Craig Radford
University of Auckland
Professor Craig Radford is an internationally recognised bioacoustician at the University of Auckland whose work explores how sound influences marine ecosystems. He is widely recognised for demonstrating the ecological importance of natural reef soundscapes, showing how larvae and other organisms rely on sound to locate suitable habitats. His work has helped redefine sound as a critical component of ecosystem function, alongside more traditionally studied physical and chemical factors. Furthermore, through innovative field and experimental approaches, he has explored how human-generated sound, from shipping, construction, and other sources, affects animal behaviour, communication, and ecosystem dynamics. His contributions have helped inform marine management, conservation strategies, and policy discussions both in New Zealand and internationally. Professor Radford has published extensively in high-impact scientific journals and is a frequent collaborator on multidisciplinary projects spanning ecology, fisheries science, and environmental monitoring. He is also deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of scientists and fostering collaboration across academic, governmental, and industry sectors.
Passive Acoustic Monitoring in Marine Ecosystems
Mon 2 Nov - 11am
Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), together with an emerging understanding of particle motion, is transforming our ability to observe marine ecosystems and interpret how marine animals experience their acoustic environment.
This keynote will explore the expanding role of PAM in marine science and conservation, highlighting its capacity to provide continuous, non-invasive measurements of animal behaviour, biodiversity, ecosystem condition, and environmental change across broad spatial and temporal scales. A particular focus will be the contributions of Professor Craig Radford and his research group at the University of Auckland. Their work has advanced understanding of marine soundscapes and demonstrated how natural acoustic cues influence habitat selection, navigation, communication, predator-prey interactions, and community dynamics.
This research is helping establish sound as both an ecological driver and a practical indicator of ecosystem health. Radford’s research also examines how anthropogenic noise from vessels, coastal development, and other human activities affects marine animals. By integrating field recordings, controlled experiments, behavioural observations, and physiological measurements, this work investigates how noise can mask biologically important sounds, alter behaviour, disrupt communication, and affect sensory function.
Together, these approaches demonstrate how PAM can move beyond documenting marine soundscapes to identifying ecological change, assessing human impacts, and supporting evidence-based management and conservation of marine environments.