Dose-response relationships for the onset of avoidance of sonar by free-ranging killer whales

Author
Miller, Patrick J.O.
Antunes, Ricardo
Wensveen, Paul
Samarra, Filipa I. P.
Alves, Ana Catarina
Tyack, Peter L.
Kvadsheim, Petter Helgevold
Kleivane, Lars
Lam, Frans-Peter A.
Ainslie, Michael A
Thomas, Len
Date Issued
2014
Keywords
TermsetEmneord::Hvaler
TermsetEmneord::Akustikk
TermsetEmneord::Ekkolodd
Permalink
https://ffi-publikasjoner.archive.knowledgearc.net/handle/20.500.12242/429
DOI
10.1121/1.4861346
Collection
Articles
Description
Miller, Patrick James O'Malley; Antunes, Ricardo; Wensveen, Paul; Samarra, Filipa I.P.; Alves, Ana Catarina; Tyack, Peter L.; Kvadsheim, Petter Helgevold; Kleivane, Lars; Lam, Frans-Peter A.; Ainslie, Michael A; Thomas, Len. Dose-response relationships for the onset of avoidance of sonar by free-ranging killer whales. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 2014 ;Volum 135.(2) s. 975-993
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Abstract
Eight experimentally controlled exposures to 1−2 kHz or 6−7 kHz sonar signals were conducted with four killer whale groups. The source level and proximity of the source were increased during each exposure in order to reveal response thresholds. Detailed inspection of movements during each exposure session revealed sustained changes in speed and travel direction judged to be avoidance responses during six of eight sessions. Following methods developed for Phase-I clinical trials in human medicine, response thresholds ranging from 94 to 164 dB re 1 μPa received sound pressure level (SPL) were fitted to Bayesian dose-response functions. Thresholds did not consistently differ by sonar frequency or whether a group had previously been exposed, with a mean SPL response threshold of 142 ± 15 dB (mean ± s.d.). High levels of between- and within-individual variability were identified, indicating that thresholds depended upon other undefined contextual variables. The dose-response functions indicate that some killer whales started to avoid sonar at received SPL below thresholds assumed by the U.S. Navy. The predicted extent of habitat over which avoidance reactions occur depends upon whether whales responded to proximity or received SPL of the sonar or both, but was large enough to raise concerns about biological consequences to the whales.
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