Acoustics

Passive Acoustic Monitoring : A Tool for Climate Change Research

Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) reveals how ecosystems are transforming—without disturbing a single species. Discover how this technology is revolutionizing marine research and biodiversity conservation.

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The Hidden Sound of Ecosystems

The ocean hides vibrant ecosystems—and as climate change accelerates, much of what's happening beneath the surface remains invisible to the human eye. Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) allows scientists to listen to the ocean and uncover vital information about marine life, biodiversity, and environmental change.

Through non-invasive, long-term monitoring of underwater soundscapes, PAM supports climate research, policy development, and ecosystem preservation.

What Is Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM)?

PAM is a technique that uses underwater microphones (hydrophones) to record natural environmental sounds such as marine animal vocalizations, weather activity, and human-generated noise. Unlike active sonar, PAM doesn't emit signals—it listens. This allows researchers to study ecosystems and monitor species in real-time without interfering with their natural behaviors.

Used since the 1980s, PAM is now essential for long-term ecological monitoring, offering accurate insights into how marine habitats respond to climate pressures.

Understanding Soundscapes

A soundscape includes all acoustic elements of an environment and is broken down into three components:

By studying these soundscapes over time, researchers can track the health of ecosystems, assess biodiversity shifts, and detect stress signals from species impacted by global warming.

Biological sounds

Vocalizations from animals such as whales or birds.

Geological sounds

Natural phenomena like ice cracking or underwater volcanic activity.

Anthropogenic sounds

Human-made noises from ships, drilling, or ports.

Acoustic Indicators of Climate Change

Rising ocean temperatures and habitat loss are shifting the sound patterns of marine species. These shifts—changes in vocalization frequency, migration calls, or silence in once-vocal habitats—can signal deeper ecological changes.

PAM captures and analyzes these acoustic variations to:

Track changes in species behavior and distribution

Model the impact of temperature changes on marine ecosystems

Reveal early signs of biodiversity loss

Applications of PAM in Climate Research

As pollution and warming temperatures disrupt ecosystems, PAM records animal vocalizations across different sites, showing shifts in migration timing, breeding, and presence. This helps researchers model how climate change impacts biodiversity

With low-frequency noise from shipping increasing 32x in 50 years, PAM identifies and maps how this noise affects marine species. By correlating noise patterns with behavioral data, scientists can determine stress responses and displacement trends.

Organizations like NOAA use PAM to enrich climate datasets—especially in sensitive zones like the Arctic or Antarctic. When paired with AI, PAM reveals trends in species adaptation, helping shape policies for ecosystem protection

Case Studies: Real-World Insights from PAM

Arctic Marine Mammal Monitoring

Hydrophones under sea ice have revealed how melting ice alters whale vocalizations, migration paths, and habitat use—critical data for Arctic conservation planning.

Tropical Forest Soundscapes

In rainforests, PAM helps track biodiversity by capturing bird and insect calls. Comparing recordings over time allows researchers to detect losses or shifts due to deforestation and climate stress.

Coral Reef Recovery Tracking

Acoustic data helps scientists measure reef recovery post-bleaching events. Increased fish vocalizations and reduced industrial noise often signal ecosystem restoration.

Sinay's Advanced PAM Solutions

Human activities like drilling, shipping, and construction generate underwater noise that threatens marine species. Sinay provides advanced Passive Acoustic Monitoring systems to detect, measure, and mitigate these impacts.

Real-time marine mammal detection using broadband hydrophones

Noise source identification (rain, waves, ships, mammals, construction)

Cloud-based dashboard for data visualization and alerting

Compliance tools to meet environmental regulations

AI-powered analysis for fast and accurate species classification

A Smarter Way to Protect Nature

As ecosystems face growing pressure, technologies like PAM give us the power to listen, understand, and act. Coupled with AI, this tool offers real-time insights into biodiversity, enabling proactive climate strategies. Whether you're a researcher, industry leader, or conservationist, PAM can help you drive real impact—without leaving a trace.

"The sounds beneath the surface tell us more about our changing planet than what we see above."