Predicting the exposure of diving grey seals to shipping noise

Leah Trigg; Feng Chen; Georgy Shapiro; Simon Ingram; Cecile Vincent; Dave Thompson; Debbie JF Russell; Matt Carter; Clare Embling

doi:10.1121/10.0001727

Predicting the exposure of diving grey seals to shipping noise

Leah Trigg^*, Feng Chen, Georgy Shapiro, Simon Ingram, Cecile Vincent, Dave Thompson, Debbie JF Russell, Matt Carter, Clare Embling

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

There is high spatial overlap between grey seals and shipping traffic, and the functional hearing range of grey seals indicates sensitivity to underwater noise emitted by ships. However, there is still very little data regarding the exposure of grey seals to shipping noise, constraining effective policy decisions. Particularly,
there are few predictions that consider the at-sea movement of seals. Consequently, this study aimed to predict the exposure of adult grey seals and pups to shipping noise along a three-dimensional movement track, and assess the influence of shipping characteristics on sound exposure levels. Using ship location data, a ship source model, and the acoustic propagation model, RAMSurf, this study estimated weighted 24-h sound exposure levels (10–1000 Hz) (SEL_w). Median predicted 24-h SEL_w was 128 and 142 dB re 1 μPa²s for the pups and adults, respectively. The predicted exposure of seals to shipping noise did not exceed best evidence thresholds for temporary threshold shift. Exposure
was mediated by the number of ships, ship source level, the distance between seals and ships, and the at-sea behaviour of the seals. The results can inform regulatory planning related to anthropogenic pressures on seal populations.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1014-1029
Journal	Journal of the Acoustical Society of America
Volume	148
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0001727
Publication status	Published - 26 Aug 2020

Access to Document

10.1121/10.0001727

Trigg-2020-Predicting-teh exposure-JASA-AAM
Copyright © 2020 Acoustical Society of America. This work has been made available online in accordance with publisher policies or with permission. Permission for further reuse of this content should be sought from the publisher or the rights holder. This is the author created accepted manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0001727
Accepted author manuscript, 18.4 MB

NERC NC National Public Good 2018 - 2023: Sea Mammal Research Unit NC-NPG activities to fulfill NERC's statutory duties.
Sparling, C. E. (PI) & Hall, A. J. (CoI)
1/04/18 → 31/03/23
Project: Standard

Cite this

@article{2ca5fb4c1e5841b588b1cc6421c587f3,

title = "Predicting the exposure of diving grey seals to shipping noise",

abstract = "There is high spatial overlap between grey seals and shipping traffic, and the functional hearing range of grey seals indicates sensitivity to underwater noise emitted by ships. However, there is still very little data regarding the exposure of grey seals to shipping noise, constraining effective policy decisions. Particularly, there are few predictions that consider the at-sea movement of seals. Consequently, this study aimed to predict the exposure of adult grey seals and pups to shipping noise along a three-dimensional movement track, and assess the influence of shipping characteristics on sound exposure levels. Using ship location data, a ship source model, and the acoustic propagation model, RAMSurf, this study estimated weighted 24-h sound exposure levels (10–1000 Hz) (SELw). Median predicted 24-h SELw was 128 and 142 dB re 1 μPa2s for the pups and adults, respectively. The predicted exposure of seals to shipping noise did not exceed best evidence thresholds for temporary threshold shift. Exposurewas mediated by the number of ships, ship source level, the distance between seals and ships, and the at-sea behaviour of the seals. The results can inform regulatory planning related to anthropogenic pressures on seal populations.",

author = "Leah Trigg and Feng Chen and Georgy Shapiro and Simon Ingram and Cecile Vincent and Dave Thompson and Russell, {Debbie JF} and Matt Carter and Clare Embling",

note = "Funding: D.J.F.R. and D.T. are supported by National Capability funding from NERC to SMRU (Grant No. SMRU1001).",

year = "2020",

month = aug,

day = "26",

doi = "10.1121/10.0001727",

language = "English",

volume = "148",

pages = "1014--1029",

journal = "Journal of the Acoustical Society of America",

issn = "0001-4966",

publisher = "Acoustical Society of America (ASA)",

number = "2",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Predicting the exposure of diving grey seals to shipping noise

AU - Trigg, Leah

AU - Chen, Feng

AU - Shapiro, Georgy

AU - Ingram, Simon

AU - Vincent, Cecile

AU - Thompson, Dave

AU - Russell, Debbie JF

AU - Carter, Matt

AU - Embling, Clare

N1 - Funding: D.J.F.R. and D.T. are supported by National Capability funding from NERC to SMRU (Grant No. SMRU1001).

PY - 2020/8/26

Y1 - 2020/8/26

N2 - There is high spatial overlap between grey seals and shipping traffic, and the functional hearing range of grey seals indicates sensitivity to underwater noise emitted by ships. However, there is still very little data regarding the exposure of grey seals to shipping noise, constraining effective policy decisions. Particularly, there are few predictions that consider the at-sea movement of seals. Consequently, this study aimed to predict the exposure of adult grey seals and pups to shipping noise along a three-dimensional movement track, and assess the influence of shipping characteristics on sound exposure levels. Using ship location data, a ship source model, and the acoustic propagation model, RAMSurf, this study estimated weighted 24-h sound exposure levels (10–1000 Hz) (SELw). Median predicted 24-h SELw was 128 and 142 dB re 1 μPa2s for the pups and adults, respectively. The predicted exposure of seals to shipping noise did not exceed best evidence thresholds for temporary threshold shift. Exposurewas mediated by the number of ships, ship source level, the distance between seals and ships, and the at-sea behaviour of the seals. The results can inform regulatory planning related to anthropogenic pressures on seal populations.

AB - There is high spatial overlap between grey seals and shipping traffic, and the functional hearing range of grey seals indicates sensitivity to underwater noise emitted by ships. However, there is still very little data regarding the exposure of grey seals to shipping noise, constraining effective policy decisions. Particularly, there are few predictions that consider the at-sea movement of seals. Consequently, this study aimed to predict the exposure of adult grey seals and pups to shipping noise along a three-dimensional movement track, and assess the influence of shipping characteristics on sound exposure levels. Using ship location data, a ship source model, and the acoustic propagation model, RAMSurf, this study estimated weighted 24-h sound exposure levels (10–1000 Hz) (SELw). Median predicted 24-h SELw was 128 and 142 dB re 1 μPa2s for the pups and adults, respectively. The predicted exposure of seals to shipping noise did not exceed best evidence thresholds for temporary threshold shift. Exposurewas mediated by the number of ships, ship source level, the distance between seals and ships, and the at-sea behaviour of the seals. The results can inform regulatory planning related to anthropogenic pressures on seal populations.

U2 - 10.1121/10.0001727

DO - 10.1121/10.0001727

M3 - Article

SN - 0001-4966

VL - 148

SP - 1014

EP - 1029

JO - Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

JF - Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

IS - 2

ER -

Predicting the exposure of diving grey seals to shipping noise

Abstract

Access to Document

Fingerprint

Projects

NERC NC National Public Good 2018 - 2023: Sea Mammal Research Unit NC-NPG activities to fulfill NERC's statutory duties.

Cite this