Trends in ocean ambient noise across ocean basins Ana Širović Scripps Institution of Oceanography
Einstein or Mozart?
Einstein or Mozart?
Importance of sound & impact of noise Sound vital for biologically important functions Mating/spawning Foraging Navigation Territorial defense Impact of noise Masking Behavioral Physiological Images of animals Physiological impact: hearing impact, stress Behavioral: disruption of foraging, displacement, reduction of calling
Noise monitoring strategies How well can we describe ocean noise levels? NOAA Ocean Noise Strategy Addressing ocean noise impacts Guide science and management actions EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive Mandates ocean noise monitoring NOAA: data archive, monitoring network, mapping of noise (2016) EU MSFD (adopted in 2008): protection of marine environment and achieving “good environmental status”; noise guidelines: underwater noise energy that does not adversely affect the marine environment Monitoring: 1/3 octave bands 63 and 125 Hz Source: NOAA
Noise in Southern California Pacific Noise in Southern California W of San Nicolas Island: noise increase ~3 dB/decade since 60’s Shipping Site ‘open’ to N Pacific McDonald et al. 2006
Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Pacific Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Summer 2009 Decrease in shipping noise over this time: great recession! Storminess in July: short time period Sep: start of fin whales
Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Pacific Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Fall – Winter Increased levels at few 100 Hz range: more storms/wind
Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Pacific Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Fall – Winter Peaks for fin whales (into fall)
Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Pacific Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Fall – Winter Peaks for blue whales (late summer
Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Pacific Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Fall – Winter Peaks for humpbacks
Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Pacific Seasonal noise changes: 2009-10 Spring 2010 Shipping same as fall/winter, fins going away; leftover fish
Long-term trends at San Nicolas Pacific Long-term trends at San Nicolas Noise continued to decrease! Only summer data in 2014 & 15 2009: July-Dec; 2010: Jan-Nov 2014: Jul & Aug 2015: Jun-Sept McDonald et al. 2006
Noise in shallow waters Pacific Noise in shallow waters Navy data from 50’s & 60’s Local ships: noise increase ~5-10 dB McDonald et al. 2008
Pacific Noise across SOCAL a ships no ships
central & western Pacific Ladd: June 2009 Others: June 2010
noise across central & western Pacific Mean difference: @ 50 Hz: 1.5 dB Ladd: only partial data Southern exposure for all but Ladd Širović et al. 2013
Quiet if compared to the eastern Pacific West of San Nicolas Island, CA Jan 2010 McDonald et al. 2006 Širović et al. 2013
Other areas – North Pacific Gulf of Alaska Off Washington state a I don’t have historic location/data – exact location is very important; depth and lat, long
Long term noise trends at Bermuda Atlantic Long term noise trends at Bermuda 1966 vs 2013-14 Bermuda HARP Hard to get a baseline Hildebrand 2009
Long term noise trends at Bermuda Atlantic Long term noise trends at Bermuda Max increase ~0.5 dB/decade Širović et al. 2016
Panama canal & global shipping trends Atlantic Panama canal & global shipping trends 1982: completion of the Trans-Panama pipeline facilitated oil transfer between the Pacific and Atlantic coasts, and reduced the number of tanker transits Širović et al. 2016
Elsewhere in the Atlantic…
Gulf of Mexico: industrial basin
Noise in the Gulf of Mexico Wiggins et al. 2016
Ocean noise across basins
Ocean noise across basins
Ocean noise across basins
Ocean noise across basins
Long-term changes @ 50 Hz Gulf of Mexico Arctic Gulf of Mexico Spectrum level (dB re: 1µPa2/Hz @ 50Hz) Adapted from Ross 2005
Looking into the Future Baseline characterization Access to historic data Shifting baselines Opening of the Arctic Experimental and observational studies of noise impact Determine locations of sources Propagation modeling
Looking into the Future Baseline characterization Access to historic data Shifting baselines Opening Arctic Experimental and observational studies of noise impact Determine locations of sources Propagation modeling
Thank you! Don Ross John Hildebrand, Sean Wiggins, and Scripps Whale Acoustics Lab Chief of Naval Operations N45 (Frank Stone & Ernie Young), Naval Postgraduate School (John Joseph), Pacific Fleet (Chip Johnson) NOAA Office of Science and Technology (Jason Gedamke), NOAA Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center (Erin Oleson)