Geografie 2008, 113, 183-194

https://doi.org/10.37040/geografie2008113020183

The acoustic typology of landscape

Tomáš Hendrych, Alois Hynek

Katedra geografie, fakulta pedagogická TU, Studentská 2, 461 17 Liberec, Czechia

Landscape acoustics is nothing new for zoologists - their research is well known. However, other landscape specialists, including geographers, prefer to visualize landscape both in material and spiritual concepts. At the same time, landscape is a source and a consumer of sound and environmentalists emphasize the role of noise in it from the point of environmental pollution. Landscape acoustics could be intended on diffraction, refraction, reflection, interference and absorption of sound in landscape produced by various agents, e.g. animals, humans, water, electricity etc. Landscape acts as modulator, music body in the style of hard/art/punk rock bands of geo/bio physical anthropogenous origin from a quiet landscape via natural beauty echo to silence in landscape. Maybe silence is the target of many urban residents searching it in rural landscape. The Czech debate on landscape character could include the issue of landscape acoustics. Cultural geographers are welcome.