The effects of solar eclipses on the sounds of nature will be the topic of the next talk in a series focused on the sun and the major role it plays in the lives of humans everywhere, hosted by Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
Brent Pease, assistant professor in the forestry program at SIU, will discuss “Eclipse Soundscapes: Partnering with the public to illuminate the effects of eclipses on wildlife,” during the next “Journey to the Sun” talk set for 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 28, at Guyon Auditorium in Morris Library. The monthly series will continue through April and will be streamed online.
Pease conducted the Eclipse Soundscapes Project in conjunction with both the April 8 total eclipse in Southern Illinois and the annular eclipse in 2023. The NASA-funded effort included engaging the public in studying eclipse-related science alongside multidisciplinary scientists.
The project measured changes in biotic soundscapes in the path of the eclipses. Pease will discuss how darkness during the day affected wildlife and highlight the power of the public in large-scale research.
Pease researches and teaches topics in wildlife conservation and management. He received his doctorate in fish, wildlife and conservation biology from North Carolina State University. A native of Southern Illinois, Pease said he enjoys being back in the region to raise his family among the public lands and state parks.
The “Journey to the Sun” series is modeled on the previous talk series, “Journey to the Eclipse,” which ran in the months leading up to the 2024 total solar eclipse in Southern Illinois. It is part of SIU’s multifaceted, national heliophysics public engagement program.
Additional talks are scheduled for March 28 and April 25. An additional one-year eclipse anniversary talk, coinciding with a commemorative art installation dedication, also is planned for April 8.
