Shipping noise in a dynamic sea: a case study of grey seals in the Celtic Sea

F. Chen; G. I. Shapiro; K. A. Bennett; S. N. Ingram; D. Thompson; C. Vincent; D. J. F. Russell; C. B. Embling

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.09.054

Shipping noise in a dynamic sea: a case study of grey seals in the Celtic Sea

F. Chen, G. I. Shapiro, K. A. Bennett, S. N. Ingram, D. Thompson, C. Vincent, D. J. F. Russell, C. B. Embling

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Abstract

Shipping noise is a threat to marine wildlife. Grey seals are benthic foragers, and thus experience acoustic noise throughout the water column, which makes them a good model species for a case study of the potential impacts of shipping noise. We used ship track data from the Celtic Sea, seal track data and a coupled ocean-acoustic modelling system to assess the noise exposure of grey seals along their tracks. It was found that the animals experience step changes in sound levels up to ~ 20 dB at a frequency of 125 Hz, and ~ 10 dB on average over 10–1000 Hz when they dive through the thermocline, particularly during summer. Our results showed large seasonal differences in the noise level experienced by the seals. These results reveal the actual noise exposure by the animals and could help in marine spatial planning.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	372-383
Journal	Marine Pollution Bulletin
Volume	114
Issue number	1
Early online date	24 Sept 2016
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.09.054
Publication status	Published - 15 Jan 2017

Keywords

Anthropogenic noise
Marine animals
Sound propagation
Acoustic modelling
Ocean fronts

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.09.054

Chen_2016_Shipping_MarinePollutBulletin_AAM
© 2016, Published by Elsevier. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the author created, accepted version manuscript following peer review and may differ slightly from the final published version. The final published version of this work is available at www.sciencedirect.com / https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.09.054
Accepted author manuscript, 2.61 MB

NERC Core Grant: SMRU NERC Core Grant
Hall, A. J. (PI)
NERC
1/04/10 → 31/03/23
Project: Standard

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title = "Shipping noise in a dynamic sea: a case study of grey seals in the Celtic Sea",

abstract = "Shipping noise is a threat to marine wildlife. Grey seals are benthic foragers, and thus experience acoustic noise throughout the water column, which makes them a good model species for a case study of the potential impacts of shipping noise. We used ship track data from the Celtic Sea, seal track data and a coupled ocean-acoustic modelling system to assess the noise exposure of grey seals along their tracks. It was found that the animals experience step changes in sound levels up to ~ 20 dB at a frequency of 125 Hz, and ~ 10 dB on average over 10–1000 Hz when they dive through the thermocline, particularly during summer. Our results showed large seasonal differences in the noise level experienced by the seals. These results reveal the actual noise exposure by the animals and could help in marine spatial planning.",

keywords = "Anthropogenic noise, Marine animals, Sound propagation, Acoustic modelling, Ocean fronts",

author = "F. Chen and Shapiro, {G. I.} and Bennett, {K. A.} and Ingram, {S. N.} and D. Thompson and C. Vincent and Russell, {D. J. F.} and Embling, {C. B.}",

note = "This study was supported by the EU (via PERSEUS grant FP7-OCEAN-2011-287600 and MyOcean SPA.2011.1.5-01 grant 283367). In addition, C.B. Embling was supported by the 2014 SoMSE Plymouth University Small (grant number 2014-SoMSE) research grant. D.J.F. Russell and D. Thompson were supported by the National Capability funding from the Natural Environment Research Council to the Sea Mammal Research Unit (grant no. SMRU1001). C. Vincent was supported by the Parc naturel marin d'Iroise and R{\'e}gion Poitou – Charentes (grant number 782423).",

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AU - Chen, F.

AU - Shapiro, G. I.

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AU - Ingram, S. N.

AU - Thompson, D.

AU - Vincent, C.

AU - Russell, D. J. F.

AU - Embling, C. B.

N1 - This study was supported by the EU (via PERSEUS grant FP7-OCEAN-2011-287600 and MyOcean SPA.2011.1.5-01 grant 283367). In addition, C.B. Embling was supported by the 2014 SoMSE Plymouth University Small (grant number 2014-SoMSE) research grant. D.J.F. Russell and D. Thompson were supported by the National Capability funding from the Natural Environment Research Council to the Sea Mammal Research Unit (grant no. SMRU1001). C. Vincent was supported by the Parc naturel marin d'Iroise and Région Poitou – Charentes (grant number 782423).

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N2 - Shipping noise is a threat to marine wildlife. Grey seals are benthic foragers, and thus experience acoustic noise throughout the water column, which makes them a good model species for a case study of the potential impacts of shipping noise. We used ship track data from the Celtic Sea, seal track data and a coupled ocean-acoustic modelling system to assess the noise exposure of grey seals along their tracks. It was found that the animals experience step changes in sound levels up to ~ 20 dB at a frequency of 125 Hz, and ~ 10 dB on average over 10–1000 Hz when they dive through the thermocline, particularly during summer. Our results showed large seasonal differences in the noise level experienced by the seals. These results reveal the actual noise exposure by the animals and could help in marine spatial planning.

AB - Shipping noise is a threat to marine wildlife. Grey seals are benthic foragers, and thus experience acoustic noise throughout the water column, which makes them a good model species for a case study of the potential impacts of shipping noise. We used ship track data from the Celtic Sea, seal track data and a coupled ocean-acoustic modelling system to assess the noise exposure of grey seals along their tracks. It was found that the animals experience step changes in sound levels up to ~ 20 dB at a frequency of 125 Hz, and ~ 10 dB on average over 10–1000 Hz when they dive through the thermocline, particularly during summer. Our results showed large seasonal differences in the noise level experienced by the seals. These results reveal the actual noise exposure by the animals and could help in marine spatial planning.

KW - Anthropogenic noise

KW - Marine animals

KW - Sound propagation

KW - Acoustic modelling

KW - Ocean fronts

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DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.09.054

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EP - 383

JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin

JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin

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ER -

Shipping noise in a dynamic sea: a case study of grey seals in the Celtic Sea

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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NERC Core Grant: SMRU NERC Core Grant

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