A Global Library of Underwater Biological Sounds (GLUBS): An Online Platform with Multiple Passive Acoustic Monitoring Applications
摘要
Aquatic ecosystems contain some of the world’s most diverse environments, and their soundscapes are often teeming with sounds from a wealth of biological sources. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is an increasingly accessible technique that offers an unprecedented, non-extractive means to “observe” these habitats, many of which are too deep, dark, turbid, or remote to sample easily with other methods. Applications to assist analysis of PAM data already exist (e.g., reference libraries, data portals, discussion forums), machine learning code is increasingly more available, and citizen science programs are broadening public interest in underwater sound. However, individually, these resources do not realize their full potential. To help address this limitation, a working group for a Global Library of Underwater Biological Sounds (GLUBS) has proposed an open-access web-based single-point-of-contact platform to integrate and expand these applications to help broaden and standardize scientific and community knowledge of underwater soundscapes and their contributing sources. This paper presents a summary of a meeting of the GLUBS working group that was held at “The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life, 2022,” including some of the core values, initial targets, points for design, data management issues, and potential avenues for stakeholder engagement.