scholarly journals Biological Sound Sources Drive Soundscape Characteristics of Two Australian Marine Parks

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica A. McCordic ◽  
Annamaria I. DeAngelis ◽  
Logan R. Kline ◽  
Candace McBride ◽  
Giverny G. Rodgers ◽  
...  

Soundscapes represent an intrinsic aspect of a habitat which, particularly in protected areas, should be monitored and managed to mitigate human impacts. Soundscape ecology characterizes acoustic interactions within an environment, integrating biological, anthropogenic, climatological, and geological sound sources. Monitoring soundscapes in marine protected areas is particularly important due to the reliance of many marine species on sound for biological functions, including communication and reproduction. In this study we establish a baseline understanding of underwater soundscapes within two marine National Park Zones (NPZs) along the east coast of Australia: Cod Grounds Marine Park and an NPZ surrounding Pimpernel Rock within Solitary Islands Marine Park. In each of the NPZs, underwater recorders were deployed twice during the austral winter (33–35 days, 2018 and 60–69 days, 2019) and once during the austral summer (35–71 days, 2018–2019). We used the resulting acoustic recordings to determine hourly presence of anthropogenic and biological sounds between 20 Hz and 24 kHz and analyze their contributions to patterns of received sound levels. Sounds from vessels were recorded on most days throughout monitoring but were not found to influence long-term patterns of sound levels over their corresponding frequencies. Biological sources included dolphins, snapping shrimp, fish choruses, humpback whales, and dwarf minke whales. Dolphins, snapping shrimp, and fish choruses were present in all deployments. Median ambient sound levels showed a consistent diel pattern with increased levels resulting from crepuscular fish choruses combined with a higher intensity of snapping shrimp snaps during those times. Singing humpback whales strongly influenced the overall sound levels throughout the winter migration, while dwarf minke whales were consistently detected in the 2019 winter deployment but were only present in 2 h among the earlier deployments. Patterns of acoustic spectra were similar between the two NPZs, and patterns of soundscape measurements were observed to be driven by seasonal differences in biological contributions rather than anthropogenic sound sources, indicating that these NPZs are not yet heavily impacted by anthropogenic noise. These baseline measurements will prove invaluable in long-term monitoring of the biological health of NPZs.

2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-138 ◽  
Author(s):  
MARIANA NAPOLITANO E FERREIRA ◽  
NATÁLIA COSTA FREIRE

SUMMARYEstablishing effective networks of protected areas (PAs) is one of the major goals of conservation strategies worldwide. However, the success of PAs in promoting biodiversity conservation depends on their integration to local and regional contexts, reducing and mitigating human impacts originating from buffer zones. Community perceptions affect interactions between residents and PAs, and thereby conservation effectiveness. Research at Tocantins state (northern Brazilian Cerrado), aimed to analyse local community perceptions of four PAs, discussing how different factors may influence these. Perceptions were assessed through standardized interviews applied to PA employees and 275 local inhabitants. There was modest community participation in PA establishment and management. Residents were aware of the PAs’ existence, but were unfamiliar with their goals. Length of residency and occupation of inhabitants influenced their PA perceptions, shaping different people-park relations in each of the four studied PAs. Involvement of local residents in PA planning and management represents a central strategy to strengthen local support for PAs over the long term. In those areas that still have settlements inside their boundaries, community relocation should follow a careful participatory process to avoid significant changes in local perceptions and attitudes towards these PAs, crucial for conserving Brazilian biodiversity.


2020 ◽  
Vol 642 ◽  
pp. 227-240
Author(s):  
L Lodi ◽  
R Tardin ◽  
G Maricato

Most studies of cetacean habitat use do not consider the influence of anthropogenic activities. We investigated the influence of environmental and anthropogenic variables on habitat use by humpback Megaptera novaeangliae and Bryde’s whales Balaenoptera brydei off the coast of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro. Although there are 2 marine protected areas (MPAs) in this area, few data are available on cetacean habitat use or on the overlap of different cetacean species within these MPAs. Our aim was to evaluate the effectiveness of the MPAs and propose a buffer zone to better protect the biodiversity of the study area. We conducted systematic surveys and developed spatial eigenvector generalized linear models to characterize habitat use by the species in the study area. Habitat use by humpback whales was influenced only by depth, whereas for Bryde’s whales there was the additional influence of anthropogenic variables. For Bryde’s whales, which use the area for feeding, sea surface temperature and the distance to anchorages had a major influence on habitat use. We also showed that neither of the MPAs in the study area adequately protects the hotspots of either whale species. Most of the humpback whale grid cells with high sighting predictions were located within 2 km of the MPAs, while areas of high sighting prediction of Bryde’s whales were located up to 5 km from the MPAs, closer to beaches. Our findings provide important insights for the delimitation of protected areas and zoning of the MPAs.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 65-72
Author(s):  
V. N. Shmagol' ◽  
V. L. Yarysh ◽  
S. P. Ivanov ◽  
V. I. Maltsev

<p>The long-term population dynamics of the red deer (<em>Cervus elaphus</em> L.) and European roe deer (<em>Capreolus</em> <em>capreolus</em> L.) at the mountain and forest zone of Crimea during 1980-2017 is presented. Fluctuations in numbers of both species are cyclical and partly synchronous. Period of oscillations in the population of red deer is about 25 years, the average duration of the oscillation period of number of roe deer is 12.3 years. During the fluctuations in the number the increasing and fall in population number of the red deer had been as 26-47 %, and roe deer – as 22-34 %. Basing on the dada obtained we have assumed that together with large-scale cycles of fluctuations in population number of both red deer and roe deer the short cycles of fluctuations in the number of these species with period from 3.5 to 7.5 years take place. Significant differences of the parameters of cyclical fluctuations in the number of roe deer at some sites of the Mountainous Crimea: breaches of synchronicity, as well as significant differences in the duration of cycles are revealed. The greatest deviations from the average values of parameters of long-term dynamics of the number of roe deer in Crimea are noted for groups of this species at two protected areas. At the Crimean Nature Reserve the cycle time of fluctuations of the numbers of roe deer was 18 years. At the Karadag Nature Reserve since 1976 we can see an exponential growth in number of roe deer that is continued up to the present time. By 2016 the number of roe deer reached 750 individuals at a density of 437 animals per 1 thousand ha. Peculiarity of dynamics of number of roe deer at some sites proves the existence in the mountain forest of Crimea several relatively isolated groups of deer. We assumed that "island" location of the Crimean populations of red deer and European roe deer, their relatively little number and influence of permanent extreme factors of both natural and anthropogenic origination have contributed to a mechanism of survival of these populations. The elements of such a mechanism include the following features of long-term dynamics of the population: the reduction in the period of cyclic population fluctuations, while maintaining their amplitude and the appearance of additional small cycles, providing more flexible response of the population to the impact of both negative and positive environmental factors. From the totality of the weather conditions for the Crimean population of roe deer the recurring periods of increases and downs in the annual precipitation amount may have relevance. There was a trend of increase in the roe deer population during periods of increasing annual precipitation.</p>


2014 ◽  
pp. 124-129
Author(s):  
Z. V. Karamysheva

The review contains detailed description of the «Atlas of especially protected natural areas of Saint Petersburg» published in 2013. This publication presents the results of long-term studies of 12 natural protected areas made by a large research team in the years from 2002 to 2013 (see References). The Atlas contains a large number of the historical maps, new satellite images, the original illustrations, detailed texts on the nature of protected areas, summary tables of rare species of vascular plants, fungi and vertebrates recorded in these areas. Special attention is paid to the principles of thematic large-scale mapping. The landscape maps, the vegetation maps as well as the maps of natural processes in landscapes are included. Reviewed Atlas deserves the highest praise.


Polar Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hiroko K. Solvang ◽  
Tore Haug ◽  
Tor Knutsen ◽  
Harald Gjøsæter ◽  
Bjarte Bogstad ◽  
...  

AbstractRecent warming in the Barents Sea has led to changes in the spatial distribution of both zooplankton and fish, with boreal communities expanding northwards. A similar northward expansion has been observed in several rorqual species that migrate into northern waters to take advantage of high summer productivity, hence feeding opportunities. Based on ecosystem surveys conducted during August–September in 2014–2017, we investigated the spatial associations among the three rorqual species of blue, fin, and common minke whales, the predatory fish Atlantic cod, and their main prey groups (zooplankton, 0-group fish, Atlantic cod, and capelin) in Arctic Ocean waters to the west and north of Svalbard. During the surveys, whale sightings were recorded by dedicated whale observers on the bridge of the vessel, whereas the distribution and abundance of cod and prey species were assessed using trawling and acoustic methods. Based on existing knowledge on the dive habits of these rorquals, we divided our analyses into two depth regions: the upper 200 m of the water column and waters below 200 m. Since humpback whales were absent in the area in 2016 and 2017, they were not included in the subsequent analyses of spatial association. No association or spatial overlap between fin and blue whales and any of the prey species investigated was found, while associations and overlaps were found between minke whales and zooplankton/0-group fish in the upper 200 m and between minke whales and Atlantic cod at depths below 200 m. A prey detection range of more than 10 km was suggested for minke whales in the upper water layers.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luciana Shigihara Lima ◽  
Douglas Francisco Marcolino Gherardi ◽  
Luciano Ponzi Pezzi ◽  
Leilane Gonçalves dos Passos ◽  
Clarissa Akemi Kajiya Endo ◽  
...  

AbstractProjected future climate scenarios anticipate a warmer tropical ocean and changes in surface currents that will likely influence the survival of marine organisms and the connectivity of marine protected areas (MPAs) networks. We simulated the regional effects of climate change on the demographic connectivity of parrotfishes in nine MPAs in the South Atlantic through downscaling of the HadGEM2-ES Earth System Model running the RCP 8.5 greenhouse gas trajectory. Results indicate a tropicalization scenario over the tropical southwest Atlantic following an increase of sea surface temperature (SST) between 1.8 and 4.5 °C and changes in mean surface currents between − 0.6 to 0.5 m s−1 relative to present conditions. High mortality rates will reduce demographic connectivity and increase the isolation of oceanic islands. The simulation of organismal response to ocean warming shows that acclimation can significantly improve (p < 0.001) particle survival, promoting connectivity and tropicalization of MPAs, with potential impacts on their functional integrity and long-term resilience.


2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALICE B. KELLY ◽  
A. CLARE GUPTA

SUMMARYThis study considers the issue of security in the context of protected areas in Cameroon and Botswana. Though the literature on issues of security and well-being in relation to protected areas is extensive, there has been less discussion of how and in what ways these impacts and relationships can change over time, vary with space and differ across spatial scales. Looking at two very different historical trajectories, this study considers the heterogeneity of the security landscapes created by Waza and Chobe protected areas over time and space. This study finds that conservation measures that various subsets of the local population once considered to be ‘bad’ (e.g. violent, exclusionary protected area creation) may be construed as ‘good’ at different historical moments and geographical areas. Similarly, complacency or resignation to the presence of a park can be reversed by changing environmental conditions. Changes in the ways security (material and otherwise) has fluctuated within these two protected areas has implications for the long-term management and funding strategies of newly created and already existing protected areas today. This study suggests that parks must be adaptively managed not only for changing ecological conditions, but also for shifts in a protected area's social, political and economic context.


2021 ◽  
Vol 263 (3) ◽  
pp. 3436-3447
Author(s):  
Dan Lin ◽  
Andrew Eng

Assumptions made on the ground types between sound sources and receivers can significantly impact the accuracy of environmental outdoor noise prediction. A guideline is provided in ISO 9613-2 and the value of ground factor ranges from 0 to 1, depending on the coverage of porous ground. For example, a ground absorption factor of 1 is suggested for grass ground covers. However, it is unclear if the suggested values are validated. The purpose of this study is to determine the sound absorption of different types of ground by measurements. Field noise measurements were made using an omnidirectional loudspeaker and two microphones on three different types of ground in a quiet neighborhood. One microphone was located 3ft from the loudspeaker to record near field sound levels in 1/3 and 1 octave bands every second. The other microphone was located a few hundred feet away to record far field sound in the same fashion as the near field microphone. The types of ground tested were concrete, grass, and grass with trees. Based on the measurement data, it was found that grass and trees absorb high frequency sound well and a ground factor of 1 may be used for 500Hz and up when using ISO 9613-2 methodology. However, at lower frequencies (125 Hz octave band and below), grassy ground reflects sound the same as concrete surfaces. Trees absorb more low frequency sound than grass, but less than ISO 9613-2 suggested.


2006 ◽  
Vol 132 (2) ◽  
pp. 222-231 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick T. Shears ◽  
Roger V. Grace ◽  
Natalie R. Usmar ◽  
Vince Kerr ◽  
Russell C. Babcock
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