scholarly journals A Modeling Comparison of the Potential Effects on Marine Mammals from Sounds Produced by Marine Vibroseis and Air Gun Seismic Sources

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Marie-Noël R. Matthews ◽  
Darren S. Ireland ◽  
David G. Zeddies ◽  
Robert H. Brune ◽  
Cynthia D. Pyć
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Sound Propagation ◽  
Animal Movement ◽  
Evaluation Criteria ◽  
Threshold Function ◽  
Behavioral Disturbance ◽  
Marine Fauna ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Air Gun ◽  
Geophysical Surveys

Concerns about the potential environmental impacts of geophysical surveys using air gun sources, coupled with advances in geophysical surveying technology and data processing, are driving research and development of commercially viable alternative technologies such as marine vibroseis (MV). MV systems produce controllable acoustic signals through volume displacement of water using a vibrating plate or shell. MV sources generally produce lower acoustic pressure and reduced bandwidth (spectral content) compared to air gun sources, but to be effective sources for geophysical surveys they typically produce longer duration signals with short inter-signal periods. Few studies have evaluated the potential effects of MV system use on marine fauna. In this desktop study, potential acoustic exposure of marine mammals was estimated for MV and air gun arrays by modeling the source signal, sound propagation, and animal movement in representative survey scenarios. In the scenarios, few marine mammals could be expected to be exposed to potentially injurious sound levels for either source type, but fewer were predicted for MV arrays than air gun arrays. The estimated number of marine mammals exposed to sound levels associated with behavioral disturbance depended on the selection of evaluation criteria. More behavioral disturbance was predicted for MV arrays compared to air gun arrays using a single threshold sound pressure level (SPL), while the opposite result was found when using frequency-weighted sound fields and a multiple-step, probabilistic, threshold function.

scholarly journals The impact of the Messinian Salinity Crisis on marine biota

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Konstantina Agiadi ◽  
Niklas Hohmann ◽  
Giorgio Carnevale ◽  
Elsa Gliozzi ◽  
Constanza Faranda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Planktonic Foraminifera ◽  
Marine Ecosystem ◽  
Functional Change ◽  
Marine Biota ◽  
Messinian Salinity Crisis ◽  
Marine Fauna ◽  
Independent Evidence ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
The Impact

<p>The Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC) was the greatest paleoenvironmental perturbation the Mediterranean has ever seen. The literature is abundant in hypotheses on the repercussions of the MSC on organisms. However, all these are based on incomplete and still uncertain scenarios about the MSC evolution, as well as on the assumption that such a paleoenvironmental perturbation must have completely reset marine biota. Having prevailed for many decades now, this assumption has leaked from paleontology and geosciences to biological sciences, with numerous studies taking this scenario for granted instead of using it as a starting hypothesis to be tested. Here, we review and revise the marine fossil record across the Mediterranean from the Tortonian until the Zanclean to follow the current rules of nomenclature, correct misidentifications, and control for stratigraphic misplacements. We examine the composition of marine faunas, both taxonomically and considering the function of each group in the marine ecosystem and the transfer of energy through the marine food web. Specifically, we investigate the following functional groups: 1) primary producers, 2) secondary producers, 3) primary consumers, 4) secondary consumers, and 5) top predators. Our study includes sea grasses, phytoplankton, corals, benthic and planktonic foraminifera, bivalves, gastropods, brachiopods, echinoids, bryozoans, fishes, ostracods, and marine mammals. We calculate biodiversity indexes to provide independent evidence quantifying to what degree the marine fauna underwent:</p><ol><li>A drop of overall regional biodiversity of the Mediterranean due to environmental stress during the Messinian.</li> <li>A taxonomic and functional change between the Tortonian, Messinian, and the Zanclean, that is before and after the MSC, as well as during the precursor events to that actual crisis taking place after the Tortonian/Messinian boundary.</li> <li>The onset of the present-day west-to-east decreasing gradient in species richness, which has been related to the sea temperature and productivity gradients and the distance from the Gibraltar connection to the Atlantic.</li> </ol>

Noise Control Decision Process for Marine Vessels

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raymond W. Fischer ◽  
Louis M. Pettit
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Noise Control ◽  
Regulatory Body ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Radiated Noise ◽  
Underwater Radiated Noise ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Airborne Noise ◽  
Control Decision ◽  
Marine Vessels

There is a price to be paid to achieve compliance with the acoustic requirements imposed by regulatory agencies. Acoustic requirements typically appear in ship specifications as airborne and/or underwater radiated noise limits as the need to preclude hearing loss for crew members and the need to control sound levels experienced by marine mammals receive more recognition. Recent changes and additions to regulatory body requirements addressing compartment airborne noise and underwater radiated noise can be found in IMO Resolution MSC.337(91) Annex 1 and Annex 2 which state that IMO Resolution A.468(XII) “Code on Noise Levels Onboard Ships” shall take effect on 1 July 2014 for all SOLAS compliant vessels. Thus the airborne noise levels in compartments and at on-deck work stations onboard as-built ships seeking a SOLAS certificate will need to be measured, and must demonstrate compliance with noise limits stated in paragraph 4.2 of IMO Resolution A.468(XII). IMO “Guidelines for the Reduction of Underwater Noise from Commercial Shipping to Address Adverse Impacts on Marine Life” dated 7 April 2014 and agencies such as ICES and DNV have established guidance and/or criteria for control of underwater radiated noise from vessels, and these too are now commonly appearing in ship specifications. Specifications referencing such criteria typically require that compliance be demonstrated by at-sea testing of underwater radiated noise. Making the correct decisions during the ship design process will minimize costs for noise control and will provide a positive return on investment. The process of how best to comply with noise limits while minimizing costs through optimization of noise control treatments and design approaches is discussed.

Methodology for environmental impact assessment of underwater noise on marine mammals

2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (1) ◽  
pp. 467
Author(s):  
Dick Petersen ◽  
Antoine David ◽  
Darren Jurevicius
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Sound Propagation ◽  
Underwater Acoustics ◽  
Oil And Gas Industry ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Marine Ecology ◽  
Underwater Sound ◽  
Underwater Noise ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Marine Fauna

The oil and gas industry uses some exploration and production technologies that produce high levels of underwater sound, such as seismic surveys, underwater blasting for demolition and construction, and offshore piling. These underwater noise sources have the potential to impact marine species, which are usually reliant on sound instead of light as their primary sense for communication and sensing their environment. Regulatory interest in minimising the impacts of underwater noise on marine fauna is increasing. This paper presents a methodology for assessing these environmental impacts, with particular focus on cetaceans (whales and dolphins) and pinnipeds (seals and sea lions), although it can easily be adapted to other marine mammal species and fishes. It requires input from a variety of fields, such as: underwater acoustics for sound propagation modelling and source noise characterisation; marine bio-acoustics for determining the effects of sound on marine species’ hearing and communication; and marine ecology for identifying the marine species that may be affected and assessing the biological importance of noise-affected marine areas. These inputs are used in a risk assessment to assess the likely impacts of underwater noise on marine species, which is a collaborative effort by specialists in the fields of underwater acoustics, marine bio-acoustics and marine ecology.

A Review of the Effects of Seismic Surveys on Marine Mammals

2003 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 16-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Gordon ◽  
Douglas Gillespie ◽  
John Potter ◽  
Alexandros Frantzis ◽  
Mark P. Simmonds ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Decompression Sickness ◽  
Prey Availability ◽  
Biological Effects ◽  
Biological Significance ◽  
Hearing Threshold ◽  
Seismic Signal ◽  
Limited Range ◽  
Physiological Effects ◽  
Air Gun

This review highlights significant gaps in our knowledge of the effects of seismic air gun noise on marine mammals. Although the characteristics of the seismic signal at different ranges and depths and at higher frequencies are poorly understood, and there are often insufficient data to identify the appropriate acoustic propagation models to apply in particular conditions, these uncertainties are modest compared with those associated with biological factors. Potential biological effects of air gun noise include physical/physiological effects, behavioral disruption, and indirect effects associated with altered prey availability. Physical/physiological effects could include hearing threshold shifts and auditory damage as well as non-auditory disruption, and can be directly caused by sound exposure or the result of behavioral changes in response to sounds, e.g. recent observations suggesting that exposure to loud noise may result in decompression sickness. Direct information on the extent to which seismic pulses could damage hearing are difficult to obtain and as a consequence the impacts on hearing remain poorly known. Behavioral data have been collected for a few species in a limited range of conditions. Responses, including startle and fright, avoidance, and changes in behavior and vocalization patterns, have been observed in baleen whales, odontocetes, and pinnipeds and in some case these have occurred at ranges of tens or hundreds of kilometers. However, behavioral observations are typically variable, some findings are contradictory, and the biological significance of these effects has not been measured. Where feeding, orientation, hazard avoidance, migration or social behavior are altered, it is possible that populations could be adversely affected. There may also be serious long-term consequences due to chronic exposure, and sound could affect marine mammals indirectly by changing the accessibility of their prey species. A precautionary approach to management and regulation must be recommended. While such large degrees of uncertainty remain, this may result in restrictions to operational practices but these could be relaxed if key uncertainties are clarified by appropriate research.

Underwater noise and Arctic marine mammals: review and policy recommendations

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 438-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
William D. Halliday ◽  
Matthew K. Pine ◽  
Stephen J. Insley
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
The Arctic ◽  
Auditory Masking ◽  
Underwater Noise ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Marine Animals ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Ambient Sound

Underwater noise is an important issue globally. Underwater noise can cause auditory masking, behavioural disturbance, hearing damage, and even death for marine animals. While underwater noise levels have been increasing in nonpolar regions, noise levels are thought to be much lower in the Arctic where the presence of sea ice limits anthropogenic activities. However, climate change is causing sea ice to decrease, which is allowing for increased access for noisy anthropogenic activities. Underwater noise may have more severe impacts in the Arctic compared with nonpolar regions due to a combination of lower ambient sound levels and increased sensitivity of Arctic marine animals to underwater noise. Here, we review ambient sound levels in the Arctic, as well as the reactions of Arctic and sub-Arctic marine mammals to underwater noise. We then relate what is known about underwater noise in the Arctic to policies and management solutions for underwater noise and discuss whether Arctic-specific policies are necessary.

Open source acoustic model development for natural and protected environments

2021 ◽  
Vol 263 (4) ◽  
pp. 2184-2195
Author(s):  
Adwait Ambaskar ◽  
Victor Sparrow
Keyword(s):  
Open Source ◽  
Outdoor Recreation ◽  
Sound Propagation ◽  
Model Development ◽  
Propagation Model ◽  
Anthropogenic Sources ◽  
Visitor Experience ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Preliminary Version

Natural quiet and the sounds of nature are important natural resources and experiencing them is an important aspect of outdoor recreation experiences. Anthropogenic sound can negatively impact these resources and diminish the benefits realized from outdoor recreation. On public lands where many types of recreation share trails and landscapes, the sounds produced by some types of recreation (e.g., motorized recreation) can negatively impact the experiences of others. To effectively manage public resources including natural soundscapes and recreation opportunities, public land and recreation managers need an understanding of the effects of recreation-caused sounds like those associated with motorized recreation. Acoustic models for recreation and protected areas provide an essential tool to help in predicting sound levels generated by these anthropogenic sources and can aid in studying the extent of potential recreation conflicts, while providing a definite direction to mitigate such conflicts. An open source outdoor sound propagation model integrated with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) lays out a good foundation for mapping visitor experience affected by sound sources like gas compressors and motorized recreation sounds. The results thus produced present a preliminary version of an outdoor sound propagation tool, to assist parks and state forest services in making important management decisions to refine visitor experience.

Anthropogenic Sound: Effects on the Behavior and Physiology of Fishes

2003 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 35-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur N. Popper ◽  
Jane Fewtrell ◽  
Michael E. Smith ◽  
Robert D. McCauley
Keyword(s):  
Hearing Loss ◽  
Inner Ear ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Marine Invertebrates ◽  
Sound Level ◽  
Sensory Cells ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Anthropogenic Sounds ◽  
The Impact

Anthropogenic sound in the marine environment continues to increase. Sound sources range from increased vessel traffic to transient but intense sounds such as those produced by seismic air guns, pile driving, or some sonars. While most interest in anthropogenic sounds has focused on marine mammals, there is an increasing concern regarding the impact of such sounds on fishes and marine invertebrates. Since the inner ear hearing receptors of fishes are similar to those of marine mammals, any effects seen on the hearing receptors of marine mammals may also be found in fishes and vice versa. Despite increasing interest in the effects of sounds on fishes, this issue has only been addressed on the most limited scale. Here we review the current literature in this area. It has been reported that high sound levels can damage the inner ear sensory cells, produce hearing loss (threshold shifts), elicit stress responses, and alter the behavior of fishes. At least in terms of hearing loss, these effects are modulated by exposure sound level and duration. The effects of various types of sound (e.g., impulsive vs. continuous) and long-term impacts of how anthropogenic sounds affect the behavior and ecology of fishes need exploration in the future.

scholarly journals Northern bottlenose whales in a pristine environment respond strongly to close and distant navy sonar signals

2019 ◽  
Vol 286 (1899) ◽  
pp. 20182592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Wensveen ◽  
Saana Isojunno ◽  
Rune R. Hansen ◽  
Alexander M. von Benda-Beckmann ◽  
Lars Kleivane ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
Acoustic Environment ◽  
Sound Levels ◽  
Medium Resolution ◽  
Source Distance ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Beaked Whales ◽  
Northern Bottlenose Whales

Impact assessments for sonar operations typically use received sound levels to predict behavioural disturbance in marine mammals. However, there are indications that cetaceans may learn to associate exposures from distant sound sources with lower perceived risk. To investigate the roles of source distance and received level in an area without frequent sonar activity, we conducted multi-scale controlled exposure experiments ( n = 3) with 12 northern bottlenose whales near Jan Mayen, Norway. Animals were tagged with high-resolution archival tags ( n = 1 per experiment) or medium-resolution satellite tags ( n = 9 in total) and subsequently exposed to sonar. We also deployed bottom-moored recorders to acoustically monitor for whales in the exposed area. Tagged whales initiated avoidance of the sound source over a wide range of distances (0.8–28 km), with responses characteristic of beaked whales. Both onset and intensity of response were better predicted by received sound pressure level (SPL) than by source distance. Avoidance threshold SPLs estimated for each whale ranged from 117–126 dB re 1 µPa, comparable to those of other tagged beaked whales. In this pristine underwater acoustic environment, we found no indication that the source distances tested in our experiments modulated the behavioural effects of sonar, as has been suggested for locations where whales are frequently exposed to sonar.

scholarly journals Evaluating the effect of seismic surveys on fish — the efficacy of different exposure metrics to explain disturbance

2013 ◽  
Vol 70 (9) ◽  
pp. 1271-1277 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nils Olav Handegard ◽  
Tron Vedul Tronstad ◽  
Jens Martin Hovem
Keyword(s):  
Sound Propagation ◽  
Bottom Topography ◽  
Geometrical Model ◽  
Propagation Model ◽  
Sound Exposure ◽  
Disturbance Effects ◽  
Air Gun ◽  
Complex Propagation ◽  
Propagation Properties ◽  
Exposure Metrics

To assess potential disturbance effects on fish from seismic air-gun surveys, we described several metrics to characterize the exposures from such surveys, including the number of emissions by area and time, and metrics based on accumulated sound exposure levels (SEL). For the SEL-based metrics we used both a simple spherical–geometrical model and a model that incorporated physical sound propagation properties such as bottom topography and the vertical difference in sound speed. We applied the metrics to two experiments in Norwegian waters (the Nordkappbanken and Vesterålen experiments) where fish distributions and fisheries were affected by the air-guns, but where the disturbance was stronger in the Nordkappbanken case. The metrics based on the number of emissions by area and time showed a stronger impact in the Nordkappbanken case. For the SEL-based metrics, the simple sound propagation model failed because of artificially elevated levels close to the emissions, but for the more complex propagation model, contrary to expectations, a stronger SEL was found in the Vesterålen case. We conclude that simple sound propagation models should be avoided and that the reliance on sound energy metrics like SEL for disturbance effects must be interpreted with caution.

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