Seismic surveys reduce cetacean sightings across a large marine ecosystem.

ABSTRACT: Noise pollution is increasing globally, and as oceans are excellent conductors of sound, this is a major concern for marine species reliant on sound for key life functions. Loud, impulsive sounds from seismic surveys have been associated with impacts on many marine taxa including mammals, crustaceans, cephalopods, and fish. However, impacts across large spatial scales or multiple species are rarely considered. We modelled over 8,000 hours of cetacean survey data across a large marine ecosystem covering > 880,000 km² to investigate the effect of seismic surveys on baleen and toothed whales. We found a significant effect of seismic activity across multiple species and habitats, with an 88% (82-92%) decrease in sightings of baleen whales, and a 53% (41-63%) decrease in sightings of

SUBMITTER: Kavanagh AS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6915703 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature