Skip to main content
View expanded cover

The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life pp 17–22Cite as

Effects of Underwater Noise on Marine Mammals

  • Conference paper

Part of the Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology book series (AEMB,volume 730)

Abstract

Public concern about the effects of underwater noise on marine mammals has steadily increased over the past few decades. Research programs have been developed around the globe to investigate noise impacts. Government departments in many countries regulate underwater noise emission. Industries, in particular the oil and gas industry, undertake environmental impact assessments of underwater noise expected from planned marine activities and submit these to regulatory agencies as part of a permit application process. Lawsuits have been brought against the Navy in an attempt to protect marine mammals from sonar testing. The number and diversity of stakeholders in the management of noise and marine animals is great. Marine Mammals and Noise (Richardson et al. 1995) was the first book to review and synthesize research on the noise effects on marine mammals. In the 15 years since then, a handful of review projects have been undertaken, with focus on specific aspects (e.g., Committee on Characterizing Biologically Significant Marine Mammal Behavior 2005; Committee on Potential Impacts of Ambient Noise in the Ocean on Marine Mammals 2003; National Research Council 2000; Nowacek et al. 2007; Southall et al. 2007).

Keywords

  • Marine Mammal
  • Ambient Noise
  • Noise Exposure
  • Hearing Threshold
  • Environmental Impact Assessment

These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-7311-5_3
  • Chapter length: 6 pages
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
eBook
USD   309.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-1-4419-7311-5
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Softcover Book
USD   399.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Hardcover Book
USD   399.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
Learn about institutional subscriptions
Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

References

  • Committee on Characterizing Biologically Significant Marine Mammal Behavior (2005) Marine mammal populations and ocean noise: Determining when noise causes biologically significant effects. National Academies Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Committee on Potential Impacts of Ambient Noise in the Ocean on Marine Mammals (2003) Ocean noise and marine mammals. National Academies Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cosens SE, Dueck LP (1988) Responses of migrating narwhal and beluga to icebreaker traffic at the Admiralty Inlet ice-edge, N.W.T. in 1986. In: Sackinger WM, Jeffries MO (eds) Port and ocean engineering under arctic conditions. Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, pp 39–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erbe C (2000) Detection of whale calls in noise: Performance comparison between a beluga whale, human listeners and a neural network. J Acoust Soc Am 108:297–303.

    PubMed  CrossRef  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Erbe C (2002) Underwater noise of whale-watching boats and potential effects on killer whales (Orcinus orca), based on an acoustic impact model. Mar Mamm Sci 18:394–418.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Erbe C (2008) Critical ratios of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) and masked signal duration. J Acoust Soc Am 124:2216–2223.

    PubMed  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Erbe C (2009) Underwater noise from pile driving in Moreton Bay, QLD. Acoust Aust 37:87–92.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erbe C (2010) Underwater acoustics: Noise and the effects on marine mammals, 3rd edn. Pocketbook, printed by JASCO Applied Sciences, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erbe C, Farmer DM (1998) Masked hearing thresholds of a beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) in icebreaker noise. Deep Sea Res II Top Stud Oceanogr 45:1373–1388.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Erbe C, Farmer DM (2000) Zones of impact around icebreakers affecting beluga whales in the Beaufort Sea. J Acoust Soc Am 108:1332–1340.

    PubMed  CrossRef  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Erbe C, King AR (2009) Modeling cumulative sound exposure around marine seismic surveys. J Acoust Soc Am 125:2443–2451.

    PubMed  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Erbe C, King AR, Yedlin M, Farmer DM (1999) Computer models for masked hearing experiments with beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas). J Acoust Soc Am 105:2967–2978.

    PubMed  CrossRef  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Finley KJ, Miller GW, Davis RA, Greene CR (1990) Reactions of belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) and narwhals (Monodon monoceros) to ice-breaking ships in the Canadian High Arctic. Can Bull Fish Aquat Sci 224:97–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucke K, Siebert U, Lepper PA, Blanchet MA (2009) Temporary shift in masked hearing thresholds in a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) after exposure to seismic airgun stimuli. J Acoust Soc Am 125:4060–4070.

    PubMed  CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council (2000) Marine mammals and low-frequency sound. National Academies Press, Washington, DC.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nowacek DP, Thorne LH, Johnston DW, Tyack PL (2007) Responses of cetaceans to anthropogenic noise. Mamm Rev 37:81–115.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson WJ, Greene CR Jr, Malme CI, Thomson DH (1995) Marine mammals and noise. Academic Press, San Diego, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ross D (1976) Mechanics of underwater noise. Pergamon Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Scrimger P, Heitmeyer RM (1991) Acoustic source-level measurements for a variety of merchant ships. J Acoust Soc Am 89:691–699.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • Southall BL, Bowles AE, Ellison WT, Finneran JJ, Gentry RL, Greene CR, Kastak D, Ketten DR, Miller JH, Nachtigall PE, Richardson WJ, Thomas JA, Tyack PL (2007) Marine mammal noise exposure criteria: Initial scientific recommendations. Aquat Mamm 33:412–522.

    CrossRef  Google Scholar 

  • US Department of the Navy (2009) Atlantic fleet active sonar training environmental impact statement/overseas environmental impact statement. Available via http://afasteis.gcsaic.com/docs.aspx. Accessed 5 April 2010.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright AJ, Deak T, Parsons ECM (2009) Size matters: Management of stress responses and chronic stress in beaked whales and other marine mammals may require larger exclusion zones. Mar Pollut Bull 31 December 2009. Available via http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2009.11.024:1879-3363.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre for Marine Science & Technology, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, 6102, Australia

    Christine Erbe

  2. JASCO Applied Sciences, Eight Mile Plains, Australia

    Christine Erbe

Authors
  1. Christine Erbe
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christine Erbe .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA

    Arthur N. Popper

  2. Loughine Limited, Kincraig, Blairs Aberdeen, UK

    Anthony Hawkins

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

Copyright information

© 2012 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this paper

Cite this paper

Erbe, C. (2012). Effects of Underwater Noise on Marine Mammals. In: Popper, A.N., Hawkins, A. (eds) The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 730. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7311-5_3

Download citation