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Branstetter BK, Nease K, Accomando AW, Davenport J, Felice M, Peters K, Robeck T. Temporal integration of tone signals by a killer whale (Orcinus orca). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 154:3906-3915. [PMID: 38117126 DOI: 10.1121/10.0023956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
A psychophysical procedure was used to measure pure-tone detection thresholds for a killer whale (Orcinus orca) as a function of both signal frequency and signal duration. Frequencies ranged between 1 and 100 kHz and signal durations ranged from 50 μs to 2 s, depending on the frequency. Detection thresholds decreased with an increase in signal duration up to a critical duration, which represents the auditory integration time. Integration times ranged from 4 ms at 100 kHz and increased up to 241 ms at 1 kHz. The killer whale data are similar to other odontocete species that have participated in similar experiments. The results have implications for noise impact predictions for signals with durations less than the auditory integration time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian K Branstetter
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, #204, San Diego, California 92106, USA
- Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command Pacific, 528 Makalapa Drive, Suite 100, Honolulu, Hawaii 96860, USA
| | - Kayla Nease
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, #204, San Diego, California 92106, USA
- SeaWorld San Diego, 500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diego, California 92109, USA
| | - Alyssa W Accomando
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive, #204, San Diego, California 92106, USA
- Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, 53560 Hull Street, San Diego, California 92152, USA
| | - Jennifer Davenport
- SeaWorld San Diego, 500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diego, California 92109, USA
| | - Michael Felice
- SeaWorld San Diego, 500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diego, California 92109, USA
| | - Ken Peters
- SeaWorld San Diego, 500 SeaWorld Drive, San Diego, California 92109, USA
| | - Todd Robeck
- SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, 7007 SeaWorld Drive, Orlando, Florida 21821, USA
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2
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Finneran JJ, Mulsow J, Strahan MG, Houser DS, Burkard RF. Output compensation of auditory brainstem responses in dolphins and sea lions. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 151:3070. [PMID: 35649923 DOI: 10.1121/10.0010389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Cochlear dispersion causes increasing delays between neural responses from high-frequency regions in the cochlear base and lower-frequency regions toward the apex. For broadband stimuli, this can lead to neural responses that are out-of-phase, decreasing the amplitude of farfield neural response measurements. In the present study, cochlear traveling-wave speed and effects of dispersion on farfield auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were investigated by first deriving narrowband ABRs in bottlenose dolphins and California sea lions using the high-pass subtractive masking technique. Derived-band ABRs were then temporally aligned and summed to obtain the "stacked ABR" as a means of compensating for the effects of cochlear dispersion. For derived-band responses between 8 and 32 kHz, cochlear traveling-wave speeds were similar for sea lions and dolphins [∼2-8 octaves (oct)/ms for dolphins; ∼3.5-11 oct/ms for sea lions]; above 32 kHz, traveling-wave speed for dolphins increased up to ∼30 oct/ms. Stacked ABRs were larger than unmasked, broadband ABRs in both species. The amplitude enhancement was smaller in dolphins than in sea lions, and enhancement in both species appears to be less than reported in humans. Results suggest that compensating for cochlear dispersion will provide greater benefit for ABR measurements in species with better low-frequency hearing.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J Finneran
- United States Navy Marine Mammal Program, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific Code 56710, 53560 Hull Street, San Diego, California 92152, USA
| | - Jason Mulsow
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive #200, San Diego, California 92106, USA
| | - Madelyn G Strahan
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive #200, San Diego, California 92106, USA
| | - Dorian S Houser
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive #200, San Diego, California 92106, USA
| | - Robert F Burkard
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, University at Buffalo, 626 Kimball Tower, Buffalo, New York 14214, USA
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3
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Chion C, Bonnell TR, Lagrois D, Michaud R, Lesage V, Dupuch A, McQuinn IH, Turgeon S. Agent-based modelling reveals a disproportionate exposure of females and calves to a local increase in shipping and associated noise in an endangered beluga population. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 173:112977. [PMID: 34583251 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 09/15/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Vessel underwater noise (VUN) is one of the main threats to the recovery of the endangered St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga population (SLEB). The 1% yearly population decline indicates that the cumulative threats are already beyond sustainable limits for the SLEB. However, a potential threefold increase in shipping traffic is expected within its critical habitat in the coming years resulting from proposed port-industrial projects in the Saguenay River. Current data indicate that SLEB typically use multiple sectors within their summer range, likely leading to differential VUN exposure among individuals. The degree of displacement and spatial mixing among habitats are not yet well understood but can be simulated under different assumptions about movement patterns at the individual and population levels. Here, we propose using an agent-based model (ABM) to explore the biases introduced when estimating exposure to stressors such as VUN, where individual-centric movement patterns and habitat use are derived from different spatial behaviour assumptions. Simulations of the ABM revealed that alternative behavioural assumptions for individual belugas can significantly alter the estimation of instantaneous and cumulative exposure of SLEB to VUN. Our simulations also predicted that with the projected traffic increase in the Saguenay River, the characteristics making it a quiet zone for SLEB within its critical habitat would be nullified. Whereas spending more time in the Saguenay than in the Estuary allows belugas to be exposed to less noise under the current traffic regime, this relationship is reversed under the increased traffic scenario. Considering the importance of the Saguenay for SLEB females and calves, our results support the need to understand its role as a possible acoustic refuge for this endangered population. This underlines the need to understand and describe individual and collective beluga behaviours using the best available data to conduct a thorough acoustic impact assessment concerning future increased traffic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clément Chion
- Université du Québec en Outaouais, Département des Sciences naturelles, Gatineau, QC J8X 3X7, Canada.
| | - Tyler R Bonnell
- Université du Québec en Outaouais, Département des Sciences naturelles, Gatineau, QC J8X 3X7, Canada; University of Lethbridge, Department of Psychology, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada.
| | - Dominic Lagrois
- Université du Québec en Outaouais, Département des Sciences naturelles, Gatineau, QC J8X 3X7, Canada.
| | - Robert Michaud
- Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM), Tadoussac, QC G0T 2A0, Canada.
| | - Véronique Lesage
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice-Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, QC G5H 3Z4, Canada.
| | - Angélique Dupuch
- Université du Québec en Outaouais, Département des Sciences naturelles, Gatineau, QC J8X 3X7, Canada.
| | - Ian H McQuinn
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, QC G5H 3Z4, Canada.
| | - Samuel Turgeon
- Parks Canada, Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, Tadoussac, QC G0T 2A0, Canada.
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4
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Variability in Anthropogenic Underwater Noise Due to Bathymetry and Sound Speed Characteristics. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse9101047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Oceanic acoustic environments are dynamic, shaped by the spatiotemporal variability in transmission losses and sound propagation pathways of natural and human-derived noise sources. Here we used recordings of an experimental noise source combined with transmission loss modeling to investigate changes in the received levels of vessel noise over space and time as a result of natural water column variability. Recordings were made in the Juan de Fuca Strait, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, a biologically productive coastal region that hosts several cetacean species. Significant variability in noise levels was observed due to changing water masses, tied to seasonal temperature variation and, on a finer scale, tidal movements. Comparisons of interpreted received noise levels through the water column indicated that vessel noise recorded by bottom-stationed monitoring devices might not accurately represent those received by whales in near-surface waters. Vertical and temporal differences of 3–5 dB were commonly observed in both the recorded and modeled data. This has implications in estimating the success of noise mitigation measures, and our understanding of the change in sound fields experienced by target species for conservation.
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Song Z, Zhang J, Ou W, Zhang C, Dong L, Dong J, Li S, Zhang Y. Numerical-modeling-based investigation of sound transmission and reception in the short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 150:225. [PMID: 34340515 DOI: 10.1121/10.0005518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The sound-transmission, beam-formation, and sound-reception processes of a short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) were investigated using computed tomography (CT) scanning and numerical simulation. The results showed that sound propagations in the forehead were modulated by the upper jaw, air components, and soft tissues, which attributed to the beam formation in the external acoustic field. These structures owned different acoustic impedance and formed a multiphasic sound transmission system that can modulate sounds into a beam. The reception pathways composed of the solid mandible and acoustic fats in the lower head conducted sounds into the tympano-periotic complex. In the simulations, sounds were emitted in the forehead transmission system and propagated into water to interrogate a steel cylinder. The resulting echoes can be interpreted from multiple perspectives, including amplitude, waveform, and spectrum, to obtain the acoustic cues of the steel cylinder. By taking the short-finned pilot whale as an example, this study provides meaningful information to further deepen our understanding of biosonar system operations, and may expand sound-reception theory in odontocetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongchang Song
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of the Environment and Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian, China
| | - Jinhu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Underwater Acoustic Communication and Marine Information Technology of the Ministry of Education, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian, China
| | - Wenzhan Ou
- Key Laboratory of Underwater Acoustic Communication and Marine Information Technology of the Ministry of Education, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian, China
| | - Chuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Underwater Acoustic Communication and Marine Information Technology of the Ministry of Education, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian, China
| | - Lijun Dong
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Jianchen Dong
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Songhai Li
- Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Underwater Acoustic Communication and Marine Information Technology of the Ministry of Education, College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, Fujian, China
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6
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Morell M, IJsseldijk LL, Piscitelli-Doshkov M, Ostertag S, Estrade V, Haulena M, Doshkov P, Bourien J, Raverty SA, Siebert U, Puel JL, Shadwick RE. Cochlear apical morphology in toothed whales: Using the pairing hair cell-Deiters' cell as a marker to detect lesions. Anat Rec (Hoboken) 2021; 305:622-642. [PMID: 34096183 DOI: 10.1002/ar.24680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The apex or apical region of the cochlear spiral within the inner ear encodes for low-frequency sounds. The disposition of sensory hair cells on the organ of Corti is largely variable in the apical region of mammals, and it does not necessarily follow the typical three-row pattern of outer hair cells (OHCs). As most underwater noise sources contain low-frequency components, we expect to find most lesions in the apical region of the cochlea of toothed whales, in cases of permanent noise-induced hearing loss. To further understand how man-made noise might affect cetacean hearing, there is a need to describe normal morphological features of the apex and document interspecific anatomic variations in cetaceans. However, distinguishing between apical normal variability and hair cell death is challenging. We describe anatomical features of the organ of Corti of the apex in 23 ears from five species of toothed whales (harbor porpoise Phocoena phocoena, spinner dolphin Stenella longirostris, pantropical spotted dolphin Stenella attenuata, pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps, and beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas) by scanning electron microscopy and immunofluorescence. Our results showed an initial region where the lowest frequencies are encoded with two or three rows of OHCs, followed by the typical configuration of three OHC rows and three rows of supporting Deiters' cells. Whenever two rows of OHCs were detected, there were usually only two corresponding rows of supporting Deiters' cells, suggesting that the number of rows of Deiters' cells is a good indicator to distinguish between normal and pathological features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Morell
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany.,Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, University of Montpellier, INSERM Unit 1051, Montpellier, France.,Department of Zoology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Lonneke L IJsseldijk
- Division of Pathology, Department of Biomolecular Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Sonja Ostertag
- School of Public Health, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.,Freshwater Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | | | - Martin Haulena
- Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Center, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Paul Doshkov
- Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Manteo, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jérôme Bourien
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, University of Montpellier, INSERM Unit 1051, Montpellier, France
| | - Stephen A Raverty
- Department of Zoology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.,Animal Health Center, Animal Health Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany
| | - Jean-Luc Puel
- Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, University of Montpellier, INSERM Unit 1051, Montpellier, France
| | - Robert E Shadwick
- Department of Zoology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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7
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Morell M, Raverty SA, Mulsow J, Haulena M, Barrett-Lennard L, Nordstrom CA, Venail F, Shadwick RE. Combining Cochlear Analysis and Auditory Evoked Potentials in a Beluga Whale With High-Frequency Hearing Loss. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:534917. [PMID: 33330679 PMCID: PMC7672125 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.534917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Correlations between inner ear morphology and auditory sensitivity in the same individual are extremely difficult to obtain for stranded cetaceans. Animals in captivity and rehabilitation offer the opportunity to combine several techniques to study the auditory system and cases of hearing impairment in a controlled environment. Morphologic and auditory findings from two beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in managed care are presented. Cochlear analysis of a 21-year-old beluga whale showed bilateral high-frequency hearing loss. Specifically, scanning electron microscopy of the left ear revealed sensory cell death in the first 4.9 mm of the base of the cochlea with scar formation. Immunofluorescence microscopy of the right ear confirmed the absence of hair cells and type I afferent innervation in the first 6.6 mm of the base of the cochlea, most likely due to an ischemia. Auditory evoked potentials (AEPs) measured 1.5 years prior this beluga's death showed a generalized hearing loss, being more pronounced in the high frequencies. This individual might have had a mixed hearing loss that would explain the generalized hearing impairment. Conversely, based on AEP evaluation, her mother had normal hearing and subsequent cochlear analysis did not feature any apparent sensorineural pathology. This is believed to be the first study to compare two cochlear analysis techniques and hearing sensitivity measurements from AEPs in cetaceans. The ability to combine morphological and auditory data is crucial to validate predictions of cochlear frequency maps based on morphological features. In addition, our study shows that these three complementary analysis techniques lead to comparable results, thus improving our understanding of how hearing impairment can be detected in stranding cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Morell
- Zoology Department, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,INSERM Unit 1051, Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Büsum, Germany
| | - Stephen A Raverty
- Zoology Department, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Animal Health Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Abbotsford, BC, Canada
| | - Jason Mulsow
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Martin Haulena
- Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | | | - Chad A Nordstrom
- Coastal Ocean Research Institute, Vancouver Aquarium, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, BC, Canada
| | - Frederic Venail
- INSERM Unit 1051, Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Robert E Shadwick
- Zoology Department, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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Mooney TA, Castellote M, Jones I, Rouse N, Rowles T, Mahoney B, Goertz CEC. Audiogram of a Cook Inlet beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 148:3141. [PMID: 33261390 DOI: 10.1121/10.0002351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Noise is a stressor to wildlife, yet the precise sound sensitivity of individuals and populations is often unknown or unmeasured. Cook Inlet, Alaska belugas (CIBs) are a critically endangered and declining marine mammal population. Anthropogenic noise is a primary threat to these animals. Auditory evoked potentials were used to measure the hearing of a wild, stranded CIB as part of its rehabilitation assessment. The beluga showed broadband (4-128 kHz) and sensitive hearing (<80 dB) for a wide-range of frequencies (16-80 kHz), reflective of a healthy odontocete auditory system. Data were similar to healthy, adult belugas from the comparative Bristol Bay population (the only other published data set of healthy, wild marine mammal hearing). Repeated October and December 2017 measurements were similar, showing continued auditory health of the animal throughout the rehabilitation period. Hearing data were compared to pile-driving and container-ship noise measurements made in Cook Inlet, two sources of concern, suggesting masking is likely at ecologically relevant distances. These data provide the first empirical hearing data for a CIB allowing for estimations of sound-sensitivity in this population. The beluga's sensitive hearing and likelihood of masking show noise is a clear concern for this population struggling to recover.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Aran Mooney
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA
| | - Manuel Castellote
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, 3737 Brooklyn Avenue Northeast, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
| | - Ian Jones
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543, USA
| | | | - Teri Rowles
- Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program, Office of Protected Resources, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, USA
| | - Barbara Mahoney
- Protected Resources Division, Alaska Regional Office, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service, Anchorage, Alaska 99513, USA
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9
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Mooney TA, Smith A, Larsen ON, Hansen KA, Rasmussen M. A field study of auditory sensitivity of the Atlantic puffin, Fratercula arctica. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb228270. [PMID: 32561627 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.228270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Hearing is vital for birds as they rely on acoustic communication with parents, mates, chicks and conspecifics. Amphibious seabirds face many ecological pressures, having to sense cues in air and underwater. Natural noise conditions have helped shape this sensory modality but anthropogenic noise is increasingly impacting seabirds. Surprisingly little is known about their hearing, despite their imperiled status. Understanding sound sensitivity is vital when we seek to manage the impacts of man-made noise. We measured the auditory sensitivity of nine wild Atlantic puffins, Fratercula arctica, in a capture-and-release setting in an effort to define their audiogram and compare these data with the hearing of other birds and natural rookery noise. Auditory sensitivity was tested using auditory evoked potential (AEP) methods. Responses were detected from 0.5 to 6 kHz. Mean thresholds were below 40 dB re. 20 µPa from 0.75 to 3 kHz, indicating that these were the most sensitive auditory frequencies, similar to other seabirds. Thresholds in the 'middle' frequency range 1-2.5 kHz were often down to 10-20 dB re. 20 µPa. The lowest thresholds were typically at 2.5 kHz. These are the first in-air auditory sensitivity data from multiple wild-caught individuals of a deep-diving alcid seabird. The audiogram was comparable to that of other birds of similar size, thereby indicating that puffins have fully functioning aerial hearing despite the constraints of their deep-diving, amphibious lifestyles. There was some variation in thresholds, yet animals generally had sensitive ears, suggesting aerial hearing is an important sensory modality for this taxon.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Aran Mooney
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Adam Smith
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | - Ole Næsbye Larsen
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | | | - Marianne Rasmussen
- The University of Iceland's Research Center in Húsavík, 640 Húsavík, Iceland
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10
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Evoked-potential audiogram variability in a group of wild Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis). J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2020; 206:527-541. [PMID: 32448998 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-020-01426-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Hearing is considered the primary sensory modality of cetaceans and enables their vital life functions. Information on the hearing sensitivity variability within a species obtained in a biologically relevant wild context is fundamental to evaluating potential noise impact and population-relevant management. Here, non-invasive auditory evoked-potential methods were adopted to describe the audiograms (11.2-152 kHz) of a group of four wild Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) during a capture-and-release health assessment project in Poyang Lake, China. All audiograms presented a U shape, generally similar to those of other delphinids and phocoenids. The lowest auditory threshold (51-55 dB re 1 µPa) was identified at a test frequency of 76 kHz, which was higher than that observed in aquarium porpoises (54 kHz). The good hearing range (within 20 dB of the best hearing sensitivity) was from approximately 20 to 145 kHz, and the low- and high-frequency hearing cut-offs (threshold > 120 dB re l μPa) were 5.6 and 170 kHz, respectively. Compared with aquarium porpoises, wild porpoises have significantly better hearing sensitivity at 32 and 76 kHz and worse sensitivity at 54, 108 and 140 kHz. The audiograms of this group can provide a basis for better understanding the potential impact of anthropogenic noise.
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11
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Mulsow J, Finneran JJ, Accomando AW, Burkard RF. Auditory brainstem responses during aerial testing with bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus): Effects of electrode and jawphone locations. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 147:2525. [PMID: 32359296 DOI: 10.1121/10.0001123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Transmission of sound to dolphins during electrophysiological hearing screening is conducted out of water in certain cases (e.g., strandings). This necessitates that sound be delivered using a contact transducer either pressed against the skin or affixed to the jaw using a suction cup (i.e., "jawphones"). This study examined how bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus, n = 3) auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) varied with electrode and jawphone location during aerial testing. Stimuli were tone bursts with center frequencies of 28 to 160 kHz. Regression-based thresholds were lowest with the jawphone on the posterior and middle parts of the mandible. Thresholds based on later ABR peaks-recorded using an electrode immediately behind the blowhole-suggested more similarity between the thresholds for the anterior tip of the rostrum and the posterior/middle mandible than those based on earlier monaural waves recorded near the meatus. This was likely a result of a summation of responses from both ears as opposed to a more efficient acoustic pathway to the ear. These patterns were independent of frequency. These findings provide guidance for jawphone and electrode locations when examining dolphin hearing and when interpreting relative acoustic sensitivity of the head in similar testing situations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason Mulsow
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive #200, San Diego, California 92106, USA
| | - James J Finneran
- U.S. Navy Marine Mammal Program, Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, Code 56710, 53560 Hull Street, San Diego, California 92152, USA
| | - Alyssa W Accomando
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, 2240 Shelter Island Drive #200, San Diego, California 92106, USA
| | - Robert F Burkard
- Department of Rehabilitation Science, State University of New York, University at Buffalo, 626 Kimball Tower, Buffalo, New York 14214, USA
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12
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Mooney TA, Smith A, Larsen ON, Hansen KA, Wahlberg M, Rasmussen MH. Field-based hearing measurements of two seabird species. J Exp Biol 2019; 222:222/4/jeb190710. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.190710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Hearing is a primary sensory modality for birds. For seabirds, auditory data is challenging to obtain and hearing data are limited. Here, we present methods to measure seabird hearing in the field, using two Alcid species: the common murre Uria aalge and the Atlantic puffin Fratercula arctica. Tests were conducted in a portable semi-anechoic crate using physiological auditory evoked potential (AEP) methods. The crate and AEP system were easily transportable to northern Iceland field sites, where wild birds were caught, sedated, studied and released. The resulting data demonstrate the feasibility of a field-based application of an established neurophysiology method, acquiring high quality avian hearing data in a relatively quiet setting. Similar field methods could be applied to other seabirds, and other bird species, resulting in reliable hearing data from a large number of individuals with a modest field effort. The results will provide insights into the sound sensitivity of species facing acoustic habitat degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Aran Mooney
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Adam Smith
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Ole Naesbye Larsen
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
| | | | - Magnus Wahlberg
- Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, DK-5230 Odense M, Denmark
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