Snapping Shrimp Acoustic Activity as an Indicator of Ecosystem Health Across Mangrove, Seagrass, and Coral Reef Habitats in the Florida Keys

Snapping Shrimp Acoustic Activity as an Indicator of Ecosystem Health Across Mangrove, Seagrass, and Coral Reef Habitats in the Florida Keys

Alvin Sherman Library

Mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass provide refugia, nursery areas, and feeding grounds for many marine species. These ecosystems have faced declines in habitat complexity through natural and anthropogenic causes. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is used to track changes in habitat characteristics through the monitoring of acoustic species, like snapping shrimp. Snapping shrimp are among the most active species inhabiting shallow subtropical marine environments, and their abundance, often tracked through their acoustic activity, are strong indicators of a healthy ecosystem. This study compares the acoustic activity of snapping shrimp across mangrove, seagrass, and coral reef habitats in Key Largo, Florida, as a proxy for ecosystem health. Differences in acoustic activity were used to draw connections between habitat characteristics and invertebrate ecology, compare current and historical invertebrate populations, and test the efficacy of this bioacoustics assay. Additionally, we analyze PAM as a accessible tool for a visually impaired researcher to independently assess ecosystem health through auditory data. Acoustic data was collected by three researchers (two sighted and one blind) using hydrophone devices, recording five-minute sound samples over a one-hour period at three separate sites representing mangrove, seagrass, and coral reef habitats in Key Largo, Florida. Data is currently being analyzed, but preliminary results show that acoustic analyses exhibit higher snapping shrimp activity with frequent overlapping snaps in mangroves, compared to fewer, softer snaps in seagrass. This research employed PAM as a fundamental method for assessing marine ecosystem health through sound and explores how acoustic techniques may expand research opportunities for blind scientists.