Lack of reproducibility of temporary hearing threshold shifts in a harbor porpoise after exposure to repeated airgun sounds:

• Main Authors: Kastelein, R.A., Helder-Hoek, L., Cornelisse, S.A., Benda-Beckmann, A.M. von, Lam, F.P.A., Jong, C.A.F. de, Ketten, D.R.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Acoustical Society of America 2020
• Subjects: Mammals; Central Nervous Systems; Cumulative Exposures; Free Swimming; Harbor Porpoise; Hearing Sensitivity; Hearing Threshold; Impulsive Sounds; Audition; Air Gun; Article; Audiography; Auditory Threshold; Central Nervous System; Controlled Study; Ear; Hearing Acuity; Nonhuman; Phocoena Phocoena; Reproducibility; Sound; Phocoena phocoena
• Online Access: http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:b5ffeee9-772e-4030-b476-2178bbdfdc01

Noise-induced temporary hearing threshold shift (TTS) was studied in a harbor porpoise exposed to impulsive sounds of scaled-down airguns while both stationary and free-swimming for up to 90 min. In a previous study, ∼4 dB TTS was elicited in this porpoise, but despite 8 dB higher single-shot and cumulative exposure levels (up to 199 dB re 1 μPa2s) in the present study, the porpoise showed no significant TTS at hearing frequencies 2, 4, or 8 kHz. There were no changes in the study animal's audiogram between the studies or significant differences in the fatiguing sound that could explain the difference, but audible and visual cues in the present study may have allowed the porpoise to predict when the fatiguing sounds would be produced. The discrepancy between the studies may have resulted from self-mitigation by the porpoise. Self-mitigation, resulting in reduced hearing sensitivity, can be achieved via changes in the orientation of the head, or via alteration of the hearing threshold by processes in the ear or central nervous system. © 2020 Acoustical Society of America.