Fish represent the largest group of vocal vertebrates and include many species that rely on acoustic signals during social interactions, such as fights or mating. Because fish exhibit such diverse life history strategies and have simple vocal repertoires, they are excellent models to study acoustic communication amongst vertebrates. In addition, although there are many fish species whose signals have been described there are still an overwhelming amount of sounds made by fish that have not yet been described. This knowledge is required, for example, to monitor fish species in nature and ecosystem health.
This internship topic aims to investigate the role of fish sounds in social interactions and to describe the diversity of fish sounds recorded in natural habitats to evaluate fish communities. Students will be taught sound analysis and eco-acoustic techniques and will have access to pre-existing, and ongoing field recordings. Field and lab work will offer an opportunity to engage professional practice students, but this will depend on the status of the ongoing pandemics.
