Towards using virtual acoustics for evaluating spatial ecoacoustic monitoring technologies
Abstract Small microphone arrays and sound‐source localisation algorithms are increasingly prevalent in the passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) of ecosystems. These technologies enable analysis of natural soundscapes' spatial features, yielding additional insights into biodiversity and ecosystem...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Methods in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14405 |
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| _version_ | 1841555325571825664 |
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| author | Neel P. Le Penru Becky E. Heath Jamie Dunning Lorenzo Picinali Robert M. Ewers Sarab S. Sethi |
| author_facet | Neel P. Le Penru Becky E. Heath Jamie Dunning Lorenzo Picinali Robert M. Ewers Sarab S. Sethi |
| author_sort | Neel P. Le Penru |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Small microphone arrays and sound‐source localisation algorithms are increasingly prevalent in the passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) of ecosystems. These technologies enable analysis of natural soundscapes' spatial features, yielding additional insights into biodiversity and ecosystem health. While many of these technologies have been evaluated in the field, there is a lack of controlled, repeatable methods to test them. We developed an ambisonic virtual sound environment (VSE) for simulating real natural soundscapes to evaluate spatial PAM technologies. We validated this novel approach using a PAM recorder with a six‐microphone array, from which we extracted a typical suite of ecoacoustic metrics, including acoustic indices and avian species predictions and localisations from the software BirdNET and HARKBird, respectively. We first verified whether the VSE could replicate natural soundscapes well enough to test PAM technologies by comparing these metrics between field and VSE‐based recordings. To pilot the VSE as an environment for testing PAM hardware, we assessed how orientation impacts the six‐microphone array's performance by using the same suite of metrics to compare VSE recordings made with the array at various pitch angles. Finally, we piloted the VSE as a test platform for PAM software by investigating how BirdNET and HARKBird perform on bird calls added to the VSE‐replicated soundscapes. While the VSE and field recordings had similarities in some metrics, including spectral composition and BirdNET predictions, ambisonics' perceptual bias and susceptibility to spatial aliasing limited the spatial analyses that could be undertaken. Our trials nonetheless revealed that device orientation impacts the performance of HARKBird and certain ecoacoustic indices, and that BirdNET and HARKBird perform best on louder, more directional bird calls. Our results demonstrate the potential for this approach, but highlight limitations to using an ambisonics‐based VSE. We thus provide guidelines for the use and refinement of such systems towards more standardised, controlled benchmarking of PAM technologies, empowering practitioners to make more informed decisions on using these vital tools. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-85d063a2a2df4c40a5e1a445142fe516 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-210X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Methods in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-85d063a2a2df4c40a5e1a445142fe5162025-01-08T05:44:10ZengWileyMethods in Ecology and Evolution2041-210X2025-01-0116110812510.1111/2041-210X.14405Towards using virtual acoustics for evaluating spatial ecoacoustic monitoring technologiesNeel P. Le Penru0Becky E. Heath1Jamie Dunning2Lorenzo Picinali3Robert M. Ewers4Sarab S. Sethi5Audio Experience Design, Dyson School of Design Engineering Imperial College London London UKDepartment of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge UKFaculty of Biological Sciences University of Leeds Leeds UKAudio Experience Design, Dyson School of Design Engineering Imperial College London London UKGeorgina Mace Centre for the Living Planet Department of Life Sciences Imperial College London London UKDepartment of Life Sciences Imperial College London London UKAbstract Small microphone arrays and sound‐source localisation algorithms are increasingly prevalent in the passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) of ecosystems. These technologies enable analysis of natural soundscapes' spatial features, yielding additional insights into biodiversity and ecosystem health. While many of these technologies have been evaluated in the field, there is a lack of controlled, repeatable methods to test them. We developed an ambisonic virtual sound environment (VSE) for simulating real natural soundscapes to evaluate spatial PAM technologies. We validated this novel approach using a PAM recorder with a six‐microphone array, from which we extracted a typical suite of ecoacoustic metrics, including acoustic indices and avian species predictions and localisations from the software BirdNET and HARKBird, respectively. We first verified whether the VSE could replicate natural soundscapes well enough to test PAM technologies by comparing these metrics between field and VSE‐based recordings. To pilot the VSE as an environment for testing PAM hardware, we assessed how orientation impacts the six‐microphone array's performance by using the same suite of metrics to compare VSE recordings made with the array at various pitch angles. Finally, we piloted the VSE as a test platform for PAM software by investigating how BirdNET and HARKBird perform on bird calls added to the VSE‐replicated soundscapes. While the VSE and field recordings had similarities in some metrics, including spectral composition and BirdNET predictions, ambisonics' perceptual bias and susceptibility to spatial aliasing limited the spatial analyses that could be undertaken. Our trials nonetheless revealed that device orientation impacts the performance of HARKBird and certain ecoacoustic indices, and that BirdNET and HARKBird perform best on louder, more directional bird calls. Our results demonstrate the potential for this approach, but highlight limitations to using an ambisonics‐based VSE. We thus provide guidelines for the use and refinement of such systems towards more standardised, controlled benchmarking of PAM technologies, empowering practitioners to make more informed decisions on using these vital tools.https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14405virtual sound environmentspatial ecoacousticsAmbisonicsmicrophone arrayBirdNETHARKBird |
| spellingShingle | Neel P. Le Penru Becky E. Heath Jamie Dunning Lorenzo Picinali Robert M. Ewers Sarab S. Sethi Towards using virtual acoustics for evaluating spatial ecoacoustic monitoring technologies Methods in Ecology and Evolution virtual sound environment spatial ecoacoustics Ambisonics microphone array BirdNET HARKBird |
| title | Towards using virtual acoustics for evaluating spatial ecoacoustic monitoring technologies |
| title_full | Towards using virtual acoustics for evaluating spatial ecoacoustic monitoring technologies |
| title_fullStr | Towards using virtual acoustics for evaluating spatial ecoacoustic monitoring technologies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards using virtual acoustics for evaluating spatial ecoacoustic monitoring technologies |
| title_short | Towards using virtual acoustics for evaluating spatial ecoacoustic monitoring technologies |
| title_sort | towards using virtual acoustics for evaluating spatial ecoacoustic monitoring technologies |
| topic | virtual sound environment spatial ecoacoustics Ambisonics microphone array BirdNET HARKBird |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14405 |
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