Behavioural responses of fin whales to military mid-frequency active sonar
The effect of active sonars on marine mammal behaviour is a topic of considerable interest and scientific investigation. Some whales, including the largest species (blue whales, Balaenoptera musculus), can be impacted by mid-frequency (1–10 kHz) military sonars. Here we apply complementary experimen...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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The Royal Society
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Royal Society Open Science |
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| Online Access: | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231775 |
| _version_ | 1797360994001879040 |
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| author | Brandon L. Southall Ann N. Allen John Calambokidis Caroline Casey Stacy L. DeRuiter Selene Fregosi Ari S. Friedlaender Jeremy A. Goldbogen Catriona M. Harris Elliott L. Hazen Valentin Popov Alison K. Stimpert |
| author_facet | Brandon L. Southall Ann N. Allen John Calambokidis Caroline Casey Stacy L. DeRuiter Selene Fregosi Ari S. Friedlaender Jeremy A. Goldbogen Catriona M. Harris Elliott L. Hazen Valentin Popov Alison K. Stimpert |
| author_sort | Brandon L. Southall |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The effect of active sonars on marine mammal behaviour is a topic of considerable interest and scientific investigation. Some whales, including the largest species (blue whales, Balaenoptera musculus), can be impacted by mid-frequency (1–10 kHz) military sonars. Here we apply complementary experimental methods to provide the first experimentally controlled measurements of behavioural responses to military sonar and similar stimuli for a related endangered species, fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus). Analytical methods include: (i) principal component analysis paired with generalized additive mixed models; (ii) hidden Markov models; and (iii) structured expert elicitation using response severity metrics. These approaches provide complementary perspectives on the nature of potential changes within and across individuals. Behavioural changes were detected in five of 15 whales during controlled exposure experiments using mid-frequency active sonar or pseudorandom noise of similar frequency, duration and source and received level. No changes were detected during six control (no noise) sequences. Overall responses were more limited in occurrence, severity and duration than in blue whales and were less dependent upon contextual aspects of exposure and more contingent upon exposure received level. Quantifying the factors influencing marine mammal responses to sonar is critical in assessing and mitigating future impacts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:47:35Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-42941f20c4ed4274ac2478f9a4a44dad |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2054-5703 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T15:47:35Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | The Royal Society |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Royal Society Open Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-42941f20c4ed4274ac2478f9a4a44dad2024-01-09T09:59:12ZengThe Royal SocietyRoyal Society Open Science2054-57032023-12-01101210.1098/rsos.231775Behavioural responses of fin whales to military mid-frequency active sonarBrandon L. Southall0Ann N. Allen1John Calambokidis2Caroline Casey3Stacy L. DeRuiter4Selene Fregosi5Ari S. Friedlaender6Jeremy A. Goldbogen7Catriona M. Harris8Elliott L. Hazen9Valentin Popov10Alison K. Stimpert11Southall Environmental Associates, 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA 95003, USACascadia Research Collective, 218 ½ W 4th Avenue, Olympia, WA 98501, USACascadia Research Collective, 218 ½ W 4th Avenue, Olympia, WA 98501, USASouthall Environmental Associates, 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA 95003, USACalvin University, 3201 Burton Street SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546, USASouthall Environmental Associates, 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA 95003, USASouthall Environmental Associates, 9099 Soquel Drive, Suite 8, Aptos, CA 95003, USAHopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, 120 Ocean View Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USACentre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, The Observatory, St Andrews KY16 9LZ, UKInstitute of Marine Sciences, Long Marine Laboratory, University of Santa Cruz, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USACentre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, The Observatory, St Andrews KY16 9LZ, UKMoss Landing Marine Laboratories, San Jose State University, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USAThe effect of active sonars on marine mammal behaviour is a topic of considerable interest and scientific investigation. Some whales, including the largest species (blue whales, Balaenoptera musculus), can be impacted by mid-frequency (1–10 kHz) military sonars. Here we apply complementary experimental methods to provide the first experimentally controlled measurements of behavioural responses to military sonar and similar stimuli for a related endangered species, fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus). Analytical methods include: (i) principal component analysis paired with generalized additive mixed models; (ii) hidden Markov models; and (iii) structured expert elicitation using response severity metrics. These approaches provide complementary perspectives on the nature of potential changes within and across individuals. Behavioural changes were detected in five of 15 whales during controlled exposure experiments using mid-frequency active sonar or pseudorandom noise of similar frequency, duration and source and received level. No changes were detected during six control (no noise) sequences. Overall responses were more limited in occurrence, severity and duration than in blue whales and were less dependent upon contextual aspects of exposure and more contingent upon exposure received level. Quantifying the factors influencing marine mammal responses to sonar is critical in assessing and mitigating future impacts.https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231775noisemarine mammalsmid-frequency sonarfin whalesbehaviour |
| spellingShingle | Brandon L. Southall Ann N. Allen John Calambokidis Caroline Casey Stacy L. DeRuiter Selene Fregosi Ari S. Friedlaender Jeremy A. Goldbogen Catriona M. Harris Elliott L. Hazen Valentin Popov Alison K. Stimpert Behavioural responses of fin whales to military mid-frequency active sonar Royal Society Open Science noise marine mammals mid-frequency sonar fin whales behaviour |
| title | Behavioural responses of fin whales to military mid-frequency active sonar |
| title_full | Behavioural responses of fin whales to military mid-frequency active sonar |
| title_fullStr | Behavioural responses of fin whales to military mid-frequency active sonar |
| title_full_unstemmed | Behavioural responses of fin whales to military mid-frequency active sonar |
| title_short | Behavioural responses of fin whales to military mid-frequency active sonar |
| title_sort | behavioural responses of fin whales to military mid frequency active sonar |
| topic | noise marine mammals mid-frequency sonar fin whales behaviour |
| url | https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.231775 |
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