ScienceAugust 17, 2026
ecoacoustics
ee-koh-uh-KOOS-tiks
Definition
The scientific study of the sounds produced within an ecosystem, using them to evaluate its overall health, biodiversity, and ecological processes.
Etymology
A hybrid term combining the prefix 'eco-' (from Greek 'oikos', meaning house or dwelling) and 'acoustics' (from Greek 'akoustikos', meaning relating to hearing), denoting the study of sound in the environment.
In the news
The author describes ecoacoustics as a relatively new field, established in 2014, that is now being applied to monitor the 'subterranean soundscape' of soil to assess ecosystem recovery.
Worm munch matters: the new acoustic ecology of the soil
Read the full article ↗Aeon