1
|
Zeh JM, Perez-Marrufo V, Adcock DL, Jensen FH, Knapp KJ, Robbins J, Tackaberry JE, Weinrich M, Friedlaender AS, Wiley DN, Parks SE. Caller identification and characterization of individual humpback whale acoustic behaviour. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231608. [PMID: 38481982 PMCID: PMC10933536 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Acoustic recording tags provide fine-scale data linking acoustic signalling with individual behaviour; however, when an animal is in a group, it is challenging to tease apart calls of conspecifics and identify which individuals produce each call. This, in turn, prohibits a robust assessment of individual acoustic behaviour including call rates and silent periods, call bout production within and between individuals, and caller location. To overcome this challenge, we simultaneously instrumented small groups of humpback whales on a western North Atlantic feeding ground with sound and movement recording tags. This approach enabled a comparison of the relative amplitude of each call across individuals to infer caller identity for 97% of calls. We recorded variable call rates across individuals (mean = 23 calls/h) and groups (mean = 55 calls/h). Calls were produced throughout dives, and most calls were produced in bouts with short inter-call intervals of 2.2 s. Most calls received a likely response from a conspecific within 100 s. This caller identification (ID) method facilitates studying both individual- and group-level acoustic behaviour, yielding novel results about the nature of sequence production and vocal exchanges in humpback whale social calls. Future studies can expand on these caller ID methods for understanding intra-group communication across taxa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julia M Zeh
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University,107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Valeria Perez-Marrufo
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University,107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Dana L Adcock
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University,107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | - Frants H Jensen
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University,107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, Roskilde, Denmark
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Kaitlyn J Knapp
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University,107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| | | | | | - Mason Weinrich
- Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA, USA
- Whale Center of New England, Gloucester, MA, USA
| | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Ocean Sciences & Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - David N Wiley
- Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, Scituate, MA, USA
| | - Susan E Parks
- Department of Biology, Syracuse University,107 College Place, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jacobs ER, Gero S, Malinka CE, Tønnesen PH, Beedholm K, DeRuiter SL, Madsen PT. The active space of sperm whale codas: inter-click information for intra-unit communication. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246442. [PMID: 38264868 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are social mega-predators who form stable matrilineal units that often associate within a larger vocal clan. Clan membership is defined by sharing a repertoire of coda types consisting of specific temporal spacings of multi-pulsed clicks. It has been hypothesized that codas communicate membership across socially segregated sympatric clans, but others propose that codas are primarily used for behavioral coordination and social cohesion within a closely spaced social unit. Here, we test these hypotheses by combining measures of ambient noise levels and coda click source levels with models of sound propagation to estimate the active space of coda communication. Coda clicks were localized off the island of Dominica with a four- or five-element 80 m vertical hydrophone array, allowing us to calculate the median RMS source levels of 1598 clicks from 444 codas to be 161 dB re. 1 μPa (IQR 153-167), placing codas among the most powerful communication sounds in toothed whales. However, together with measured ambient noise levels, these source levels lead to a median active space of coda communication of ∼4 km, reflecting the maximum footprint of a single foraging sperm whale unit. We conclude that while sperm whale codas may contain information about clan affiliation, their moderate active space shows that codas are not used for long range acoustic communication between units and clans, but likely serve to mediate social cohesion and behavioral transitions in intra-unit communication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ellen R Jacobs
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, 3700 O St NW, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Shane Gero
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Chloe E Malinka
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
- SMRU Consulting, Scottish Oceans Institute, East Sands, University of St Andrews, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Pernille H Tønnesen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Kristian Beedholm
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Stacy L DeRuiter
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Calvin University, 3201 Burton St SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546, USA
| | - Peter T Madsen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, C. F. Møllers Allé 3, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Mishima Y, Matsuo I, Karasawa Y, Ishii M, Morisaka T. Directional and amplitude characteristics of pulsed call sequences in captive free-swimming Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2023; 154:2974-2987. [PMID: 37947396 DOI: 10.1121/10.0022377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the directional properties and gain control of a pulsed call sequence that functions as a contact call in Pacific white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens). The pulsed call sequences were stereotyped patterns composed of three or more pulsed call elements and were collected from two dolphins, separated into adjacent pools, and allowed to swim freely. Eight hydrophones and an overhead camera were used to determine the positions and directions of the participants. The mean peak frequency and source levels were 8.4 ± 4.4 (standard deviation)-18.7 ± 12.7 kHz and 160.8 ± 3.8 to 176.4 ± 7.9 dB re 1 μPa (peak-to-peak), respectively, depending on the element types. The elements were omnidirectional, with mean directivity index of 0.9 ± 3.4 dB. The dolphins produced sequences, regardless of their relative position and direction to the lattice, leading to the adjacent pool where the conspecific was housed. They increased the amplitude by 6.5 ± 4.6 dB as the distance from the caller to an arbitrary point in the adjacent pool doubled. These results suggest that callers broadcast pulsed call sequences in a wide direction to reach dispersed conspecifics. However, they can adjust the acoustic active space by controlling the source levels.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuka Mishima
- Department of Marine Resources and Energy, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 4-5-7, Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8477, Japan
| | - Ikuo Matsuo
- Department of Information Science, Tohoku Gakuin University, 2-1-1 Tenjinzawa, Izumi-ku, Sendai, 981-3193, Japan
| | - Yuu Karasawa
- Izu Mito Sea Paradise, 3-1, Nagahama, Uchiura, Numazu-shi, Shizuoka, 410-0295, Japan
| | - Marina Ishii
- Graduate School of Marine Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology, 4-5-7, Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8477, Japan
| | - Tadamichi Morisaka
- Cetacean Research Center, Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, 1577, Kurimamachiya-cho, Tsu-shi, Mie, 514-8507, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Ogawa M, Kimura SS. Variations in echolocation click characteristics of finless porpoise in response to day/night and absence/presence of vessel noise. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0288513. [PMID: 37540693 PMCID: PMC10403093 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0288513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/29/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Small odontocetes produce echolocation clicks to feed and navigate, making it an essential function for their survival. Recently, the effect of vessel noise on small odontocetes behavior has attracted attention owing to increase in vessel activities; however, the effects of the surrounding environmental factor, vessel noise, and day/night on echolocation click characteristics have not been well studied. Here, we examined the effects of vessel noise and day/night on variations in echolocation clicks and click trains parameters. Passive acoustic monitoring of on-axis echolocation clicks produced by free-ranging finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis sunameri) was performed at two sites in Japan, Seto Inland Sea and Mikawa Bay, in June-September 2021 and March-August 2022, using A-tag and SoundTrap 300HF. Generalized Linear Model was used to elucidate the effect of vessel noise, day/night, and surrounding environmental factors (water temperature, synthetic flow velocity, and noise level) on echolocation click and click train parameters. Echolocation click and click train parameters were strongly affected by day/night, whereas the absence/presence vessel noise did not exhibit statistically significant influence. Particularly, -3 dB bandwidth was wider, click duration was shorter, and inter-click intervals in a train were shorter at night, which may facilitate information processing at night, thereby compensating for the lack of visual information. The interaction between day/night and the absence/presence of vessel noise affected the source level of finless porpoises, with higher levels observed in the absence of vessel noise during the daytime compared to other conditions at the site with low vessel traffic. Overall, these results suggest that echolocation clicks by finless porpoise were likely to fluctuate to adapt with surrounding complex environmental conditions, especially day/night.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mayu Ogawa
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Distinguished Doctoral Program of Platforms (WISE), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Satoko S Kimura
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Distinguished Doctoral Program of Platforms (WISE), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Stevens PE, Allen V, Bruck JN. A Quieter Ocean: Experimentally Derived Differences in Attentive Responses of Tursiops truncatus to Anthropogenic Noise Playbacks before and during the COVID-19-Related Anthropause. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13071269. [PMID: 37048525 PMCID: PMC10093046 DOI: 10.3390/ani13071269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The effects of anthropogenic noise continue to threaten marine fauna, yet the impacts of human-produced sound on the broad aspects of cognition in marine mammals remain relatively understudied. The shutdown of non-essential activities due to the COVID-19-related anthropause created an opportunity to determine if reducing levels of oceanic anthropogenic noise on cetaceans affected processes of sensitization and habituation for common human-made sounds in an experimental setting. Dolphins at Dolphin Quest Bermuda were presented with three noises related to human activities (cruise ship, personal watercraft, and Navy low-frequency active sonar) both in 2018 and again during the anthropause in 2021 via an underwater speaker. We found that decreased anthropogenic noise levels altered dolphin responses to noise playbacks. The dolphins spent significantly more time looking towards the playback source, but less time producing burst pulse and echolocation bouts in 2021. The dolphins looked towards the cruise ship sound source significantly more in 2021 than 2018. These data highlight that different sounds may incur different habituation and sensitization profiles and suggest that pauses in anthropogenic noise production may affect future responses to noise stimuli as dolphins dishabituate to sounds over time.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paige E. Stevens
- Department of Integrative Biology, Oklahoma State University, 501 Life Sciences West, Stillwater, OK 74074, USA
| | - Veda Allen
- Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, Stephen F. Austin University, SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962, USA
| | - Jason N. Bruck
- Department of Biology, Stephen F. Austin University, SFA Station, Nacogdoches, TX 75962, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Anthropogenic noise impairs cooperation in bottlenose dolphins. Curr Biol 2023; 33:749-754.e4. [PMID: 36638798 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.12.063] [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: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the impact of human disturbance on wildlife populations is of societal importance,1 with anthropogenic noise known to impact a range of taxa, including mammals,2 birds,3 fish,4 and invertebrates.5 While animals are known to use acoustic and other behavioral mechanisms to compensate for increasing noise at the individual level, our understanding of how noise impacts social animals working together remains limited. Here, we investigated the effect of noise on coordination between two bottlenose dolphins performing a cooperative task. We previously demonstrated that the dolphin dyad can use whistles to coordinate their behavior, working together with extreme precision.6 By equipping each dolphin with a sound-and-movement recording tag (DTAG-37) and exposing them to increasing levels of anthropogenic noise, we show that both dolphins nearly doubled their whistle durations and increased whistle amplitude in response to increasing noise. While these acoustic compensatory mechanisms are the same as those frequently used by wild cetaceans,8,9,10,11,12,13 they were insufficient to overcome the effect of noise on behavioral coordination. Indeed, cooperative task success decreased in the presence of noise, dropping from 85% during ambient noise control trials to 62.5% during the highest noise exposure. This is the first study to demonstrate in any non-human species that noise impairs communication between conspecifics performing a cooperative task. Cooperation facilitates vital functions across many taxa and our findings highlight the need to account for the impact of disturbance on functionally important group tasks in wild animal populations.
Collapse
|
7
|
Longden EG, Gillespie D, Mann DA, McHugh KA, Rycyk AM, Wells RS, Tyack PL. Comparison of the marine soundscape before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in dolphin habitat in Sarasota Bay, FL. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 152:3170. [PMID: 36586823 DOI: 10.1121/10.0015366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
During the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in vessel activity and associated noise have been reported globally. Sarasota Bay is home to a large and increasing number of recreational vessels as well as a long-term resident community of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus. Data were analyzed from two hydrophones to compare the soundscape during the COVID-19 pandemic to previous years (March-May 2020 and 2018/2019). Hourly metrics were calculated: vessel passes, 95th percentile sound levels [125 Hz and 16 kHz third octave bands (TOBs), and two broader bands: 88-1122 Hz and 1781-17 959 Hz], and dolphin whistle detection to understand changes in vessel activity and the effect on wildlife. Vessel activity increased during COVID-19 restrictions by almost 80% at one site and remained the same at the other site. Of the four sound level measures, only the 125 Hz TOB and 88-1122 Hz band increased with vessel activity at both sites, suggesting that these may be appropriate measures of noise from rapid pass-bys of small vessels in very shallow (<10 m) habitats. Dolphin whistle detection decreased during COVID-19 restrictions at one site but remained the same at the site that experienced increased vessel activity. The results suggest that pandemic effects on wildlife should not be viewed as homogeneous globally.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- E G Longden
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, United Kingdom
| | - D Gillespie
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, United Kingdom
| | - D A Mann
- Loggerhead Instruments, Inc., Sarasota, Florida 34238, USA
| | - K A McHugh
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida 34236, USA
| | - A M Rycyk
- Division of Natural Sciences, New College of Florida, Sarasota, Florida 34243, USA
| | - R S Wells
- Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida 34236, USA
| | - P L Tyack
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Antichi S, Urbán R. J, Martínez-Aguilar S, Viloria-Gómora L. Changes in whistle parameters of two common bottlenose dolphin ecotypes as a result of the physical presence of the research vessel. PeerJ 2022; 10:e14074. [PMID: 36225904 PMCID: PMC9549881 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.14074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
In the presence of vessels, dolphins have been found to change their habitat, behavior, group composition and whistle repertoire. The modification of the whistle parameters is generally considered to be a response to the engine noise. Little is known about the impact of the physical presence of vessels on dolphin acoustics. Whistle parameters of the coastal and oceanic ecotypes of common bottlenose dolphins in La Paz Bay, Mexico, were measured after the approach of the research vessel and its engine shutdown. Recordings of 10 min were made immediately after turning off the engine. For analysis, these recordings were divided from minute 0 to minute 5, and from minute 5:01 to minute 10. The whistles of the oceanic ecotype showed higher maximum, minimum and peak frequency in the second time interval compared to the first one. The whistle rate decreased in the second time interval. The whistles of the coastal ecotype showed no difference between the two time intervals. The physical presence of the research vessel could have induced a change in the whistle parameters of the oceanic dolphins until habituation to the vessel disturbance. The oceanic ecotype could increase the whistle rate and decrease the whistle frequencies to maintain acoustic contact more frequently and for longer distances. The coastal ecotype, showing no significant changes in the whistle parameters, could be more habituated to the presence of vessels and display a higher tolerance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Simone Antichi
- Departamento de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Jorge Urbán R.
- Departamento de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Sergio Martínez-Aguilar
- Departamento de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Lorena Viloria-Gómora
- Departamento de Ciencias Marinas y Costeras, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Jézéquel Y, Cones S, Jensen FH, Brewer H, Collins J, Mooney TA. Pile driving repeatedly impacts the giant scallop (Placopecten magellanicus). Sci Rep 2022; 12:15380. [PMID: 36100686 PMCID: PMC9470578 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-19838-6] [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: 07/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Large-scale offshore wind farms are a critical component of the worldwide climate strategy. However, their developments have been opposed by the fishing industry because of concerns regarding the impacts of pile driving vibrations during constructions on commercially important marine invertebrates, including bivalves. Using field-based daily exposure, we showed that pile driving induced repeated valve closures in different scallop life stages, with particularly stronger effects for juveniles. Scallops showed no acclimatization to repetitive pile driving across and within days, yet quickly returned to their initial behavioral baselines after vibration-cessation. While vibration sensitivity was consistent, daily pile driving did not disrupt scallop circadian rhythm, but suggests serious impacts at night when valve openings are greater. Overall, our results show distance and temporal patterns can support future mitigation strategies but also highlight concerns regarding the larger impact ranges of impending widespread offshore wind farm constructions on scallop populations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Youenn Jézéquel
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.
| | - Seth Cones
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.,MIT-WHOI Joint Program in Oceanography/Applied Ocean Science and Engineering, Cambridge, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - Frants H Jensen
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA.,Department of Biology, Syracuse University, 107 College Place, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Hannah Brewer
- Geology and Geophysics Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - John Collins
- Geology and Geophysics Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| | - T Aran Mooney
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
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
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Cetacean Acoustic Welfare in Wild and Managed-Care Settings: Gaps and Opportunities. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113312. [PMID: 34828040 PMCID: PMC8614506 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Whales and dolphins in managed-care and wild settings are exposed to human-made, anthropogenic sounds of varying degrees. These sounds can lead to potential negative welfare outcomes if not managed correctly in zoos or in the open ocean. Current wild regulations are based on generally broad taxa-based hearing thresholds, but there is movement to take other contextual factors into account, partially informed by researchers familiar with work in zoological settings. In this spirit, we present more nuanced future directions for the evaluation of acoustic welfare in both wild and managed-care settings, with suggestions for how research in both domains can inform each other as a means to address the paucity of research available on this topic, especially in managed-care environments. Abstract Cetaceans are potentially at risk of poor welfare due to the animals’ natural reliance on sound and the persistent nature of anthropogenic noise, especially in the wild. Industrial, commercial, and recreational human activity has expanded across the seas, resulting in a propagation of sound with varying frequency characteristics. In many countries, current regulations are based on the potential to induce hearing loss; however, a more nuanced approach is needed when shaping regulations, due to other non-hearing loss effects including activation of the stress response, acoustic masking, frequency shifts, alterations in behavior, and decreased foraging. Cetaceans in managed-care settings share the same acoustic characteristics as their wild counterparts, but face different environmental parameters. There have been steps to integrate work on welfare in the wild and in managed-care contexts, and the domain of acoustics offers the opportunity to inform and connect information from both managed-care settings and the wild. Studies of subjects in managed-care give controls not available to wild studies, yet because of the conservation implications, wild studies on welfare impacts of the acoustic environment on cetaceans have largely been the focus, rather than those in captive settings. A deep integration of wild and managed-care-based acoustic welfare research can complement discovery in both domains, as captive studies can provide greater experimental control, while the more comprehensive domain of wild noise studies can help determine the gaps in managed-care based acoustic welfare science. We advocate for a new paradigm in anthropogenic noise research, recognizing the value that both wild and managed-care research plays in illustrating how noise pollution affects welfare including physiology, behavior, and cognition.
Collapse
|
13
|
Abstract
Collective migration occurs throughout the animal kingdom, and demands both the interpretation of navigational cues and the perception of other individuals within the group. Navigational cues orient individuals towards a destination, while it has been demonstrated that communication between individuals enhances navigation through a reduction in orientation error. We develop a mathematical model of collective navigation that synthesizes navigational cues and perception of other individuals. Crucially, this approach incorporates uncertainty inherent to cue interpretation and perception in the decision making process, which can arise due to noisy environments. We demonstrate that collective navigation is more efficient than individual navigation, provided a threshold number of other individuals are perceptible. This benefit is even more pronounced in low navigation information environments. In navigation ‘blindspots’, where no information is available, navigation is enhanced through a relay that connects individuals in information-poor regions to individuals in information-rich regions. As an expository case study, we apply our framework to minke whale migration in the northeast Atlantic Ocean, and quantify the decrease in navigation ability due to anthropogenic noise pollution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S T Johnston
- Systems Biology Laboratory, School of Mathematics and Statistics, and Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - K J Painter
- Dipartimento Interateneo di Scienze, Progetto e Politiche del Territorio (DIST) Politecnico di Torino, Viale Pier Andrea Mattioli, Torino 39 10125, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Lu M, Zhang G, Luo J. Echolocating bats exhibit differential amplitude compensation for noise interference at a sub-call level. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb225284. [PMID: 32843365 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.225284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/15/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Flexible vocal production control enables sound communication in both favorable and unfavorable conditions. The Lombard effect, which describes a rise in call amplitude with increasing ambient noise, is a widely exploited strategy by vertebrates to cope with interfering noise. In humans, the Lombard effect influences the lexical stress through differential amplitude modulation at a sub-call syllable level, which so far has not been documented in animals. Here, we bridge this knowledge gap with two species of Hipposideros bats, which produce echolocation calls consisting of two functionally well-defined units: the constant-frequency (CF) and frequency-modulated (FM) components. We show that ambient noise induced a strong, but differential, Lombard effect in the CF and FM components of the echolocation calls. We further report that the differential amplitude compensation occurred only in the spectrally overlapping noise conditions, suggesting a functional role in releasing masking. Lastly, we show that both species of bats exhibited a robust Lombard effect in the spectrally non-overlapping noise conditions, which contrasts sharply with the existing evidence. Our data highlight echolocating bats as a potential mammalian model for understanding vocal production control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manman Lu
- School of Life Sciences and Hubei Key Lab of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Guimin Zhang
- School of Life Sciences and Hubei Key Lab of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
| | - Jinhong Luo
- School of Life Sciences and Hubei Key Lab of Genetic Regulation & Integrative Biology, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, China
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130117, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Guazzo RA, Helble TA, Alongi GC, Durbach IN, Martin CR, Martin SW, Henderson EE. The Lombard effect in singing humpback whales: Source levels increase as ambient ocean noise levels increase. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 148:542. [PMID: 32873020 DOI: 10.1121/10.0001669] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Many animals increase the intensity of their vocalizations in increased noise. This response is known as the Lombard effect. While some previous studies about cetaceans report a 1 dB increase in the source level (SL) for every dB increase in the background noise level (NL), more recent data have not supported this compensation ability. The purpose of this study was to calculate the SLs of humpback whale song units recorded off Hawaii and test for a relationship between these SLs and background NLs. Opportunistic recordings during 2012-2017 were used to detect and track 524 humpback whale encounters comprised of 83 974 units on the U.S. Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility hydrophones. Received levels were added to their estimated transmission losses to calculate SLs. Humpback whale song units had a median SL of 173 dB re 1 μPa at 1 m, and SLs increased by 0.53 dB/1 dB increase in background NLs. These changes occurred in real time on hourly and daily time scales. Increases in ambient noise could reduce male humpback whale communication space in the important breeding area off Hawaii. Since these vocalization changes may be dependent on location or behavioral state, more work is needed at other locations and with other species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Regina A Guazzo
- Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California 92152-5001, USA
| | - Tyler A Helble
- Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California 92152-5001, USA
| | | | - Ian N Durbach
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Saint Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Cameron R Martin
- Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California 92152-5001, USA
| | - Stephen W Martin
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California 92106, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Pedersen MB, Fahlman A, Borque-Espinosa A, Madsen PT, Jensen FH. Response to: The metabolic cost of whistling is low but measurable in dolphins. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 223:223/11/jeb224915. [PMID: 32513779 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.224915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael B Pedersen
- Zoophysiology, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, 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 C, 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.,Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Matthews LP, Fournet MEH, Gabriele C, Klinck H, Parks SE. Acoustically advertising male harbour seals in southeast Alaska do not make biologically relevant acoustic adjustments in the presence of vessel noise. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20190795. [PMID: 32264795 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquatically breeding harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) males use underwater vocalizations during the breeding season to establish underwater territories, defend territories against intruder males, and possibly to attract females. Vessel noise overlaps in frequency with these vocalizations and could negatively impact breeding success by limiting communication space. In this study, we investigated whether harbour seals employed anti-masking strategies to maintain communication in the presence of vessel noise in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Harbour seals in this location did not sufficiently adjust source levels or acoustic parameters of vocalizations to compensate for acoustic masking. Instead, for every 1 dB increase in ambient noise, signal excess decreased by 0.84 dB, indicating a reduction in communication space when vessels passed. We suggest that harbour seals may already be acoustically advertising at or near a biologically maximal sound level and therefore lack the ability to increase call amplitude to adjust to changes in their acoustic environment. This may have significant implications for this aquatically breeding pinniped, particularly for populations in high noise regions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Michelle E H Fournet
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Christine Gabriele
- Humpback Whale Monitoring Program, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, PO Box 140, Gustavus, AK 99826, USA
| | - Holger Klinck
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Susan E Parks
- Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Helble TA, Guazzo RA, Martin CR, Durbach IN, Alongi GC, Martin SW, Boyle JK, Henderson EE. Lombard effect: Minke whale boing call source levels vary with natural variations in ocean noise. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 147:698. [PMID: 32113274 DOI: 10.1121/10.0000596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Minke whales were acoustically detected, localized, and tracked on the U.S. Navy's Pacific Missile Range Facility from 2012 to 2017. Animal source levels (SLs) were estimated by adding transmission loss estimates to measured received levels of 42 159 individual minke whale boings. Minke whales off Hawaii exhibited the Lombard effect in that they increased their boing call intensity in increased background noise. Minke whales also decreased the variance of the boing call SL in higher background noise levels. Although the whales partially compensated for increasing background noise, they were unable or unwilling to increase their SLs by the same amount as the background noise. As oceans become louder, this reduction in communication space could negatively impact the health of minke whale populations. The findings in this study also have important implications for acoustic animal density studies, which may use SL to estimate probability of detection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tyler A Helble
- Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California 92152, USA
| | - Regina A Guazzo
- Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California 92152, USA
| | - Cameron R Martin
- Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific, San Diego, California 92152, USA
| | - Ian N Durbach
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Saint Andrews, United Kingdom
| | | | - Stephen W Martin
- National Marine Mammal Foundation, San Diego, California 92106, USA
| | - John K Boyle
- Applied Ocean Sciences, Fairfax Station, Virginia, 22039, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
19
|
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.
Collapse
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
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Knight K. Bottlenose dolphins turn up the volume less than other cetaceans. J Exp Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.218594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|