---
title: Listening to ‘Animal Orchestras’ May Help Save the Amazon
date: 2022-07-18T15:50:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/listening-to-animal-orchestras-may-help-save-the-amazon"
section: Articles
---
# Listening to ‘Animal Orchestras’ May Help Save the Amazon

*July 18, 2022* — by [Georgia Jiang](/author/georgia-jiang)


> UMD Researchers Use Soundscapes to Monitor Biodiversity in the World’s Largest Rainforest and What May Be Putting It at Risk

*Shutterstock 1969556470 1920x1080 — A hyacinth macaw group perches in a treetop above the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. UMD researchers are gathering audio of diverse animal calls in the region to gauge the status of ecosystems affected by fires, logging and other human activity.*

Imagine being able to measure the health of an ecosystem simply by listening to a chorus of animal calls. Like the heartbeat of a habitat, movements in these natural symphonies can help scientists monitor important shifts in an animal community, such as population expansion or decline.

University of Maryland researchers used this innovative concept—called “ecoacoustics”—to make significant discoveries about biodiversity and degradation in the Amazon. They recently [published their findings](https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2102878119) in the *Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences*.

“Every chirp, hiss and growl represents a species that’s present in the area, so they’re a great indicator of biodiversity. Generally, the more diverse animal ‘conversations’ in a given forest area, the more animal biodiversity supported by that habitat,” said lead author Danielle Rappaport Ph.D. ’20, who studied geographical sciences. Other UMD scientists on the research team included Distinguished University Professor of Biology Bill Fagan, geographical sciences Professor Ralph Dubayah, geographical sciences Adjunct Assistant Professor Douglas Morton, chief of the Biospheric Sciences Laboratory at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, and Anshuman Swain Ph.D. ’22.


*recording device in tree — Recording devices at 39 sites around the Amazon captured "animal orchestras" day and night. (Photo courtesy of Danielle Rappaport)*




**Topics:** [Research](https://today.umd.edu/tags/research)


**Tags:** [Biology](https://today.umd.edu/topic/biology), [Geographical Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/geographical-sciences), [Research](https://today.umd.edu/topic/research)


**Units:** [College of Behavioral and Social Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-behavioral-and-social-sciences), [College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-computer-mathematical-and-natural-sciences)