The SF Chronicle reports on premier nature soundscaper Bernie Krause:
"Forty percent of the habitats that I've recorded have been forever silenced, gone fully extinct or are hopelessly altered. I can't imagine living without the divine music of the natural world."
Among his first lessons on how sound can reveal profound changes in the environment: his recordings of Lincoln Meadow in the Sierra's Yuba Pass. There, he recorded before and after "selective" logging of trees. The company said the work wouldn't affect the habitat, but a year later Krause's recordings showed profound changes."The density and diversity of bird and frog life was completely altered. The place looks absolutely fabulous, but the critters are all gone," he said.
A sad story, but an intriguing way to assess biodiviersity and ecosystem health. (I wonder how many Environmental Impact Reports have even tried.)