Spring 2023 • Issue 17

Acoustic Monitoring

Published May 2023

This issue on Acoustic Monitoring explores the invisible soundscape of freshwater ecosystems and how sound-based technologies are revolutionizing aquatic research. It investigates noise as an environmental stressor while showcasing applications ranging from monitoring fish spawning vocalizations to assessing the impacts of offshore wind energy development. By leveraging passive acoustic tools, scientists gain new insights into species behavior and habitat conditions, bridging the gap between physical infrastructure and ecological health in ways that traditional visual methods cannot.

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Features

Great Lakes science helps shape green energy revolution: A case study of offshore wind in Lake Erie

A four-year pre-construction study in Lake Erie used passive acoustics and fish telemetry to evaluate the environmental impacts of an offshore wind project, setting a model for future energy development.

The environmental stressor you never hear about

Anthropogenic noise from shipping and boating is an emerging stressor in the Great Lakes, masking fish communication and causing physiological stress, yet remains largely unregulated.

Listening to Great Lakes fishes

Fish in the Great Lakes produce a variety of sounds for communication and reproduction; bioacoustics offers a powerful tool to study their behavior, ecology, and responses to environmental change.

Passive acoustic monitoring of freshwater ecosystems

Passive acoustic monitoring offers a non-invasive, continuous method to track freshwater biodiversity and behavior, addressing risks and biases associated with traditional sampling methods.

Departments

Book Review

The Devil's Element

A review of Dan Egan's "The Devil's Element" examines the paradox of phosphorus as both a life-sustaining nutrient and a pollutant driving eutrophication in the Great Lakes.

Member Spotlight

Ali Reza Shahvaran

Ali Reza Shahvaran uses remote sensing and satellite imagery to model and monitor algal blooms in western Lake Ontario, informing nutrient management and decision-making.

Member Spotlight

Emilie DeRochie

Emilie DeRochie coordinates the St. Lawrence River Strategy, fostering inclusive communication and collaboration between Indigenous communities and stakeholders along the river.

Research Brief

Thunderstruck: Using passive acoustics to eavesdrop on sturgeon spawning vocalizations

Underwater microphones detected low-frequency "thunder" sounds from spawning lake sturgeon in the Detroit River, revealing their spawning timing and sensitivity to ship noise.

Research Brief

What can we hear in freshwater lakes?

A 15-month acoustic recording in Lake Superior revealed seasonal soundscapes dominated by boat traffic in summer and ice cracking in winter, highlighting the need to monitor noise impacts on sensitive species.