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Breeze H, Nolet V, Thomson D, Wright AJ, Marotte E, Sanders M. Efforts to advance underwater noise management in Canada: Introduction to the Marine Pollution Bulletin Special Issue. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 178:113596. [PMID: 35385819 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This introduction to a special issue on approaches to managing underwater noise in Canada provides a brief overview of recent efforts to better understand and reduce anthropogenic underwater noise. Recent programs have aimed to increase understanding of anthropogenic noise in the habitats of highly endangered whales and have supported management actions such as vessel slow downs. Technical workshops have advanced the development of quiet ship design and associated technologies. Collaborative research examined noise levels in the St. Lawrence Estuary and the Arctic Ocean. Efforts to better manage noise have gone beyond shipping: enhanced mitigation measures have been put in place for naval exercises near habitats used by southern resident killer whales, while other work has focused on the identification of appropriate metrics for measuring noise. To coordinate and advance these and other efforts, the Government of Canada is developing a national Ocean Noise Strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Breeze
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.
| | | | - Dugald Thomson
- Defence Research and Development Canada - Atlantic Research Centre, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Andrew J Wright
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Emmaline Marotte
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada
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Chahouri A, Elouahmani N, Ouchene H. Recent progress in marine noise pollution: A thorough review. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 291:132983. [PMID: 34801565 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The increase in urbanization and the progressive development of marine industries have led to the appearance of a new kind of pollution called "noise pollution". This pollution exerts an increasing pressure on marine mammals, fish species, and invertebrates, which constitutes a new debate that must be controlled in a sustainable way by environmental and noise approaches with the objective of preserving marine and human life. Despite, noise pollution can travel long distances underwater, cover large areas, and have secondary effects on marine animals; by masking their ability to hear their prey or predators, finding their way, or connecting group members. During the COVID-19 pandemic, except for the transportation of essential goods and emergency services, all the public transport services were suspended including aircraft and ships. This lockdown has impacted positively on the marine environment through reduction of the noise sources. In this article, we are interested in noise pollution in general, its sources, impacts, and the management and future actions to follow. And since this pollution is not studied in Morocco, we focused on the different sources that can generate it on the Moroccan coasts. This is the first review article, which focuses on the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on this type of pollution in the marine environment; which we aim to identify the impact of this pandemic on underwater noise and marine species. Finally, and given the increase in noise levels, preventive management, both at the national and international level, is required before irreversible damage is caused to biodiversity and the marine ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abir Chahouri
- Aquatic System Laboratory: Marine and Continental Environment, Faculty of Sciences Agadir, Department of Biology, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco.
| | - Nadia Elouahmani
- Aquatic System Laboratory: Marine and Continental Environment, Faculty of Sciences Agadir, Department of Biology, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
| | - Hanan Ouchene
- Aquatic System Laboratory: Marine and Continental Environment, Faculty of Sciences Agadir, Department of Biology, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
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Ménard N, Turgeon S, Conversano M, Martins CCA. Sharing the waters: Application of a marine spatial planning approach to conserve and restore the acoustic habitat of endangered beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in and around the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 175:113325. [PMID: 35074594 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 12/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic underwater noise degrades the quality of whale habitats, affecting vital functions which may compromise the recovery of species at risk exposed to chronic vessel-based activities. The endangered St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) lives downstream from industrial activities in a highly accessible coastal environment. Many approaches were deployed in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park to address the issue of cohabitation between whales and vessels. Place-based conservation measures aimed at protecting and restoring the tranquility of key areas of SLE beluga critical habitat by managing vessel-based activities were implemented through a marine spatial planning approach. They involved protecting the quietness of the South Channel by avoiding rerouting shipping, establishing of a regulatory area closure in Baie Sainte-Marguerite and of a beluga conservation area without commercial whale-watching in the Upper SLE. Compliance monitoring show that these efforts are effective to enhance the protection and restoration of the acoustic habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Ménard
- Parks Canada, Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, Tadoussac, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Samuel Turgeon
- Parks Canada, Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, Tadoussac, Quebec, Canada
| | - Manuela Conversano
- Parks Canada, Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, Tadoussac, Quebec, Canada
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van der Knaap I, Ashe E, Hannay D, Bergman AG, Nielsen KA, Lo CF, Williams R. Behavioural responses of wild Pacific salmon and herring to boat noise. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 174:113257. [PMID: 34933218 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
There is growing concern about impacts of ship and small boat noise on marine wildlife. Few studies have quantified impacts of anthropogenic noise on ecologically, economically, and culturally important fish. We conducted open net pen experiments to measure Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii) and juvenile salmon (pink, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, and chum, Oncorhynchus keta) behavioural response to noise generated by three boats travelling at different speeds. Dose-response curves for herring and salmon estimated 50% probability of eliciting a response at broadband received levels of 123 and 140 dB (re 1 μPa), respectively. Composite responses (yes/no behaviour change) were evaluated. Both genera spent more time exhibiting behaviours consistent with anti-predator response during boat passings. Repeated elicitation of vigilance or anti-predatory responses could result in increased energy expenditure or decreased foraging. These experiments form an important step toward assessing population-level consequences of noise, and its ecological costs and benefits to predators and prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inge van der Knaap
- Leiden University, Institute of Biology, Sylvius, Sylviusweg 72, 2333 BE Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Erin Ashe
- Oceans Initiative, 117 E Louisa St #135, Seattle, WA 98102, USA.
| | - Dave Hannay
- JASCO Applied Sciences, 2305-4464 Markham Street, Victoria, BC V8Z 7X8, Canada.
| | | | | | - Catherine F Lo
- Oceans Initiative, 117 E Louisa St #135, Seattle, WA 98102, USA.
| | - Rob Williams
- Oceans Initiative, 117 E Louisa St #135, Seattle, WA 98102, USA.
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Lo CF, Nielsen KA, Ashe E, Bain DE, Mendez-Bye A, Reiss SA, Bogaard LT, Collins MS, Williams R. Measuring speed of vessels operating around endangered southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Salish Sea critical habitat. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 174:113301. [PMID: 35090284 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Motorized vessels are a major source of anthropogenic noise and can have adverse effects on species relying on sound for communication and feeding. Monitoring noise levels received by endangered southern resident killer whales (SRKWs) requires knowing the number, distance, and speed of surrounding vessels, including small boats that do not have Automatic Identification Systems (AIS). A method for estimating their speed is required to predict received noise levels and compliance with vessel regulations. We compared theodolite and photogrammetry methods to estimate the number, distance, and speed of vessels in SRKW Salish Sea summertime critical habitat. By treating AIS as "truth", we found photogrammetry-derived ranges and speeds were more variable than theodolite estimates. Error in photogrammetry-derived speeds increased with range. Overall, we found time saved in the field using photogrammetry was more than offset by long analysis time. Theodolite data were relatively easy to collect, and produced accurate and precise results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine F Lo
- Oceans Initiative, 117 E Louisa St #135, Seattle, WA 98102, USA.
| | | | - Erin Ashe
- Oceans Initiative, 117 E Louisa St #135, Seattle, WA 98102, USA; Oceans Research and Conservation Association / ORCA, Pearse Island Box 193 Alert Bay BC V0N 1A0 Canada
| | - David E Bain
- Orca Conservancy, P.O. Box 16628, Seattle, WA 98116, USA
| | | | | | - Laura T Bogaard
- Oceans Initiative, 117 E Louisa St #135, Seattle, WA 98102, USA
| | | | - Rob Williams
- Oceans Initiative, 117 E Louisa St #135, Seattle, WA 98102, USA; Oceans Research and Conservation Association / ORCA, Pearse Island Box 193 Alert Bay BC V0N 1A0 Canada
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Williams R, Lacy RC, Ashe E, Hall A, Plourde S, McQuinn IH, Lesage V. Climate change complicates efforts to ensure survival and recovery of St. Lawrence Estuary beluga. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 173:113096. [PMID: 34744013 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Decades after a ban on hunting, and despite focused management interventions, the endangered St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) population has failed to recover. We applied a population viability analysis to simulate the responses of the SLE beluga population across a wide range of variability and uncertainty under current and projected changes in environmental and climate-mediated conditions. Three proximate threats to recovery were explored: ocean noise; contaminants; and prey limitation. Even the most optimistic scenarios failed to achieve the reliable positive population growth needed to meet current recovery targets. Here we show that predicted effects of climate change may be a more significant driver of SLE beluga population dynamics than the proximate threats we considered. Aggressive mitigation of all three proximate threats will be needed to build the population's resilience and allow the population to persist long enough for global actions to mitigate climate change to take effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob Williams
- Oceans Initiative, Pearse Island, Box 193, Alert Bay, BC, V0N 1A0, Canada and 117 E. Louisa Street #135 Seattle, WA 98102 USA.
| | - Robert C Lacy
- Species Conservation Toolkit Initiative, Chicago Zoological Society, Brookfield, IL 60513, USA
| | - Erin Ashe
- Oceans Initiative, Pearse Island, Box 193, Alert Bay, BC, V0N 1A0, Canada and 117 E. Louisa Street #135 Seattle, WA 98102 USA
| | - Ailsa Hall
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Stéphane Plourde
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Box 1000, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, Quebec G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - Ian H McQuinn
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Box 1000, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, Quebec G5H 3Z4, Canada
| | - Véronique Lesage
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Box 1000, 850 Route de la Mer, Mont-Joli, Quebec G5H 3Z4, Canada
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Wang ZT, Akamatsu T, Duan PX, Zhou L, Yuan J, Li J, Lei PY, Chen YW, Yang YN, Wang KX, Wang D. Underwater noise pollution in China's Yangtze River critically endangers Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 262:114310. [PMID: 32155559 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Underwater sound plays an important role in some critical life functions of many aquatic animals. Underwater noise pollution has received relatively more attention in ocean systems. However, little attention has been paid to freshwater systems, such as the Yangtze River which is the habitat of critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis). In 2012, the underwater noise levels in 25 sites along the middle and lower sections of the Yangtze River were measured. The root mean square sound pressure level (SPL) and unweighted sound exposure level (SEL) at each site ranged between 105 ± 2.4 (median ± quartile deviation) and 150 ± 5.5 dB. Obvious spatial and temporal variations in the SPL were detected among the 25 sites. The SPL and SEL in the middle section of the Yangtze River were smaller (approximately 15 dB) and fluctuated more compared to those in the lower section. The power spectrum in the mainstem was site specific. However, all the spectra levels were higher than the audiogram of Yangtze finless porpoises. Majority of the sites had an averaged cumulative unweighted SEL (72%) and cumulative weighted SEL (68%) that surpassed the underwater acoustic thresholds for onset of hearing temporal threshold shifts for finless porpoise. Porpoise bio-sonars were detected in 89% of sonar monitoring sites indicating that noise pollution in the Yangtze River greatly threatened porpoise survival. In 8% of the sites, the averaged cumulative weighted SEL exceeded that of underwater acoustic thresholds causing non-recoverable permanent threshold shifts of finless porpoises auditory system whereas it was less than 1 dB below the underwater acoustic thresholds in other 8% of the sites. These sites urgently needed noise mitigation and management strategies. These results will facilitate the evaluation of the impacts of anthropogenic noise pollution on local finless porpoises and give further guidelines on its effective conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Tao Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China
| | - Tomonari Akamatsu
- National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research and Development Agency, Fukuura, Kanagawa, 236-8648, Japan
| | - Peng-Xiang Duan
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China
| | - Lu Zhou
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, PR China
| | - Jing Yuan
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, PR China
| | - Jiao Li
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, PR China
| | - Pei-Yu Lei
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, PR China
| | - Yu-Wei Chen
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China
| | - Yi-Ning Yang
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China
| | - Ke-Xiong Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China.
| | - Ding Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, PR China
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Williams R, Veirs S, Veirs V, Ashe E, Mastick N. Approaches to reduce noise from ships operating in important killer whale habitats. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 139:459-469. [PMID: 29983160 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2017] [Revised: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 05/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Shipping is key to global trade, but is also a dominant source of anthropogenic noise in the ocean. Chronic noise from ships can affect acoustic quality of important whale habitats. Noise from ships has been identified as one of three main stressors-in addition to contaminants, and lack of Chinook salmon prey-in the recovery of the endangered southern resident killer whale (SRKW) population. Managers recognize existing noise levels as a threat to the acoustical integrity of SRKW critical habitat. There is an urgent need to identify practical ways to reduce ocean noise given projected increases in shipping in the SRKW's summertime critical habitat in the Salish Sea. We reviewed the literature to provide a qualitative description of mitigation approaches. We use an existing ship source level dataset to quantify how some mitigation approaches could readily reduce noise levels by 3-10 dB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rob Williams
- Oceans Initiative, USA; Oceans Research and Conservation Association, Canada.
| | | | | | - Erin Ashe
- Oceans Initiative, USA; Oceans Research and Conservation Association, Canada.
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Li S, Liu M, Dong L, Dong J, Wang D. Potential impacts of shipping noise on Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and implications for regulation and mitigation: a review. Integr Zool 2018; 13:495-506. [PMID: 29316222 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Shipping noise is a widespread and relatively loud sound source among human-induced underwater sounds. The impacts of shipping noise are of special concern for Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis), as they inhabit shallow and nearshore habitats and are highly dependent on sound for survival. This study synthesizes our current understanding of the potential impacts of shipping noise on Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins combined with knowledge on sound production and hearing of these animals and the impacts of noise on other whales and dolphins. For further protection and management of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins and their habitats, shipping noise should be regulated and mitigated to modify sound from ships, to reduce overall noise levels, and to set more marine protected areas (MPAs) covering most Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin habitats with seasonal and geographical restrictions to avoid ensonification of shipping noise. The emphasis for future research should be on obtaining more baseline information about the population distribution, sound production, hearing capabilities at the population level, behavior, and stress hormones of the humpback dolphins under different noise conditions or under different noise-producing activities, and/or in high-noise areas compared with relatively quiet areas, and the noise characteristics of ships of different types, sizes and speeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Songhai Li
- Sanya Key Laboratory of Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Mingming Liu
- Sanya Key Laboratory of Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lijun Dong
- Sanya Key Laboratory of Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China
| | - Jianchen Dong
- Sanya Key Laboratory of Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ding Wang
- Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
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Heenehan HL, Van Parijs SM, Bejder L, Tyne JA, Southall BL, Southall H, Johnston DW. Natural and anthropogenic events influence the soundscapes of four bays on Hawaii Island. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 124:9-20. [PMID: 28751031 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.06.065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2017] [Revised: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
The soundscapes of four bays along the Kona Coast of Hawaii Island were monitored between January 2011 and March 2013. Equivalent, unweighted sound pressure levels within standard 1/3rd-octave bands (dB re: 1μPa) were calculated for each recording. Sound levels increased at night and were lowest during the daytime when spinner dolphins use the bays to rest. A tsunami provided an opportunity to monitor the soundscape with little anthropogenic component. We detected a decrease in sound levels and variability in one of the busiest bays. During the daytime in the 3.15kHz 1/3rd octave band, we detected 92 loud outliers from vessels, aquaculture, and military mid-frequency active sonar. During one military mid-frequency active sonar event sound levels reached 45.8dB above median ambient noise levels. The differences found in the bays illustrate the importance of understanding soundscapes to effectively manage noise pollution in marine ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather L Heenehan
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC, USA; Integrated Statistics, 16 Sumner Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA; Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
| | - Sofie M Van Parijs
- Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 166 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Lars Bejder
- Cetacean Research Unit, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia; Duke University Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | - Julian A Tyne
- Cetacean Research Unit, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
| | - Brandon L Southall
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California at Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA, USA; SEA, Inc. 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA, USA
| | - Hugh Southall
- SEA, Inc. 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA, USA
| | - David W Johnston
- Duke University Marine Laboratory, Nicholas School of the Environment, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC, USA; Cetacean Research Unit, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia
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Ahonen H, Stafford KM, de Steur L, Lydersen C, Wiig Ø, Kovacs KM. The underwater soundscape in western Fram Strait: Breeding ground of Spitsbergen's endangered bowhead whales. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 123:97-112. [PMID: 28938997 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
In the Arctic, warming and concomitant reductions in sea ice will affect the underwater soundscape, with the greatest changes likely being linked to anthropogenic activities. In this study, an acoustic recorder deployed on an oceanographic mooring in western Fram Strait documented the soundscape of this area, which is important habitat for the Critically Endangered Spitsbergen bowhead whale population. The soundscape was quasi-pristine much of the year, with low numbers of ships traversing the area. However, during summer/autumn, signals from airgun surveys were detected >12h/day. Mean received peak-to-peak SPLs for loud airgun pulses reached 160.46±0.48dB 1μPa when seismic-survey ships were close (at ~57km). Bowhead whales were present almost daily October-April in all years, with singing occurring in almost every hour November-March. Currently, loud anthropogenic sound sources do not temporally overlap the peak period of bowhead singing. This study provides important baseline data for future monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Ahonen
- Norwegian Polar Institute, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Kathleen M Stafford
- Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, 1013 NE 40th St, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | | | | | - Øystein Wiig
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1172, 0318 Blindern, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kit M Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway
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Feber RE, Raebel EM, D'cruze N, Macdonald DW, Baker SE. Some Animals Are More Equal than Others: Wild Animal Welfare in the Media. Bioscience 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biw144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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13
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Lucke K, Popper AN, Hawkins AD, Akamatsu T, André M, Branstetter BK, Lammers M, Radford CA, Stansbury AL, Aran Mooney T. Auditory sensitivity in aquatic animals. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 139:3097. [PMID: 27369131 DOI: 10.1121/1.4952711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
A critical concern with respect to marine animal acoustics is the issue of hearing "sensitivity," as it is widely used as a criterion for the onset of noise-induced effects. Important aspects of research on sensitivity to sound by marine animals include: uncertainties regarding how well these species detect and respond to different sounds; the masking effects of man-made sounds on the detection of biologically important sounds; the question how internal state, motivation, context, and previous experience affect their behavioral responses; and the long-term and cumulative effects of sound exposure. If we are to better understand the sensitivity of marine animals to sound we must concentrate research on these questions. In order to assess population level and ecological community impacts new approaches can possibly be adopted from other disciplines and applied to marine fauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klaus Lucke
- Centre for Marine Science & Technology, Curtin University, GPO Box U1987, Bentley, Western Australia 6845, Australia
| | - Arthur N Popper
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
| | - Anthony D Hawkins
- Loughine Marine Research, Kincraig, Blairs, Aberdeen, AB12 5YT, United Kingdom
| | - Tomonari Akamatsu
- National Research Institute of Fisheries Science, Fisheries Research Agency, 2-12-4 Fukuura, Kanazawa, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-8648, Japan
| | - Michel André
- Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics, Technical University of Catalonia, BarcelonaTech, Rambla Exposició, 24, 08800 Vilanova i la Geltrú, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Brian K Branstetter
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, No. 200, San Diego, California 92106, USA
| | - Marc Lammers
- Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology & Oceanwide Science Institute, P.O. Box 1346, Kaneohe, Hawaii 96744, USA
| | - Craig A Radford
- Leigh Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, 160 Goat Island Road, Leigh 0985, New Zealand
| | - Amanda L Stansbury
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, United Kingdom
| | - T Aran Mooney
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Research Facility, MS #50, 266 Woods Hole Road, Massachusetts 02543, USA
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