THE SOUND OF FISH HYPOXIA
An organ sounds in the background, growing louder and louder. It is met by fast piano playing that builds up to a screech of violins. The combination of instruments continues to grow until it stops in abruption, making the silence louder than ever. This is the sound of fish hypoxia.
A team of scholars are currently researching the effects of deoxygenation in cod from the Baltic Sea. This research takes place under Project Breathless, an NSF-funded research project that is led by ESF faculty including Dr. Karin Limburg, Dr. Roxane Razavi, and Dr. Andrea Parker. Other Co-Pi’s include Anna Gardmark, Ben Walther, and Michele Casini. Also a part of the project, arguably the most important in the communication aspect, is Elizabeth LoGiudice (MS) who was responsible for the sonification of cod otolith data provided by the research team. With the help of a web app and her previous experience in environmental communication, Elizabeth used the data and formulated it into a series of sound combinations that represented the growth and decay of cod from the process of hypoxia.
When responding to questions in Dr. Parker’s communication class at ESF, Dr. Limburg was asked, “why did you choose cod to study”? The Baltic Sea has been a notorious example of deoxygenation. Since the 90’s, deoxygenation levels in the ocean have increased, causing marine life to suffer. Dr. Limburg shared with the class that cod are an iconic species in the Baltic Sea, having a big presence until overfishing caused populations to decrease. The question is though, was it just overfishing? Using samples of cod from archaeological sites, the research team investigated the causes of the cod decline and the impact on cod otoliths, or the “ear stones” found in the heads of fish where sound is received.
Dr. Limburg explained that five different fish types were tested, ranging from “happy” cod, or fish that did not experience hypoxia, to “unhappy” cod, up to “very unhappy” cod, or those impacted by hypoxia the most. The presence of certain elements were studied within the fish, transcribed into a data set, and then transferred into the sound application as musical notes. Similar to transcribing songs, musical elements needed to be considered such as key, range, instrumentation, meter tempo, and digital effects to represent the growth and decline of the otoliths. The data within the cod otoliths correlated with specific instrumental sounds, forming a musical language to communicate science as sound.
As Elizabeth LoGiudice shared, there was a detection of patterns within each “song” transcribed. The patterns could be both heard and seen through the audio wave sonogram displayed to the class. In order to create a song representative of the fish experience, it was important that the right instruments were used for each component of the fish otolith. For example, the trumpet represented the sound of growth and salinity, where the organ indicated near shore waters, and the combination of violin and piano indicated the hypoxia proxy. When asking Elizabeth LoGiudice what she found challenging about the process she shared that, “It was a bit like walking a tightrope to convey the data accurately, maintain scientific integrity, and still have the music communicate about what a fish might be feeling from exposure to hypoxia.”
After correlating data to the instruments seen fit and manipulating the octave with digital effects, Elizabeth ended up with several “songs” that represented a cod’s hypoxia experience. During Dr. Parker’s communication class students, the research team, and scientific scholars listened intently to the sound. The group remained silent and let the songs play, hearing the difference between the happy cod who had an upbeat and comforting sound to the sad cod whose sound could be used in the backdrop of a horror movie. Seeing and hearing the rise and fall of the sound waves allowed everyone to experience the cod’s hypoxia in real time. Students and scholars alike were tuned in up until the last note when the music stopped and the fish had its last breath.
Once the songs stopped during Dr. Parker’s class several people wiped their tears. With the research team investigating the data and listening to it play out a multitude of times, they’ve grown connected to these songs. A scholar reflected on her reaction to the songs sharing that “the sound of hypoxia is the sound of pollution and the sound of death…it shows what a wonderful teaching tool history is”. Dr. Limburg explained that data sonification has grown popular over the years for the visually impaired, to find patterns, and to communicate to nonscientific audiences. Elizabeth reflected on the tools of sonification and said that “as science communicators, we’re always looking for ways to make complex information more engaging and understandable”. Therefore an auditory form of data could potentially reach a wider audience if done well. Although still new, Elizabeth feels that sonification has the potential for both scientists and musicians to communicate to the public.
Bonding over tears and their research, the team of scientists shared with the class that in their hearts they do this work to get motivated and see pathways to address these problems. The goal of the songs are not to bum people out but rather to motivate them to take action. The team hopes that the sound of hypoxia can be a positive step toward addressing deoxygenation in our waterways and that sonification can be a new way of communicating the problem.
Olivia Troiano is a graduating senior in the Environmental Studies program at ESF with a focus in Policy, Planning and Law. In her three years at ESF she has been a web writer with Syracuse University’s music publication, 20Watts Magazine. Olivia’s interests lie in environmental communication, outdoor management, and conservation. She is looking forward to learning more about the field as she becomes a part of it, starting as a crew member for the Student Conservation Association this summer!
