Beyond counting calls: estimating detection probability for Antarctic blue whales reveals biological trends in seasonal calling
We explore the utility of estimating the density of calls of baleen whales for better understanding acoustic trends over time. We consider as a case study stereotyped ‘song’ calls of Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) on their Antarctic feeding grounds over the course of a year...
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Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1406678 https://doaj.org/article/0d9e2e9427d94bed87a727fb11da8c19 |
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:0d9e2e9427d94bed87a727fb11da8c19 2024-10-06T13:44:16+00:00 Beyond counting calls: estimating detection probability for Antarctic blue whales reveals biological trends in seasonal calling Franciele R. de Castro Danielle V. Harris Susannah J. Buchan Naysa Balcazar Brian S. Miller 2024-09-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1406678 https://doaj.org/article/0d9e2e9427d94bed87a727fb11da8c19 EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1406678/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-7745 2296-7745 doi:10.3389/fmars.2024.1406678 https://doaj.org/article/0d9e2e9427d94bed87a727fb11da8c19 Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol 11 (2024) acoustic propagation modelling Antarctic Southern Ocean Antarctic blue whale single hydrophone call density Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 article 2024 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1406678 2024-09-17T16:00:48Z We explore the utility of estimating the density of calls of baleen whales for better understanding acoustic trends over time. We consider as a case study stereotyped ‘song’ calls of Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) on their Antarctic feeding grounds over the course of a year-long, continuous recording from 2014. The recording was made in the Southern Ocean from a deep-water autonomous hydrophone moored near the seafloor in the Eastern Indian sector of the Antarctic. We estimated call density seasonally via a Monte-Carlo simulation based on the passive sonar equation, and compared our estimates to seasonal estimates of detection rate, which are commonly reported in acoustic studies of Antarctic blue whales. The resulting seasonal call densities at our Antarctic site were strongly influenced by seasonally varying noise levels, which in turn yielded seasonal differences in detection range. Incorporating the seasonal estimates of detection area into our analysis revealed a pattern of call densities in accord with historic (non-acoustic) knowledge of Antarctic blue whale seasonal distribution and migrations, a pattern that differed from seasonal detection rates. Furthermore, our methods for estimating call densities produced results that were more statistically robust for comparison across sites and time and more meaningful for interpretation of biological trends compared to detection rates alone. These advantages came at the cost of a more complex analysis that accounts for the large variability in detection range of different sounds that occur in Antarctic waters, and also accounts for the performance and biases introduced by automated algorithms to detect sounds. Despite the additional analytical complexities, broader usage of call densities, instead of detection rates, has the potential to yield a standardized, statistically robust, biologically informative, global investigation of acoustic trends in baleen whale sounds recorded on single hydrophones, especially in the remote and ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Balaenoptera musculus baleen whale baleen whales Blue whale Southern Ocean Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Antarctic Indian Southern Ocean The Antarctic Frontiers in Marine Science 11 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
acoustic propagation modelling Antarctic Southern Ocean Antarctic blue whale single hydrophone call density Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 |
spellingShingle |
acoustic propagation modelling Antarctic Southern Ocean Antarctic blue whale single hydrophone call density Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 Franciele R. de Castro Danielle V. Harris Susannah J. Buchan Naysa Balcazar Brian S. Miller Beyond counting calls: estimating detection probability for Antarctic blue whales reveals biological trends in seasonal calling |
topic_facet |
acoustic propagation modelling Antarctic Southern Ocean Antarctic blue whale single hydrophone call density Science Q General. Including nature conservation geographical distribution QH1-199.5 |
description |
We explore the utility of estimating the density of calls of baleen whales for better understanding acoustic trends over time. We consider as a case study stereotyped ‘song’ calls of Antarctic blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia) on their Antarctic feeding grounds over the course of a year-long, continuous recording from 2014. The recording was made in the Southern Ocean from a deep-water autonomous hydrophone moored near the seafloor in the Eastern Indian sector of the Antarctic. We estimated call density seasonally via a Monte-Carlo simulation based on the passive sonar equation, and compared our estimates to seasonal estimates of detection rate, which are commonly reported in acoustic studies of Antarctic blue whales. The resulting seasonal call densities at our Antarctic site were strongly influenced by seasonally varying noise levels, which in turn yielded seasonal differences in detection range. Incorporating the seasonal estimates of detection area into our analysis revealed a pattern of call densities in accord with historic (non-acoustic) knowledge of Antarctic blue whale seasonal distribution and migrations, a pattern that differed from seasonal detection rates. Furthermore, our methods for estimating call densities produced results that were more statistically robust for comparison across sites and time and more meaningful for interpretation of biological trends compared to detection rates alone. These advantages came at the cost of a more complex analysis that accounts for the large variability in detection range of different sounds that occur in Antarctic waters, and also accounts for the performance and biases introduced by automated algorithms to detect sounds. Despite the additional analytical complexities, broader usage of call densities, instead of detection rates, has the potential to yield a standardized, statistically robust, biologically informative, global investigation of acoustic trends in baleen whale sounds recorded on single hydrophones, especially in the remote and ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Franciele R. de Castro Danielle V. Harris Susannah J. Buchan Naysa Balcazar Brian S. Miller |
author_facet |
Franciele R. de Castro Danielle V. Harris Susannah J. Buchan Naysa Balcazar Brian S. Miller |
author_sort |
Franciele R. de Castro |
title |
Beyond counting calls: estimating detection probability for Antarctic blue whales reveals biological trends in seasonal calling |
title_short |
Beyond counting calls: estimating detection probability for Antarctic blue whales reveals biological trends in seasonal calling |
title_full |
Beyond counting calls: estimating detection probability for Antarctic blue whales reveals biological trends in seasonal calling |
title_fullStr |
Beyond counting calls: estimating detection probability for Antarctic blue whales reveals biological trends in seasonal calling |
title_full_unstemmed |
Beyond counting calls: estimating detection probability for Antarctic blue whales reveals biological trends in seasonal calling |
title_sort |
beyond counting calls: estimating detection probability for antarctic blue whales reveals biological trends in seasonal calling |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2024 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1406678 https://doaj.org/article/0d9e2e9427d94bed87a727fb11da8c19 |
geographic |
Antarctic Indian Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Indian Southern Ocean The Antarctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Balaenoptera musculus baleen whale baleen whales Blue whale Southern Ocean |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Balaenoptera musculus baleen whale baleen whales Blue whale Southern Ocean |
op_source |
Frontiers in Marine Science, Vol 11 (2024) |
op_relation |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2024.1406678/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-7745 2296-7745 doi:10.3389/fmars.2024.1406678 https://doaj.org/article/0d9e2e9427d94bed87a727fb11da8c19 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2024.1406678 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Marine Science |
container_volume |
11 |
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1812182663600013312 |