The Sound of Silence: An Introduction to the Use of Acoustics in Tracking Climate Change

Climate change is occurring, the planet is warming, and anthropogenic activities are to blame for the environmental degradation. Tracking climate change is a long process, taking years before changes are noticeable and it becomes too late to mitigate or preserve the habitat. An emerging field of soundscape ecology presents the opportunity and ability to observe climate change effects before irreparable damage is done. Using acoustics to monitor ecosystems also provides an understanding of species behavior, weather patterns, and the effects of greenhouse gas emissions, to name a few. Biological organisms rely on sound to send and receive vital information regarding the area around them. As anthropogenic activities continue and increase warming events, the acoustic environment changes which many species may be unable to adapt to. Little research has been done using acoustics to track and measure effects of climate change, and even less have been conducted in the Arctic. The Arctic is still a relatively pristine environment, yet with global climatic warming, changes are predicted to occur rapidly and significantly. This paper introduces the complex interactions and responses triggered by climate change events. Using acoustics can provide a perspective on climate change effects before they are drastically observed. Recordings made in the north of Iceland were used to examine the effectiveness of acoustic monitoring. Terrestrial and underwater recordings were made to evaluate ambient noise levels and predict how climate change will affect the ambient noise of an environment. The results of the project demonstrate how acoustics can be used as a tool to track climate change effects over long periods of time