BrazScape

Although sound is invisible, it occupies space as tangibly as trees, mountains, and rivers. A Soundscape is the collection of all sounds occurring within a specific environment, forming a unique “auditory landscape.”

Just as a visual landscape is composed of colors and shapes, a soundscape consists of three primary acoustic layers:

1. Geophony: Sounds from non-biological nature (wind, rain, thunder, ocean waves).
2. Biophony: Sounds produced by living organisms (birdsong, insects, vocalizations).
3. Anthropophony: Sounds generated by human activity (traffic, engines, music, industrial noise).

The Origins of the Term

The term Soundscape was coined in the late 1960s by the Canadian composer and environmentalist R. Murray Schafer. He founded the World Soundscape Project at Simon Fraser University.

Schafer argued that we should listen to the world as if it were a musical composition and, more importantly, that we are responsible for the quality of that composition. His seminal work, “The Tuning of the World” (1977), laid the foundations for acoustic ecology, warning against the rise of “noise pollution” that drowns out the voices of the natural world.

Why are Soundscapes Important?

For the BrazScape project, a soundscape is far more than mere entertainment; it is a vital indicator of environmental health. The importance of documenting these landscapes rests on three pillars:

• The Fingerprint of Biodiversity: The biophony of a forest reveals which species inhabit the area, their density, and how they interact—all without the need for visual contact.
• Human Well-being: Scientific studies demonstrate that natural soundscapes reduce cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and aid in cognitive recovery and mental clarity.
• Historical Archive: In a world undergoing rapid climate change, many soundscapes are disappearing. Documenting the sounds of the Atlantic Forest today ensures that future generations will know the “voice” of this biome as it exists now.