Worldwide soundscape ecology patterns across realms

The urgent need for remote, reliable, and scalable biodiversity monitoring amidst mounting human pressures on ecosystems and changing climate has sparked interest in Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) worldwide. PAM holds potential for supporting global sustainability goals by aiding conservation efforts, but so far, there is no comprehensive overview of its coverage. Here we present metadata from 293 PAM datasets recorded since 1991 in the first global synthesis of ecoacoustic sampling coverage across spatial, temporal, and ecological scales. We report data on sampling sites, deployment schedules, focal taxa, and recording parameters, and quantify biological, anthropogenic, and geophysical soundscape components across nine terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We found that terrestrial sampling is spatially denser (33 sites/Mkm2) compared to aquatic realms, with significant data gaps in subterranean realms. While diel and lunar cycles are well-sampled, seasonal coverage is lacking in freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems, while 57% of marine datasets cover all seasons. Opportunities for improvement include broader taxonomic sampling on land, expanding coverage in the high seas, and increasing spatial replication in freshwater environments. Additionally, we highlight nine case studies showcasing how PAM-based soundscape ecology can contribute to macroecology, conservation, and phenology studies, illustrating its potential to support global sustainability efforts both on land and underwater. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.