At the conference, Dr Carlos Abrahams, Director of Bioacoustics at Baker Consultants, delivered a talk on the recently published ‘Good practice guidelines for long-term ecoacoustic monitoring in the UK’; a joint effort between a leading team of researchers from both Baker Consultants and Manchester Metropolitan University. During his talk, Carlos discussed the importance of ecoacoustics in understanding the acoustic environment and its role in assessing biodiversity and ecosystem health. He also explored how the guidelines can enable researchers and practitioners to collect high-quality data and contribute to a growing body of knowledge in the field of ecoacoustics.
In addition to Carlos Abrahams’ talk on ecoacoustics, Karthik Ashok, Bioacoustics Database Developer at Baker Consultants, collaborated with Carlos to deliver a joint presentation on soil acoustics. Soil acoustics is an emerging field that explores the soundscape of the soil environment and its implications for ecosystem functioning. Karthik and Carlos shared their research findings, which explores the relationship of soil soundscapes with soil health and biodiversity.
Aside from the presentations by Carlos Abrahams and Karthik Ashok, the CIEEM Autumn Conference 2023 featured a wide range of talks that addressed various topics in ecology. One notable talk was on breaking taboos in ecology, where speakers discussed the importance of addressing sensitive workplace issues and challenging societal taboos. In parallel with this talk, our Consultancy Director, Gavin Ward, co-chaired a workshop exploring the pros and cons of our recent trial and full-time transition to a four-day working week.
Another engaging presentation focused on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), eDNA, robotics, satellite imagery and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the advancement of ecological research and monitoring. All of these types of technology are revolutionising ecological assessments, providing a more cost-effective and non-invasive method for data collection.
Finally, the conference dinner also saw Dr Carlos Abrahams receive his fellowship from CIEEM. This prestigious honour recognises his outstanding contribution to the field of ecology over the course of his 30-year career.
In summary, the diverse range of talks at the conference highlighted the dynamism and innovation within the field of ecology. It showcased the dedication of researchers, practitioners and organisations like Baker Consultants in advancing ecological knowledge and technologies to find the solutions to pressing environmental challenges.
The Baker Consultants team is highly experienced and we are passionate about what we do. If you’d like to discuss any of the topics mentioned in this article, or need advice related to ecology, surveys or conservation, then please get in touch with us via our contact form on the website, or you can call us on +44 (0)1629 593958 or email us on info@bakerconsultants.co.uk.