Home > GCR > Vol. 36 > Iss. 1 (2025)
Alternate Title
Lack of Consistent Diurnal Trends in Acoustic Metrics from Restored Coral Reefs
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Once vibrant ecosystems, coral reefs are degrading at unprecedented rates due to natural and human—induced disturbances, necessitating immediate restoration and conservation efforts. Evaluating the success of these projects often involves assessing changes in reef biodiversity. Bioacoustics has emerged as a promising, non—invasive method for such evaluations, though its efficacy remains debated. This study aimed to determine whether the diurnal soundscapes of restored coral reefs are consistent across different time frames (months) and spatial scales (reefs), which is crucial for developing reliable monitoring tools for reef health. To achieve this, 2 commonly used acoustic indices, the Acoustic Complexity Index (ACI) and Mean Sound Pressure Level (SPL), were employed to describe the underwater soundscape of 3 restored coral reefs in Culebra, Puerto Rico. The results showed that neither acoustic index followed a clear diurnal pattern, with considerable variation across studied locations and sampling days. The lack of consistent diurnal patterns across space and time suggests that ACI and SPL alone may not be ideal for comparing coral reef health, particularly as indicators of biodiversity. Instead, these sounds metrics should complement other monitoring methods, such as visual and video census techniques, when evaluating the biodiversity of coral reef ecosystems.
First Page
71
Last Page
88
DOI Link
Supplemental TAble S9
Supplemental Figure S1 for Velazquez-Alvarado et al.pdf (180 kB)
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Supplemental Table S8 for Velazquez-Alvarado et al.pdf (185 kB)
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Supplemental Table S7 for Velazquez-Alvarado et al.pdf (185 kB)
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Supplemental Table S6 for Velazquez-Alvarado et al.pdf (183 kB)
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Supplemental Table S5 for Velazquez-Alvarado et al..pdf (181 kB)
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Supplemental Table S4 for Velazquez-Alvarado et al.pdf (183 kB)
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Supplemental Table S3 for Velazquez-Alvarado et al.pdf (150 kB)
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Supplemental Table S2 for Velazquez-Alvarado et al.pdf (93 kB)
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Supplemental Table S1 for Velazquez-Alvarado et al.pdf (140 kB)
Supplemental TAble S1
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Use Statement
Artificial intelligence (AI) was used in the preparation of this manuscript, and a disclosure statement is included in the Acknowledgments and the cover letter.
Recommended Citation
Velázquez-Alvarado, J., V. Pérez-García, J. S. Tellechea, J. T. Backstrom and A. Mercado-Molina.
2025.
Lack of Consistent Diurnal Trends in Acoustic Metrics from Restored Coral Reefs.
Gulf and Caribbean Research
36
(1):
71-88.
Retrieved from https://aquila.usm.edu/gcr/vol36/iss1/17
DOI: https://doi.org/10.18785/gcr.3601.16
Included in
Biodiversity Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Zoology Commons
