Acoustical Behavior of Delphinid Whistles in the Presence of an Underwater Explosion Event in the Mediterranean Coastal Waters of Spain
Underwater noise is a significant pollutant produced by anthropogenic activities carried out in the sea. Several types of acoustic sources can potentially have adverse impacts on marine fauna, especially on cetaceans. The vocalization response of cetaceans to underwater noise varies depending on noi...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-04-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/4/780 |
| _version_ | 1797604805456166912 |
|---|---|
| author | Guillermo Lara Manuel Bou-Cabo Susana Llorens Ramón Miralles Víctor Espinosa |
| author_facet | Guillermo Lara Manuel Bou-Cabo Susana Llorens Ramón Miralles Víctor Espinosa |
| author_sort | Guillermo Lara |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Underwater noise is a significant pollutant produced by anthropogenic activities carried out in the sea. Several types of acoustic sources can potentially have adverse impacts on marine fauna, especially on cetaceans. The vocalization response of cetaceans to underwater noise varies depending on noise characteristics such as duration, bandwidth, and intensity, as well as the species being insonified. Some studies report changes in vocalization properties due to continuous noise, but there is a lack of knowledge regarding impulsive noise sources, especially those related to explosive events. It is known that underwater explosions represent a serious threat to marine fauna because it produces one of the highest sound pressure levels introduced by anthropogenic activities. In this communication, an opportunistic study related to changes in the dolphin vocalizations was performed by considering two scenarios (i.e., before and after a detonation event). The acoustic raw data were recorded by a passive acoustic device installed in a mooring line deployed in the Mediterranean coast of Spain. The objective of the experimental installation was to monitor the underwater sound pressure level in the framework of the development of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) in Spain. A detonation event of unknown origin was recorded during the monitoring period while Delphinids were vocalizing, allowing for the observation of their acoustic reaction to the explosion. The study considers the number of vocalizations, morphology of whistles, and spectral characteristics before and after the explosion. The results obtained indicate that the number of whistles, their complexity in terms of morphology, and spectral components vary due to the explosive event, showing significant differences that will be presented and discussed in this communication. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:51:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5c5de44c589940a79e910417b53848ba |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T04:51:58Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-5c5de44c589940a79e910417b53848ba2023-11-17T19:55:56ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122023-04-0111478010.3390/jmse11040780Acoustical Behavior of Delphinid Whistles in the Presence of an Underwater Explosion Event in the Mediterranean Coastal Waters of SpainGuillermo Lara0Manuel Bou-Cabo1Susana Llorens2Ramón Miralles3Víctor Espinosa4Instituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), C.O. Murcia, C/ el Varadero 1, Lo Pagan, 30740 Murcia, SpainInstituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), C.O. Murcia, C/ el Varadero 1, Lo Pagan, 30740 Murcia, SpainInstituto Español de Oceanografía (IEO), C.O. Murcia, C/ el Varadero 1, Lo Pagan, 30740 Murcia, SpainInstitute of Telecommunications and Multimedia Applications (iTEAM), Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), Camino de Vera S/N, 46022 Valencia, SpainUnidad Mixta de Investigación IEO (CSIC)-UPV, Tinglados Muelle Frutero, Grau de Gandia, 46370 Valencia, SpainUnderwater noise is a significant pollutant produced by anthropogenic activities carried out in the sea. Several types of acoustic sources can potentially have adverse impacts on marine fauna, especially on cetaceans. The vocalization response of cetaceans to underwater noise varies depending on noise characteristics such as duration, bandwidth, and intensity, as well as the species being insonified. Some studies report changes in vocalization properties due to continuous noise, but there is a lack of knowledge regarding impulsive noise sources, especially those related to explosive events. It is known that underwater explosions represent a serious threat to marine fauna because it produces one of the highest sound pressure levels introduced by anthropogenic activities. In this communication, an opportunistic study related to changes in the dolphin vocalizations was performed by considering two scenarios (i.e., before and after a detonation event). The acoustic raw data were recorded by a passive acoustic device installed in a mooring line deployed in the Mediterranean coast of Spain. The objective of the experimental installation was to monitor the underwater sound pressure level in the framework of the development of the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) in Spain. A detonation event of unknown origin was recorded during the monitoring period while Delphinids were vocalizing, allowing for the observation of their acoustic reaction to the explosion. The study considers the number of vocalizations, morphology of whistles, and spectral characteristics before and after the explosion. The results obtained indicate that the number of whistles, their complexity in terms of morphology, and spectral components vary due to the explosive event, showing significant differences that will be presented and discussed in this communication.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/4/780underwater noisedetonationbioacousticsdolphin vocalization whistle |
| spellingShingle | Guillermo Lara Manuel Bou-Cabo Susana Llorens Ramón Miralles Víctor Espinosa Acoustical Behavior of Delphinid Whistles in the Presence of an Underwater Explosion Event in the Mediterranean Coastal Waters of Spain Journal of Marine Science and Engineering underwater noise detonation bioacoustics dolphin vocalization whistle |
| title | Acoustical Behavior of Delphinid Whistles in the Presence of an Underwater Explosion Event in the Mediterranean Coastal Waters of Spain |
| title_full | Acoustical Behavior of Delphinid Whistles in the Presence of an Underwater Explosion Event in the Mediterranean Coastal Waters of Spain |
| title_fullStr | Acoustical Behavior of Delphinid Whistles in the Presence of an Underwater Explosion Event in the Mediterranean Coastal Waters of Spain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Acoustical Behavior of Delphinid Whistles in the Presence of an Underwater Explosion Event in the Mediterranean Coastal Waters of Spain |
| title_short | Acoustical Behavior of Delphinid Whistles in the Presence of an Underwater Explosion Event in the Mediterranean Coastal Waters of Spain |
| title_sort | acoustical behavior of delphinid whistles in the presence of an underwater explosion event in the mediterranean coastal waters of spain |
| topic | underwater noise detonation bioacoustics dolphin vocalization whistle |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/11/4/780 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT guillermolara acousticalbehaviorofdelphinidwhistlesinthepresenceofanunderwaterexplosioneventinthemediterraneancoastalwatersofspain AT manuelboucabo acousticalbehaviorofdelphinidwhistlesinthepresenceofanunderwaterexplosioneventinthemediterraneancoastalwatersofspain AT susanallorens acousticalbehaviorofdelphinidwhistlesinthepresenceofanunderwaterexplosioneventinthemediterraneancoastalwatersofspain AT ramonmiralles acousticalbehaviorofdelphinidwhistlesinthepresenceofanunderwaterexplosioneventinthemediterraneancoastalwatersofspain AT victorespinosa acousticalbehaviorofdelphinidwhistlesinthepresenceofanunderwaterexplosioneventinthemediterraneancoastalwatersofspain |