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...
Published in: | eLife |
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ftuniaarhuspubl:oai:pure.atira.dk:publications/f1fc7bf7-2766-46bf-a7b5-1f476a2555a9 2023-05-15T16:36:02+02:00 Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching Sprogis, Kate R. Videsen, Simone Madsen, Peter T. 2020-06 https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/vessel-noise-levels-drive-behavioural-responses-of-humpback-whales-with-implications-for-whalewatching(f1fc7bf7-2766-46bf-a7b5-1f476a2555a9).html https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.56760 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087434586&partnerID=8YFLogxK eng eng info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Sprogis , K R , Videsen , S & Madsen , P T 2020 , ' Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching ' , eLife , vol. 9 , e56760 . https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.56760 anthropogenic noise behavioural response cetacean controlled exposure experiment ecology humpback whale unmanned aerial vehicle article 2020 ftuniaarhuspubl https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.56760 2020-07-18T22:23:53Z 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 Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Aarhus University: Research eLife 9 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Aarhus University: Research |
op_collection_id |
ftuniaarhuspubl |
language |
English |
topic |
anthropogenic noise behavioural response cetacean controlled exposure experiment ecology humpback whale unmanned aerial vehicle |
spellingShingle |
anthropogenic noise behavioural response cetacean controlled exposure experiment ecology humpback whale unmanned aerial vehicle Sprogis, Kate R. Videsen, Simone Madsen, Peter T. Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching |
topic_facet |
anthropogenic noise behavioural response cetacean controlled exposure experiment ecology humpback whale unmanned aerial vehicle |
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. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Sprogis, Kate R. Videsen, Simone Madsen, Peter T. |
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 |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://pure.au.dk/portal/da/publications/vessel-noise-levels-drive-behavioural-responses-of-humpback-whales-with-implications-for-whalewatching(f1fc7bf7-2766-46bf-a7b5-1f476a2555a9).html https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.56760 http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85087434586&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
genre |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae |
genre_facet |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae |
op_source |
Sprogis , K R , Videsen , S & Madsen , P T 2020 , ' Vessel noise levels drive behavioural responses of humpback whales with implications for whale-watching ' , eLife , vol. 9 , e56760 . https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.56760 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.56760 |
container_title |
eLife |
container_volume |
9 |
_version_ |
1766026341115756544 |