Eco-acoustics from the North Sea to the Alps: my journey from dolphin and whale sounds to the WildSOUND project

Dr. Virginia Iorio, R.U. Animal Ecology

This seminar offers a short journey through sounds from both land and sea. Sound plays a critical role in the lives of marine mammals, driving pioneering work in bioacoustics to better understand the underwater world of whales and dolphins, as well as the impact of man-made noise on their behaviour and physiology. Terrestrial eco-acoustics, on the other hand, is rapidly developing. After an early focus on vocal species (such as birds), the field is now recognising the importance of studying the soundscape more broadly and considering the effects of noise on ecosystems as a whole. In this talk, I will share examples from my previous work as a marine mammal ecologist and officially introduce WildSOUND, the MSCA project I recently started here at FEM as part of the Unit of Animal Ecology. Join me for new insights, intriguing facts, and—of course—plenty of curious sounds to listen to!