitoLaura Garzoli - National Research CouncilPaola Giacomotti - Water Research InstituteAndros T Gianuca - Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do NorteOlivier Gilg - Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueVladimir Gilg - Groupe de Recherche en Écologie ArctiqueFanney Gísladóttir - Agricultural University of IcelandRyan Glowacki - Botanic Gardens and Parks AuthorityBrigitte Gottsberger - University of ViennaJocelyn Gregoire - Environment and Climate Change CanadaElli Groner - Dead Sea and Arava Science CenterPatrícia Guedes - Universidade do PortoAimee Michelle Guile - Government of Northwest TerritoriesPeter Haase - Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt/MFazal Hadi - University of MalakandMagdalena Haidegger - Tirol Kliniken
- Publication Details
- Nature ecology & evolution, Vol.9, pp.1585-1598
- Publisher
- Springer Nature
- Grant note
- Open Access funding provided by University of Jyväskylä (JYU).
- Identifiers
- 991013296940402368
- Copyright
- © The Author(s) 2025
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Science and Engineering; Science
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article