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Hearing thresholds of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) for playbacks of seal scarer signals, and effects of the signals on behavior

  • OFFSHORE WIND FARM IMPACTS
  • Published:
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Abstract

Acoustic mitigation devices (AMDs) are used to deter marine mammals from construction sites to prevent hearing injury by offshore pile-driving noise. In order to quantify the distance at which AMDs designed as ‘seal scarers’ are detected by seals, the 50% hearing thresholds for playbacks of their sounds were determined. The broadband hearing threshold sound pressure levels (SPLs) of two harbor seals for signals from two AMDs were similar (63–69 dB re 1 μPa, rms). Effects of the AMDs on the seals’ behavior were quantified at three SPLs: one which just did not cause behavioral changes, one which caused one of the seals to haul out occasionally, and one which caused one of the seals to haul out more than 10% of the time. The corresponding mean received SPLs were, respectively, Ace Aquatec: 109, 124, and 134 dB re 1 μPa, rms; Lofitech: 128, 133, and 138 dB re 1 μPa, rms. Thus at similar received levels, the Ace Aquatec seems more effective than the Lofitech in deterring harbor seals. Detection and behavioral response distances of the AMD sounds for harbor seals at sea can be estimated by combining the results from the present study with data on AMD source levels, propagation conditions, and background noise levels near construction sites.

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Acknowledgments

We thank research assistant Martijn Dieleman, students Stefan van Baest, Amy Verhoeven, Loek van der Drift and Tess van der Drift, and volunteers Brigitte Slingerland, Jesse Dijkhuizen and Saskia Roose for their help in collecting the data, and Rob Triesscheijn for making the figures. We thank Veenhuis Medical Audio (Marco Veenhuis and Herman Walstra) for donating and modifying the audiometer, and Arie Smink for the design, construction, and maintenance of the electronic equipment. We thank Bert Meijering (Topsy Baits) for providing space for the SEAMARCO Research Institute. Erwin Jansen (TNO) conducted the acoustic calibration measurements. We also thank Willem Verboom (JunoBioacoustics), and two anonymous reviewers for their valuable constructive comments on this manuscript. Funding for this project was obtained from Collaborative Offshore Windfarm Research into the Environment (COWRIE, UK, contract AMD-08-09). We thank Eleanor Partridge (NatureBureau) for her guidance on behalf of the commissioner. We thank Ecomare for making the harbor seals available for this project and Subacoustic Ltd for providing the recordings of the AMD sounds. The seals’ training and testing were conducted under authorization of the Netherlands Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, Department of Nature Management, with Endangered Species Permit FF/75A/2009/039.

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Author notes

  1. Robin Gransier

    Present address: ExpORL, Department of Neurosciences, KU Leuven, Onderwijs en Navorsing 2, Herestraat 49 bus 721, 3000, Louvain, Belgium

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sea Mammal Research Company (SEAMARCO), Julianalaan 46, 3843 CC, Harderwijk, The Netherlands

    Ronald A. Kastelein, Lean Helder-Hoek & Robin Gransier

  2. Department of Biology, The University of New Brunswick, P.O. Box 5050, Saint John, NB, E2L 4L5, Canada

    John M. Terhune

  3. Dotmoth, 1 Mendip Villas, Crabtree Lane, Dundry, Bristol, BS41 8LN, UK

    Nancy Jennings

  4. TNO, Sonar and Acoustics, Oude Waalsdorperweg 63, 2597 AK, Den Haag, The Netherlands

    Christ A. F. de Jong

Authors
  1. Ronald A. Kastelein
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  2. Lean Helder-Hoek
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  3. Robin Gransier
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  4. John M. Terhune
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  5. Nancy Jennings
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  6. Christ A. F. de Jong
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ronald A. Kastelein.

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Guest editors: Steven Degraer, Jennifer Dannheim, Andrew B. Gill, Han Lindeboom & Dan Wilhelmsson / Environmental impacts of offshore wind farms

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Kastelein, R.A., Helder-Hoek, L., Gransier, R. et al. Hearing thresholds of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) for playbacks of seal scarer signals, and effects of the signals on behavior. Hydrobiologia 756, 75–88 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-014-2152-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-014-2152-6

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