CNR researchers develop underwater soundscape method to monitor marine health

A multidisciplinary team from the Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) has developed an innovative method to monitor marine ecosystem health by analyzing underwater soundscapes. The study, published in the journal Ecological Indicators, identifies day-night oscillations in high-frequency sounds as a potential ecological indicator.

Conducted as part of the PRIN SEAmPhonia project, the research utilized hydrophones installed at the Acqua Alta oceanographic platform in the Adriatic Sea, off the coast of Venice. Unlike traditional methods that focus on individual sound sources or low-frequency vessel traffic, this approach examines the integrated acoustic field generated by combined physical, biological, and anthropogenic processes. This allows researchers to evaluate the marine environment as a complex, holistic system.