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Toward a synthetic acoustic ecology: sonically situated, evolutionary agent based models of the acoustic niche hypothesis

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Version 2 2023-06-12, 07:22
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conference contribution
posted on 2023-06-12, 07:22 authored by Alice EldridgeAlice Eldridge, Chris KieferChris Kiefer
We introduce the idea of Synthetic Acoustic Ecology (SAC) as a vehicle for transdisciplinary investigation to develop methods and address open theoretical, applied and aesthetic questions in scientific and artistic disciplines of acoustic ecology. Ecoacoustics is an emerging science that investigates and interprets the ecological role of sound. It draws conceptually from, and is reinvigorating the related arts-humanities disciplines historically associated with acoustic ecology, which are concerned with sonically-mediated relationships between human beings and their environments. Both study the acoustic environment, or soundscape, as the literal and conceptual site of interaction of human and non-human organisms. However, no coherent theories exist to frame the ecological role of the soundscape, or to elucidate the evolutionary processes through which it is structured. Similarly there is a lack of appropriate computational methods to analyse the macro soundscape which hampers application in conservation. We propose that a sonically situated flavour of Alife evolutionary agent-based model could build a productive bridge between the art, science and technologies of acoustic ecological investigations to the benefit of all. As a first step, two simple models of the acoustic niche hypothesis are presented which are shown to exhibit emergence of complex spectro-temporal soundscape structures and adaptation to and recovery from noise pollution events. We discuss the potential of SAC as a lingua franca between empirical and theoretical ecoacoustics, and wider transdisciplinary research in ecoacoustic ecology.

History

Publication status

  • Published

File Version

  • Published version

Journal

Proceedings of the Artificial Life Conference (ALIFE 2018)

Publisher

MIT Press

Page range

296-303

Event name

ALIFE 2018

Event location

Tokyo, Japan

Event type

conference

Event date

July 23-27

Department affiliated with

  • Music Publications

Research groups affiliated with

  • Sussex Humanities Lab Publications

Notes

Supplementary materials and dataset available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1252326

Full text available

  • Yes

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2018-05-31

First Open Access (FOA) Date

2018-07-25

First Compliant Deposit (FCD) Date

2018-05-31

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