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Realising the potential for acoustic monitoring to address environmental policy needs (JNCC Report No. 707) 2022

Abstract

Monitoring biodiversity is key to understanding what is changing and why. Recent developments in acoustic monitoring approaches have seen cheaper hardware, more advanced analytical tools, and moves towards standardisation of methods. However, the potential for acoustic monitoring to address key needs of policymakers has not yet been realised.

In this report, we discuss key policy needs that are driving the requirements for information on biodiversity. This includes the need for species and habitat information as well as the desire for information on ecosystem ‘health’, ecosystem services and function, impacts of interventions, and how to better engage people with nature. As acoustic monitoring methods develop, they could help address many of these policy needs. We highlight those methods with the greatest potential to meet these needs, including low-cost sensors, cross-taxa recording, acoustic signals of function, soundscape analysis, artificial intelligence (AI) classification and citizen science.

This resource may not be fully accessible for all users. If you need a copy in a different or more accessible format, please contact Communications@jncc.gov.uk.

Resource type Publication

Topic category Environment

Reference date 2022·07·01

Citation
August, T.A., Pocock, M.J.O., Mac Aodha, O., Baker, E., Beckmann, B.C., Boughey, K.L., Browning, E., Chapple, S., Dally, T., Day, J., Fairbrass, A.J., Gibb, R., Hassall, C., Johns, C.A., Newson, S.E., Sethi, S.S. & Abrahams, C. 2022. Realising the potential for acoustic monitoring to address environmental policy needs. JNCC Report No. 707, JNCC Peterborough, ISSN 0963-8091.

Lineage
This work was supported by the Terrestrial Surveillance Development and Analysis partnership of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, British Trust for Ornithology and JNCC, and by the Natural Environment Research Council award number NE/R016429/1 as part of the UK-SCAPE programme delivering National Capability.

Responsible organisation
Communications, JNCC publisher

Limitations on public access No limitations

Use constraints Available under the Open Government Licence 3.0

Metadata date 2022·07·14

Metadata point of contact
Communications, JNCC

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