Soundscape of a management and exploitation area of benthic resources in central Chile

Acoustic ecology is an emerging and poorly known field of research. Soundscape has been used to infer the behavior of several species in different environments and can serve as a reliable indicator of the habitat type and quality; also, it is believed that it is an important factor for larvae orientation in settlement areas. We used the passive acoustic method to evaluate the soundscape of a management and exploitation area of benthic resources, a rocky reef area in central Chile. It was possible to hear a continuous cracking sound during recording and underwater observations. We detected two distinct frequency bands with similar parameters during the night and day, a band between 90 and 300 Hz, which corresponded to the effects of sea waves (geophony), and a frequency band with a range of 1,500 to 2,700 Hz (biophony), with a fundamental frequency of 2,070 Hz. Both bands had similar energy (similar to 88.0 dB re: 1V/mu Pa). These results show the relevant acoustic activity in the area, which may have important ecological implications for the recruitment of commercially important benthic resources.