scholarly journals A key to quieter seas: half of ship noise comes from 15% of the fleet

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Veirs ◽  
Val Veirs ◽  
Rob Williams ◽  
Michael Jasny ◽  
Jason Wood
Keyword(s):  
Low Frequency ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
International Maritime Organization ◽  
Total Power ◽  
Underwater Noise ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Ocean Noise ◽  
Wide Range

Underwater noise pollution from ships is a chronic, global stressor impacting a wide range of marine species. Ambient ocean noise levels nearly doubled each decade from 1963-2007 in low-frequency bands attributed to shipping, inspiring a pledge from the International Maritime Organization to reduce ship noise and a call from the International Whaling Commission for member nations to halve ship noise within a decade. Our analysis of data from 1,582 ships reveals that half of the total power radiated by a modern fleet comes from just 15% of the ships, namely those with source levels above 179 dB re 1 μPa @ 1 m. We present a range of management options for reducing ship noise efficiently, including incentive-based programs, without necessarily regulating the entire fleet.

scholarly journals A key to quieter seas: half of ship noise comes from 15% of the fleet

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Veirs ◽  
Val Veirs ◽  
Rob Williams ◽  
Michael Jasny ◽  
Jason Wood
Keyword(s):  
Low Frequency ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
International Maritime Organization ◽  
Total Power ◽  
Underwater Noise ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Management Options ◽  
Ocean Noise ◽  
Wide Range

Underwater noise pollution from ships is a chronic, global stressor impacting a wide range of marine species. Ambient ocean noise levels nearly doubled each decade from 1963-2007 in low-frequency bands attributed to shipping, inspiring a pledge from the International Maritime Organization to reduce ship noise and a call from the International Whaling Commission for member nations to halve ship noise within a decade. Our analysis of data from 1,582 ships reveals that half of the total power radiated by a modern fleet comes from just 15% of the ships, namely those with source levels above 179 dB re 1 μPa @ 1 m. We present a range of management options for reducing ship noise efficiently, including incentive-based programs, without necessarily regulating the entire fleet.

scholarly journals Evidence of Cnidarians sensitivity to sound after exposure to low frequency noise underwater sources

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Solé ◽  
Marc Lenoir ◽  
José Manuel Fontuño ◽  
Mercè Durfort ◽  
Mike van der Schaar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fish Larvae ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Acoustic Trauma ◽  
Sensory Epithelium ◽  
Frequency Noise ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Sound Sources ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Jellyfishes represent a group of species that play an important role in oceans, particularly as a food source for different taxa and as a predator of fish larvae and planktonic prey. The massive introduction of artificial sound sources in the oceans has become a concern to science and society. While we are only beginning to understand that non-hearing specialists like cephalopods can be affected by anthropogenic noises and regulation is underway to measure European water noise levels, we still don’t know yet if the impact of sound may be extended to other lower level taxa of the food web. Here we exposed two species of Mediterranean Scyphozoan medusa, Cotylorhiza tuberculata and Rhizostoma pulmo to a sweep of low frequency sounds. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed injuries in the statocyst sensory epithelium of both species after exposure to sound, that are consistent with the manifestation of a massive acoustic trauma observed in other species. The presence of acoustic trauma in marine species that are not hearing specialists, like medusa, shows the magnitude of the problem of noise pollution and the complexity of the task to determine threshold values that would help building up regulation to prevent permanent damage of the ecosystems.

scholarly journals Dolphins simplify their vocal calls in response to increased ambient noise

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 20180484 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leila Fouda ◽  
Jessica E. Wingfield ◽  
Amber D. Fandel ◽  
Aran Garrod ◽  
Kristin B. Hodge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Ambient Noise ◽  
Bottlenose Dolphins ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Individual Identification ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Acoustic Feature ◽  
Ocean Noise ◽  
Anthropogenic Processes

Ocean noise varies spatially and temporally and is driven by natural and anthropogenic processes. Increased ambient noise levels can cause signal masking and communication impairment, affecting fitness and recruitment success. However, the effects of increasing ambient noise levels on marine species, such as marine mammals that primarily rely on sound for communication, are not well understood. We investigated the effects of concurrent ambient noise levels on social whistle calls produced by bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops truncatus ) in the western North Atlantic. Elevated ambient noise levels were mainly caused by ship noise. Increases in ship noise, both within and below the dolphins' call bandwidth, resulted in higher dolphin whistle frequencies and a reduction in whistle contour complexity, an acoustic feature associated with individual identification. Consequently, the noise-induced simplification of dolphin whistles may reduce the information content in these acoustic signals and decrease effective communication, parent–offspring proximity or group cohesion.

scholarly journals First observations of anthropogenic underwater noise in a large multi-use lake

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Bolgan ◽  
Emilia Chorazyczewska ◽  
Ian J. Winfield ◽  
Antonio Codarin ◽  
Joanne O'Brien ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fish Community ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Anthropogenic Noise ◽  
Underwater Noise ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
Spectral Content ◽  
Freshwater Organisms ◽  
Passive Acoustic ◽  
Inland Water Bodies

<p>Over the last fifty years, anthropogenic noise has increased dramatically in aquatic environments and is now recognised as a chronic form of pollution in coastal waters. However, this form of pollution has been largely neglected in inland water bodies. To date, very few studies have investigated the noise spectra in freshwater environments and at present no legislation exists to protect freshwater organisms from anthropogenic noise. The present study represents the first assessment of anthropogenic noise pollution in<strong> </strong>a large multi-use lake<strong> </strong>by characterising noise levels of the main ferry landings of the lake of Windermere, UK using Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM). During November 2014, acoustic samples (10 min long) were collected from such areas using a calibrated omni-directional hydrophone and their spectral content was analysed in 1/3 octave bands (dB re 1 µPa). Results indicate that the current noise levels in Windermere warrant further investigation as a potential threat to the fish community which occurs in this already delicate and pressured habitat. Based on results obtained, it is recommended that further studies focus on a wider geographical and temporal range in order to start to fill the knowledge and legislative gaps regarding anthropogenic noise monitoring in fresh waters. </p>

The trade-off analysis for the mitigation of underwater noise pollution from commercial vessels: Case study – Trans Mountain project, Port of Vancouver, Canada

2019 ◽  
Vol 234 (2) ◽  
pp. 599-617
Author(s):  
Seyedvahid Vakili ◽  
Aykut I Ölcer ◽  
Fabio Ballini
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Marine Species ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Traffic Density ◽  
Negative Externalities ◽  
Underwater Noise ◽  
Trade Off ◽  
Multiple Attribute

Although shipping has significant positive effect on human civilization, it introduced negative environmental impacts such as oil, air, and plastic pollutions. Many negative externalities through international and local regulations have been in place, and preventive actions have been taken to monitor and control. However, underwater noise pollution as an emerging negative shipping impact has not been well introduced to society nor appropriately regulated in international scale. Because of traffic density and the presence of sensitive marine species in some parts of the world, the negative social and environmental impacts of underwater noise pollution become more critical. Haro Strait due to high shipping traffic and presence of vulnerable marine species such as Southern Resident Killer Whale is a good example. The majority of ocean-going vessels transiting to Vancouver and vice versa pass through the corridor which includes Haro Strait. Tankers currently represent about 2% of total ship traffic visiting the Port of Vancouver; however, regarding the Trans Mountain Pipeline Expansion Project, the traffic density will grow by 11%, which will enhance the adverse impacts of underwater noise pollution on marine mammals. This study, by considering the features and characteristics of the area and the project, proposed four scenarios and modelling. The article by developing simulations and utilizing the Multiple Criteria Decision Making (Multiple Attribute Decision Making) algorithms and Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution techniques strives to trade-off between the environmental (noise and CO2 emission) and economical (fuel cost) aspects of the project to enhance the Decision Support System to promote sustainable development. This will help the decision makers to have a multi-dimensional thinking instead of the single-dimensional thinking in addressing and tackling the negative externalities of the Trans Mountain project in the area. Moreover, at the end of each scenario, a sensitivity analysis will be conducted to provide a clean environment for decision makers.

scholarly journals Seagrass Posidonia is impaired by human-generated noise

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Solé ◽  
Marc Lenoir ◽  
Mercè Durfort ◽  
José-Manuel Fortuño ◽  
Mike van der Schaar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Frequency ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Posidonia Oceanica ◽  
Vital Role ◽  
Ultrastructural Changes ◽  
Artificial Noise ◽  
Ocean Noise ◽  
Many Sources ◽  
Sound Vibration

AbstractThe last hundred years have seen the introduction of many sources of artificial noise in the sea environment which have shown to negatively affect marine organisms. Little attention has been devoted to how much this noise could affect sessile organisms. Here, we report morphological and ultrastructural changes in seagrass, after exposure to sounds in a controlled environment. These results are new to aquatic plants pathology. Low-frequency sounds produced alterations in Posidonia oceanica root and rhizome statocysts, which sense gravity and process sound vibration. Nutritional processes of the plant were affected as well: we observed a decrease in the number of rhizome starch grains, which have a vital role in energy storage, as well as a degradation in the specific fungal symbionts of P. oceanica roots. This sensitivity to artificial sounds revealed how sound can potentially affect the health status of P. oceanica. Moreover, these findings address the question of how much the increase of ocean noise pollution may contribute in the future to the depletion of seagrass populations and to biodiversity loss.

scholarly journals Above and below: Military Aircraft Noise in Air and under Water at Whidbey Island, Washington

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 923
Author(s):  
Lauren M. Kuehne ◽  
Christine Erbe ◽  
Erin Ashe ◽  
Laura T. Bogaard ◽  
Marena Salerno Collins ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Behavioral Changes ◽  
Sea Surface ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Underwater Noise ◽  
Military Aircraft ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Cumulative Duration ◽  
Noise Impacts

Military operations may result in noise impacts on surrounding communities and wildlife. A recent transition to more powerful military aircraft and a national consolidation of training operations to Whidbey Island, WA, USA, provided a unique opportunity to measure and assess both in-air and underwater noise associated with military aircraft. In-air noise levels (110 ± 4 dB re 20 µPa rms and 107 ± 5 dBA) exceeded known thresholds of behavioral and physiological impacts for humans, as well as terrestrial birds and mammals. Importantly, we demonstrate that the number and cumulative duration of daily overflights exceed those in a majority of studies that have evaluated impacts of noise from military aircraft worldwide. Using a hydrophone deployed near one runway, we also detected sound signatures of aircraft at a depth of 30 m below the sea surface, with noise levels (134 ± 3 dB re 1 µPa rms) exceeding thresholds known to trigger behavioral changes in fish, seabirds, and marine mammals, including Endangered Southern Resident killer whales. Our study highlights challenges and problems in evaluating the implications of increased noise pollution from military operations, and knowledge gaps that should be prioritized with respect to understanding impacts on people and sensitive wildlife.

scholarly journals Regression methods for evaluation of the underwater noise levels in the Slovenian Sea

2021 ◽  
Vol 0 (0) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreja Popit
Keyword(s):  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Correlation Method ◽  
Noise Pollution ◽  
Breaking Waves ◽  
Multiple Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Underwater Noise ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Anthropogenic Pressures ◽  
Marine Animals ◽  
Sea Levels

Abstract Anthropogenic underwater noise pollution of seas and oceans caused by shipping can have negative effects on marine animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate quantitatively how much the underwater noise levels in the Slovenian Sea were influenced by anthropogenic pressures and meteorological parameters in the period from 2015 until 2018. For this purpose, correlation method and least squares multiple linear regression analysis were used. The results of this study show that the correlation of underwater noise levels with the dredging activity is significant but low, while correlation with the ship densities is insignificant, which could be due to reduced sound wave propagation in the shallow sea levels. Correlation of the underwater noise levels with the wind speed was significant but low to medium, which could be explained by the breaking waves generated by the wind that produced sound.

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