Representing biodiversity decline data by manipulating familiar audio files to create emotional responses: a novel sonification method of soundwave-level deletion

We developed a sonification algorithm to communicate data on biodiversity decline. We used a method of data representation that caused emotional effects on listeners, with the aim of enhancing personal awareness of impacts of biodiversity decline to encourage listeners to affect change. To create the emotional effect, we chose to degrade familiar audio files as our mode of sonification. Our algorithm takes as input an audio file in a wave (.wav) format and a dataset: the WWF's Living Planet Index (LPI) from 1970 to 2018. The algorithm deletes soundwave data from the audio file proportional to the decline of biodiversity measured by the data. Thus, our auditory metaphor uses the progressive damage of the audio file at later timestamps to represent the environmental damage of biodiversity decline. To investigate the subjective listening experience of the sonifications, we held five focus groups with 13 participants and conducted thematic content analysis of the transcribed audio recordings. Participants listened to various instances of the algorithm using different input sound files, including vocal and instrumental music, a field recording, and spoken aloud poems. Focus groups suggested the algorithm was successful in communicating the data, with all participants acknowledging this success. Participants described experiencing vivid auditory metaphors and reported strong emotional responses, including sadness, loss, stress, anxiety, and optimism. Participants affirmed the greater presence of emotional response compared to a static graph-based visualisation of the same data. We propose that sonification through degradation of familiar audio files will have broad applicability in communication and public engagement with conservation issues.