Abstract:
Ecoacoustic approaches are increasingly being used to monitor biodiversity, having emerged as a promising tool for monitoring ecosystem degradation and restoration in the last two decades. Despite the growth, their application in monitoring animal populations in
changing ecosystems remains underutilized. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we evaluate the effectiveness of ecoacoustic
methodologies to assess ecosystem changes. We include studies focusing on ecoacoustic monitoring of species or soundscapes in ecosystem degradation or restoration contexts. A total of 187 studies (2003–May 2025) were included, with 124 focusing on degradation
and 63 on restoration. Passive acoustic monitoring was used more frequently (89%) than manual acoustic monitoring. Bats were most
studied, followed by birds, soundscapes, amphibians, invertebrates, and mammals. Most studies (66%) examined species diversity and
other community characteristics, while 12% addressed population characteristics like a particular species’ range. We highlight ecoacoustics as a growing, globally used, and scalable tool for ecosystem monitoring that effectively captures ecological changes, offering
restoration experts unique advantages. A Bayesian multinomial meta-analysis was conducted to assess whether the direction of animal
responses varies according to taxonomic groups, habitat change type, and drivers. Significant effects of habitat change type on animal
responses were detected, while urbanization increased the likelihood of a decrease, and forest management supported an increase in
animal response. While numerous studies document ecosystem degradation, there is a notable gap in research examining animal
responses to ecosystem restoration. There is a need to investigate further how ecoacoustic monitoring can evaluate ecosystem restoration and its implications for biodiversity, especially in tropical regions. We recommend a multi-taxa approach in ecoacoustic monitoring, integrating soil and freshwater and employing diverse acoustic indices to provide a holistic view of ecosystem health.
