The Sound of Drystones: A Novel Hot-Spot of Ecoacoustics Research
Drystone terraces offer a series of ecosystem services including both biological and cultural benefits. The aesthetic contribution towards the landscape and the increase in biodiversity levels, constitute drystone terraces and other similar constructions, as important biocultural assets. The low mai...
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MDPI AG
2022-08-01
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Series: | Earth |
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Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/3/3/55 |
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author | Maria Minioti Aggelos Tsaligopoulos Yiannis G. Matsinos Gerasimos Pavlogeorgatos |
author_facet | Maria Minioti Aggelos Tsaligopoulos Yiannis G. Matsinos Gerasimos Pavlogeorgatos |
author_sort | Maria Minioti |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Drystone terraces offer a series of ecosystem services including both biological and cultural benefits. The aesthetic contribution towards the landscape and the increase in biodiversity levels, constitute drystone terraces and other similar constructions, as important biocultural assets. The low maintenance and the eventual abandonment of drystone terraces cause a series of drawbacks regarding the sustainability of agricultural environments. The main goal of this research was to assess the effect of drystone terrace maintenance level on biodiversity. For that reason, two closely distant agricultural areas of Lesbos Island (North Aegean, Greece) in which olive grove drystone terraces dominate were compared. The non-intrusive method of ecoacoustics was selected, and the levels of the acoustic complexity and acoustic diversity were statistically analyzed for areas that included highly maintained and poorly maintained olive grove drystone terraces. The results indicated an increase in acoustic biodiversity levels in the poorly maintained drystone terraces area. At this early stage, the results highlighted the fact that the increased resources in the poorly maintained drystone terraces, in terms of nesting and feeding opportunities, increased the biodiversity levels. Nevertheless, the spatiotemporal expansion of this research is undeniably important. |
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institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2673-4834 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:14:31Z |
publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
publisher | MDPI AG |
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series | Earth |
spelling | doaj.art-f1b855f2446e45fabe7f8e5d0f8a9f252023-11-23T15:54:24ZengMDPI AGEarth2673-48342022-08-013393995010.3390/earth3030055The Sound of Drystones: A Novel Hot-Spot of Ecoacoustics ResearchMaria Minioti0Aggelos Tsaligopoulos1Yiannis G. Matsinos2Gerasimos Pavlogeorgatos3Department of Cultural Technology and Communication, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, GreeceAcoustic Ecology Laboratory, Department of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, GreeceAcoustic Ecology Laboratory, Department of the Environment, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, GreeceDepartment of Cultural Technology and Communication, University of the Aegean, 81100 Mytilene, GreeceDrystone terraces offer a series of ecosystem services including both biological and cultural benefits. The aesthetic contribution towards the landscape and the increase in biodiversity levels, constitute drystone terraces and other similar constructions, as important biocultural assets. The low maintenance and the eventual abandonment of drystone terraces cause a series of drawbacks regarding the sustainability of agricultural environments. The main goal of this research was to assess the effect of drystone terrace maintenance level on biodiversity. For that reason, two closely distant agricultural areas of Lesbos Island (North Aegean, Greece) in which olive grove drystone terraces dominate were compared. The non-intrusive method of ecoacoustics was selected, and the levels of the acoustic complexity and acoustic diversity were statistically analyzed for areas that included highly maintained and poorly maintained olive grove drystone terraces. The results indicated an increase in acoustic biodiversity levels in the poorly maintained drystone terraces area. At this early stage, the results highlighted the fact that the increased resources in the poorly maintained drystone terraces, in terms of nesting and feeding opportunities, increased the biodiversity levels. Nevertheless, the spatiotemporal expansion of this research is undeniably important.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/3/3/55drystoneterracebioculturalecoacousticsacoustic environment |
spellingShingle | Maria Minioti Aggelos Tsaligopoulos Yiannis G. Matsinos Gerasimos Pavlogeorgatos The Sound of Drystones: A Novel Hot-Spot of Ecoacoustics Research Earth drystone terrace biocultural ecoacoustics acoustic environment |
title | The Sound of Drystones: A Novel Hot-Spot of Ecoacoustics Research |
title_full | The Sound of Drystones: A Novel Hot-Spot of Ecoacoustics Research |
title_fullStr | The Sound of Drystones: A Novel Hot-Spot of Ecoacoustics Research |
title_full_unstemmed | The Sound of Drystones: A Novel Hot-Spot of Ecoacoustics Research |
title_short | The Sound of Drystones: A Novel Hot-Spot of Ecoacoustics Research |
title_sort | sound of drystones a novel hot spot of ecoacoustics research |
topic | drystone terrace biocultural ecoacoustics acoustic environment |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4834/3/3/55 |
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