Aerial low frequency hearing in captive and free-ranging harbour seals ( Phoca vitulina ) using auditory brainstem responses
The hearing sensitivity of 18 free-ranging and 10 captive harbour seals ( Phoca vitulina ) to aerial sounds was measured in the presence of typical environmental noise through auditory brainstem response measurements. A focus was put on the comparative hearing sensitivity at low frequencies. Low- an...
| Published in: | Journal of Comparative Physiology A |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
2016
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://research-portal.st-andrews.ac.uk/en/researchoutput/aerial-low-frequency-hearing-in-captive-and-freeranging-harbour-seals-phoca-vitulina-using-auditory-brainstem-responses(14a94a21-e812-447e-80dc-e8b23f0a16d4).html https://doi.org/10.1007/s00359-016-1126-8 https://research-repository.st-andrews.ac.uk/bitstream/10023/9739/1/Lucke_2016_Aerial_JCPA_CC.pdf |
| Summary: | The hearing sensitivity of 18 free-ranging and 10 captive harbour seals ( Phoca vitulina ) to aerial sounds was measured in the presence of typical environmental noise through auditory brainstem response measurements. A focus was put on the comparative hearing sensitivity at low frequencies. Low- and mid-frequency thresholds appeared to be elevated in both captive and free-ranging seals but this is likely due to masking effects and limitations of the methodology used. The data also showed individual variability in hearing sensitivity with probable age-related hearing loss found in two old harbour seals. These results suggest that the acoustic sensitivity of free-ranging animals was not negatively affected by the soundscape they experienced in the wild. |
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