Sound 101: An introduction to why underwater noise is an emerging conservation concern
Presentation Abstract
As sound travels much more efficiently in water than it does in air, most marine animals use sound in much the way that terrestrial animals use vision- to detect predators and/or prey, to communicate, and to navigate- thus underwater noise can significantly impact their survival. This presentation is intended to supply background information for those who know relatively little about underwater sound, the differences between sound propagation in water relative to sound in air, sound metrics, particle motion, and some of the more common sources of underwater anthropogenic noise that impact marine animals in the Salish Sea. Sources include various types of vessels, pile-driving and other types of construction, and commercial and military sonars. Impacts range from disturbance, acoustic masking and physiological effects to mortality. This presentation will set the stage for subsequent, more specific talks on underwater noise and highlight some of the more recent discoveries of how noise impacts marine animals, from invertebrates to whales.
Session Title
From plankton to whales: underwater noise and its impacts on marine life
Conference Track
Species and Food Webs
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2016 : Vancouver, B.C.)
Document Type
Event
Location
2016SSEC
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Underwater acoustics--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Marine animals--Effect of sound on--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Climatic changes--Effect of human beings on--Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Sound 101: An introduction to why underwater noise is an emerging conservation concern
2016SSEC
As sound travels much more efficiently in water than it does in air, most marine animals use sound in much the way that terrestrial animals use vision- to detect predators and/or prey, to communicate, and to navigate- thus underwater noise can significantly impact their survival. This presentation is intended to supply background information for those who know relatively little about underwater sound, the differences between sound propagation in water relative to sound in air, sound metrics, particle motion, and some of the more common sources of underwater anthropogenic noise that impact marine animals in the Salish Sea. Sources include various types of vessels, pile-driving and other types of construction, and commercial and military sonars. Impacts range from disturbance, acoustic masking and physiological effects to mortality. This presentation will set the stage for subsequent, more specific talks on underwater noise and highlight some of the more recent discoveries of how noise impacts marine animals, from invertebrates to whales.
