Sonic sea: impacts of noise on marine mammals.
Abstract
This article discusses the how sound is used by marine species to find prey, communicate, and even mate with their kind. However, the increasing levels of anthropogenic noise from shipping, oil and gas exploration, naval sonar training, construction, and other activities have begun to drown out the ocean's natural sound. These situation has resulted to a myriad of impacts, including stress, deafness, avoidance behaviours that have diminished feeding opportunities and even death to dolphins, whales and other marine species. Simple solutions exist to prevent these problems such as leading the way to noise quieting and managing noise in important marine habitats so as to protect the marine life of the world.
Key words
- animal behaviour
- animal welfare
- aquatic animals
- aquatic organisms
- behaviour
- communication between animals
- deafness
- environmental protection
- marine animals
- marine environment
- marine mammals
- marine organisms
- mortality
- noise
- noise abatement
- noise pollution
- oceans
- sounds
- stress
- stress response
- wildlife conservation
- wildlife management