The effects of vessel noise on the communication network of humpback whales.

ABSTRACT: Humpback whales rely on acoustic communication to mediate social interactions. The distance to which these social signals propagate from the signaller defines its communication space, and therefore communication network (number of potential receivers). As humpback whales migrate along populated coastlines, they are likely to encounter noise from vessel traffic which will mask their social signals. Since no empirical data exist on baleen whale hearing, the consequences of this are usually assumed, being the modelled reduction in their communication space. Here, the communication space and network of migrating humpback whales was compared in increasing wind-dominated and vessel-dominated noise. Behavioural data on their social interactions were then used to inform these models. In typical wi

SUBMITTER: Dunlop RA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6894609 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature