An international team of scientists has created a first-of-its-kind fish sound database to help researchers conserve ecosystems.
The creators hope that the database will make it easier for scientists studying marine ecosystems to identify fish by the sound they make, since in some cases, they may be able to hear the fish but not see them.
With the new database, scientists can browse audio files as well as sound visualizations for sounds made by different species. The creators hope to add functionality in the long run, allowing people to submit their own fish sounds.
Commenting on the new database, Audrey Looby, a doctoral candidate at the University of Florida, stated:
“People are often surprised to learn that fish make sounds, but you could make the case that they are as important for understanding fish as bird sounds are for studying birds.”
She added:
“Fish sounds contain a lot of important information. Fish may communicate about territory, predators, food and reproduction. And when we can match fish sounds to fish species, their sounds are a kind of calling card that can tell us what kinds of fish are in an area and what they are doing.”
While database co-creator Kieran Cox from the University of Victoria stated:
“There are probably a lot of fish sounds that just haven’t been recorded. That’s why we’ll continue to review new studies coming out and add to the repository. This is truly is an international and global project with much more to come.”
You can find the database here.
