At Soil Acoustics, we’ve been developing a new, simple method for assessing soil health – one that listens to the ground beneath us.
Over the past year, our team has been developing an innovative approach that harnesses ecoacoustics to measure soil vitality. The findings are clear: a healthy soil is a noisy soil, alive with the sounds of worms, insects and even small mammals.
Just in time for World Soil Day, our research team has received the prototype of our handheld Soil Acoustic Meter (SAM). This device allows users to place a probe into the ground to record soil sounds, providing an accessible and efficient way to assess soil health.
Advancing Soil Research with Sound
Since receiving a DEFRA Farming Innovation Programme grant earlier this year, we’ve been working alongside researchers from the University of Warwick to explore the complex world of soil acoustics.
Our research has shown that earthworms produce distinct sounds as they move through the soil, and we are using these recordings to estimate worm populations. As part of this project, we’ve collected thousands of soil sound samples, building an international database to refine algorithms that use these recordings as a proxy for soil health.
The SAM device, currently patent-pending, will transform soil health monitoring by enabling rapid and efficient data collection. Once commercially available, it will provide an essential tool for farmers, vineyards, estate managers and researchers.
Transforming Soil Monitoring for Farmers and Land Managers
Dr. Carlos Abrahams, Founder and Director at Soil Acoustics, explains, “We already have leading organisations, including First Milk, Yeo Valley, National Trust, and Moët Hennessy, signed up to trial our technology. Traditionally, farmers assess earthworm populations by manually digging sample pits and counting worms, a time-consuming and labour-intensive process. With the Soil Acoustic Meter, we can collect vast amounts of data quickly and efficiently, saving time, money, and resources.”
This ground-breaking device builds on the extensive bioacoustics expertise of our team, led by Dr. Abrahams. For over fifteen years, we’ve applied bioacoustic techniques to survey birds, bats and invertebrates. Now, we’re bringing this innovative approach to soil health monitoring, supporting sustainable land management and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) initiatives.
Jacqueline Stroud from the University of Warwick highlights the significance of this development, “Soil health is crucial for crop production and global food security. Earthworms play a vital role in maintaining healthy soils across agricultural systems. This device simplifies data collection, offering valuable insights that can help improve soil health and inform sustainable farming practices.”
Interested in learning more about the Soil Acoustic Meter or how our ecoacoustic surveys could benefit your project? Get in touch with our team via email at info@soilacoustics.com or call us on 01629 593 958.
