Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Avian soundscapes and cognitive landscapes: theory, application and ecological perspectives

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Landscape Ecology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The soundscape is proposed as a phenomenological entity with which to investigate environmental complexity. In particular, the avian soundtope, which is defined as a place in which sound is intentionally structured by different bird species, is regarded as an agency acting to achieve several goals. In fact, the soundtope could be viewed as a special case of an eco-field used by birds, not only to establish territorial ownership and patrol an area but also as a means of locating and evaluating the availability of many other material and immaterial resources. The meaning of the multifaceted acoustic pattern produced by bird communities during the breeding season is discussed here under the acoustic niche hypothesis in terms of community coalescence and the permanent establishment of an inter-specific communication network. Furthermore, the spatial and temporal dimensions of a bird soundscape have also been analyzed and discussed in terms of their relationship with environmental proxies. A new Acoustic Complexity Index (ACI), coupled with the implementation (ACI plug-in) of a specific sound editor (WaveSurfer©), is proposed as a way of processing sound data efficiently, thus providing new opportunities to use the bird soundscape signature for landscape characterization and describing the ecological dynamics of long-term monitoring schemes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amano HE, Eguchi K (2002a) Nest-site selection of the red-billed leiothrix and Japanese bush warbler in Japan. Ornithol Sci 1:101–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amano HE, Eguchi K (2002b) Foraging niches of introduced red-billed leiothrix and native species in Japan. Ornithol Sci 1:123–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrett TI, Farina A, Barrett GW (2009) Aesthetic landscapes: an emergent component in sustaining societies. Landscape Ecol. doi:10.1007/s10980-009-9354-8

  • Blumenrath SH, Dabelsteen T (2004) Degradation of great tit (Parus major) song before and after foliation: implications for vocal communication in a deciduous forest. Behaviour 141:935–958

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Botero AA, Boogert NJ, Vehrencamp SL, Lovette IJ (2009) Climatic patterns predict the elaboration of song displays in mockingbirds. Curr Biol 19:1–5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Briefer E, Osiejuk TS, Rybak F, Aubin T (2010) Are bird song complexity and song sharing shaped by habitat structure? An information theory and statistical approach. J Theor Biol 262:151–164

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brumm H (2004) The impact of environmental noise on song amplitude in a territorial bird. J Anim Ecol 73:434–440

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brumm H, Naguib M (2009) Environmental acoustic and the evolution of bird song. In: Naguib M, Zuberbühler K, Clayton NS, Janik VM (eds) Advances in the study of behavior, vol 40. Academic, Amsterdam, pp 1–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Brumm H, Slabbekoorn H (2005) Acoustic communication in noise. Adv Study Behav 35:151–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brumm H, Slater PJB (2007) Animal communication: timing counts. Curr Biol 17:521–523

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buchanan KL, Spencer KA, Goldsmith AR, Catchpole CK (2003) Song as an honest signal of past developmental stress in the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). Proc R Soc Lond B 270(1520):1149–1156

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bucur V (2006) Urban forest acoustics. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Burger J (1981) A model for the evolution of mixed-species colonies of Ciconiiformes. Q Rev Biol 56:143–167

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burt JM, Vehrencamp SL (2005) Dawn chorus as an interactive communication network. In: McGregor PK (ed) Animal communication networks. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Google Scholar 

  • Carles JL, Lopez Barrio I, de Lucio JV (1999) Sound influence on landscape values. Landsc Urban Plan 43:191–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Catchpole CK, Slater PJB (2008) Bird Song. Biological themes and variations. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Cosgrove D (2003) Landscape: ecology and semiosis. In: Palang H, Fry G (eds) Landscape interfaces: cultural heritage in changing landscapes. Kluwer, Dordrecht, pp 15–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Derryberry EP (2009) Ecology shapes birdsong evolution: variation in morphology and habitat explains variation in white-crowned sparrow song. Am Nat 174:24–33. doi:10.1086/599298

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dooling RJ, Popper AN (2007) The effects of highway noise on birds. The California Department of Transportation, Division of Analysis. Environmental BioAcoustics LLC, Rockville

  • Dubois PJ (2007) Les oiseaux allochtones en France: statut et interactions avec les especes indigenes. Ornithos 14:329–364

    Google Scholar 

  • Eguchi Z, Amano HE (2004) Invasive birds in Japan. Airies 8(1):29–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Farina A (2008) The landscape as a semiotic interface between organisms and resources. Biosemiotics 1(1):75–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farina A (2010) Ecology, cognition and landscape. Springer, Dordrecht

    Google Scholar 

  • Farina A, Belgrano A (2004) The eco-field: a new paradigm for landscape ecology. Ecol Res 19:107–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farina A, Belgrano A (2005) The eco-field hypothesis: toward a cognitive landscape. Landscape Ecol. doi:10.1007/s10980-005-7755-x

  • Farina A, Morri D (2008) Source-sink e eco-field: ipotesi ed evidenze sperimentali. In: Atti del X congresso nazionale della SIEP-IALE. Ecologia e governance del paesaggio: esperienze e prospettive. Bari, pp 365–372

  • Farina A, Napoletano B (2010) Rethinking the landscape: new theoretical perspectives for a powerful agency. Biosemiotics 3:177–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Forman RTT, Godron M (1986) Landscape ecology. Wiley, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Gage SH, Joo W, Kasten E, Fox J, Biswas S (2011) Development of acoustic monitoring. Technology for ecological investigations. Long-term ecological network. KBS synthesis (in press)

  • Gibbs JP, Breisch AR (2000) Climate warming and calling phenology of frogs near Itacha, New York, 1900–1999. Conserv Biol 15(4):1175–1178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hagen EH, Bryant GA (2003) Music and dance as a coalition signaling system. Hum Nat 14:21–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall ML, Magrath RD (2007) Temporal coordination signals coalition quality in a duetting songbird. Curr Biol 17:406–407

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hedfords P, Berg PG (2003) The sounds of two landscape settings: auditory concepts for physical planning and design. Landsc Res 28(3):245–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heller KG, von Helversen O (1989) Resource partitioning of sonar frequency bands in rhinolophoid bats. Oecologia 80:178–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Hopp SL, Owren MJ, Evans CS (eds) (1998) Animal acoustic communication. Springer, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutchinson JMC (2002) Two explanations of the dawn chorus compared: how monotonically changing light levels favour a short break from singing. Anim Behav 64:527–539

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krause B (1987) Bioacoustics: habitat ambience in ecological balance. Whole Earth Rev 57:14–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause B (1993) The niche hypothesis: a hidden symphony of animal sounds, the origins of musical expression and the health of habitats. Explor J 1993:156–160

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause B (1998) Into a wild sanctuary. Heyday Books, Berkeley

    Google Scholar 

  • Krause B (1999) Loss of natural soundscapes within the Americas. Wildlife Sanctuary, Inc. http://www.wildsanctuary.com/bk_asa.pdf. Retrieved 12 July 2009

  • Kroodsma D (2005) The singing life of birds. The art and science of listening to birdsong. Houghton Mifflin, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Kull K (2010) Ecosystems are made of semiosic bonds: Consortia, umwelten, biophony and ecological codes. Biosemiotics. doi:10.1007/s12304-010-9081-1

  • Laiolo P (2008) Characterizing the spatial structure of songbird cultures. Ecol Appl 18(7):1774–1780

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Laiolo P, Tella J (2005) Habitat fragmentation affects culture transmission: patterns of song matching in Dupont’s lark. J Appl Ecol 42:1183–1193

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laiolo P, Vogeli M, Serrano D, Tella JL (2008) Song diversity predicts the viability of fragmented bird populations. PloS ONE 3(3):1–5 (e1822)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levenshtein VI (1966) Binary codes capable of correcting deletions, insertions, and reversals. Cybern Control Theory 10(8):707–710

    Google Scholar 

  • Luther D (2008) Signaller:receiver coordination and the timing of communication in Amazonian birds. Biol Lett 4:651–654

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Magrath RD, Pitcher BJ, Gardner JL (2009) Recognition of other species’ aerial alarm calls: speaking the same language or learning another? Proc R Soc Lond B 276:769–774

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malavasi R (2010) The sound of music - a hypothesis of cooperation among songbirds through vocal coordination. PhD thesis, Carlo Bo Urbino University, Italy

  • Mann NI, Dingess KA, Slater PJB (2006) Antiphonal four-part synchronized chorusing in a Neotropical wren. Biol Lett 2(1):1–4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Marler P, Slabbekoorn H (eds) (2004) Nature’s music. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Mathevon N, Aubin T, Vielliard J, da Silva M-L, Sebe F, Boscolo D (2008) Singing in the rain forest: how a tropical bird song transfer information. PloS ONE 3(2):1–6 (e 1580)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGregor PK, Dabelsteen T (1996) Communication networks. In: Kroodsma DE, Miller EH (eds) Ecology and evolution of acoustic communication in birds. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, pp 409–425

    Google Scholar 

  • Mönkkönen MR, Helle P, Soppela K (1990) Numerical and behavioural responses of migrant passerines to experimental manipulation of resident tits (Parus spp.): heterospecific attraction in northern breeding bird communities? Oecologia 85:218–225

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murray BG (1971) The ecological consequences of interspecific territorial behavior in birds. Ecology 52:414–423

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naguib M, Mennill DJ (2010) The signal value of birdsong: empirical evidence suggests song overlapping is a signal. Anim Behav 80(3):e11–e15

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Narins P (1995) Frog communication. Sci Am 273:62–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nassauer JI (ed) (1997) Placing nature culture and landscape ecology. Island Press, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Naveh Z (2000) What is holistic landscape ecology? A conceptual introduction. Landsc Urban Plan 50:7–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nemeth E, Brumm H (2009) Blackbird sing higher-pitched songs in cities: adaptation to habitat acoustics or side-effect of urbanization? Anim Behav 78(3):637–664

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pautasso M, Dinetti M (2009) Avian species richness, human population and protected areas across Italy’s regions. Environ Conserv 36(1):22–31

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peirce CS (1955) Synechism, fallibilism, and evolution. In: Buchler J (ed) Philosophical writings of Peirce. Dover, New York, pp 354–360

    Google Scholar 

  • Pickett STA, Cadenasso ML (1995) Landscape ecology: spatial heterogeneity in ecological systems. Science 269:331–334

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pieretti N, Farina A, Morri D (2011) A new methodology to infer the singing activity of an avian community: the Bird Acoustic Complexity Index (BACI). Ecol Indic 11(3):868–873

    Google Scholar 

  • Pijanowski BC, Villanueva-Rivera LJ, Dumyahn SL, Farina A, Krause BL, Napoletano BM, Gage SH, Pieretti N (2011) Soundscape ecology: the science of sound in the landscape. Bioscience 61(3):203–216

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Podos J, Huber SK, Taft B (2004) Bird song: the interface of evolution and mechanism. Annu Rev Ecol Syst 35:55–87

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ralph CJ, Fancy SG, Male TD (1998) Demography on an introduced red-billed Leiothrix population in Hawaii. Condor 100:468–473

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reid JM, Arcese P, Cassidy ALEV, Hiebert SM, Smith JNM, Stoddard PK, Marr AB, Keller LF (2005) Fitness correlates of song repertoire size in free-living song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Am Nat 5(3):299–310

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rheindt FE (2003) The impact of roads on birds: does song frequency play a role in determining susceptibility to noise pollution? J Ornithol 144:295–306

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards DG, Wiley RH (1980) Reverberation and amplitude fluctuations in the propagation of sound in a forest: implications for animal communication. Am Nat 115(3):381–399

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Risser PG, Karr JR, Forman RTT (1984) Landscape ecology. Directions and approaches. Illinois Natural History Survey Special Publication 2, Champaign

    Google Scholar 

  • Schafer RM (1977) The soundscape: our sonic environment and the tuning of the world. Destiny Books, Rochester

    Google Scholar 

  • Seibt U, Wickler W (1977) Duetting song as territory display in birds. Z Tierpsychol 43:180–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sjolander K, Beskow J (2000) WaveSurfer—an open source speech tool. In: Proceedings of the ICSLP 2000, vol IV, pp 464–467

  • Slabbekoorn H, den Boer-Visser A (2006) Cities change the songs of birds. Curr Biol 16:2326–2331

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Slabbekoorn H, Peet M (2003) Birds sing at a higher pitch in urban noise. Nature 424:267

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sõukand R, Kalle R (2010) Herbal landscape: the perception of landscape as a source of medical plants. Trames 14(64/59), 3:207–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Sueur J (2002) Cicada acoustic communication: potential sound partitioning in a multispecies community from Mexico (Hemiptera: Cicadomorpha: Cicadidae). Biol J Linn Soc 75:379–394

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sueur J, Pavoine S, Hamerlynck O, Duvail S (2008a) Rapid acoustic survey for biodiversity appraisal. PloS ONE 3(12):e4065

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sueur J, Aubin T, Simonis C (2008b) Seewave: a free modular tool for sound analysis and synthesis. Bioacoustics 18:213–226

    Google Scholar 

  • Tooby J, Cosmides L (1996) Friendship and the banker’s paradox: other pathways to the evolution of adaptations for altruism. In: Smith JM, Runciman WG, Dunbar RM (eds) Evolution of social behaviour patterns in primates and man. Proc Br Acad 88:119–143

  • Tougaard J, Eriksen N (2006) Analysing differences among animal songs quantitatively by means of the Levenshtein distance measure. Behaviour 143:239–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Truax B (2001) Acoustic communication, 2nd edn. Ablex, Westport

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner MG (2005) Landscape ecology: what is the state of the science? Annu Rev Ecol Syst 36:319–344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • von Uexküll J (1940/1982) The theory of meaning. Semiotica 42(1):25–82

    Google Scholar 

  • von Uexküll J (1934/1992) A stroll through the worlds of animals and men. Semiotica 89(4):319–391

    Google Scholar 

  • Wu J, Hobbs R (2002) Key issues and research priorities in landscape ecology: an idiosyncratic synthesis. Landscape Ecol 17:355–365

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zonneveld IS (1995) Landscape ecology. SPB, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Basic Sciences and Fundaments, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy

    Almo Farina, Emanuele Lattanzi, Rachele Malavasi, Nadia Pieretti & Luigi Piccioli

Authors
  1. Almo Farina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Emanuele Lattanzi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Rachele Malavasi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Nadia Pieretti
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Luigi Piccioli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Almo Farina.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Farina, A., Lattanzi, E., Malavasi, R. et al. Avian soundscapes and cognitive landscapes: theory, application and ecological perspectives. Landscape Ecol 26, 1257–1267 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-011-9617-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-011-9617-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation