Call for Applications: Bio-acoustic Structure, a NIMBioS Investigative Workshop

[Catherine Crawley]

The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis
(NIMBioS) is now accepting applications for its Investigative Workshop,
"Bio-acoustic Structure," to be held June 25-27 at NIMBioS.

*Objectives:* Acoustic repertoires may serve as a central component for
social cohesion, foraging, and reproduction; in turn, these sounds may
reflect population or species boundaries for many taxa. As acoustic
monitoring has increased in popularity, so has interest in using this
data to identify population structure and quantify biological diversity.
In cases where it is difficult to obtain other biological samples,
acoustic data may be the only source of information from which
population structure can be inferred. Historically, acoustic research on
different taxa has proceeded independently, utilizing different features
and developing different methods for classification or quantifying
regional differences. Additionally, while it is clear that there is a
genetic component to some bio-acoustic features, the degree to which
they are shaped by the environment or can be used as a proxy for
relatedness is still uncertain.

In order to make progress on the promise of using acoustics to
characterize population structure, this workshop will bring together
experts in bio-acoustics of multiple taxa, including birds, frogs,
primates, and cetaceans, with mathematicians and computer scientists
with expertise in classification, clustering, and information theory to
develop a unified approach. This will be accomplished by: 1) compiling
guidelines of best practices for designing acoustic surveys, 2)
reviewing acoustic features of each taxon useful for identifying
regional and taxonomic differences, and 3) reviewing methods for
quantifying and comparing information content, generating classification
models, and identifying biologically significant clusters. The results
of this workshop will describe the current state of using acoustics to
assess population structure, create a community bridging taxonomic
disciplines, and provide new non-invasive tools for conservation.
Location: NIMBioS at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville

*Co-Organizers:* Frederick Archer and Shannon Rankin, Southwest
Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, CA

For more information about the workshop and a link to the online
application form, go to http://www.nimbios.org/workshops/WS_bioacoustics

Participation in NIMBioS workshops is by application only. Individuals
with a strong interest in the topic are encouraged to apply, and
successful applicants will be notified within two weeks after the
application deadline. If needed, financial support for travel, meals,
and lodging is available for workshop attendees.

*Application deadline: March 5, 2018*

The National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis
(NIMBioS) (http://www.nimbios.org) brings together researchers from
around the world to collaborate across disciplinary boundaries to
investigate solutions to basic and applied problems in the life
sciences. NIMBioS is sponsored by the National Science Foundation, with
additional support from The University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

/

***************************** /
/////Catherine Crawley, Ph.D. /
/////Communications Manager/
/////National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis
(NIMBioS) /
/////University of Tennessee /
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/////Knoxville, TN 37996/
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