Exploring spatial and temporal trends in the soundscape of an ecologically significant embayment

R L Putland,R Constantine,C A Radford

doi:10.1038/s41598-017-06347-0

Abstract

The Hauraki Gulf, a shallow embayment in north-eastern New Zealand, provides an interesting environment for ecological soundscape research. It is situated on a tectonic plate boundary, contains one of the busiest ports in the southern hemisphere and is home to a diverse range of soniferous animals. The underwater soundscape was monitored for spatial and temporal trends at six different listening stations using passive acoustic recorders. The RMS sound pressure level of ambient sound (50–24,000 Hz) at the six listening stations was similar, ranging from 90–110 dB re 1 μPa throughout the recording period. Biophony had distinct temporal patterns and biological choruses of urchins were significantly correlated to temperature. Geophony and biophony followed the acoustic niche hypothesis, where each sound exhibited both temporal and frequency partitioning. Vessel passage sound were identified in 1.9–35.2% of recordings from the different listening stations. Vessel sound recorded in the Hauraki Gulf has the potential to mask concurrent geophony and biophony, sounds that may be important to marine life. This study provides a baseline of ambient sound, useful for future management strategies in shallow embayments where anthropogenic pressure is likewise increasing.

Highlights

IntroductionSound emanates in the ocean from a myriad of sources, including geophysical and meteorological events (geophony), biological activity or vocalisations (biophony) and anthropogenic activities (anthropophony)
Sound emanates in the ocean from a myriad of sources, including geophysical and meteorological events, biological activity or vocalisations and anthropogenic activities
RMS sound pressure levels (SPL) for dusk recordings were significantly higher than other times of day at Horn Rock, Shearer Rock, Flat Rock and Jellicoe Channel

Summary

Introduction

Sound emanates in the ocean from a myriad of sources, including geophysical and meteorological events (geophony), biological activity or vocalisations (biophony) and anthropogenic activities (anthropophony). Four major groups of marine animals are known to produce sound and contribute to the biophony, crustaceans[6], urchins[7], fish[8] and marine mammals[9], encompassing a wide frequency range from 10 Hz to over 20 kHz. Various crustaceans produce mechanical sounds, snapping shrimp (Synalpheus sp.) when feeding[10], spiny lobster (Panulirus interruptus) when interacting with potential predators[11] and paddle crabs (Ovalipes trimaculatus) while establishing territories and/or attracting mates[12]. In the open ocean seasonal sound intensity is often dependent on marine mammal species, for example humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) vocalise during their winter-spring breeding season, significantly increasing ambient sound levels at low to mid-frequencies (100–2,000 Hz)[17]. The general increase of sound in the ocean may be causing homogenisation or fragmentation of the soundscape potentially threatening marine organisms that make use of sound for everyday life

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion