Acoustic fish community in the Madeira Archipelago

Recently published in the scientific journal Marine Environmental Research, the study "Acoustic fish community in the Madeira Archipelago (North Atlantic Ocean): Characterisation of sound diversity and daily patterns" identified 102 species of potentially vocal fish, with 35 confirmed species.

Marine ecosystems are increasingly subject to human pressures, and there is a growing need for them to be properly monitored. In this context, understanding soundscapes can offer a unique insight into the state of the ocean, providing important information by revealing different sounds and their origins.

This led a team of researchers, including MARE researchers Bernardo Quintella, João Gama Monteiro, Marc Fernandez, Rodrigo Silva, Manuel Vieira, and Clara Amorim, to monitor changes in biodiversity in the Madeira archipelago using passive acoustic monitoring (PAM).

This research provided a first reference of marine soundscapes through the sounds produced by fish, and 43 putative types of fish sounds were detected. Based on the literature, it was possible to identify 35 vocal and 102 potentially vocal fish species, and there was a clear distinction between the abundance of diurnal and nocturnal fish sounds.

This study provides a baseline for the acoustic behaviour of this community, making it possible to develop new non-invasive monitoring programmes in the future.

To listen to the fish sounds click HERE

To access the article click HERE