Ecoacoustics is an emerging interdisciplinary science that investigates natural and anthropogenic sounds and their relationships with the environment over multiple scales of time and space.
By recording and analysing sounds in environments like forests, oceans, and even underground, ecoacoustics helps us understand ecosystem health and the relationships between species. From monitoring wildlife activity to detecting environmental changes, this field reveals insights that are often invisible to the human eye but loud and clear to the ear. Thanks to rapid advancements in machine learning technology and the availability of low-cost programmable recorders, ecoacoustics has emerged as a rapidly expanding and powerful tool for surveying and monitoring biodiversity in many habitats.
Soil acoustic monitoring is a fascinating branch of ecoacoustics that focuses on the sounds beneath our feet. Just as ecoacoustics studies sounds in larger ecosystems, soil acoustic monitoring hones in on the underground world, recording vibrations and noises produced by soil organisms like worms, insects, and root systems. By listening to these subtle sounds, scientists can assess soil health, track biodiversity, and even detect signs of environmental stress. This specialised approach adds a new layer to ecoacoustics, offering a deeper understanding of the vital, hidden processes that support life on Earth.
The team at Soil Acoustics Limited have been researching, designing and manufacturing the Soil Acoustics Meter (SAM) to record organisms in the soil and analyse these sounds to give us an indicator of the health of the soil. The technology has been researched and developed using a DEFRA Farming Innovation Programme grant with the University of Warwick, led by Dr. Carlos Abrahams.
If you need advice related to ecoacoustics or want to talk to us about SAM and how it can support your soil health, get in touch with us on info@soilacoustics.com or 01629 593 958.
