Date of Award
5-2014
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Legacy Department
Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Jeffrey C. Hallo
Committee Member
Dr. Julia L. Sharp
Committee Member
Dr. Robert B. Powell
Committee Member
Dr. J. Drew Lanham
Abstract
Soundscapes have become recognized as an important natural resource. The traditional human-made versus natural soundscape comparison currently used in recreational resource management is challenged by borrowing soundscape components (i.e., biophony, anthrophony, and geophony) from soundscape ecology. This study is designed to evaluate the soundscape preference of birders. A three-component model of recreational specialization was used to evaluate how recreationists may differ in their preference for soundscape components. Data from in-person surveys collected at The Audubon Center and Sanctuary at Francis Beidler Forest in Harleyville, South Carolina were used in combination with surveys from online birding list servers to obtain a sample of 415 individuals with varying levels of specialization. The findings suggest that soundscape preference exists as biophony, geophony, and anthrophony and that preference for geophony differs among specialization segments.
Recommended Citation
Miller, Zachary D., "Birding by Ear: A Study of Recreational Specialization and Soundscape Preference" (2014). All Theses. 2310.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/2310