Exploring the Soundscapes of the Gulf of Papagayo in Costa Rica

Conference Year

January 2020

Abstract

Because many aquatic species rely on sound to communicate, sound provides important cues about marine community. Here we use soundscape tools to study the impact of boat traffic on the health of the two marine communities in the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica that vary in their levels of protection. To understand the potential impact of noise due to boat activity we used autonomous underwater recorders collected over a 24-hour cycle for 11-15 days. We then took a 1-min file sample and uploaded to ARBIMON (a sound analysis platform) to measure the diel contribution of boat noise to the soundscape and calculate diel changes in acoustic diversity using the Acoustic Complexity Index. Biodiversity assessments are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of MPAs and to make informed decisions to maximize their utility and mitigate the threats they face. The results of this project will provide an exhaustive evaluation of the conservation status of these marine communities.

Primary Faculty Mentor Name

Laura May-Collado

Faculty/Staff Collaborators

Laura May-Collado

Status

Undergraduate

Student College

College of Arts and Sciences

Program/Major

Neuroscience

Primary Research Category

Biological Sciences

Abstract only.

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Exploring the Soundscapes of the Gulf of Papagayo in Costa Rica

Because many aquatic species rely on sound to communicate, sound provides important cues about marine community. Here we use soundscape tools to study the impact of boat traffic on the health of the two marine communities in the north Pacific coast of Costa Rica that vary in their levels of protection. To understand the potential impact of noise due to boat activity we used autonomous underwater recorders collected over a 24-hour cycle for 11-15 days. We then took a 1-min file sample and uploaded to ARBIMON (a sound analysis platform) to measure the diel contribution of boat noise to the soundscape and calculate diel changes in acoustic diversity using the Acoustic Complexity Index. Biodiversity assessments are necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of MPAs and to make informed decisions to maximize their utility and mitigate the threats they face. The results of this project will provide an exhaustive evaluation of the conservation status of these marine communities.