Soundscape shifts during the 2017 total solar eclipse: an application of dispersed automated recording units to study ephemeral acoustic events

Shifts in soundscapes often reflect diurnal patterns. In 2017 a total solar eclipse occurred in the US, resulting in a period of 3 h with the sun partially covered by the moon and 2 min of total darkness. We hypothesised this would create yet unmeasured and novel changes in different biophonic events. We placed automated recording units across an urban–rural gradient within the path of the total solar eclipse. We used generalised additive models to model and visualise acoustic shifts as a function of both time and per cent urban development. Biophony, a measure of the average frequency generated from biological sound, increased immediately before the period of the total solar eclipse and following the end of the eclipse, assuming the character of a dusk and dawn chorus. Other unique effects were observed, such as less anthrophony before totality. The total solar eclipse provided novel insight on temporal and spatial variation in soundscapes. Key policy inslightsThe ecological response to changes in a landscape can be measured over time and space using acoustic technologyLandscape context must be considered when studying the biology of astrological eventsGeneralized additive modeling allows a better understanding of non-linear and unique trends and consider the nested effect of location The ecological response to changes in a landscape can be measured over time and space using acoustic technology Landscape context must be considered when studying the biology of astrological events Generalized additive modeling allows a better understanding of non-linear and unique trends and consider the nested effect of location