The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array
© 2017 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved. Despite concerns on the effects of noise from seismic survey airguns on marine organisms, there remains uncertainty as to the biological significance of any response. This study quantifies and interprets the response of migrat...
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ftcurtin:oai:espace.curtin.edu.au:20.500.11937/62015 2023-06-11T04:13:56+02:00 The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array Dunlop, R. Noad, M. McCauley, Robert Kniest, E. Slade, R. Paton, D. Cato, D. 2017 restricted https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/62015 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1901 unknown The Royal Society Publishing http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/ http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/62015 doi:10.1098/rspb.2017.1901 Journal Article 2017 ftcurtin https://doi.org/20.500.11937/6201510.1098/rspb.2017.1901 2023-05-30T19:50:55Z © 2017 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved. Despite concerns on the effects of noise from seismic survey airguns on marine organisms, there remains uncertainty as to the biological significance of any response. This study quantifies and interprets the response of migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) to a 3130 in 3 (51.3l) commercial airgun array. We compare the behavioural responses to active trials (array operational; n = 34 whale groups), with responses to control trials (source vessel towing the array while silent; n = 33) and baseline studies of normal behaviour in the absence of the vessel (n = 85). No abnormal behaviours were recorded during the trials. However, in response to the active seismic array and the controls, the whales displayed changes in behaviour. Changes in respiration rate were of a similar magnitude to changes in baseline groups being joined by other animals suggesting any change group energetics was within their behavioural repertoire. However, the reduced progression southwards in response to the active treatments, for some cohorts, was below typical migratory speeds. This response was more likely to occur within 4 km from the array at recei ved levels over 135 dB re 1 µPa 2 .s. Article in Journal/Newspaper Megaptera novaeangliae Curtin University: espace Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 284 1869 20171901 |
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© 2017 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved. Despite concerns on the effects of noise from seismic survey airguns on marine organisms, there remains uncertainty as to the biological significance of any response. This study quantifies and interprets the response of migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) to a 3130 in 3 (51.3l) commercial airgun array. We compare the behavioural responses to active trials (array operational; n = 34 whale groups), with responses to control trials (source vessel towing the array while silent; n = 33) and baseline studies of normal behaviour in the absence of the vessel (n = 85). No abnormal behaviours were recorded during the trials. However, in response to the active seismic array and the controls, the whales displayed changes in behaviour. Changes in respiration rate were of a similar magnitude to changes in baseline groups being joined by other animals suggesting any change group energetics was within their behavioural repertoire. However, the reduced progression southwards in response to the active treatments, for some cohorts, was below typical migratory speeds. This response was more likely to occur within 4 km from the array at recei ved levels over 135 dB re 1 µPa 2 .s. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Dunlop, R. Noad, M. McCauley, Robert Kniest, E. Slade, R. Paton, D. Cato, D. |
spellingShingle |
Dunlop, R. Noad, M. McCauley, Robert Kniest, E. Slade, R. Paton, D. Cato, D. The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array |
author_facet |
Dunlop, R. Noad, M. McCauley, Robert Kniest, E. Slade, R. Paton, D. Cato, D. |
author_sort |
Dunlop, R. |
title |
The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array |
title_short |
The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array |
title_full |
The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array |
title_fullStr |
The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array |
title_full_unstemmed |
The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array |
title_sort |
behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array |
publisher |
The Royal Society Publishing |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/62015 https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1901 |
genre |
Megaptera novaeangliae |
genre_facet |
Megaptera novaeangliae |
op_relation |
http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/ http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/62015 doi:10.1098/rspb.2017.1901 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/20.500.11937/6201510.1098/rspb.2017.1901 |
container_title |
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
container_volume |
284 |
container_issue |
1869 |
container_start_page |
20171901 |
_version_ |
1768391400809824256 |