Toward standardization of noise exposure in animal bioacoustics

Abstract

In the United States, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Accredited Standards Committee on Bioacoustics S3 develops voluntary standards related to psychological and physiological acoustics, including areas such as general acoustics, vibration, and shock. Several years ago, an S3 working group (WG) was formed, WG90 Animal Bioacoustics, with the goal of developing guidelines and standards in the area of animal bioacoustics, including relevant terminology, procedures to quantify noise exposure, and the effects of noise exposure on animals. The scope of this working group involves both terrestrial and marine animals, and their environments. Although ANSI Standards are voluntary, the development of accepted sound measurement procedures is needed before any legislation can be implemented that is intended to protect these animals from sound exposures detrimental to their long-term survival. To date, no standards have emerged from the Animal Bioacoustics working group. The purpose of this presentation is to provide an overview of the ANSI standards development process, briefly review some of standards that have been developed that are intended to quantify human exposure to sound, as well as describe the standards that need to be developed in order to protect both terrestrial and marine animals from excessive sound exposure.