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    The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Dunlop, R.
    Noad, M.
    McCauley, Robert
    Kniest, E.
    Slade, R.
    Paton, D.
    Cato, D.
    Date
    2017
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
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    Citation
    Dunlop, R. and Noad, M. and McCauley, R. and Kniest, E. and Slade, R. and Paton, D. and Cato, D. 2017. The behavioural response of migrating humpback whales to a full seismic airgun array. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 284 (1869).
    Source Title
    Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
    DOI
    10.1098/rspb.2017.1901
    Additional URLs
    http://rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org/
    ISSN
    0962-8452
    School
    Centre for Marine Science and Technology
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/62015
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    © 2017 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved. Despite concerns on the effects of noise from seismic survey airguns on marine organisms, there remains uncertainty as to the biological significance of any response. This study quantifies and interprets the response of migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) to a 3130 in 3 (51.3l) commercial airgun array. We compare the behavioural responses to active trials (array operational; n = 34 whale groups), with responses to control trials (source vessel towing the array while silent; n = 33) and baseline studies of normal behaviour in the absence of the vessel (n = 85). No abnormal behaviours were recorded during the trials. However, in response to the active seismic array and the controls, the whales displayed changes in behaviour. Changes in respiration rate were of a similar magnitude to changes in baseline groups being joined by other animals suggesting any change group energetics was within their behavioural repertoire. However, the reduced progression southwards in response to the active treatments, for some cohorts, was below typical migratory speeds. This response was more likely to occur within 4 km from the array at recei ved levels over 135 dB re 1 µPa 2 .s.

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