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Owen K, Carlström J, Eriksson P, Andersson M, Nordström R, Lalander E, Sveegaard S, Kyhn LA, Griffiths ET, Cosentino M, Tougaard J. Rerouting of a major shipping lane through important harbour porpoise habitat caused no detectable change in annual occurrence or foraging patterns. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 202:116294. [PMID: 38537499 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116294] [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: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Shipping is one of the largest industries globally, with well-known negative impacts on the marine environment. Despite the known negative short-term (minutes to hours) impact of shipping on individual animal behavioural responses, very little is understood about the long-term (months to years) impact on marine species presence and area use. This study took advantage of a planned rerouting of a major shipping lane leading into the Baltic Sea, to investigate the impact on the presence and foraging behaviour of a marine species known to be sensitive to underwater noise, the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Passive acoustic monitoring data were collected from 15 stations over two years. Against predictions, no clear change occurred in monthly presence or foraging behaviour of the porpoises, despite the observed changes in noise and vessel traffic. However, long-term heightened noise levels may still impact communication, echolocation, or stress levels of individuals, and needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kylie Owen
- Department of Population Analysis and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Frescativägen 40, Stockholm 104 05, Sweden.
| | - Julia Carlström
- Department of Population Analysis and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Frescativägen 40, Stockholm 104 05, Sweden
| | - Pia Eriksson
- Department of Population Analysis and Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Frescativägen 40, Stockholm 104 05, Sweden
| | - Mathias Andersson
- Department of Defence Technology, FOI-Swedish Defence Research Agency, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Robin Nordström
- Department of Defence Technology, FOI-Swedish Defence Research Agency, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Emilia Lalander
- Department of Defence Technology, FOI-Swedish Defence Research Agency, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Signe Sveegaard
- Section for Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Line A Kyhn
- Section for Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Emily T Griffiths
- Section for Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Mel Cosentino
- Section for Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jakob Tougaard
- Section for Marine Mammal Research, Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
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2
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Johnston ST, Painter KJ. Avoidance, confusion or solitude? Modelling how noise pollution affects whale migration. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2024; 12:17. [PMID: 38374001 PMCID: PMC10875784 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-024-00458-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Many baleen whales are renowned for their acoustic communication. Under pristine conditions, this communication can plausibly occur across hundreds of kilometres. Frequent vocalisations may allow a dispersed migrating group to maintain contact, and therefore benefit from improved navigation via the "wisdom of the crowd". Human activities have considerably inflated ocean noise levels. Here we develop a data-driven mathematical model to investigate how ambient noise levels may inhibit whale migration. Mathematical models allow us to simultaneously simulate collective whale migration behaviour, auditory cue detection, and noise propagation. Rising ambient noise levels are hypothesised to influence navigation through three mechanisms: (i) diminished communication space; (ii) reduced ability to hear external sound cues and; (iii) triggering noise avoidance behaviour. Comparing pristine and current soundscapes, we observe navigation impairment that ranges from mild (increased journey time) to extreme (failed navigation). Notably, the three mechanisms induce qualitatively different impacts on migration behaviour. We demonstrate the model's potential predictive power, exploring the extent to which migration may be altered under future shipping and construction scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stuart T Johnston
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
| | - Kevin J Painter
- Dipartimento Interateneo di Scienze, Progetto e Politiche del Territorio (DIST), Politecnico di Torino, 39, 10125, Turin, Italy
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3
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Elgendy MY, Ali SE, Abbas WT, Algammal AM, Abdelsalam M. The role of marine pollution on the emergence of fish bacterial diseases. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 344:140366. [PMID: 37806325 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.140366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/02/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Marine pollution and bacterial disease outbreaks are two closely related dilemmas that impact marine fish production from fisheries and mariculture. Oil, heavy metals, agrochemicals, sewage, medical wastes, plastics, algal blooms, atmospheric pollutants, mariculture-related pollutants, as well as thermal and noise pollution are the most threatening marine pollutants. The release of these pollutants into the marine aquatic environment leads to significant ecological degradation and a range of non-infectious disorders in fish. Marine pollutants trigger numerous fish bacterial diseases by increasing microbial multiplication in the aquatic environment and suppressing fish immune defense mechanisms. The greater part of these microorganisms is naturally occurring in the aquatic environment. Most disease outbreaks are caused by opportunistic bacterial agents that attack stressed fish. Some infections are more serious and occur in the absence of environmental stressors. Gram-negative bacteria are the most frequent causes of these epizootics, while gram-positive bacterial agents rank second on the critical pathogens list. Vibrio spp., Photobacterium damselae subsp. Piscicida, Tenacibaculum maritimum, Edwardsiella spp., Streptococcus spp., Renibacterium salmoninarum, Pseudomonas spp., Aeromonas spp., and Mycobacterium spp. Are the most dangerous pathogens that attack fish in polluted marine aquatic environments. Effective management strategies and stringent regulations are required to prevent or mitigate the impacts of marine pollutants on aquatic animal health. This review will increase stakeholder awareness about marine pollutants and their impacts on aquatic animal health. It will support competent authorities in developing effective management strategies to mitigate marine pollution, promote the sustainability of commercial marine fisheries, and protect aquatic animal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mamdouh Y Elgendy
- Department of Hydrobiology, Veterinary Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt.
| | - Shimaa E Ali
- Department of Hydrobiology, Veterinary Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt; WorldFish, Abbassa, Sharkia, Egypt
| | - Wafaa T Abbas
- Department of Hydrobiology, Veterinary Research Institute, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo 12622, Egypt
| | - Abdelazeem M Algammal
- Department of Bacteriology, Immunology, and Mycology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Abdelsalam
- Department of Aquatic Animal Medicine and Management, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza 12211, Egypt
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4
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Robinson S, Harris P, Cheong SH, Wang L, Livina V, Haralabus G, Zampolli M, Nielsen P. Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on levels of deep-ocean acoustic noise. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4631. [PMID: 36944646 PMCID: PMC10028758 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31376-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic led to measures to mitigate the spread of the disease, with lockdowns and mobility restrictions at national and international levels. These measures led to sudden and sometimes dramatic reductions in human activity, including significant reductions in ship traffic in the maritime sector. We report on a reduction of deep-ocean acoustic noise in three ocean basins in 2020, based on data acquired by hydroacoustic stations in the International Monitoring System of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. The noise levels measured in 2020 are compared with predicted levels obtained from modelling data from previous years using Gaussian Process regression. Comparison of the predictions with measured data for 2020 shows reductions of between 1 and 3 dB in the frequency range from 10 to 100 Hz for all but one of the stations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Robinson
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK.
| | - Peter Harris
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK.
| | - Sei-Him Cheong
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
| | - Lian Wang
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
| | - Valerie Livina
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, UK
| | - Georgios Haralabus
- Hydro-Acoustics, Engineering and Development Section, IMS, CTBTO, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Mario Zampolli
- Hydro-Acoustics, Engineering and Development Section, IMS, CTBTO, Vienna, Austria
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5
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Wilcock WSD, Abadi S, Lipovsky BP. Distributed acoustic sensing recordings of low-frequency whale calls and ship noise offshore Central Oregon. JASA EXPRESS LETTERS 2023; 3:026002. [PMID: 36858992 DOI: 10.1121/10.0017104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) is a technique that measures strain changes along an optical fiber to distances of ∼100 km with a spatial sensitivity of tens of meters. In November 2021, 4 days of DAS data were collected on two cables of the Ocean Observatories Initiative Regional Cabled Array extending offshore central Oregon. Numerous 20 Hz fin whale calls, northeast Pacific blue whale A and B calls, and ship noises were recorded, highlighting the potential of DAS for monitoring the ocean. The data are publicly available to support studies to understand the sensitivity of submarine DAS for low-frequency acoustic monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- William S D Wilcock
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Shima Abadi
- School of Oceanography, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - Bradley P Lipovsky
- Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA , ,
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6
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Thums M, C. Ferreira L, Jenner C, Jenner M, Harris D, Davenport A, Andrews-Goff V, Double M, Möller L, Attard CR, Bilgmann K, G. Thomson P, McCauley R. Pygmy blue whale movement, distribution and important areas in the Eastern Indian Ocean. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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7
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Chahouri A, Elouahmani N, Ouchene H. Recent progress in marine noise pollution: A thorough review. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 291:132983. [PMID: 34801565 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The increase in urbanization and the progressive development of marine industries have led to the appearance of a new kind of pollution called "noise pollution". This pollution exerts an increasing pressure on marine mammals, fish species, and invertebrates, which constitutes a new debate that must be controlled in a sustainable way by environmental and noise approaches with the objective of preserving marine and human life. Despite, noise pollution can travel long distances underwater, cover large areas, and have secondary effects on marine animals; by masking their ability to hear their prey or predators, finding their way, or connecting group members. During the COVID-19 pandemic, except for the transportation of essential goods and emergency services, all the public transport services were suspended including aircraft and ships. This lockdown has impacted positively on the marine environment through reduction of the noise sources. In this article, we are interested in noise pollution in general, its sources, impacts, and the management and future actions to follow. And since this pollution is not studied in Morocco, we focused on the different sources that can generate it on the Moroccan coasts. This is the first review article, which focuses on the impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on this type of pollution in the marine environment; which we aim to identify the impact of this pandemic on underwater noise and marine species. Finally, and given the increase in noise levels, preventive management, both at the national and international level, is required before irreversible damage is caused to biodiversity and the marine ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abir Chahouri
- Aquatic System Laboratory: Marine and Continental Environment, Faculty of Sciences Agadir, Department of Biology, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco.
| | - Nadia Elouahmani
- Aquatic System Laboratory: Marine and Continental Environment, Faculty of Sciences Agadir, Department of Biology, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
| | - Hanan Ouchene
- Aquatic System Laboratory: Marine and Continental Environment, Faculty of Sciences Agadir, Department of Biology, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir, Morocco
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8
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Rand ZR, Wood JD, Oswald JN. Effects of duty cycles on passive acoustic monitoring of southern resident killer whale (Orcinus orca) occurrence and behavior. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 151:1651. [PMID: 35364953 DOI: 10.1121/10.0009752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Long-term passive acoustic monitoring of cetaceans is frequently limited by the data storage capacity and battery life of the recording system. Duty cycles are a mechanism for subsampling during the recording process that facilitates long-term passive acoustic studies. While duty cycles are often used, there has been little investigation on the impact that this approach has on the ability to answer questions about a species' behavior and occurrence. In this study, the effects of duty cycling on the acoustic detection of southern resident killer whales (SRKW) (Orcinus orca) were investigated. Continuous acoustic data were subsampled to create 288 subsampled datasets with cycle lengths from 5 to 180 min and listening proportions from 1% to 67%. Duty cycles had little effect on the detection of the daily presence of SRKW, especially when using cycle lengths of less than an hour. However, cycle lengths of 15-30 min and listening proportions of at least 33% were required to accurately calculate durations of acoustic bouts and identify those bouts to ecotype. These results show that the optimal duty cycle depends on the scale of the research question and provide a framework for quantitative analysis of duty cycles for other marine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoe R Rand
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 8LB, United Kingdom
| | - Jason D Wood
- SMRU Consulting, Friday Harbor, Washington 98250, USA
| | - Julie N Oswald
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 8LB, United Kingdom
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9
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Godin OA. Contributions of gravity waves in the ocean to T-phase excitation by earthquakes. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 150:3999. [PMID: 34852614 DOI: 10.1121/10.0007283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The generation of T waves in a deep ocean by an earthquake in its epicentral region is often observed, but the mechanism of the excitation of the acoustic waves travelling horizontally with the speed of sound remains controversial. Here, the hypothesis is investigated that the abyssal T waves are generated by the scattering of ballistic sound waves by surface and internal gravity waves in the ocean. Volume and surface scattering are studied theoretically in the small perturbation approximation. In the 3-50 Hz typical frequency range of the observed T waves, the linear internal waves are found to lack the necessary horizontal spatial scales to meet the Bragg scattering condition and contribute appreciably to the T-wave excitation. In contrast, the ocean surface roughness has the necessary spatial scales at typical sea states and wind speeds. The efficiency of the acoustic normal modes' excitation at surface scattering of the ballistic body waves by wind seas and sea swell is quantified and found to be comparable to that of the established mechanism of the T-wave generation at downslope conversion at the seamounts. The surface scattering mechanism is consistent with key observational features of the abyssal T waves, including their ubiquity, low-frequency cutoff, presence on seafloor sensors, and weak dependence on the earthquake focus depth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oleg A Godin
- Department of Physics, Naval Postgraduate School, 833 Dyer Road, Monterey, California 93943-5216, USA
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10
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Harris P, Sotirakopoulos K, Robinson S, Wang L, Livina V. A statistical method for the evaluation of long term trends in underwater noise measurements. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2019; 145:228. [PMID: 30710971 DOI: 10.1121/1.5084040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Deep ocean ambient sound levels have been the subject of recent studies, with particular interest in the identification of long term trends. This paper describes a statistical method for performing long term trend analysis and uncertainty evaluation of the estimated trends. Uncertainties are needed if the quality of the estimates are to be assessed and if the results from different studies or different methods are to be compared. The measured data span 14 years, from 2003 to 2017, and originate from the Southern Ocean close to Cape Leeuwin, Australia. The method uses a flexible discrete model incorporating terms that capture seasonal variations in the data and a moving-average statistical model to describe the serial correlation of residual deviations, with uncertainties validated using bootstrap resampling. The method is applied to time series representing monthly and daily aggregated statistical levels for five frequency bands to obtain estimates for the change in sound pressure level over the examined period with associated uncertainties. The results show a statistically significant reduction in sound pressure levels over the examined period at that location. Possible explanations for these changes are postulated, including the effects of shipping, wind speed, sea surface temperature, and changes in Antarctic ice volume.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Harris
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, United Kingdom
| | | | - Stephen Robinson
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, United Kingdom
| | - Lian Wang
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, United Kingdom
| | - Valerie Livina
- National Physical Laboratory, Hampton Road, Teddington, TW11 0LW, United Kingdom
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11
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Bouffaut L, Dréo R, Labat V, Boudraa AO, Barruol G. Passive stochastic matched filter for Antarctic blue whale call detection. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2018; 144:955. [PMID: 30180699 DOI: 10.1121/1.5050520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
As a first step to Antarctic blue whale (ABW) monitoring using passive acoustics, a method based on the stochastic matched filter (SMF) is proposed. Derived from the matched filter (MF), this filter-based denoising method enhances stochastic signals embedded in an additive colored noise by maximizing its output signal to noise ratio (SNR). These assumptions are well adapted to the passive detection of ABW calls where emitted signals are modified by the unknown impulse response of the propagation channel. A filter bank is computed and stored offline based on a priori knowledge of the signal second order statistics and simulated colored sea-noise. Then, the detection relies on online background noise and SNR estimation, realized using time-frequency analysis. The SMF output is cross-correlated with the signal's reference (SMF + MF). Its performances are assessed on an ccean bottom seismometer-recorded ground truth dataset of 845 ABW calls, where the location of the whale is known. This dataset provides great SNR variations in diverse soundscapes. The SMF + MF performances are compared to the commonly used MF and to the Z-detector (a sub-space detector for ABW calls). Mostly, the benefits of the use of the SMF + MF are revealed on low signal to noise observations: in comparison to the MF with identical detection threshold, the false alarm rate drastically decreases while the detection rate stays high. Compared to the Z-detector, it allows the extension of the detection range of ≃ 30 km in presence of ship noise with equivalent false discovery rate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léa Bouffaut
- Institut de Recherche de l'Ecole Navale, EA3634, Ecole Navale/Arts et Metiers ParisTech, BCRM Brest CC600, 29240 Brest Cedex 9, France
| | - Richard Dréo
- Institut de Recherche de l'Ecole Navale, EA3634, Ecole Navale/Arts et Metiers ParisTech, BCRM Brest CC600, 29240 Brest Cedex 9, France
| | - Valérie Labat
- Institut de Recherche de l'Ecole Navale, EA3634, Ecole Navale/Arts et Metiers ParisTech, BCRM Brest CC600, 29240 Brest Cedex 9, France
| | - Abdel-O Boudraa
- Institut de Recherche de l'Ecole Navale, EA3634, Ecole Navale/Arts et Metiers ParisTech, BCRM Brest CC600, 29240 Brest Cedex 9, France
| | - Guilhem Barruol
- Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Sorbonne Paris Cite, UMR 7154 CNRS, 1 rue Jussieu, 75238 Paris Cedex 05, France
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Grant RA, Savirina A, Hoppitt W. Offshore Earthquakes Do Not Influence Marine Mammal Stranding Risk on the Washington and Oregon Coasts. Animals (Basel) 2018; 8:ani8020018. [PMID: 29373509 PMCID: PMC5836026 DOI: 10.3390/ani8020018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Marine mammals stranding on coastal beaches is not unusual. However, there appears to be no single cause for this, with several causes being probable, such as starvation, contact with humans (for example boat strike or entanglement with fishing gear), disease, and parasitism. We evaluated marine mammal stranding off the Washington and Oregon coasts and looked at offshore earthquakes as a possible contributing factor. Our analysis showed that offshore earthquakes did not make marine mammals more likely to strand. We also analysed a subset of data from the north of Washington State and found that non-adult animals made up a large proportion of stranded animals, and for dead animals the commonest cause of death was disease, traumatic injury, or starvation. Abstract The causes of marine mammals stranding on coastal beaches are not well understood, but may relate to topography, currents, wind, water temperature, disease, toxic algal blooms, and anthropogenic activity. Offshore earthquakes are a source of intense sound and disturbance and could be a contributing factor to stranding probability. We tested the hypothesis that the probability of marine mammal stranding events on the coasts of Washington and Oregon, USA is increased by the occurrence of offshore earthquakes in the nearby Cascadia subduction zone. The analysis carried out here indicated that earthquakes are at most, a very minor predictor of either single, or large (six or more animals) stranding events, at least for the study period and location. We also tested whether earthquakes inhibit stranding and again, there was no link. Although we did not find a substantial association of earthquakes with strandings in this study, it is likely that there are many factors influencing stranding of marine mammals and a single cause is unlikely to be responsible. Analysis of a subset of data for which detailed descriptions were available showed that most live stranded animals were pups, calves, or juveniles, and in the case of dead stranded mammals, the commonest cause of death was trauma, disease, and emaciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel A Grant
- Department of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, East Rd, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK.
| | - Anna Savirina
- Department of Life Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University, East Rd, Cambridge CB1 1PT, UK.
| | - Will Hoppitt
- School of Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK.
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13
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Acoustic Conditions Affecting Sound Communication in Air and Underwater. EFFECTS OF ANTHROPOGENIC NOISE ON ANIMALS 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-8574-6_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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14
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van Beest FM, Teilmann J, Hermannsen L, Galatius A, Mikkelsen L, Sveegaard S, Balle JD, Dietz R, Nabe-Nielsen J. Fine-scale movement responses of free-ranging harbour porpoises to capture, tagging and short-term noise pulses from a single airgun. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:170110. [PMID: 29410789 PMCID: PMC5792866 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.170110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/21/2017] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Knowledge about the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on the behavioural responses of cetaceans is constrained by lack of data on fine-scale movements of individuals. We equipped five free-ranging harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) with high-resolution location and dive loggers and exposed them to a single 10 inch3 underwater airgun producing high-intensity noise pulses (2-3 s intervals) for 1 min. All five porpoises responded to capture and tagging with longer, faster and more directed movements as well as with shorter, shallower, less wiggly dives immediately after release, with natural behaviour resumed in less than or equal to 24 h. When we exposed porpoises to airgun pulses at ranges of 420-690 m with noise level estimates of 135-147 dB re 1 µPa2s (sound exposure level), one individual displayed rapid and directed movements away from the exposure site and two individuals used shorter and shallower dives compared to natural behaviour immediately after exposure. Noise-induced movement typically lasted for less than or equal to 8 h with an additional 24 h recovery period until natural behaviour was resumed. The remaining individuals did not show any quantifiable responses to the noise exposure. Changes in natural behaviour following anthropogenic disturbances may reduce feeding opportunities, and evaluating potential population-level consequences should be a priority research area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Floris M. van Beest
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde 4000, Denmark
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15
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Ahonen H, Stafford KM, de Steur L, Lydersen C, Wiig Ø, Kovacs KM. The underwater soundscape in western Fram Strait: Breeding ground of Spitsbergen's endangered bowhead whales. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2017; 123:97-112. [PMID: 28938997 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 09/07/2017] [Accepted: 09/09/2017] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
In the Arctic, warming and concomitant reductions in sea ice will affect the underwater soundscape, with the greatest changes likely being linked to anthropogenic activities. In this study, an acoustic recorder deployed on an oceanographic mooring in western Fram Strait documented the soundscape of this area, which is important habitat for the Critically Endangered Spitsbergen bowhead whale population. The soundscape was quasi-pristine much of the year, with low numbers of ships traversing the area. However, during summer/autumn, signals from airgun surveys were detected >12h/day. Mean received peak-to-peak SPLs for loud airgun pulses reached 160.46±0.48dB 1μPa when seismic-survey ships were close (at ~57km). Bowhead whales were present almost daily October-April in all years, with singing occurring in almost every hour November-March. Currently, loud anthropogenic sound sources do not temporally overlap the peak period of bowhead singing. This study provides important baseline data for future monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidi Ahonen
- Norwegian Polar Institute, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Kathleen M Stafford
- Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, 1013 NE 40th St, Seattle, WA 98105, USA
| | | | | | - Øystein Wiig
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1172, 0318 Blindern, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kit M Kovacs
- Norwegian Polar Institute, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway
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Menze S, Zitterbart DP, van Opzeeland I, Boebel O. The influence of sea ice, wind speed and marine mammals on Southern Ocean ambient sound. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017. [PMID: 28280544 DOI: 10.5061/dryad.83s93] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes the natural variability of ambient sound in the Southern Ocean, an acoustically pristine marine mammal habitat. Over a 3-year period, two autonomous recorders were moored along the Greenwich meridian to collect underwater passive acoustic data. Ambient sound levels were strongly affected by the annual variation of the sea-ice cover, which decouples local wind speed and sound levels during austral winter. With increasing sea-ice concentration, area and thickness, sound levels decreased while the contribution of distant sources increased. Marine mammal sounds formed a substantial part of the overall acoustic environment, comprising calls produced by Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) and leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx). The combined sound energy of a group or population vocalizing during extended periods contributed species-specific peaks to the ambient sound spectra. The temporal and spatial variation in the contribution of marine mammals to ambient sound suggests annual patterns in migration and behaviour. The Antarctic blue and fin whale contributions were loudest in austral autumn, whereas the Antarctic minke whale contribution was loudest during austral winter and repeatedly showed a diel pattern that coincided with the diel vertical migration of zooplankton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Menze
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany; Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
| | - Daniel P Zitterbart
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany; Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA; Biophysics Group, Department of Physics, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ilse van Opzeeland
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research , Bremerhaven , Germany
| | - Olaf Boebel
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research , Bremerhaven , Germany
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Menze S, Zitterbart DP, van Opzeeland I, Boebel O. The influence of sea ice, wind speed and marine mammals on Southern Ocean ambient sound. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:160370. [PMID: 28280544 PMCID: PMC5319310 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 12/01/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
This paper describes the natural variability of ambient sound in the Southern Ocean, an acoustically pristine marine mammal habitat. Over a 3-year period, two autonomous recorders were moored along the Greenwich meridian to collect underwater passive acoustic data. Ambient sound levels were strongly affected by the annual variation of the sea-ice cover, which decouples local wind speed and sound levels during austral winter. With increasing sea-ice concentration, area and thickness, sound levels decreased while the contribution of distant sources increased. Marine mammal sounds formed a substantial part of the overall acoustic environment, comprising calls produced by Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia), fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) and leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx). The combined sound energy of a group or population vocalizing during extended periods contributed species-specific peaks to the ambient sound spectra. The temporal and spatial variation in the contribution of marine mammals to ambient sound suggests annual patterns in migration and behaviour. The Antarctic blue and fin whale contributions were loudest in austral autumn, whereas the Antarctic minke whale contribution was loudest during austral winter and repeatedly showed a diel pattern that coincided with the diel vertical migration of zooplankton.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sebastian Menze
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway
| | - Daniel P. Zitterbart
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
- Applied Ocean Physics and Engineering, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
- Biophysics Group, Department of Physics, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Ilse van Opzeeland
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Olaf Boebel
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
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Miksis-Olds JL, Nichols SM. Is low frequency ocean sound increasing globally? THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 139:501-11. [PMID: 26827043 DOI: 10.1121/1.4938237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Low frequency sound has increased in the Northeast Pacific Ocean over the past 60 yr [Ross (1993) Acoust. Bull. 18, 5-8; (2005) IEEE J. Ocean. Eng. 30, 257-261; Andrew, Howe, Mercer, and Dzieciuch (2002) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 129, 642-651; McDonald, Hildebrand, and Wiggins (2006) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 120, 711-717; Chapman and Price (2011) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 129, EL161-EL165] and in the Indian Ocean over the past decade, [Miksis-Olds, Bradley, and Niu (2013) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 134, 3464-3475]. More recently, Andrew, Howe, and Mercer's [(2011) J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 129, 642-651] observations in the Northeast Pacific show a level or slightly decreasing trend in low frequency noise. It remains unclear what the low frequency trends are in other regions of the world. In this work, data from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test Ban Treaty Organization International Monitoring System was used to examine the rate and magnitude of change in low frequency sound (5-115 Hz) over the past decade in the South Atlantic and Equatorial Pacific Oceans. The dominant source observed in the South Atlantic was seismic air gun signals, while shipping and biologic sources contributed more to the acoustic environment at the Equatorial Pacific location. Sound levels over the past 5-6 yr in the Equatorial Pacific have decreased. Decreases were also observed in the ambient sound floor in the South Atlantic Ocean. Based on these observations, it does not appear that low frequency sound levels are increasing globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Miksis-Olds
- Applied Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania 16804, USA
| | - Stephen M Nichols
- Applied Research Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania 16804, USA
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Tsang-Hin-Sun E, Royer JY, Leroy EC. Low-frequency sound level in the Southern Indian Ocean. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2015; 138:3439-3446. [PMID: 26723301 DOI: 10.1121/1.4936855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
This study presents long-term statistics on the ambient sound in the Southern Indian Ocean basin based on 2 years of data collected on six widely distributed autonomous hydrophones from 47°S to 4°S and 53°E to 83°E. Daily mean power spectra (10-100 Hz) were analyzed in order to identify the main sound sources and their space and time variability. Periodic signals are principally associated with the seasonal presence of three types of blue whales and fin whales whose signatures are easily identified at specific frequencies. In the low frequencies, occurrence of winter lows and summer highs in the ambient noise levels are well correlated with iceberg volume variations at the southern latitudes, suggesting that icebergs are a major sound source, seasonally contributing to the ambient noise, even at tropical latitudes (26°S). The anthropogenic contribution to the noise spectrum is limited. Shipping sounds are only present north and west of the study area in the vicinity of major traffic lanes. Acoustic recordings from the southern sites may thus be representative of the pristine ambient noise in the Indian Ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve Tsang-Hin-Sun
- University of Brest and CNRS, Laboratoire Domaines Oceaniques, Brest, France
| | - Jean-Yves Royer
- University of Brest and CNRS, Laboratoire Domaines Oceaniques, Brest, France
| | - Emmanuelle C Leroy
- University of Brest and CNRS, Laboratoire Domaines Oceaniques, Brest, France
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Sources and levels of ambient ocean sound near the Antarctic Peninsula. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0123425. [PMID: 25875205 PMCID: PMC4397061 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Arrays of hydrophones were deployed within the Bransfield Strait and Scotia Sea (Antarctic Peninsula region) from 2005 to 2009 to record ambient ocean sound at frequencies of up to 125 and 500 Hz. Icequakes, which are broadband, short duration signals derived from fracturing of large free-floating icebergs, are a prominent feature of the ocean soundscape. Icequake activity peaks during austral summer and is minimum during winter, likely following freeze-thaw cycles. Iceberg grounding and rapid disintegration also releases significant acoustic energy, equivalent to large-scale geophysical events. Overall ambient sound levels can be as much as ~10–20 dB higher in the open, deep ocean of the Scotia Sea compared to the relatively shallow Bransfield Strait. Noise levels become lowest during the austral winter, as sea-ice cover suppresses wind and wave noise. Ambient noise levels are highest during austral spring and summer, as surface noise, ice cracking and biological activity intensifies. Vocalizations of blue (Balaenoptera musculus) and fin (B. physalus) whales also dominate the long-term spectra records in the 15–28 and 89 Hz bands. Blue whale call energy is a maximum during austral summer-fall in the Drake Passage and Bransfield Strait when ambient noise levels are a maximum and sea-ice cover is a minimum. Fin whale vocalizations were also most common during austral summer-early fall months in both the Bransfield Strait and Scotia Sea. The hydrophone data overall do not show sustained anthropogenic sources (ships and airguns), likely due to low coastal traffic and the typically rough weather and sea conditions of the Southern Ocean.
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