Preface

1 Soundscape & Landscape Ecologies

1.1 Introduction

1.2 A Semantic Caveat: Sound, Sonic, Acoustic

1.3 The Definition of Soundscape

1.4 A Brief History of Soundscape Ecology: Origins and Perspectives

1.5 The Disciplinary Contribution to the Soundscape Ecology

1.6 The Three Sources of the Sonic Environment

1.6.1 Geophonies

1.6.2 Biophonies

1.6.3 Anthrophonies

1.7 Foreground and Background Sonic Environment

1.8 Hi-Fi & Lo-Fi Soundscapes

1.9 Landscape: Emerging Patterns and Dynamics

1.10 Sonic Patterns in Soundscape Ecology

1.10.1 Definition of Sonotope

1.10.2 Definition of Soundtope

1.10.3 Definition of Sonotone

1.11 The Relationship between Landscape Structure and Soundscape Patterns

1.12 The Sonic Components of the Environment and the General Theory of Resources

1.13 Definition of Sonic Eco-field

References

2 The Sonic Characters of the Landscapes

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Weather Conditions and Sound propagation

2.3 Climatic Patterns and Sounds

2.4 Elevation and Song Complexity

2.5 The Contribution of Vegetation Micro and Macro Structure to Sonic Environment

2.6 Reverberation and Attenuation in Broadleaf and Pine Forests

2.7 Vibrations and Leaves

2.8 Sound Propagation at Forest Edges

2.9 The Jungle Soundscape

2.10 The Sound of Fire

References

3 Bioacoustic Theories

3.1 Introduction

3.2 The Morphological Adaptation Hypothesis (MAH)

3.3 The Acoustic Adaptation Hypothesis (AAH)

3.4 The Acoustic Niche Hypothesis (ANH)

3.5 The Species Recognition Hypothesis (SRH)

References

4 Communication Theories

4.1 Introduction

4.2 The Communication Theory

4.3 Eavesdropping and the Interspecific Communication

4.4 Echolocation: a Special Case of Communication

4.5 Heterospecific and Conspecific Attraction

4.6 Male-Female Song Recognition

4.7 Sound Degradation and Ranging Hypothesis

4.8 Distress Calls

4.9 Soundscape Orientation and Spatial Source Segregation

4.10 Ecological Codes

4.11 How to Improve Signaling

4.12 The Honesty of Acoustical Signals

4.13 Dialects as a Divergent Communication

4.14 Acoustic Partitioning in Birds and Frogs

4.15 Communication in Steep Soil

4.16 Signaling Systems and Climatic Proxies

4.17 Song and Reproductive Timing

4.18 Acoustic Cues and Antipredatory Performance

4.19 Soft Song

4.20 The Bioacoustics Interactions between Plants and Insects

References

5 The Human Dimension of the Soundscape: from Individuals to Society

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Psychological Approach to the Soundscape Interpretation

5.3 Noise Sensitivity

5.4 Noise Annoyance: Definition and Evaluation Procedures

5.5 A Soundscape Semantic

5.6 Elements of Psychoacoustics

5.7 Noise Pollution: a Growing Problem for Human Societies

5.8 Noise Consequences on Human Physiology and Health

5.9 The Characters of the Urban Soundscape

5.10 The Sonic Environment of the Urban Parks

5.11 Pleasant Sounds, Sound Pressure Level and Acoustic Comfort

5.12 The Value of Soundmarks in Urban Landscape

5.13 The Interactions between Visual and Acoustic Stimuli

5.14 Quiet Areas as Solution to Decrease People Annoyance

5.15 The Aesthetic Component of Soundscape Interpretation

5.16 Conclusions

References

6 Sonic Patterns I: The Noise

6.1 Introduction

6.2 A Definition of Noise

6.3 Characteristics of the An