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Kügler A, Lammers MO, Pack AA, Tenorio-Hallé L, Thode AM. Diel spatio-temporal patterns of humpback whale singing on a high-density breeding ground. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:230279. [PMID: 38269074 PMCID: PMC10805604 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.230279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Humpback whale song chorusing dominates the marine soundscape in Hawai'i during winter months, yet little is known about spatio-temporal habitat use patterns of singers. We analysed passive acoustic monitoring data from five sites off Maui and found that ambient noise levels associated with song chorusing decreased during daytime hours nearshore but increased offshore. To resolve whether these changes reflect a diel offshore-onshore movement or a temporal difference in singing activity, data from 71 concurrently conducted land-based theodolite surveys were analysed. Non-calf pods (n = 3082), presumably including the majority of singers, were found further offshore with increasing time of the day. Separately, we acoustically localized 217 nearshore singers using vector-sensors. During the day, distances to shore and minimum distances among singers increased, and singers switched more between being stationary and singing while travelling. Together, these findings suggest that the observed diel trends in humpback whale chorusing off Maui represent a pattern of active onshore-offshore movement of singers. We hypothesize that this may result from singers attempting to reduce intraspecific acoustic masking when densities are high nearshore and avoidance of a loud, non-humpback, biological evening chorus offshore, creating a dynamic of movement of singers aimed at increasing the efficiency of their acoustic display.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anke Kügler
- University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI, USA
- Bioacoustics and Behavioral Ecology Lab, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, USA
- Oceanwide Science Institute, Honolulu, HI, USA
| | - Marc O. Lammers
- Oceanwide Science Institute, Honolulu, HI, USA
- Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, Kīhei, HI, USA
| | - Adam A. Pack
- University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, Hilo, HI, USA
- The Dolphin Institute, Hilo, HI, USA
| | - Ludovic Tenorio-Hallé
- Marine Physical Laboratory, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Aaron M. Thode
- Marine Physical Laboratory, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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2
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Brewer AM, Castellote M, Van Cise AM, Gage T, Berdahl AM. Communication in Cook Inlet beluga whales: Describing the vocal repertoire and masking of calls by commercial ship noise. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 154:3487-3505. [PMID: 38032263 DOI: 10.1121/10.0022516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Many species rely on acoustic communication to coordinate activities and communicate to conspecifics. Cataloging vocal behavior is a first step towards understanding how individuals communicate information and how communication may be degraded by anthropogenic noise. The Cook Inlet beluga population is endangered with an estimated 331 individuals. Anthropogenic noise is considered a threat for this population and can negatively impact communication. To characterize this population's vocal behavior, vocalizations were measured and classified into three categories: whistles (n = 1264, 77%), pulsed calls (n = 354, 22%), and combined calls (n = 15, 1%), resulting in 41 call types. Two quantitative analyses were conducted to compare with the manual classification. A classification and regression tree and Random Forest had a 95% and 85% agreement with the manual classification, respectively. The most common call types per category were then used to investigate masking by commercial ship noise. Results indicate that these call types were partially masked by distant ship noise and completely masked by close ship noise in the frequency range of 0-12 kHz. Understanding vocal behavior and the effects of masking in Cook Inlet belugas provides important information supporting the management of this endangered population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arial M Brewer
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Manuel Castellote
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Amy M Van Cise
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Tom Gage
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Anchorage, Alaska 99518, USA
| | - Andrew M Berdahl
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
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3
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Wöhle S, Burkhardt E, van Opzeeland I, Schall E. Exploring and verifying the acoustic presence of southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) off Elephant Island, Antarctica. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 153:3301. [PMID: 37318450 DOI: 10.1121/10.0019633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) can be used to monitor acoustic presence and behaviour of cetaceans, providing continuous, long-term, and seasonally unbiased data. The efficiency of PAM methods, however, depends on the ability to detect and correctly interpret acoustic signals. The upcall is the most prevalent vocalization of the southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) and is commonly used as a basis for PAM studies on this species. However, previous studies report difficulties to distinguish between southern right whale upcalls and similar humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) vocalizations with certainty. Recently, vocalizations comparable to southern right whale upcalls were detected off Elephant Island, Antarctica. In this study, these vocalizations were structurally analyzed, and call characteristics were compared to (a) confirmed southern right whale vocalizations recorded off Argentina and (b) confirmed humpback whale vocalizations recorded in the Atlantic Sector of the Southern Ocean. Based on call features, detected upcalls off Elephant Island could be successfully attributed to southern right whales. Measurements describing slope and bandwidth were identified as the main differences in call characteristics between species. With the newly gained knowledge from this study, additional data can be analyzed providing further insight into temporal occurrence and migratory behaviour of southern right whales in Antarctic waters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Svenja Wöhle
- Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Klußmannstraße 3d, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Elke Burkhardt
- Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Klußmannstraße 3d, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Ilse van Opzeeland
- Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Klußmannstraße 3d, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Elena Schall
- Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Klußmannstraße 3d, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
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4
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Löschner J, Pomberger T, Hage SR. Marmoset monkeys use different avoidance strategies to cope with ambient noise during vocal behavior. iScience 2023; 26:106219. [PMID: 36915693 PMCID: PMC10006620 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Multiple strategies have evolved to compensate for masking noise, leading to changes in call features. One call adjustment is the Lombard effect, an increase in call amplitude in response to noise. Another strategy involves call production in periods where noise is absent. While mechanisms underlying vocal adjustments have been well studied, mechanisms underlying noise avoidance strategies remain largely unclear. We systematically perturbed ongoing phee calls of marmosets to investigate noise avoidance strategies. Marmosets canceled their calls after noise onset and produced longer calls after noise-phases ended. Additionally, the number of uttered syllables decreased during noise perturbation. This behavior persisted beyond the noise-phase. Using machine learning techniques, we found that a fraction of single phees were initially planned as double phees and became interrupted after the first syllable. Our findings indicate that marmosets use different noise avoidance strategies and suggest vocal flexibility at different complexity levels in the marmoset brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Löschner
- Neurobiology of Social Communication, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Hearing Research Center, University of Tübingen, Medical Center, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Strasse 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.,Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Pomberger
- Neurobiology of Social Communication, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Hearing Research Center, University of Tübingen, Medical Center, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Strasse 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences - International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Österberg-Str. 3, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Steffen R Hage
- Neurobiology of Social Communication, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Hearing Research Center, University of Tübingen, Medical Center, Elfriede-Aulhorn-Strasse 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.,Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Otfried-Müller-Str. 25, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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5
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Gannier AJ, Boyer G, Gannier AC. Recreational boating as a potential stressor of coastal striped dolphins in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 185:114222. [PMID: 36334520 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114222] [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: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) is the most abundant cetacean species in the western Mediterranean Sea. Coastal populations are locally exposed to intense recreational boating, a growing activity over the last thirty years. Dedicated boat surveys carried out since 1988 (13,896 km of effort), enabled to map relative abundance for two periods, 1988-2003 and 2004-2019, which evidenced a significant decrease of habitat use in the inshore part of study area. Coastal traffic was surveyed from a shore lookout located in Cap d'Antibes (French Riviera) during 47 daily sessions from May 2017 to April 2018: traffic flow often exceeded one boat per minute in summer, with a majority of motorboats. Underwater recordings showed that inshore noise was about 10 dB higher than in the open sea, with much energy being propagated by fast boats, including in the medium to high frequency domain. Ambient noise data collected during spring 2020 lockdown evidenced a clear noise level decrease compared to normal situations. Although other stressors may not be neglected, this study suggested that intense motorboat traffic is a likely contributor to the observed striped dolphin partial habitat loss.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gilles Boyer
- Groupe de Recherche sur les Cétacés, BP 715 - 06633 Antibes cedex, France
| | - Adrien C Gannier
- Groupe de Recherche sur les Cétacés, BP 715 - 06633 Antibes cedex, France
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6
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Wang SV, Wrede A, Tremblay N, Beermann J. Low-frequency noise pollution impairs burrowing activities of marine benthic invertebrates. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 310:119899. [PMID: 35948111 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119899] [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: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Sounds from human activities such as shipping and seismic surveys have been progressively invading natural soundscapes and pervading oceanic ambient sounds for decades. Benthic invertebrates are important ecosystem engineers that continually rework the sediment they live in. Here, we tested how low-frequency noise (LFN), a significant component of noise pollution, affects the sediment reworking activities of selected macrobenthic invertebrates. In a controlled laboratory setup, the effects of acute LFN exposure on the behavior of three abundant bioturbators on the North Atlantic coasts were explored for the first time by tracking their sediment reworking and bioirrigation activities in noisy and control environments via luminophore and sodium bromide (NaBr) tracers, respectively. The amphipod crustacean Corophium volutator was negatively affected by LFN, exhibiting lower bioturbation rates and shallower luminophore burial depths compared to controls. The effect of LFN on the polychaete Arenicola marina and the bivalve Limecola balthica remained inconclusive, although A. marina displayed greater variability in bioirrigation rates when exposed to LFN. Furthermore, a potential stress response was observed in L. balthica that could reduce bioturbation potential. Benthic macroinvertebrates may be in jeopardy along with the crucial ecosystem-maintaining services they provide. More research is urgently needed to understand, predict, and manage the impacts of anthropogenic noise pollution on marine fauna and their associated ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheng V Wang
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Functional Ecology, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany; Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Shelf Sea System Ecology, 27498, Helgoland, Germany.
| | - Alexa Wrede
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Functional Ecology, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany; Helmholtz Centre HEREON, Institute of Carbon Cycles, 21502, Geesthacht, Germany
| | - Nelly Tremblay
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Biologische Anstalt Helgoland, Shelf Sea System Ecology, 27498, Helgoland, Germany; Université du Québec à Rimouski, Département de Biologie, de Chimie et Géographie, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Jan Beermann
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Functional Ecology, 27570, Bremerhaven, Germany; Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
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7
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Picciulin M, Armelloni E, Falkner R, Rako-Gospić N, Radulović M, Pleslić G, Muslim S, Mihanović H, Gaggero T. Characterization of the underwater noise produced by recreational and small fishing boats (<14 m) in the shallow-water of the Cres-Lošinj Natura 2000 SCI. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 183:114050. [PMID: 36029586 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114050] [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: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Recreational boats are a dominant source of underwater noise in coastal areas, but reliable boat noise assessment is generally lacking. Here the Underwater Radiated Noise (URN) of seven recreational and small fishing boats moving at two different speeds was measured in the shallow waters of the Cres-Lošinj Natura 2000 SCI (Croatia). Measurements were undertaken considering the internationally recognized standards and published guidelines for shallow waters. URN was provided in 1/3 octave band spectra and in narrow band spectra, to highlight the tonal components. Engine power and type rather than the boat length and design result to be more predictive of URN. Highest speeds induce highest noise levels only in a very limited frequency range and different boats with similar speed but different engines show a shift in the spectra. Relevance of the achieved results for the tested area is further discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Picciulin
- CNR-National Research Council, ISMAR - Institute of Marine Sciences in Venice, Castello 2737/f, 30122 Venice, Italy; Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, 51551 VeliLošinj, Croatia.
| | - Enrico Armelloni
- University of Parma, Department of Engineering and Architecture, Parco Area delleScienze 181/a, 43124 Parma, Italy.
| | - Raffaela Falkner
- Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, 51551 VeliLošinj, Croatia.
| | - Nikolina Rako-Gospić
- Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, 51551 VeliLošinj, Croatia.
| | - Marko Radulović
- Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, 51551 VeliLošinj, Croatia.
| | - Grgur Pleslić
- Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, 51551 VeliLošinj, Croatia.
| | - Stipe Muslim
- Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Šetalište I. Meštrovića 63, 21000 Split, Croatia.
| | - Hrvoje Mihanović
- Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries, Šetalište I. Meštrovića 63, 21000 Split, Croatia.
| | - Tomaso Gaggero
- University of Genoa, Department of Telecommunications, Electrical and Electronics Engineering and Naval Architecture, Via Montallegro 1, 16145 Genova, Italy.
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8
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Girola E, Dunlop RA, Noad MJ. Singing in a noisy ocean: vocal plasticity in male humpback whales. BIOACOUSTICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2022.2122560] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- E. Girola
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia
| | - R. A. Dunlop
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Australia
| | - M. J. Noad
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia
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9
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Mechanisms of auditory masking in marine mammals. Anim Cogn 2022; 25:1029-1047. [PMID: 36018474 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01671-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is an increasing threat to marine mammals that rely on sound for communication, navigation, detecting prey and predators, and finding mates. Auditory masking is one consequence of anthropogenic noise, the study of which is approached from multiple disciplines including field investigations of animal behavior, noise characterization from in-situ recordings, computational modeling of communication space, and hearing experiments conducted in the laboratory. This paper focuses on laboratory hearing experiments applying psychophysical methods, with an emphasis on the mechanisms that govern auditory masking. Topics include tone detection in simple, complex, and natural noise; mechanisms for comodulation masking release and other forms of release from masking; the role of temporal resolution in auditory masking; and energetic vs informational masking.
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10
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Maiditsch IP, Ladich F. Effects of noise on acoustic and visual signalling in the Croaking Gourami: differences in adaptation strategies in fish. BIOACOUSTICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2022.2086174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Friedrich Ladich
- Department of Behavioral and Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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11
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Wilson L, Pine MK, Radford CA. Small recreational boats: a ubiquitous source of sound pollution in shallow coastal habitats. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2022; 174:113295. [PMID: 35090280 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.113295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Sound from small recreational boats spans a wide range of frequencies and source levels, but the degree to which this impacts the soundscapes of shallow coastal habitats is poorly understood. Here, long-term passive acoustic recordings at five shallow coastal sites, including two MPAs, were used to quantify spatio-temporal variation in small boat sound and its effect on the soundscape. Boats were detected almost every day at each site, irrespective of protection status, significantly elevating the low-frequency (100-800 Hz) component of the soundscape. This frequency band is used by many species for communication, orientation, and predator avoidance. Therefore, highlighting the potential for small boat sound to alter soundscapes and mask cues. Existing tools for monitoring sound pollution are targeted at sound from shipping. These data highlight that the broadband and highly variable sound emitted by small boats must be considered when evaluating anthropogenic impacts on coastal marine ecosystems worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise Wilson
- Leigh Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, PO Box 349, Warkworth 0941, New Zealand.
| | - Matthew K Pine
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Craig A Radford
- Leigh Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, PO Box 349, Warkworth 0941, New Zealand
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12
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Palmer KJ, Wu GM, Clark C, Klinck H. Accounting for the Lombard effect in estimating the probability of detection in passive acoustic surveys: Applications for single sensor mitigation and monitoring. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 151:67. [PMID: 35105031 DOI: 10.1121/10.0009168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The detection range of calling animals is commonly described by the passive sonar equations. However, the sonar equations do not account for interactions between source and ambient sound level, i.e., the Lombard effect. This behavior has the potential to introduce non-linearities into the sonar equations and result in incorrectly predicted detection ranges. Here, we investigate the relationship between ambient sound and effective detection ranges for North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in Cape Cod Bay, MA, USA using a sparse array of acoustic recorders. Generalized estimating equations were used to model the probability that a call was detected as a function of distance between the calling animal and the sensor and the ambient sound level. The model suggests a non-linear relationship between ambient sound levels and the probability of detecting a call. Comparing the non-linear model to the linearized version of the same model resulted in 12 to 25% increases in the effective detection range. We also found evidence of the Lombard effect suggesting that it is the most plausible cause for the non-linearity in the relationship. Finally, we suggest a simple modification to the sonar equation for estimating detection probability for single sensor monitoring applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- K J Palmer
- School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, Sir Harold Mitchell Building, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 9TH, United Kingdom
| | - Gi-Mick Wu
- Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Permoserstraße 15 Leipzig, 04318, Germany
| | - Christopher Clark
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA
| | - Holger Klinck
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA
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13
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Torres Borda L, Jadoul Y, Rasilo H, Salazar Casals A, Ravignani A. Vocal plasticity in harbour seal pups. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200456. [PMID: 34719248 PMCID: PMC8558775 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Vocal plasticity can occur in response to environmental and biological factors, including conspecifics' vocalizations and noise. Pinnipeds are one of the few mammalian groups capable of vocal learning, and are therefore relevant to understanding the evolution of vocal plasticity in humans and other animals. Here, we investigate the vocal plasticity of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), a species with vocal learning abilities observed in adulthood but not puppyhood. To evaluate early mammalian vocal development, we tested 1-3 weeks-old seal pups. We tailored noise playbacks to this species and age to induce seal pups to shift their fundamental frequency (f0), rather than adapt call amplitude or temporal characteristics. We exposed individual pups to low- and high-intensity bandpass-filtered noise, which spanned-and masked-their typical range of f0; simultaneously, we recorded pups' spontaneous calls. Unlike most mammals, pups modified their vocalizations by lowering their f0 in response to increased noise. This modulation was precise and adapted to the particular experimental manipulation of the noise condition. In addition, higher levels of noise induced less dispersion around the mean f0, suggesting that pups may have actively focused their phonatory efforts to target lower frequencies. Noise did not seem to affect call amplitude. However, one seal showed two characteristics of the Lombard effect known for human speech in noise: significant increase in call amplitude and flattening of spectral tilt. Our relatively low noise levels may have favoured f0 modulation while inhibiting amplitude adjustments. This lowering of f0 is unusual, as most animals commonly display no such f0 shift. Our data represent a relatively rare case in mammalian neonates, and have implications for the evolution of vocal plasticity and vocal learning across species, including humans. This article is part of the theme issue 'Voice modulation: from origin and mechanism to social impact (Part I)'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Torres Borda
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Research Department, Sealcentre Pieterburen, Hoofdstraat 94-A, 9968 AG Pieterburen, The Netherlands
| | - Yannick Jadoul
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Artificial Intelligence Lab, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Elsene/Ixelles, Belgium
| | - Heikki Rasilo
- Artificial Intelligence Lab, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1050 Elsene/Ixelles, Belgium
| | - Anna Salazar Casals
- Research Department, Sealcentre Pieterburen, Hoofdstraat 94-A, 9968 AG Pieterburen, The Netherlands
| | - Andrea Ravignani
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Wundtlaan 1, 6525 XD Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Research Department, Sealcentre Pieterburen, Hoofdstraat 94-A, 9968 AG Pieterburen, The Netherlands
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14
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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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15
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Abstract
Abstract
Allocare, investment in offspring from non-parents, poses an evolutionary enigma. While the fitness trade-offs driving parental care are universal, alloparents may be driven by kin selection, reciprocation, the need to acquire parenting skills (‘learning-to-parent’), an indiscriminate attraction towards infants (‘natal attraction’), or a combination of multiple drivers. Among belugas (Delphinapterus leucas), allocare has been reported in wild and captive populations, but its underlying mechanisms remain untested. Using over 1800 focal observations, we quantified alloparental associations in St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) belugas to determine whether the learning-to-parent and natal attraction hypotheses are consistent with patterns of allocare in this population. We found that subadults showed little interest in providing allocare and that alloparental investment remained constant across offspring age classes. As the observed patterns of allocare are inconsistent with both the learning-to-parent and natal attraction hypotheses, allocare in SLE belugas is likely driven by kin selection, reciprocation, or a combination thereof.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaclyn A. Aubin
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology, Dean of Science Office, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada A1B 3X7
| | - Robert Michaud
- Groupe de Recherche et d’Éducation sur les Mammifères Marins, Québec, 870 Salaberry Avenue, Bureau R24, Québec, QC, Canada G1R 2T9
| | - Eric Vander Wal
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology, Dean of Science Office, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada A1B 3X7
- Department of Biology, 232 Elizabeth Avenue, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada A1B 3X9
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16
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Mazar O, Yovel Y. A sensorimotor model shows why a spectral jamming avoidance response does not help bats deal with jamming. eLife 2020; 9:55539. [PMID: 32718437 PMCID: PMC7406351 DOI: 10.7554/elife.55539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, researchers have speculated how echolocating bats deal with masking by conspecific calls when flying in aggregations. To date, only a few attempts have been made to mathematically quantify the probability of jamming, or its effects. We developed a comprehensive sensorimotor predator-prey simulation, modeling numerous bats foraging in proximity. We used this model to examine the effectiveness of a spectral Jamming Avoidance Response (JAR) as a solution for the masking problem. We found that foraging performance deteriorates when bats forage near conspecifics, however, applying a JAR does not improve insect sensing or capture. Because bats constantly adjust their echolocation to the performed task (even when flying alone), further shifting the signals' frequencies does not mitigate jamming. Our simulations explain how bats can hunt successfully in a group despite competition and despite potential masking. This research demonstrates the advantages of a modeling approach when examining a complex biological system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Mazar
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yossi Yovel
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Department of Zoology, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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17
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Pedersen MB, Fahlman A, Borque-Espinosa A, Madsen PT, Jensen FH. Whistling is metabolically cheap for communicating bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:jeb.212498. [PMID: 31796610 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.212498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Toothed whales depend on sound for communication and foraging, making them potentially vulnerable to acoustic masking from increasing anthropogenic noise. Masking effects may be ameliorated by higher amplitudes or rates of calling, but such acoustic compensation mechanisms may incur energetic costs if sound production is expensive. The costs of whistling in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) have been reported to be much higher (20% of resting metabolic rate, RMR) than theoretical predictions (0.5-1% of RMR). Here, we address this dichotomy by measuring the change in the resting O2 consumption rate (V̇ O2 ), a proxy for RMR, in three post-absorptive bottlenose dolphins during whistling and silent trials, concurrent with simultaneous measurement of acoustic output using a calibrated hydrophone array. The experimental protocol consisted of a 2-min baseline period to establish RMR, followed by a 2-min voluntary resting surface apnea, with or without whistling as cued by the trainers, and then a 5-min resting period to measure recovery costs. Daily fluctuations in V̇ O2 were accounted for by subtracting the baseline RMR from the recovery costs to estimate the cost of apnea with and without whistles relative to RMR. Analysis of 52 sessions containing 1162 whistles showed that whistling did not increase metabolic cost (P>0.1, +4.2±6.9%) as compared with control trials (-0.5±5.9%; means±s.e.m.). Thus, we reject the hypothesis that whistling is costly for bottlenose dolphins, and conclude that vocal adjustments such as the Lombard response to noise do not represent large direct energetic costs for communicating toothed whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael B Pedersen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Andreas Fahlman
- Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Gran Vía Marqués del Turia 19, 46005 Valencia, Spain.,Global Diving Research, Ottawa, ON, K2J 5E8
| | - Alicia Borque-Espinosa
- Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Gran Vía Marqués del Turia 19, 46005 Valencia, Spain.,University of Valencia, Av. de Blasco Ibáñez, 13, 46010 Valencia, Spain
| | - Peter T Madsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.,Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Frants H Jensen
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.,Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, East Sands, St Andrews KY16 8LB, UK.,Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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18
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Southall BL, Casey C, Holt M, Insley S, Reichmuth C. High-amplitude vocalizations of male northern elephant seals and associated ambient noise on a breeding rookery. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 146:4514. [PMID: 31893763 DOI: 10.1121/1.5139422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris) are massive, land-breeding marine mammals that produce loud, stereotyped calls during annual breeding seasons. To determine vocalization source levels emitted by competing males on a mainland breeding rookery, aerial calls were measured on-axis at 1 m from adult males using three different sound pressure level metrics. Time-averaged (1 min) ambient noise was also measured under variable environmental and social conditions. Results indicate that male northern elephant seals emit high amplitude airborne calls with little variation in call amplitude. Mean source levels ranged from 98 to 114 dB re: 20 μPa [root-mean-square (rms) -fast], 102-116 dB re: 20 μPa (rms-impulse), and 120-131 dB re: 20 μPa (peak) and average standard deviations for all metrics were <2.3 dB. Further, these seal rookeries exhibit high variability in ambient noise (in terms of both spectrum and amplitude) from biotic and environmental sources. Finally, males sampled did not adjust call amplitude to compensate for higher background noise levels and thus did not exhibit a Lombard effect. These findings reinforce the view that the remarkable vocalizations of male northern elephant seals serve as rigid and powerful signals that convey individual identity within noisy breeding colonies rather than as honest indicators of size, status, or motivation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon L Southall
- Long Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA
| | - Caroline Casey
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA
| | - Marla Holt
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Seattle, Washington 98115, USA
| | - Stephen Insley
- Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Whitehorse YT Y1A 0E9, Canada
| | - Colleen Reichmuth
- Long Marine Laboratory, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA
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19
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Ladich F. Ecology of sound communication in fishes. FISH AND FISHERIES (OXFORD, ENGLAND) 2019; 20:552-563. [PMID: 31130820 PMCID: PMC6519373 DOI: 10.1111/faf.12368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Fishes communicate acoustically under ecological constraints which may modify or hinder signal transmission and detection and may also be risky. This makes it important to know if and to what degree fishes can modify acoustic signalling when key ecological factors-predation pressure, noise and ambient temperature-vary. This paper reviews short-time effects of the first two factors; the third has been reviewed recently (Ladich, 2018). Numerous studies have investigated the effects of predators on fish behaviour, but only a few report changes in calling activity when hearing predator calls as demonstrated when fish responded to played-back dolphin sounds. Furthermore, swimming sounds of schooling fish may affect predators. Our knowledge on adaptations to natural changes in ambient noise, for example caused by wind or migration between quiet and noisier habitats, is limited. Hearing abilities decrease when ambient noise levels increase (termed masking), in particular in taxa possessing enhanced hearing abilities. High natural and anthropogenic noise regimes, for example vessel noise, alter calling activity in the field and laboratory. Increases in sound pressure levels (Lombard effect) and altered temporal call patterns were also observed, but no switches to higher sound frequencies. In summary, effects of predator calls and noise on sound communication are described in fishes, yet sparsely in contrast to songbirds or whales. Major gaps in our knowledge on potential negative effects of noise on acoustic communication call for more detailed investigation because fishes are keystone species in many aquatic habitats and constitute a major source of protein for humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friedrich Ladich
- Department of Behavioural BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
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20
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Kragh IM, McHugh K, Wells RS, Sayigh LS, Janik VM, Tyack PL, Jensen FH. Signal-specific amplitude adjustment to noise in common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.216606. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.216606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic underwater noise has increased over the past century, raising concern about the impact on cetaceans that rely on sound for communication, navigation, and locating prey and predators. Many terrestrial animals increase the amplitude of their acoustic signals to partially compensate for the masking effect of noise (the Lombard response), but it has been suggested that cetaceans almost fully compensate with amplitude adjustments for increasing noise levels. Here, we use sound-recording DTAGs on pairs of free-ranging common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) to test (i) if dolphins increase signal amplitude to compensate for increasing ambient noise and (ii) whether or not adjustments are identical for different signal types. We present evidence of a Lombard response in the range of 0.1-0.3 dB per 1 dB increase in ambient noise, which is similar to that of terrestrial animals, but much lower than the response reported for other cetaceans. We found that signature whistles tended to be louder and with a lower degree of amplitude adjustment to noise compared to non-signature whistles, suggesting that signature whistles may be selected for higher output levels and may have a smaller scope for amplitude adjustment to noise. The consequence of the limited degree of vocal amplitude compensation is a loss of active space during periods of increased noise, with potential consequences for group cohesion, conspecific encounter rates, and mate attraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida M. Kragh
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, C. F. Moellers Allé, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Katherine McHugh
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA
| | - Randall S. Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, 1600 Ken Thompson Pkwy, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA
| | - Laela S. Sayigh
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
- Hampshire College, 893 West Street, Amherst, MA 01002, USA
| | - Vincent M. Janik
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Peter L. Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Frants H. Jensen
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Rd, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
- Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies, Aarhus University, Hoegh-Guldbergs Gade 6B, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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21
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Luo J, Hage SR, Moss CF. The Lombard Effect: From Acoustics to Neural Mechanisms. Trends Neurosci 2018; 41:938-949. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2018.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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22
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23
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Kelley JL, Chapuis L, Davies WIL, Collin SP. Sensory System Responses to Human-Induced Environmental Change. Front Ecol Evol 2018. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2018.00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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24
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Mensinger AF, Putland RL, Radford CA. The effect of motorboat sound on Australian snapper Pagrus auratus inside and outside a marine reserve. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:6438-6448. [PMID: 30038746 PMCID: PMC6053557 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human-generated sound affects hearing, movement, and communication in both aquatic and terrestrial animals, but direct natural underwater behavioral observations are lacking. Baited underwater video (BUV) were deployed in near shore waters adjacent to Goat Island in the Cape Rodney-Okakari Point Marine Reserve (protected) or outside the reserve approximately four km south in Mathesons Bay (open), New Zealand to determine the natural behavior of Australian snapper Pagrus auratus exposed to motorboat sound. BUVs worked effectively at bringing fish into video range to assess the effects of sound. The snapper inhabiting the protected area showed no behavioral response to motorboat transits; however, fish in the open zones either scattered from the video frame or decreased feeding activity during boat presence. Our study suggests that motorboat sound, a common source of anthropogenic activity in the marine environment can affect fish behavior differently depending on the status of their habitat (protected versus open).
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Affiliation(s)
- Allen F. Mensinger
- Biology DepartmentUniversity of Minnesota DuluthDuluthMNUSA
- Leigh Marine LaboratoryInstitute of Marine ScienceUniversity of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Rosalyn L. Putland
- Biology DepartmentUniversity of Minnesota DuluthDuluthMNUSA
- Leigh Marine LaboratoryInstitute of Marine ScienceUniversity of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
| | - Craig A. Radford
- Leigh Marine LaboratoryInstitute of Marine ScienceUniversity of AucklandAucklandNew Zealand
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25
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The impact of perilaryngeal vibration on the self-perception of loudness and the Lombard effect. Exp Brain Res 2018; 236:1713-1723. [PMID: 29623381 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-018-5248-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/29/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The role of somatosensory feedback in speech and the perception of loudness was assessed in adults without speech or hearing disorders. Participants completed two tasks: loudness magnitude estimation of a short vowel and oral reading of a standard passage. Both tasks were carried out in each of three conditions: no-masking, auditory masking alone, and mixed auditory masking plus vibration of the perilaryngeal area. A Lombard effect was elicited in both masking conditions: speakers unconsciously increased vocal intensity. Perilaryngeal vibration further increased vocal intensity above what was observed for auditory masking alone. Both masking conditions affected fundamental frequency and the first formant frequency as well, but only vibration was associated with a significant change in the second formant frequency. An additional analysis of pure-tone thresholds found no difference in auditory thresholds between masking conditions. Taken together, these findings indicate that perilaryngeal vibration effectively masked somatosensory feedback, resulting in an enhanced Lombard effect (increased vocal intensity) that did not alter speakers' self-perception of loudness. This implies that the Lombard effect results from a general sensorimotor process, rather than from a specific audio-vocal mechanism, and that the conscious self-monitoring of speech intensity is not directly based on either auditory or somatosensory feedback.
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26
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Erbe C, Dunlop R, Dolman S. Effects of Noise on Marine Mammals. EFFECTS OF ANTHROPOGENIC NOISE ON ANIMALS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8574-6_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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27
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Blackwell SB, Nations CS, Thode AM, Kauffman ME, Conrad AS, Norman RG, Kim KH. Effects of tones associated with drilling activities on bowhead whale calling rates. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0188459. [PMID: 29161308 PMCID: PMC5697844 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0188459] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During summer 2012 Shell performed exploratory drilling at Sivulliq, a lease holding located in the autumn migration corridor of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), northwest of Camden Bay in the Beaufort Sea. The drilling operation involved a number of vessels performing various activities, such as towing the drill rig, anchor handling, and drilling. Acoustic data were collected with six arrays of directional recorders (DASARs) deployed on the seafloor over ~7 weeks in Aug-Oct. Whale calls produced within 2 km of each DASAR were identified and localized using triangulation. A "tone index" was defined to quantify the presence and amplitude of tonal sounds from industrial machinery. The presence of airgun pulses originating from distant seismic operations was also quantified. For each 10-min period at each of the 40 recorders, the number of whale calls localized was matched with the "dose" of industrial sound received, and the relationship between calling rates and industrial sound was modeled using negative binomial regression. The analysis showed that with increasing tone levels, bowhead whale calling rates initially increased, peaked, and then decreased. This dual behavioral response is similar to that described for bowhead whales and airgun pulses in earlier work. Increasing call repetition rates can be a viable strategy for combating decreased detectability of signals arising from moderate increases in background noise. Meanwhile, as noise increases, the benefits of calling may decrease because information transfer becomes increasingly error-prone, and at some point calling may no longer be worth the effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanna B. Blackwell
- Greeneridge Sciences, Incorporated, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Christopher S. Nations
- Western EcoSystems Technology, Incorporated, Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Aaron M. Thode
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Mandy E. Kauffman
- Western EcoSystems Technology, Incorporated, Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Alexander S. Conrad
- Greeneridge Sciences, Incorporated, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Robert G. Norman
- Greeneridge Sciences, Incorporated, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
| | - Katherine H. Kim
- Greeneridge Sciences, Incorporated, Santa Barbara, California, United States of America
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28
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Panova EM, Agafonov AV. A beluga whale socialized with bottlenose dolphins imitates their whistles. Anim Cogn 2017; 20:1153-1160. [PMID: 28956181 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-017-1132-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2017] [Revised: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
The research on imitation in the animal kingdom has more than a century-long history. A specific kind of imitation, auditory-vocal imitation, is well known in birds, especially among songbirds and parrots, but data for mammals are limited to elephants, marine mammals, and humans. Cetaceans are reported to imitate various signals, including species-specific calls, artificial sounds, and even vocalizations from other species if they share the same habitat. Here we describe the changes in the vocal repertoire of a beluga whale that was housed with a group of bottlenose dolphins. Two months after the beluga's introduction into a new facility, we found that it began to imitate whistles of the dolphins, whereas one type of its own calls seemed to disappear. The case reported here may be considered as an interesting phenomenon of vocal accommodation to new social companions and cross-species socialization in cetaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena M Panova
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nahimovskiy prospekt, 36, Moscow, Russia, 117997.
| | - Alexandr V Agafonov
- Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Nahimovskiy prospekt, 36, Moscow, Russia, 117997
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29
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Small RJ, Brost B, Hooten M, Castellote M, Mondragon J. Potential for spatial displacement of Cook Inlet beluga whales by anthropogenic noise in critical habitat. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2017. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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30
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Bittencourt L, Lima IMS, Andrade LG, Carvalho RR, Bisi TL, Lailson-Brito J, Azevedo AF. Underwater noise in an impacted environment can affect Guiana dolphin communication. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 114:1130-1134. [PMID: 27765406 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.10.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2016] [Revised: 10/08/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
This study focused on whistles produced by Guiana dolphin under different noise conditions in Guanabara Bay, southeastern Brazil. Recording sessions were performed with a fully calibrated recording system. Whistles and underwater noise levels registered during two behavioral states were compared separately between two areas. Noise levels differed between the two areas across all frequencies. Whistle duration differed between areas and was negatively correlated with noise levels. Whistling rate was positively correlated with noise levels, showing that whistling rate was higher in noisier conditions. Results demonstrated that underwater noise influenced Guiana dolphin acoustic behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lis Bittencourt
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA) Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Isabela M S Lima
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA) Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luciana G Andrade
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA) Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafael R Carvalho
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA) Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tatiana L Bisi
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA) Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José Lailson-Brito
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA) Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alexandre F Azevedo
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA) Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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31
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32
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Dahlheim M, Castellote M. Changes in the acoustic behavior of gray whales Eschrichtius robustus in response to noise. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2016. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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33
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Le Bot O, Simard Y, Roy N, Mars JI, Gervaise C. Whistle source levels of free-ranging beluga whales in Saguenay-St. Lawrence marine park. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 140:EL89. [PMID: 27475219 DOI: 10.1121/1.4955115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Wild beluga whistle source levels (SLs) are estimated from 52 three-dimensional (3D) localized calls using a 4-hydrophone array. The probability distribution functions of the root-mean-square (rms) SL in the time domain, and the peak, the strongest 3-dB, and 10-dB SLs from the spectrogram, were non-Gaussian. The average rms SL was 143.8 ± 6.7 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m. SL spectral metrics were, respectively, 145.8 ± 8 dB, 143.2 ± 7.1 dB, and 138.5 ± 6.9 dB re 1 μPa(2)·Hz(-1) at 1 m.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Le Bot
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, GIPSA-Lab, Grenoble F-38000, France
| | - Yvan Simard
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 850 route de la mer, Mont-Joli, Québec, G5H 3Z4, Canada ,
| | - Nathalie Roy
- Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 850 route de la mer, Mont-Joli, Québec, G5H 3Z4, Canada ,
| | - Jérôme I Mars
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CNRS, GIPSA-Lab, Grenoble F-38000, France
| | - Cédric Gervaise
- Chaire CHORUS, Foundation of Grenoble INP, 46 Avenue Félix Viallet, 38031 Grenoble cedex 1, France
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Heiler J, Elwen S, Kriesell H, Gridley T. Changes in bottlenose dolphin whistle parameters related to vessel presence, surface behaviour and group composition. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2016.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Erbe C, Reichmuth C, Cunningham K, Lucke K, Dooling R. Communication masking in marine mammals: A review and research strategy. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2016; 103:15-38. [PMID: 26707982 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Revised: 12/06/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Underwater noise, whether of natural or anthropogenic origin, has the ability to interfere with the way in which marine mammals receive acoustic signals (i.e., for communication, social interaction, foraging, navigation, etc.). This phenomenon, termed auditory masking, has been well studied in humans and terrestrial vertebrates (in particular birds), but less so in marine mammals. Anthropogenic underwater noise seems to be increasing in parts of the world's oceans and concerns about associated bioacoustic effects, including masking, are growing. In this article, we review our understanding of masking in marine mammals, summarise data on marine mammal hearing as they relate to masking (including audiograms, critical ratios, critical bandwidths, and auditory integration times), discuss masking release processes of receivers (including comodulation masking release and spatial release from masking) and anti-masking strategies of signalers (e.g. Lombard effect), and set a research framework for improved assessment of potential masking in marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Erbe
- Centre for Marine Science & Technology, Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
| | - Colleen Reichmuth
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
| | - Kane Cunningham
- Institute of Marine Sciences, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA.
| | - Klaus Lucke
- Centre for Marine Science & Technology, Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia.
| | - Robert Dooling
- University of Maryland, 2123D Biology-Psychology Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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Does Masking Matter? Shipping Noise and Fish Vocalizations. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2016; 875:747-53. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-2981-8_91] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/23/2023]
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Abstract
As our understanding of directly observable effects from anthropogenic sound exposure has improved, concern about "unobservable" effects such as stress and masking have received greater attention. Equal energy models of masking such as power spectrum models have the appeal of simplicity, but do they offer biologically realistic assessments of the risk of masking? Data relevant to masking such as critical ratios, critical bandwidths, temporal resolution, and directional resolution along with what is known about general mammalian antimasking mechanisms all argue for a much more complicated view of masking when making decisions about the risk of masking inherent in a given anthropogenic sound exposure scenario.
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Dunlop RA. The effect of vessel noise on humpback whale, Megaptera novaeangliae, communication behaviour. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Nachtigall PE, Supin AY, Estaban JA, Pacini AF. Learning and extinction of conditioned hearing sensation change in the beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas). J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2015; 202:105-13. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-015-1056-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Revised: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 11/12/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Acoustic behavior of melon-headed whales varies on a diel cycle. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015; 69:1553-1563. [PMID: 26300583 PMCID: PMC4534505 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-1967-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2014] [Revised: 07/01/2015] [Accepted: 07/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Many terrestrial and marine species have a diel activity pattern, and their acoustic signaling follows their current behavioral state. Whistles and echolocation clicks on long-term recordings produced by melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra) at Palmyra Atoll indicated that these signals were used selectively during different phases of the day, strengthening the idea of nighttime foraging and daytime resting with afternoon socializing for this species. Spectral features of their echolocation clicks changed from day to night, shifting the median center frequency up. Additionally, click received levels increased with increasing ambient noise during both day and night. Ambient noise over a wide frequency band was on average higher at night. The diel adjustment of click features might be a reaction to acoustic masking caused by these nighttime sounds. Similar adaptations have been documented for numerous taxa in response to noise. Or it could be, unrelated, an increase in biosonar source levels and with it a shift in center frequency to enhance detection distances during foraging at night. Call modifications in intensity, directionality, frequency, and duration according to echolocation task are well established for bats. This finding indicates that melon-headed whales have flexibility in their acoustic behavior, and they collectively and repeatedly adapt their signals from day- to nighttime circumstances.
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41
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Shannon G, McKenna MF, Angeloni LM, Crooks KR, Fristrup KM, Brown E, Warner KA, Nelson MD, White C, Briggs J, McFarland S, Wittemyer G. A synthesis of two decades of research documenting the effects of noise on wildlife. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 91:982-1005. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 392] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Graeme Shannon
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Megan F. McKenna
- Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division; National Park Service; Fort Collins CO 80525 U.S.A
| | - Lisa M. Angeloni
- Department of Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Kevin R. Crooks
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Kurt M. Fristrup
- Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division; National Park Service; Fort Collins CO 80525 U.S.A
| | - Emma Brown
- Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division; National Park Service; Fort Collins CO 80525 U.S.A
| | - Katy A. Warner
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Misty D. Nelson
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Cecilia White
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Jessica Briggs
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Scott McFarland
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
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Holt MM, Noren DP, Dunkin RC, Williams TM. Vocal performance affects metabolic rate in dolphins: implications for animals communicating in noisy environments. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 218:1647-54. [PMID: 25852069 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.122424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Many animals produce louder, longer or more repetitious vocalizations to compensate for increases in environmental noise. Biological costs of increased vocal effort in response to noise, including energetic costs, remain empirically undefined in many taxa, particularly in marine mammals that rely on sound for fundamental biological functions in increasingly noisy habitats. For this investigation, we tested the hypothesis that an increase in vocal effort would result in an energetic cost to the signaler by experimentally measuring oxygen consumption during rest and a 2 min vocal period in dolphins that were trained to vary vocal loudness across trials. Vocal effort was quantified as the total acoustic energy of sounds produced. Metabolic rates during the vocal period were, on average, 1.2 and 1.5 times resting metabolic rate (RMR) in dolphin A and B, respectively. As vocal effort increased, we found that there was a significant increase in metabolic rate over RMR during the 2 min following sound production in both dolphins, and in total oxygen consumption (metabolic cost of sound production plus recovery costs) in the dolphin that showed a wider range of vocal effort across trials. Increases in vocal effort, as a consequence of increases in vocal amplitude, repetition rate and/or duration, are consistent with behavioral responses to noise in free-ranging animals. Here, we empirically demonstrate for the first time in a marine mammal, that these vocal modifications can have an energetic impact at the individual level and, importantly, these data provide a mechanistic foundation for evaluating biological consequences of vocal modification in noise-polluted habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marla M Holt
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Blvd. East, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
| | - Dawn P Noren
- Conservation Biology Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Blvd. East, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
| | - Robin C Dunkin
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Long Marine Laboratory, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
| | - Terrie M Williams
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Long Marine Laboratory, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA
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Assessing the underwater acoustics of the world's largest vibration hammer (OCTA-KONG) and its potential effects on the Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin (Sousa chinensis). PLoS One 2014; 9:e110590. [PMID: 25338113 PMCID: PMC4206436 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Accepted: 09/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise in aquatic environments is a worldwide concern due to its potential adverse effects on the environment and aquatic life. The Hongkong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge is currently under construction in the Pearl River Estuary, a hot spot for the Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphin (Sousa chinensis) in China. The OCTA-KONG, the world's largest vibration hammer, is being used during this construction project to drive or extract steel shell piles 22 m in diameter. This activity poses a substantial threat to marine mammals, and an environmental assessment is critically needed. The underwater acoustic properties of the OCTA-KONG were analyzed, and the potential impacts of the underwater acoustic energy on Sousa, including auditory masking and physiological impacts, were assessed. The fundamental frequency of the OCTA-KONG vibration ranged from 15 Hz to 16 Hz, and the noise increments were below 20 kHz, with a dominant frequency and energy below 10 kHz. The resulting sounds are most likely detectable by Sousa over distances of up to 3.5 km from the source. Although Sousa clicks do not appear to be adversely affected, Sousa whistles are susceptible to auditory masking, which may negatively impact this species' social life. Therefore, a safety zone with a radius of 500 m is proposed. Although the zero-to-peak source level (SL) of the OCTA-KONG was lower than the physiological damage level, the maximum root-mean-square SL exceeded the cetacean safety exposure level on several occasions. Moreover, the majority of the unweighted cumulative source sound exposure levels (SSELs) and the cetacean auditory weighted cumulative SSELs exceeded the acoustic threshold levels for the onset of temporary threshold shift, a type of potentially recoverable auditory damage resulting from prolonged sound exposure. These findings may aid in the identification and design of appropriate mitigation methods, such as the use of air bubble curtains, “soft start” and “power down” techniques.
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Dunlop RA, Cato DH, Noad MJ. Evidence of a Lombard response in migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2014; 136:430-7. [PMID: 24993227 DOI: 10.1121/1.4883598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The Lombard reflex is an increase in the subject's vocal levels in response to increased noise levels. This functions to maintain an adequate signal-to-noise ratio at the position of the receiver when noise levels vary. While it has been demonstrated in a small number of mammals and birds including some whales, it has not yet been shown to occur in one of the most vocal species of baleen whale, the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae). Humpback whales were simultaneously visually and acoustically tracked (using an array of calibrated hydrophone buoys) as they migrated southward. Source levels of social vocalizations were estimated from measured received levels and a site-specific empirical sound propagation model developed. In total, 226 social vocalizations from 16 passing groups of whales were selected for final analysis. Noise levels were predominantly wind-dependent (from sea surface motion) and ranged from 81 to 108 dB re 1 μPa in the 36 Hz-2.8 kHz band. Vocalization source levels increased by 0.9 dB for every 1 dB increase in wind-dependent background noise levels, with source levels (at 1 m) being maintained ∼60 dB above the noise level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca A Dunlop
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia
| | - Douglas H Cato
- Defence Science and Technology Organisation, Australian Technology Park, Eveleigh, New South Wales 1430, Australia
| | - Michael J Noad
- School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia
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45
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Bittencourt L, Carvalho RR, Lailson-Brito J, Azevedo AF. Underwater noise pollution in a coastal tropical environment. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2014; 83:331-336. [PMID: 24814251 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2013] [Revised: 04/07/2014] [Accepted: 04/09/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Underwater noise pollution has become a major concern in marine habitats. Guanabara Bay, southeastern Brazil, is an impacted area of economic importance with constant vessel traffic. One hundred acoustic recording sessions took place over ten locations. Sound sources operating within 1 km radius of each location were quantified during recordings. The highest mean sound pressure level near the surface was 111.56±9.0 dB re 1 μPa at the frequency band of 187 Hz. Above 15 kHz, the highest mean sound pressure level was 76.21±8.3 dB re 1 μPa at the frequency 15.89 kHz. Noise levels correlated with number of operating vessels and vessel traffic composition influenced noise profiles. Shipping locations had the highest noise levels, while small vessels locations had the lowest noise levels. Guanabara Bay showed noise pollution similar to that of other impacted coastal regions, which is related to shipping and vessel traffic.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Bittencourt
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - R R Carvalho
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - J Lailson-Brito
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - A F Azevedo
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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46
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Guerra M, Dawson SM, Brough TE, Rayment WJ. Effects of boats on the surface and acoustic behaviour of an endangered population of bottlenose dolphins. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2014. [DOI: 10.3354/esr00598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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49
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Azzara AJ, von Zharen WM, Newcomb JJ. Mixed-methods analytic approach for determining potential impacts of vessel noise on sperm whale click behavior. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2013; 134:4566. [PMID: 25669266 DOI: 10.1121/1.4828819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
The Gulf of Mexico is a center of marine activities from seismic exploration to shipping, drilling, platform installation, lightering, and construction, among others. This analysis explored whether sperm whales respond to the passage of vessels using changes in total number of clicks during vessel passages as a proxy for potential variation in behavior. The data for this analysis were collected in 2001 as part of a larger Littoral Acoustic Demonstration Center project using the Environmental Acoustics Recording System buoys. These buoys were bottom moored, autonomous, and self-recording systems consisting of an omni-directional hydrophone and instrument package. Data from 36 days of continuous acoustic monitoring were recorded at a sampling rate of 11.725 kHz, and produced reliable recordings from 5 Hz to ∼5.8 kHz. Multiple preparatory steps were executed including calibration of an automatic click detector. Results indicate a significant decrease (32%) in the number of clicks detected as a ship approached an area. There were also significantly fewer clicks detected after the vessel passed than before (23%).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyson J Azzara
- Department of Marine Sciences, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 77553
| | - Wyndylyn M von Zharen
- Department of Marine Sciences, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 77553
| | - Joal J Newcomb
- Naval Oceanographic Office, John C. Stennis Space Center, Stennis Space Center, Mississippi 39522
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50
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Miksis-Olds JL, Bradley DL, Niu XM. Decadal trends in Indian Ocean ambient sound. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2013; 134:3464-75. [PMID: 24180757 DOI: 10.1121/1.4821537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
The increase of ocean noise documented in the North Pacific has sparked concern on whether the observed increases are a global or regional phenomenon. This work provides evidence of low frequency sound increases in the Indian Ocean. A decade (2002-2012) of recordings made off the island of Diego Garcia, UK in the Indian Ocean was parsed into time series according to frequency band and sound level. Quarterly sound level comparisons between the first and last years were also performed. The combination of time series and temporal comparison analyses over multiple measurement parameters produced results beyond those obtainable from a single parameter analysis. The ocean sound floor has increased over the past decade in the Indian Ocean. Increases were most prominent in recordings made south of Diego Garcia in the 85-105 Hz band. The highest sound level trends differed between the two sides of the island; the highest sound levels decreased in the north and increased in the south. Rate, direction, and magnitude of changes among the multiple parameters supported interpretation of source functions driving the trends. The observed sound floor increases are consistent with concurrent increases in shipping, wind speed, wave height, and blue whale abundance in the Indian Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Miksis-Olds
- Applied Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania 16804
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