PhD Behavioral Neuroscience from CUNY-Graduate Center (2015) MS Marine Biology from UMass-Dartmouth (2008) BS Biology from George Washington University (2005)
The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade) was initiat... more The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade) was initiated in 2021 and runs until 2030. The Ocean Decade seeks transformative ocean science solutions that connects people to our oceans to bring about positive change. This motivated an idea that ocean acoustics has a role to play among the larger ocean sciences as they relate to climate change and the emerging blue economy. On World Ocean Day 2021 (June 8), the Ocean Decade Research Programme on the Maritime Acoustic Environment (OD-MAE) was included among the first Ocean Decade actions endorsed by the United Nations Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC). Inspired by Lindsay’s “wheel of acoustics,” the OD-MAE program is envisioned as a hub for coordinating studies involving rigorous and principled used of sound to address questions relating to all aspects of ocean science and engineering, development, policy, and management. The program seeks to support the development of ...
In the public health sector, nurses and doctors use tools like stethoscopes to assess health base... more In the public health sector, nurses and doctors use tools like stethoscopes to assess health based on sounds. Much like the human body, the ocean's interior is awash with sounds that contain rich information relating to the current state of processes and life within. Based on these ideas, it is hypothesized that sound information can be used in a similar way to assess ocean health. This Ocean-Shot Concept seeks to build this capability through the establishment of objective baselines for regional acoustic environments, along with skilled practitioners that can interpret what they hear. This concept will be transformative in that patterns of natural and anthropogenic sound can be monitored and assessed to enable diagnostic capabilities. This new capability will provide a data-informed basis for recommending policy and management of regional seas using soundscape data. It also seeks to attract the next generation of ocean scientists through outreach and early engagement through de...
Selective breeding and natural selection that select for one trait often bring along other correl... more Selective breeding and natural selection that select for one trait often bring along other correlated traits via coselection. Selective breeding for an infantile trait, high or low call rates of isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalization of rat pups, also alters functions of some brain systems and emotional behaviors throughout life. We examined the effect of breeding for call rate on acoustic parameters that are of communicative significance. Selecting for higher call rate produced calls of significantly increased amplitude and bandwidth relative to a randomly bred line. Selecting for lower rate produced calls of decreased duration. These nonmorphological, functional trait changes demonstrate enhanced communicatory potential and energy expenditure for the High line and the opposite for the Low line. This demonstration of coselection in a communicatory system suggests an underlying heritable suite of linked acoustic vocalization characteristics that in noisy environments could enhanc...
Sound is fundamental to ocean ecosystems, yet the interplay of physical and biological sources an... more Sound is fundamental to ocean ecosystems, yet the interplay of physical and biological sources and their relationships with ecological health and human activities is inherently complex and non-intuitive for visually oriented humans. Ocean Sound Atlas (OSA) will be a digital global ocean sound map. This interactive system will compile and integrate passive acoustic data by location of recording, for use by researchers, educators, policy makers, engineers, explorers, sound artists, and other stakeholder groups. The Ocean Decade is a unique opportunity to serve as the “hook” required to create and promote a central tool that will be widely used. OSA will harness increasingly exciting research potential into the ability to investigate key cross-cutting, multi-scale impactful questions.
The gift of time enabled me to explore the fractal concept of sampling, thereby revealing multisc... more The gift of time enabled me to explore the fractal concept of sampling, thereby revealing multiscale links among music, bioacoustics and environmental health. The core of my work was sampling the Djerassi soundscape by digitally recording sounds, documenting the acoustic tapestry at multiple sites on the property, both day and night, constantly and sporadically. The content of the sounds included insects, birds, motors and rain, but my focus was the sound of the sounds and their patterns. The digital method of capturing sounds samples the patterns of pressures, and the recording method of capturing soundscapes samples the patterns of ecosystems. I linked acoustic sampling with visual sampling via photography and video, including time-lapse photography. At the Open House, I organized a sound walk that included collective listening, recording and analysis. The recordings inspired me to create collaborative music including:
... 1 Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300. 2 Depar... more ... 1 Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300. 2 Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052. ... Figure 1. Dorsal view of male A. heterochaelis, showing “balaeni-ceps-type” minor chela. ...
Marine renewable energy (MRE) is in the early stages of contributing to the energy portfolios of ... more Marine renewable energy (MRE) is in the early stages of contributing to the energy portfolios of the United States and many other nations around the world. Although many MRE developers are designing devices that will harvest energy to contribute to the electrical grid from waves, tides, and ocean currents, a number of other promising maritime markets could be supplied with MRE power at sea. These maritime markets are often less price sensitive, have fewer options than utility-scale electricity markets, and can handle some degree of intermittency. Some of the promising maritime markets that could benefit from co-located power generation include ocean observation nodes, underwater recharge of autonomous vehicles, desalination of seawater for remote coastal areas, offshore aquaculture, shoreline protection and electricity generation, providing electricity and freshwater following coastal emergencies, providing power to islanded and isolated communities, powering and cooling nearshore u...
... RE Knowlton, 2 July 2004 (died in lab 7 September 2004); A. heterochaelis—two specimens (mati... more ... RE Knowlton, 2 July 2004 (died in lab 7 September 2004); A. heterochaelis—two specimens (mating pair), USNM 1098193, “Research Cove” near Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC, coll. H. Spence, 1 July 2004 (died in lab 20 July 2004). Morphology ...
... 1 Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300. 2 Depar... more ... 1 Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300. 2 Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052. ... Figure 1. Dorsal view of male A. heterochaelis, showing “balaeni-ceps-type” minor chela. ...
Selective breeding and natural selection that select for one trait often bring along other correl... more Selective breeding and natural selection that select for one trait often bring along other correlated traits via coselection. Selective breeding for an infantile trait, high or low call rates of isolation‐induced ultrasonic vocalization of rat pups, also alters functions of some brain systems and emotional behaviors throughout life. We examined the effect of breeding for call rate on acoustic parameters that are of communicative significance. Selecting for higher call rate produced calls of significantly increased amplitude and bandwidth relative to a randomly bred line. Selecting for lower rate produced calls of decreased duration. These nonmorphological, functional trait changes demonstrate enhanced communicatory potential and energy expenditure for the High line and the opposite for the Low line. This demonstration of coselection in a communicatory system suggests an underlying heritable suite of linked acoustic vocalization characteristics that in noisy environments could enhance dam–pup communication and lead to selection of emotionality traits with beneficial responses to stress.
The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade) was initiat... more The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (Ocean Decade) was initiated in 2021 and runs until 2030. The Ocean Decade seeks transformative ocean science solutions that connects people to our oceans to bring about positive change. This motivated an idea that ocean acoustics has a role to play among the larger ocean sciences as they relate to climate change and the emerging blue economy. On World Ocean Day 2021 (June 8), the Ocean Decade Research Programme on the Maritime Acoustic Environment (OD-MAE) was included among the first Ocean Decade actions endorsed by the United Nations Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC). Inspired by Lindsay’s “wheel of acoustics,” the OD-MAE program is envisioned as a hub for coordinating studies involving rigorous and principled used of sound to address questions relating to all aspects of ocean science and engineering, development, policy, and management. The program seeks to support the development of ...
In the public health sector, nurses and doctors use tools like stethoscopes to assess health base... more In the public health sector, nurses and doctors use tools like stethoscopes to assess health based on sounds. Much like the human body, the ocean's interior is awash with sounds that contain rich information relating to the current state of processes and life within. Based on these ideas, it is hypothesized that sound information can be used in a similar way to assess ocean health. This Ocean-Shot Concept seeks to build this capability through the establishment of objective baselines for regional acoustic environments, along with skilled practitioners that can interpret what they hear. This concept will be transformative in that patterns of natural and anthropogenic sound can be monitored and assessed to enable diagnostic capabilities. This new capability will provide a data-informed basis for recommending policy and management of regional seas using soundscape data. It also seeks to attract the next generation of ocean scientists through outreach and early engagement through de...
Selective breeding and natural selection that select for one trait often bring along other correl... more Selective breeding and natural selection that select for one trait often bring along other correlated traits via coselection. Selective breeding for an infantile trait, high or low call rates of isolation-induced ultrasonic vocalization of rat pups, also alters functions of some brain systems and emotional behaviors throughout life. We examined the effect of breeding for call rate on acoustic parameters that are of communicative significance. Selecting for higher call rate produced calls of significantly increased amplitude and bandwidth relative to a randomly bred line. Selecting for lower rate produced calls of decreased duration. These nonmorphological, functional trait changes demonstrate enhanced communicatory potential and energy expenditure for the High line and the opposite for the Low line. This demonstration of coselection in a communicatory system suggests an underlying heritable suite of linked acoustic vocalization characteristics that in noisy environments could enhanc...
Sound is fundamental to ocean ecosystems, yet the interplay of physical and biological sources an... more Sound is fundamental to ocean ecosystems, yet the interplay of physical and biological sources and their relationships with ecological health and human activities is inherently complex and non-intuitive for visually oriented humans. Ocean Sound Atlas (OSA) will be a digital global ocean sound map. This interactive system will compile and integrate passive acoustic data by location of recording, for use by researchers, educators, policy makers, engineers, explorers, sound artists, and other stakeholder groups. The Ocean Decade is a unique opportunity to serve as the “hook” required to create and promote a central tool that will be widely used. OSA will harness increasingly exciting research potential into the ability to investigate key cross-cutting, multi-scale impactful questions.
The gift of time enabled me to explore the fractal concept of sampling, thereby revealing multisc... more The gift of time enabled me to explore the fractal concept of sampling, thereby revealing multiscale links among music, bioacoustics and environmental health. The core of my work was sampling the Djerassi soundscape by digitally recording sounds, documenting the acoustic tapestry at multiple sites on the property, both day and night, constantly and sporadically. The content of the sounds included insects, birds, motors and rain, but my focus was the sound of the sounds and their patterns. The digital method of capturing sounds samples the patterns of pressures, and the recording method of capturing soundscapes samples the patterns of ecosystems. I linked acoustic sampling with visual sampling via photography and video, including time-lapse photography. At the Open House, I organized a sound walk that included collective listening, recording and analysis. The recordings inspired me to create collaborative music including:
... 1 Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300. 2 Depar... more ... 1 Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300. 2 Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052. ... Figure 1. Dorsal view of male A. heterochaelis, showing “balaeni-ceps-type” minor chela. ...
Marine renewable energy (MRE) is in the early stages of contributing to the energy portfolios of ... more Marine renewable energy (MRE) is in the early stages of contributing to the energy portfolios of the United States and many other nations around the world. Although many MRE developers are designing devices that will harvest energy to contribute to the electrical grid from waves, tides, and ocean currents, a number of other promising maritime markets could be supplied with MRE power at sea. These maritime markets are often less price sensitive, have fewer options than utility-scale electricity markets, and can handle some degree of intermittency. Some of the promising maritime markets that could benefit from co-located power generation include ocean observation nodes, underwater recharge of autonomous vehicles, desalination of seawater for remote coastal areas, offshore aquaculture, shoreline protection and electricity generation, providing electricity and freshwater following coastal emergencies, providing power to islanded and isolated communities, powering and cooling nearshore u...
... RE Knowlton, 2 July 2004 (died in lab 7 September 2004); A. heterochaelis—two specimens (mati... more ... RE Knowlton, 2 July 2004 (died in lab 7 September 2004); A. heterochaelis—two specimens (mating pair), USNM 1098193, “Research Cove” near Duke University Marine Laboratory, Beaufort, NC, coll. H. Spence, 1 July 2004 (died in lab 20 July 2004). Morphology ...
... 1 Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300. 2 Depar... more ... 1 Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, North Dartmouth, MA 02747-2300. 2 Department of Biological Sciences, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052. ... Figure 1. Dorsal view of male A. heterochaelis, showing “balaeni-ceps-type” minor chela. ...
Selective breeding and natural selection that select for one trait often bring along other correl... more Selective breeding and natural selection that select for one trait often bring along other correlated traits via coselection. Selective breeding for an infantile trait, high or low call rates of isolation‐induced ultrasonic vocalization of rat pups, also alters functions of some brain systems and emotional behaviors throughout life. We examined the effect of breeding for call rate on acoustic parameters that are of communicative significance. Selecting for higher call rate produced calls of significantly increased amplitude and bandwidth relative to a randomly bred line. Selecting for lower rate produced calls of decreased duration. These nonmorphological, functional trait changes demonstrate enhanced communicatory potential and energy expenditure for the High line and the opposite for the Low line. This demonstration of coselection in a communicatory system suggests an underlying heritable suite of linked acoustic vocalization characteristics that in noisy environments could enhance dam–pup communication and lead to selection of emotionality traits with beneficial responses to stress.
Sound is the primary sensory modality for dolphins, yet policies mitigating anthropogenic sound e... more Sound is the primary sensory modality for dolphins, yet policies mitigating anthropogenic sound exposure are limited in wild populations and even fewer noise policies or guidelines have been developed for governing dolphin welfare under human care. Concerns have been raised that dolphins under human care live in facilities that are too noisy, or are too acoustically sterile. However, these claims have not been evaluated to characterize facility soundscapes, and further, how they compare to wild soundscapes. The soundscape of a wild dolphin habitat off the coast of Quintana, Roo, Mexico was characterized based on Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) recordings over one year. Snapping shrimp were persistent and broadband, following a diel pattern. Fish sound production was pulsed and prominent in low frequencies (100 -- 1000 Hz), and abiotic surface wave action contributed to noise in higher frequencies (15 -- 28 kHz). Boat motors were the main anthropogenic sound source. While sporadic, boat motors were responsible for large spikes in the noise, sometimes exceeding the ambient noise (in the absence of a boat) by 20 dB root-mean-squared sound pressure level, and potentially higher at closer distances. Boat motor sounds can potentially mask cues and communication sounds of dolphins. The soundscapes of four acoustically distinct outdoor dolphin facilities in Quintana Roo, Mexico were also characterized based on PAM, and findings compared with one another and with the measurements from the wild dolphin habitat. Recordings were made for at least 24 hours to encompass the range of daily activities. The four facilities differed in non-dolphin species present (biological sounds), bathymetry complexity, and method of water circulation. It was hypothesized that the greater the biological and physical differences of a pool from the ocean habitat, the greater the acoustic differences would be from the natural environment. Spectral analysis and audio playback revealed that the site most biologically and physically distinct from the ocean habitat also differed greatly from the other sites acoustically, with the most common and high amplitude sound being pump noise versus biological sounds at the other sites. Overall the dolphin facilities were neither clearly noisier nor more sterile than the wild site, but rather differed in particular characteristics. The findings are encouraging for dolphin welfare for several reasons. Sound levels measured were unlikely to cause threshold shifts in hearing. At three of four facilities, prominent biological sounds in the wild site -- snapping shrimp and fish sounds -- were present, meaning that the dolphins at these facilities are experiencing biotic features of the soundscape they would experience in the wild. Additionally, the main anthropogenic sounds experienced at the facilities (construction and cleaning sounds) did not reach the levels of the anthropogenic sounds experienced at the wild site (boat motor sounds), and the highest noise levels for anthropogenic sounds fall outside the dolphins' most sensitive range of hearing. However, there are anthropogenic contributors to the soundscape that are of particular interest and possible concern that should be investigated further, particularly pump noise and periodic or intermittent construction noise. These factors need to be considered on a facility-by-facility basis and appropriate mitigation procedures incorporated in animal handling to mitigate potential responses to planned or anticipated sound producing events, e.g. animal relocation or buffering sound producing activities. The central role of bioacoustics for dolphins means that PAM is a basic life support requirement along with water and food testing. Periodic noise is of highest concern, and PAM is needed to inform mitigation of noise from periodic sources. Priority actions are more widespread and long-term standardized monitoring, further research on habituation, preference, coupling and pool acoustics, implementation of acoustics training, standardization of measurements, and improved information access.
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