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Ecoacoustic research has expanded knowledge and deepened the understanding of ecological issues. Soundscape studies can provide visceral connections to ecological data, enabling powerful expressions of dynamic processes. An extension of this paradigm would further the perception of acoustic space and time. Imagine, for example, soundscapes of extinct species or ecosystems before they were impacted by humans. Imagine acoustic ecologies that project into the future. Might we speed up time and listen to evolution? Can we hear the interactions and impact of atmospheric, geological, seismic and anthropogenic changes? How might we capture and interpret the unique listening and experiential qualities of acoustic ecologies for the preservation of natural spaces for future generations? The EcoAcousticToolkit (ECAT) provides new means to model acoustic environments, and novel methods to experience ecological data. From its research base, projectECAT raises public environmental consciousness by providing an integrated toolset for exploration of, and interaction with data from endangered and at-risk ecosystems. The tools scale from the biomolecular to the ecospheric with methods that provide a contextual system of access, learning, documentation and distribution for scientists, artists and citizen scientists. |