Almo Farina
Prof. Almo Farina is an Italian naturalist and Professor of Ecology in the Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, Urbino University. He has dedicated the last years to elaborate new theories in landscape ecology, soundscape ecology and ecoacoustics. He considers the protection of the biological diversity integrated with the human cultural heritage and well-being, a priority of its scientific and human mission. In 2014 Almo was elected the first President of the International Society of Ecoacoustics, and in 2015 he founded the International Institute of Ecoacoustics.
His major research activities conducted include eco-ethology of vertebrates, landscape ecological studies, land abandonment of upland areas and effects on landscape and fauna, GIS and expert systems for wildlife management, relationship between birds and landscape, landscape changes and effects on biodiversity, theories in landscape ecology, cognitive landscape ecology, eco-semiotic approach in the study of landscape complexity and ecoacoustics.
His recent principal interests are in understanding how complexity operates across a range of ecological scales affecting the organization of communities, ecosystems, and landscapes. In particular, he is interested in studying the organization of landscapes and how organisms perceive the surrounding complexity. Specific attention is directed to the study of the mechanisms involved in the communication between the internal world of organisms and their interpreted umwelt.
Recently, Farina has incorporated the principles of biosemiotics into the ecological domain developing the eco-field hypothesis. In addition, he elaborated a new theory on resources (general theory of resources) where resources have been defined and some axioms have been presented and discussed as a basis for a new ecological perspective to investigate the complexity of life. In addition, he has investigated the soundscape of animals as an energetic, informative dimension utilized by these species to maintain contact with vital resources. He works on the development of new theories in ecoacoustics and new metrics (Acoustic Complexity Index; ACI) to evaluate the complexity of sounds inside populations, communities, and landscapes. Moreover, in collaboration with Lunilettronik, he realized new field recorders with onboard metrics (ACI) to extract acoustic information in real time.
His publications include more than 250 reports, articles, and books on zoology, eco-ethology, bird community ecology, landscape ecology, landscape changes, rural landscape modifications, soundscape ecology, eco-informatics, ecoacoustics, and soundscape ecology.