Anthropogenic Sound, Sonar, and Cetacean Health

CBS News ArticleCBS News Article

Anthropogenic Sound, Anthropogenic Sound, Sonar, and Cetacean Sonar, and Cetacean

HealthHealth

An Investigation on the An Investigation on the effects of anthropogenic effects of anthropogenic

sound on marine mammals.sound on marine mammals.

AbstractAbstract

AbstractAbstract Anthropogenic sound in our world’s oceans has Anthropogenic sound in our world’s oceans has

been affecting marine mammals for the last 100 been affecting marine mammals for the last 100 years; however there is growing concern that years; however there is growing concern that these sounds are having a harmful effect on the these sounds are having a harmful effect on the world’s marine mammal species. In this world’s marine mammal species. In this investigation I will study the experiments of investigation I will study the experiments of several other researchers to conclude if several other researchers to conclude if anthropogenic sound is having a negative effect anthropogenic sound is having a negative effect on our world’s cetaceans. Much attention has on our world’s cetaceans. Much attention has been given to this concern by the media, been given to this concern by the media, especially where concern is associated with the especially where concern is associated with the US Navy’s use of sonar and it’s affects on dolphin US Navy’s use of sonar and it’s affects on dolphin populations. Media attention on the matter is populations. Media attention on the matter is usually negative and highlights what may need to usually negative and highlights what may need to be done to protect these species. be done to protect these species.


IntroductionIntroduction

Media coverage on anthropogenic Media coverage on anthropogenic sound and marine mammalssound and marine mammals

Sonar, echolocation, and cetacean Sonar, echolocation, and cetacean acousticsacoustics

Studies done on the subjectStudies done on the subject ConclusionConclusion


The Media and Cetacean HealthThe Media and Cetacean Health

CBS News, MSNBC, CNN, the New CBS News, MSNBC, CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post, as York Times, the Washington Post, as well as several smaller news well as several smaller news agencies made reports about agencies made reports about anthropogenic sound and it’s anthropogenic sound and it’s negative effects on cetaceans.negative effects on cetaceans.

MSNBC News ArticleMSNBC News Article

Article 1Article 1 MSNBC: Nov. 23, 2005MSNBC: Nov. 23, 2005 U.N.: Navy sonar threatens whales, U.N.: Navy sonar threatens whales,

dolphins, and porpoisesdolphins, and porpoisesReport says three whale species at risk from Report says three whale species at risk from

sound wavessound waves

Article covered report made by United Article covered report made by United Nations that the use of powerful military Nations that the use of powerful military sonar is “harming the ability of some 71 sonar is “harming the ability of some 71 types of cetaceans– whales, dolphins and types of cetaceans– whales, dolphins and porpoises– to communicate, navigate, and porpoises– to communicate, navigate, and hunt.” hunt.”

Leonardo

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U.N.: Navy sonar threatens whales, U.N.: Navy sonar threatens whales, dolphins, and porpoisesdolphins, and porpoises

The report was made by The report was made by the the United Nations United Nations Environment Program and Environment Program and the Convention on the Convention on Migratory SpeciesMigratory Species

Beluga, Blainville’s beaked Beluga, Blainville’s beaked whale, and Goosebeak whale, and Goosebeak whales are at the most whales are at the most serious risk.serious risk.

““While we know about While we know about other threats such as over other threats such as over fishing, hunting and fishing, hunting and pollution, a new emerging pollution, a new emerging threat to cetaceans is that threat to cetaceans is that of increased underwater of increased underwater sonars,” Mark Simmonds sonars,” Mark Simmonds told Reuters.told Reuters.


Environmental groups take actionEnvironmental groups take action

In October of 2005, a coalition of In October of 2005, a coalition of environmental groups sued the U.S. Navy environmental groups sued the U.S. Navy for its use of sonar.for its use of sonar.

Tests on 7 whales that dies in Gran Tests on 7 whales that dies in Gran Canaria in 2002 revealed grim resultsCanaria in 2002 revealed grim results

Western governments want more researchWestern governments want more research ““But the issue is still in a relatively gray But the issue is still in a relatively gray

area in terms of scientific proof and we area in terms of scientific proof and we need to do more research before the need to do more research before the government can review its defense government can review its defense systems.” –Charles Galbraithsystems.” –Charles Galbraith


Article 2Article 2

CBS News: March CBS News: March 6, 20056, 2005

Sub Sonar Linked Sub Sonar Linked to Dead Dolphins?to Dead Dolphins?

Article covered Article covered stranding of over stranding of over 70 rough-toothed 70 rough-toothed dolphins in dolphins in Marathon Key and Marathon Key and possible causespossible causes


Sub Sonar Linked to Dead Sub Sonar Linked to Dead Dolphins?Dolphins?

In March 2006 more than 70 rough-In March 2006 more than 70 rough-toothed dolphins stranded in toothed dolphins stranded in Marathon, Fla. Marathon, Fla.

A day before the dolphins stranded A day before the dolphins stranded themselves, the USS Philadelphia themselves, the USS Philadelphia had been conducting exercises with had been conducting exercises with Navy SEALs off Key WestNavy SEALs off Key West

Dolphins may have suffered from the Dolphins may have suffered from the bendsbends

SonarSonar

SonarSonar

Sound Navigation Sound Navigation and Rangingand Ranging

Active SonarActive Sonar

Sonar and WhalesSonar and Whales

Sonar and WhalesSonar and Whales•Toothed whales emit a focused beam of high-frequency clicks in the direction that their head is pointing.

Echolocation

CNN News ArticleCNN News Article

Articles 3Articles 3 CNN News: October 8, CNN News: October 8,

20032003 Nature: military sonar Nature: military sonar

may give whales the may give whales the bendsbends

Article covered story Article covered story of dozens of whales of dozens of whales washed up dead on washed up dead on shores around the shores around the world after exposure world after exposure to military sonar- to military sonar- Researchers from Researchers from Nature say they may Nature say they may have found a linkhave found a link


Nature: military sonar may give Nature: military sonar may give whales the bendswhales the bends

Scientists examined the bodies of 10 Scientists examined the bodies of 10 beaked whales that died on two beaked whales that died on two beaches in the Canary Islands in beaches in the Canary Islands in SeptemberSeptember

Whales suffered tissue and organ Whales suffered tissue and organ damagedamage


The BendsThe Bends

In 10 meters of water your lungs are ½ the In 10 meters of water your lungs are ½ the size they are at the surfacesize they are at the surface

When high-pressure gases in the air come When high-pressure gases in the air come in contact with water, they dissolve into in contact with water, they dissolve into the water. the water.

When resurfacing these gases are When resurfacing these gases are released into the blood-streamreleased into the blood-stream

It is debated whether or not the bends It is debated whether or not the bends occurs in marine mammalsoccurs in marine mammals


It is widely believed It is widely believed (and debated) that (and debated) that when marine when marine mammals are exposed mammals are exposed to intense sonar to intense sonar emissions they may emissions they may become startled or become startled or disoriented…disoriented…

Affects of the bends:Affects of the bends: blotchy rashesblotchy rashes coughing spasmscoughing spasms dizzinessdizziness unconsciousnessunconsciousness Inability to Inability to

““bend” jointsbend” joints

Washington Post News ArticleWashington Post News Article

Article 4Article 4

The Washington Post: The Washington Post: October 9, 2003October 9, 2003

Navy Sonar May Give Navy Sonar May Give Whales the “Bends”Whales the “Bends”

Article covered, more Article covered, more in depth than the in depth than the other 3, the affects of other 3, the affects of the Navy’s use of the Navy’s use of sonar on marine sonar on marine mammalsmammals

Washington Post News ArticleWashington Post News Article

Navy Sonar May Give Whales the Navy Sonar May Give Whales the “Bends”“Bends”

The articles reports that a study The articles reports that a study published in Nature shows that a published in Nature shows that a marine mammal version of marine mammal version of decompression sickness had been decompression sickness had been discovered in 10 of 14 of the discovered in 10 of 14 of the beached whales.beached whales.

New York Times News ArticleNew York Times News Article

Articles 5 and 6Articles 5 and 6 The New York Times as The New York Times as

well as the Honolulu well as the Honolulu Advertiser reported on the Advertiser reported on the stranding in the Canary stranding in the Canary Islands in October of 2003Islands in October of 2003

Each agency mentioned Each agency mentioned the possibility of the the possibility of the whales getting the “bends” whales getting the “bends” and the Navy’s and the Navy’s increasingly common use increasingly common use of low-frequency sonar to of low-frequency sonar to detect foreign ships and detect foreign ships and submarinessubmarines

More N gas bubbles than More N gas bubbles than normal were found in 10 of normal were found in 10 of the 14 examined beaked-the 14 examined beaked-whaleswhales

Scientific PapersScientific Papers

Scientific PapersScientific Papers

1.1. Anthropogenic Sound and Marine Anthropogenic Sound and Marine Mammal Health: measures of the Mammal Health: measures of the nervous immune systems before nervous immune systems before and after intense sound exposureand after intense sound exposure

T.A. Romano et. Al.T.A. Romano et. Al.

2.2. Displacement of Displacement of Orcinus orcaOrcinus orca (L.) (L.) by high amplitude sound in British by high amplitude sound in British Columbia, Canada Columbia, Canada

Alexandra B. Morton and Helena K. SymondsAlexandra B. Morton and Helena K. Symonds

Anthropogenic Sound and Marine MammalAnthropogenic Sound and Marine Mammal Health Health

Anthropogenic Sound and Anthropogenic Sound and Marine Mammal Health: Marine Mammal Health: measures of the nervous measures of the nervous immune systems before immune systems before and after intense sound and after intense sound

exposureexposure

T.A. Romano et. Al.T.A. Romano et. Al.

Anthropogenic Sound and Marine MammalAnthropogenic Sound and Marine Mammal Health... Health...

AbstractAbstract

This study investigates effects of intense This study investigates effects of intense underwater sounds on nervous system activation underwater sounds on nervous system activation and immune function in marine mammalsand immune function in marine mammals

As sound levels increased, NE, E, and DA levels As sound levels increased, NE, E, and DA levels increasedincreased


IntroductionIntroduction Increasing concern on the Increasing concern on the

effects of anthropogenic effects of anthropogenic sound and the impact on sound and the impact on the marine mammal the marine mammal auditory system and the auditory system and the impact these sounds may impact these sounds may have on the navigational, have on the navigational, foraging, reproductive, and foraging, reproductive, and hearing capabilities on hearing capabilities on cetaceanscetaceans

The catecholamines (NE, E, The catecholamines (NE, E, DA) are among the first DA) are among the first molecules released molecules released

as an initial response to as an initial response to stressstress


Introduction cont’d…Introduction cont’d… Catecholamines and glucocorticoids have Catecholamines and glucocorticoids have

been shown to have a major effect on the been shown to have a major effect on the immune systems of marine mammalsimmune systems of marine mammals

In this study the authors worked in In this study the authors worked in collaboration with the US Navy Marine collaboration with the US Navy Marine Mammal Program to perform various tests Mammal Program to perform various tests and obtain blood samples from a white and obtain blood samples from a white whale, whale, Delphinapterus leucasDelphinapterus leucas, and a , and a bottlenose dolphin, bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops trancatusTursiops trancatus

Sound was emitted either via a “seismic Sound was emitted either via a “seismic water gun” and/or single pure tones water gun” and/or single pure tones resembling a white whales sonar “pings”resembling a white whales sonar “pings”


Methods and test-subjectsMethods and test-subjects Subjects consisted on one Subjects consisted on one

female white whale (MUK) female white whale (MUK) and one male bottlenose and one male bottlenose dolphin (BEN)dolphin (BEN)

35 mL of blood was 35 mL of blood was collected before testing collected before testing beganbegan

A MANOVA was used to A MANOVA was used to evaluate the effects of evaluate the effects of sound on neural-immune sound on neural-immune measurements and a measurements and a univariate ANOVA to univariate ANOVA to determine single-factor determine single-factor variationvariation


ResultsResults MUK seismic water gun experimentMUK seismic water gun experiment

• Significant differences were seen for the following neural Significant differences were seen for the following neural immune measurements: catecholamines, mean cell immune measurements: catecholamines, mean cell volume (MCV), alkaline phosphatase, and y-volume (MCV), alkaline phosphatase, and y-glutamyltransferase (GGT)glutamyltransferase (GGT)

• NE, E, and DA levels increased significantly after high-NE, E, and DA levels increased significantly after high-level sound exposure but not after low-level sound level sound exposure but not after low-level sound exposureexposure

BEN water gun experimentBEN water gun experiment• Results were similar to MUK experiment…Results were similar to MUK experiment…

BEN tone experimentBEN tone experiment• DA showed significant differences between control and DA showed significant differences between control and

exposure groupsexposure groups• White blood cell counts, neutrophil counts, platelets, and White blood cell counts, neutrophil counts, platelets, and

MCV decreased over the study periodMCV decreased over the study period


DiscussionDiscussion This study identified several neural-This study identified several neural-

immune measurements that may be immune measurements that may be implicated as indicators of stress in the implicated as indicators of stress in the white whale and bottlenose dolphinwhite whale and bottlenose dolphin

It should be noted however that responses It should be noted however that responses may vary with type of specie being may vary with type of specie being studied, test-sound being used, and the studied, test-sound being used, and the amount of control the individual has over amount of control the individual has over the stressorthe stressor

Further studies with a larger sample need Further studies with a larger sample need to be performed to obtain more accurate to be performed to obtain more accurate resultsresults


Displacement of Displacement of Orcinus Orcinus orcaorca (L.) by high amplitude (L.) by high amplitude sound in British Columbia, sound in British Columbia,

CanadaCanada

Alexandra B. Morton and Alexandra B. Morton and Helena K. SymondsHelena K. Symonds

Displacement of Orcinus orcaDisplacement of Orcinus orca

AbstractAbstract While whale While whale

displacement from displacement from noise “pollution” has noise “pollution” has long been suspected, long been suspected, it has been difficult to it has been difficult to documentdocument

This experiment took This experiment took place 1985-2000 and place 1985-2000 and documents killer documents killer whale occurrenceswhale occurrences

Killer whales in the Killer whales in the area were severely area were severely impacted by the noise impacted by the noise in their areain their area


IntroductionIntroduction

Killer whales commonly inhabit Killer whales commonly inhabit Johnstone Strait and the adjacent Johnstone Strait and the adjacent waters of the Broughton Archipelago waters of the Broughton Archipelago year-roundyear-round

Resident, Transient, and Off-shore Resident, Transient, and Off-shore killer whales inhabit region at any killer whales inhabit region at any given timegiven time

Low-powered vs. high-powered Low-powered vs. high-powered AHD’sAHD’s


Materials and Methods Materials and Methods

Whale detectionWhale detection


Results/ConclusionResults/Conclusion Killer whale presence Killer whale presence

remained relatively stable remained relatively stable in the Johnstone Strait, in the Johnstone Strait, however underwent however underwent dramatic change in the dramatic change in the Broughton ArchipelagoBroughton Archipelago

Researchers also Researchers also examined prey abundance examined prey abundance to determine if that would to determine if that would be contributing to the be contributing to the decrease in killer whale decrease in killer whale numbers in the Broughton numbers in the Broughton ArchipelagoArchipelago

ConclusionConclusion

ConclusionConclusion In conclusion, there seems to be evidence In conclusion, there seems to be evidence

to suggest that various types of to suggest that various types of anthropogenic sound may be harming our anthropogenic sound may be harming our world’s cetacean populationsworld’s cetacean populations

Evidence is not strong enoughEvidence is not strong enough In the coming future more research needs In the coming future more research needs

to be doneto be done Until the issue is resolved and western Until the issue is resolved and western

governments recognize the potential governments recognize the potential danger associated with some types of danger associated with some types of sonar use, they will continue to reap sonar use, they will continue to reap negative pressnegative press

ReferencesReferences

ReferencesReferencesNews ArticlesNews Articles

MSNBC News ArticleMSNBC News Article• http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10178012/http://msnbc.msn.com/id/10178012/

CBS News ArticleCBS News Article• http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/06/tech/main678382.shtmlhttp://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/06/tech/main678382.shtml

CNN News ArticleCNN News Article• http://www.anon.org/articles/cnn.jsphttp://www.anon.org/articles/cnn.jsp

The Washington Post News ArticleThe Washington Post News Article• http://www.anon.org/articles/washPost.jsphttp://www.anon.org/articles/washPost.jsp

The New York Times News ArticleThe New York Times News Article• http://www.anon.org/articles/nyt.jsphttp://www.anon.org/articles/nyt.jsp

The Honolulu Adviser News ArticleThe Honolulu Adviser News Article• http://www.anon.org/articles/hon.jsphttp://www.anon.org/articles/hon.jsp

Scientific PapersScientific Papers Anthropogenic sound and marine mammal health: measures of the nervous immune systems Anthropogenic sound and marine mammal health: measures of the nervous immune systems

before and after intense sound exposurebefore and after intense sound exposureT.A. Romano et. Al.T.A. Romano et. Al.Canadian Journal of Fish and Aquatic Sciences. 61: 1124-1134 (2004)Canadian Journal of Fish and Aquatic Sciences. 61: 1124-1134 (2004)

Displacement of Displacement of Orcinus orcaOrcinus orca (L.) by high amplitude sound in British, Columbia, Canada (L.) by high amplitude sound in British, Columbia, CanadaAlexandra B. Morton and Helena K. SymondsAlexandra B. Morton and Helena K. SymondsICES Journal of Marine Science, 59: 71-80 (2002)ICES Journal of Marine Science, 59: 71-80 (2002)

Other ResourcesOther Resources Wikepedia.org: Wikepedia.org: http://en.wikepedia.org/wiki/sonarhttp://en.wikepedia.org/wiki/sonar How stuff works.com www.howstuffworks.com/question101.htmHow stuff works.com www.howstuffworks.com/question101.htm

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Anthropogenic Sound, Sonar, and Cetacean Health