A new soundscape analysis tool: Soundscape Analysis and Mapping System (SAMS)

Abstract

There is currently considerable interest in the quantitative analysis tools of soundscape to derive supplemental information of a landscape. However, existing soundscape software for acoustic data analyses does not consider the geospatial characteristics of the landscape although they are essential components of soundscape ecology. The new software described in this paper, Soundscape Analysis and Mapping System (SAMS), allows users to quickly process and analyze large volumes of acoustic data in geospatial environment. Specifically, SAMS integrates soundscape data with landscape information and visualization on the same platform that can be directly retrieved from Google Earth. A soundscape case study, used as an example to demonstrate usefulness of the SAMS tool, revealed an obvious spatial heterogeneity of soundscape across the landscape. Further analyses suggested that the transformation of natural wetland ecosystems into various dispersed urban structures directly led to significant changes in soundscape properties, implying human-noise intrusion and reduction in avian vocalizations. Therefore, this new SAMS software offers a novel analytical tool for users, such as urban planners or acoustic ecologists, to assess the impact of spatial patterns on soundscape characteristics.