<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p> The fine-grained mosaic of natural and human-modified patches that characterizes the Mediterranean region has created a multifaceted system that is difficult to investigate using traditional ecological techniques. In this context, sounds have been found to be the optimum model to provide indirect and timely information about the state of ecosystems. The sonic nature of the environment (the soundscape) represents an important component of the landscape, and the new discipline of soundscape ecology has recently been shown to have appropriate tools for investigating the complexity of the environment. In the last decade, technological advances in the acoustic field have led researchers to carry out wide-scale and long-term ecological research using new and efficient tools, such as digital low cost sound recorders, and autonomous software and metrics. Particularly in the Mediterranean region, where land transformation occurs at a very rapid rate, soundscape analysis may represent an efficient tool with which to:1) track transformations in the community balance, 2) indicate the most acoustically complex parts (bioacoustic hotspots) of the land mosaic, 3) prevent environmental degradation, and 4) decide whether protection or restoration actions are most appropriate. </p><p>Conserving the quality of Mediterranean sounds means preserving the natural dynamics of its animal populations and also involves maintaining the cultural heritage, human identity, and the spiritual values of the area.</p></abstract>

The fine-grained mosaic of natural and human-modified patches that characterizes the Mediterranean region has created a multifaceted system that is difficult to investigate using traditional ecological techniques. In this context, sounds have been found to be the optimum model to provide indirect and timely information about the state of ecosystems. The sonic nature of the environment (the soundscape) represents an important component of the landscape, and the new discipline of soundscape ecology has recently been shown to have appropriate tools for investigating the complexity of the environment. In the last decade, technological advances in the acoustic field have led researchers to carry out wide-scale and long-term ecological research using new and efficient tools, such as digital low cost sound recorders, and autonomous software and metrics. Particularly in the Mediterranean region, where land transformation occurs at a very rapid rate, soundscape analysis may represent an efficient tool with which to:1) track transformations in the community balance, 2) indicate the most acoustically complex parts (bioacoustic hotspots) of the land mosaic, 3) prevent environmental degradation, and 4) decide whether protection or restoration actions are most appropriate. Conserving the quality of Mediterranean sounds means preserving the natural dynamics of its animal populations and also involves maintaining the cultural heritage, human identity, and the spiritual values of the area.

The Soundscape Approach for the Assessment and Conservation of Mediterranean Landscapes: Principles and Case Studies

Department of Basic Sciences and Foundations – University of Urbino – Campus Scientifico ‘Enrico Mattei’ – Urbino, Italy

National Research Council - Institute for Coastal Marine Environment, Capo Granitola - 91021 T.G. Campobello di Mazara (TP) – Italy

Department of Basic Sciences and Foundations - University of Urbino - Campus Scientifico ‘Enrico Mattei’ - Urbino, Italy

Journal of Landscape Ecology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

The fine-grained mosaic of natural and human-modified patches that characterizes the Mediterranean region has created a multifaceted system that is difficult...

The Soundscape Approach for the Assessment and Conservation of Mediterranean Landscapes: Principles and Case Studies

Published Online: Oct 15, 2014

Page range: 10 - 22

Received: Mar 20, 2014

Accepted: Jun 25, 2014

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jlecol-2014-0007

© 2014

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.