Assessing the impacts of underwater noise Eeva Sairanen SYKE Marine Research Centre UH FEM Research Group 25.9.2017
Assessing the impacts of underwater noise
Eeva Sairanen
SYKE Marine Research Centre
UH FEM Research Group
25.9.2017
PhD student 2017 –
MSc 2015
Underwater noise &
porpoises
MA 2007
Language technology
Work
Researcher, SYKE MRC
IT stuff (BI, Data analytics,
programming, databases..)
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First of all: Nice to meet You!
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Motivation: Why it matters?
1. Importance of sound in the sea
~340 m/s
~1500 m/s
2. Variety of sound in the sea
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Motivation: Why it matters?
3. Industrialization of the sea
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Motivation: Why it matters?
4. Characteristics of the Baltic Sea
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Motivation: Why it matters?
Robinson et al (2014)
Assessing the impact of underwater noise
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1. Acoustics basics: Sound and hearing
2. Noise as an environmental issue
1. Pressure waves moving through a medium
http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/waves/wavemotion.html
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What is sound?
1. Pressure waves moving through a medium
2. Particle motion that carries the pressure wave
http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/waves/wavemotion.html
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What is sound?
Spherical wave
http://www.acs.psu.edu/drussell/Demos/rad2/mdq.html
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Sound waves
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Wave equation
http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/wavrel.html
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Reflection and refraction
http://byjus.com/physics/characteristics-of-sound-waves/
http://home.kpn.nl/msalomons/sound.html
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Channeling of sound in ocean
https://www.rom.on.ca/en/blog/singing-the-blues-the-mystery-of-b105
http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/expedition12/h
ottopics/sound.html
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Channeling of sound in shallow water
Free-field propagation
Waveguide
SPL (dB)
pref = the reference pressure (1 µPa)
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Sound Pressure Level
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Spectrum, Bands
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Spectrogram
● Human beings sense the pressure component of sound
waves
…just like other mammals, including marine mammals
● All fish sense the particle motion component of sound
waves, and some also the pressure component
● At least some invertebrates can detect the particle motion
component of sound waves
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Hearing
Terrestrial mammals
http://leavingbio.net/the%20senses_files/the%20senses.htm#top
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Hearing
Amphibious mammals
Fully aquatic mammals
Fish
http://leavingbio.net/the%20senses_files/the%20senses.htm#top
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Hearing
http://www.geoexpro.com/articles/2011/03/marine-seismic-sources-part-viii-fish-hear-a-great-deal https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resour
ces/568-non-visual-sensory-systems-
of-fish
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Hearing
Popper, A., & Ketten, D. (2008). Underwater hearing. In The senses: a comprehensive reference (pp. 225-236). Elsevier.
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Hearing
Popper, A., & Ketten, D. (2008). Underwater hearing. In The senses: a comprehensive reference (pp. 225-236). Elsevier.
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Hearing
Popper, A., & Ketten, D. (2008). Underwater hearing. In The senses: a comprehensive reference (pp. 225-236). Elsevier.
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Underwater sounds
Continuous Impulsive
Natural Sea state
Animals(?)
Thunder
Earthquake
Animals(?)
Man-made Shipping
Seismic surveys
Sonars
Construction
Explosions
Soundscape
Physical properties of water body
Depth, Boundaries, Salinity, Bottom
type, …
Sound that is
…harmful?
…disturbing?
…unpleasant?
…produced unintentionally?
…sound that hampers signal detection?
…everything but the intended signal?
(received or transmitted)
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What is noise?
Assessing the impact of underwater noise
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1. Sound and hearing
2. Noise as an environmental issue
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Noise as an environmental issue
1. Risk identification
2. Risk assessment
3. Risk management
4. Risk governance
5. Risk communication
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Risk identification: Is there a problem?
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Risk identification: Is there a problem?
Slabbekoorn, H., Bouton, N., van Opzeeland, I., Coers, A., ten Cate, C., & Popper, A. N. (2010). A noisy spring: the
impact of globally rising underwater sound levels on fish. Trends in ecology & evolution, 25(7), 419-427.
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Risk identification: Is there a problem?
Williams, R., Wright, A. J., Ashe, E., Blight, L. K., Bruintjes, R., Canessa, R., ... & Hammond, P. S.
(2015). Impacts of anthropogenic noise on marine life: publication patterns, new discoveries, and future
directions in research and management. Ocean & Coastal Management, 115, 17-24.
1. Detection
2. Masking
3. Behavioral changes
4. Physiological stress
5. Hearing sensitivity threshold shift
6. Physical injury to non-auditory tissue
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Risk assessment: The impacts
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Risk assessment: The impacts
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Risk assessment: The impacts
Kunc, H. P., McLaughlin, K. E., & Schmidt, R. (2016, August). Aquatic noise pollution: implications for individuals, populations,
and ecosystems. In Proc. R. Soc. B (Vol. 283, No. 1836, p. 20160839). The Royal Society.
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Risk assessment: The impacts
The International Quiet Ocean Experiment (IQOE): Science Plan
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Risk assessment: Monitoring
http://stateofthebalticsea.helcom.fi/pressures-and-their-status/underwater-sound/
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Risk assessment: Monitoring
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Risk assessment: Monitoring
http://underwaternoise.ices.dk/map.aspx
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Risk management: Mitigation
http://stateofthebalticsea.helcom.fi/pressures-and-their-status/underwater-sound/
Impact or pressure?
Pressure can be managed
…to mitigate impact
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Risk management: Mitigation
● Identification of noise sensitive species (HELCOM):
○ Hearing sensitivity
○ Impact of noise
○ Threat status
○ Commercial value
○ Data availability
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Risk management: Mitigation
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Risk management: Mitigation
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Risk management: Mitigation
http://stateofthebalticsea.helcom.fi/pressures-and-their-status/underwater-sound/
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Risk management: Mitigation
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Risk management: Mitigation
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Risk management: Mitigation
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Risk management: Mitigation
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Risk governance & communication
Discovery of sound in the sea
http://dosits.org/
HELCOM State of the Baltic Sea
http://stateofthebalticsea.helcom.fi/pressures-and-their-status/underwater-sound/
BIAS project - Baltic Sea Information on the Acoustic Soundscape
https://biasproject.wordpress.com/
Monitoring Guidance for Underwater Noise in European Seas
https://www.ospar.org/documents?v=33031
Slabbekoorn, H., Bouton, N., van Opzeeland, I., Coers, A., ten Cate, C., & Popper, A. N. (2010). A noisy
spring: the impact of globally rising underwater sound levels on fish. Trends in ecology & evolution, 25(7),
419-427.
Wenz, G. M. (1962). Acoustic ambient noise in the ocean: Spectra and sources. The Journal of the
Acoustical Society of America, 34(12), 1936-1956.
Au, W. W., & Hastings, M. C. (2008). Principles of marine bioacoustics (pp. 121-174). New York: Springer.
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Reading
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Thank you for listening
Don’t hesitate to contact!
Always happy to connect with nice people and
chat about research, studies, acoustics,
porpoises, seals, boating, making the world a
better place, …
050 351 8170
@EevaSairanen
@eevatoday