The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array
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 in3 (51.3l) commerc...
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ftunivqespace:oai:espace.library.uq.edu.au:UQ:706586 2023-05-15T16:36:04+02:00 The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array Dunlop, Rebecca A Noad, Michael J McCauley, Robert D Kniest, Eric Slade, Robert Paton, David Cato, Douglas H 2017-12-13 https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:706586 eng eng Royal Society Publishing doi:10.1098/rspb.2017.1901 issn:1471-2954 issn:0962-8452 orcid:0000-0002-0427-6317 orcid:0000-0002-2799-8320 anthropogenic noise behavioural response study biological significance humpback whale seismic airgun 1100 Agricultural and Biological Sciences 1300 Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology 2300 Environmental Science 2400 Immunology and Microbiology Journal Article 2017 ftunivqespace https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1901 2020-12-22T13:22:05Z 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 in3 (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 received levels over 135 dB re 1 µPa2s. Article in Journal/Newspaper Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae The University of Queensland: UQ eSpace Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 284 1869 20171901 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The University of Queensland: UQ eSpace |
op_collection_id |
ftunivqespace |
language |
English |
topic |
anthropogenic noise behavioural response study biological significance humpback whale seismic airgun 1100 Agricultural and Biological Sciences 1300 Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology 2300 Environmental Science 2400 Immunology and Microbiology |
spellingShingle |
anthropogenic noise behavioural response study biological significance humpback whale seismic airgun 1100 Agricultural and Biological Sciences 1300 Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology 2300 Environmental Science 2400 Immunology and Microbiology Dunlop, Rebecca A Noad, Michael J McCauley, Robert D Kniest, Eric Slade, Robert Paton, David Cato, Douglas H The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array |
topic_facet |
anthropogenic noise behavioural response study biological significance humpback whale seismic airgun 1100 Agricultural and Biological Sciences 1300 Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular Biology 2300 Environmental Science 2400 Immunology and Microbiology |
description |
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 in3 (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 received levels over 135 dB re 1 µPa2s. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Dunlop, Rebecca A Noad, Michael J McCauley, Robert D Kniest, Eric Slade, Robert Paton, David Cato, Douglas H |
author_facet |
Dunlop, Rebecca A Noad, Michael J McCauley, Robert D Kniest, Eric Slade, Robert Paton, David Cato, Douglas H |
author_sort |
Dunlop, Rebecca A |
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 |
Royal Society Publishing |
publishDate |
2017 |
url |
https://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:706586 |
genre |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae |
genre_facet |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae |
op_relation |
doi:10.1098/rspb.2017.1901 issn:1471-2954 issn:0962-8452 orcid:0000-0002-0427-6317 orcid:0000-0002-2799-8320 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2017.1901 |
container_title |
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences |
container_volume |
284 |
container_issue |
1869 |
container_start_page |
20171901 |
_version_ |
1766026376687648768 |