Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching
Disturbance from whale-watching can cause significant behavioural changes with fitness consequences for targeted whale populations. However, the sensory stimuli triggering these responses are unknown, preventing effective mitigation. Here, we test the hypothesis that vessel noise level is a driver o...
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eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd
2020
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crelifesciences:10.7554/elife.56760 2024-06-23T07:54:33+00:00 Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching Sprogis, Kate R Videsen, Simone Madsen, Peter T H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Natur og Univers, Det Frie Forskningsråd Independent Research Fund Denmark 2020 http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.56760 https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/56760/elife-56760-v2.pdf https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/56760/elife-56760-v2.xml https://elifesciences.org/articles/56760 en eng eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ eLife volume 9 ISSN 2050-084X journal-article 2020 crelifesciences https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.56760 2024-06-11T04:52:53Z Disturbance from whale-watching can cause significant behavioural changes with fitness consequences for targeted whale populations. However, the sensory stimuli triggering these responses are unknown, preventing effective mitigation. Here, we test the hypothesis that vessel noise level is a driver of disturbance, using humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) as a model species. We conducted controlled exposure experiments (n = 42) on resting mother-calf pairs on a resting ground off Australia, by simulating whale-watch scenarios with a research vessel (range 100 m, speed 1.5 knts) playing back vessel noise at control/low (124/148 dB), medium (160 dB) or high (172 dB) low frequency-weighted source levels (re 1 μPa RMS@1 m). Compared to control/low treatments, during high noise playbacks the mother’s proportion of time resting decreased by 30%, respiration rate doubled and swim speed increased by 37%. We therefore conclude that vessel noise is an adequate driver of behavioural disturbance in whales and that regulations to mitigate the impact of whale-watching should include noise emission standards. Article in Journal/Newspaper Megaptera novaeangliae eLife eLife 9 |
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eLife |
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crelifesciences |
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English |
description |
Disturbance from whale-watching can cause significant behavioural changes with fitness consequences for targeted whale populations. However, the sensory stimuli triggering these responses are unknown, preventing effective mitigation. Here, we test the hypothesis that vessel noise level is a driver of disturbance, using humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) as a model species. We conducted controlled exposure experiments (n = 42) on resting mother-calf pairs on a resting ground off Australia, by simulating whale-watch scenarios with a research vessel (range 100 m, speed 1.5 knts) playing back vessel noise at control/low (124/148 dB), medium (160 dB) or high (172 dB) low frequency-weighted source levels (re 1 μPa RMS@1 m). Compared to control/low treatments, during high noise playbacks the mother’s proportion of time resting decreased by 30%, respiration rate doubled and swim speed increased by 37%. We therefore conclude that vessel noise is an adequate driver of behavioural disturbance in whales and that regulations to mitigate the impact of whale-watching should include noise emission standards. |
author2 |
H2020 Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Natur og Univers, Det Frie Forskningsråd Independent Research Fund Denmark |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Sprogis, Kate R Videsen, Simone Madsen, Peter T |
spellingShingle |
Sprogis, Kate R Videsen, Simone Madsen, Peter T Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching |
author_facet |
Sprogis, Kate R Videsen, Simone Madsen, Peter T |
author_sort |
Sprogis, Kate R |
title |
Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching |
title_short |
Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching |
title_full |
Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching |
title_fullStr |
Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching |
title_full_unstemmed |
Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching |
title_sort |
vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching |
publisher |
eLife Sciences Publications, Ltd |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.56760 https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/56760/elife-56760-v2.pdf https://cdn.elifesciences.org/articles/56760/elife-56760-v2.xml https://elifesciences.org/articles/56760 |
genre |
Megaptera novaeangliae |
genre_facet |
Megaptera novaeangliae |
op_source |
eLife volume 9 ISSN 2050-084X |
op_rights |
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.56760 |
container_title |
eLife |
container_volume |
9 |
_version_ |
1802646730022322176 |