[MARMAM] New publication: A long-term shift in the summer distribution of Hector’s dolphins is correlated with an increase in cruise ship tourism

[William Carome]

My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of a paper on
long-term trends in distribution of Hector's dolphins in the most recent
volume of Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems. The
citation and abstract are given below and the full .pdf is available via
Open Access at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/aqc.3881

Carome, W., Slooten, E., Rayment, W., Webster, T., Wickman, L., Brough, T. et
al. (2022). A long-term shift in the summer distribution of Hector’s
dolphins is correlated with an increase in cruise ship tourism. *Aquatic
Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems*, 32( 10), 1660– 1674.
https://doi.org/10.1002/aqc.3881

Before the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, cruise ship tourism had been one of the
fastest growing segments of global tourism, presenting a range of potential
impacts. At Akaroa Harbour, Aotearoa New Zealand, the number of annual
cruise ship visits more than quadrupled following earthquake damage to
Ōtautahi Christchurch's Lyttelton Port in 2011. Akaroa Harbour is an area
of core use for endangered and endemic Hector’s dolphins (*Cephalorhynchus
hectori*). Dolphins here are exposed to some of the highest levels of
cetacean tourism in Aotearoa New Zealand. Relationships were examined
between growth in cruise ship visits, as well as tours focused specifically
on dolphins, and long-term trends in summer distribution of Hector’s
dolphins at Akaroa Harbour, from 2000 to 2020. Core use areas for Hector’s
dolphins within the harbour were quantified via kernel density estimation
using data from 2,335 sightings from over 8,000 km of standardized survey
effort. Data were allocated into four periods based on varying levels of
tourism. Dolphin habitat preference varied over time, with the greatest
change occurring between 2005–2011 and 2012–2015. When comparing these
periods, the spatial overlap of core habitat was less than 24%. Dolphin
distribution shifted towards the outer harbour after 2011 and has remained
relatively consistent since. The observed shift in distribution coincided
with the more than fourfold increase in annual cruise ship visits to Akaroa
Harbour. Several pressures related to cruise ship tourism are likely to
have influenced habitat preferences of dolphins. Further investigation into
causal factors of the observed shift is warranted. In the wake of the
COVID-19 pandemic, the future of cruise ship and wildlife tourism is in
flux. Our findings suggest that the future re-development of this industry
should follow a precautionary approach, with the onus on industry to
provide evidence of sustainability before proceeding.

You are very welcome to contact me (william.car...@gmail.com) with any
questions.

Ngā mihi,

Will Carome
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Re: [MARMAM] Semester by the Bay Program in Homer, Alaska

[Kenneth Goldman]

Dear Marmam Community,

 I am writing to ask and encourage you to share the following
information with your colleagues and students about a wonderful program
offered at the University of Alaska Anchorage, Kenai Peninsula College,
Kachemak Bay Campus.  The Semester by the Bay Program is an Alaska,
place-based experiential learning program in Homer, Alaska is an ideal
place to study and explore Marine Biology and Conservation Ecology.  We
hope that all we offer (e.g. experiential learning, internships, incredible
courses with world-renowned instructors, with access to one of the richest
marine estuaries in the world) can work into your students’ academic
goals.  Our Fall semester focuses on Marine Mammal Biology, while our
spring semester focus is Conservation Ecology.



We are currently recruiting students and planning for the Spring 2023
semester.  We will be offering a 16 credit transcripted certificate in
Ecology.  Classes offered include:

BIOL 473 Conservation Biology (3CR)

BIOL 483 Exploration Ecology (2CR)

BIOL 484 Experiential Learning: Exploration Ecology Field Study (4CR)

BIOL 490 Global Climate Change (3CR)

BIOL 492A Undergraduate Seminar in Conservation Ecology (1CR)

BIOL 495A Internship in the Biological Sciences (3CR)



EACH FALL we also offer a 16 credit Marine Mammal Biology Certificate
program.  Classes offered include:

BIOL 325 Advanced Marine Skeletal Articulation (2CR)

BIOL 430 Marine Mammal Biology (3CR)

BIOL 432 Experiential Learning: Marine Mammal Biology (2CR)

BIOL 458 Behavioral Ecology of Marine Mammals (3CR)

BIOL 459 Experiential Learning: Behavioral Ecology of Marine Mammals (2CR)

BIOL 492A Undergraduate Seminar in Marine Mammal Conservation (1CR)

BIOL 495A Internship in the Biological Sciences (3CR)



Each of these two separate semester packages of 16 credits includes an
opportunity for students to both participate in an internship and conduct
guided undergraduate research.  Some internships offer free or reduced
housing and students receive in-state tuition.



Completion of either semester’s hands-on, intensive program will earn a
student a stand-alone degree called an Occupational Endorsement
Certificate. We will work with students and their institutions to ensure
course transferability in addition to earning these certificates

Please see our website for more information on internships and the SBB
program

https://semesterbythebay.org/



Thank you very much for your time and attention to this email, and for your
help in spreading the word about our programs.  Please contact me directly
if you have any questions.



Regards,



Ken Goldman

 ---
Kenneth J. Goldman, Ph.D.
Adjunct Professor of Biology
University of Alaska Anchorage,
Kenai Peninsula College
Kachemak Bay Campus
533 East Pioneer Ave.
Homer, Alaska 99603
email: kjgold...@alaska.edu
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[MARMAM] Article on Mindful Conservation

[Fabian Ritter; MEER e.V.]

Dear Marmamers,

with great pleasure I want to make you aware of a current article 
reflecting on marine mammal conservation in a more holistic manner. This 
article is based on my talk at this year's Annual Conference of the 
European Cetacean Society (ECS), which many of you have encouraged me to 
publish "poperly". Luckily, /Advances in Marine Biology/ accepted the 
article to be included as an editorial to its latest volume:



 Ritter, F. - _Marine mammal conservation in the 21st century: A plea
 for a paradigm shift towards mindful conservation. /Advances in Marine
 Biology/, ISSN 0065-2881, https://doi.org/10.1016/bs.amb.2022.09.001
 _

_Abstract:_ Marine mammals are regarded in high esteem by the general 
public, and are recognized as flagship species for conservation, while 
at the same time they suffer from anthropogenic impacts on a global 
scale, and often in extreme ways. It seems there is a huge discrepancy 
between how we humans think about our fellow creatures in the sea, and 
how we behave to impact and/or conserve them. Here, I examine why the 
purely scientific and thus intellectual approach to marine mammal 
conservation has had limited success over the past decades. While there 
are some obvious success stories in cetacean conservation, the situation 
today is, for many species and populations, more dire than it has ever 
been. The idea of ‘we need to know more’—a credo of the scientific 
community—often is politically misrepresented to postpone necessary 
conservation decisions. To adapt our path towards more profound and, 
importantly, more effective marine conservation, as conservationists we 
need to go deeper and change the narrative of separation, i.e., the 
concept of humans being set apart from the rest of nature. Instead, 
there is a need to create a narrative of connectedness, i.e., the 
consciousness of humans being an integral part of the planetary system. 
Rather than telling horror stories about the plight of marine mammals, 
conservationists also need to trigger positive emotions about them in 
ourselves. More holistic aspects of conservation need to be incorporated 
in our future efforts, including the fuller integration of traditional 
knowledge and indigenous wisdom, recognizing ecosystem functions of 
marine life and protecting the processes they sustain, respecting 
‘holiness’ of nature while focusing on the animals’ individuality, 
personhood and the cultural identity of distinct cetacean communities. 
Effective marine mammal conservation will be possible only on the basis 
of a profound change of our own values and a fundamental change of the 
societal system(s) we are living in.


This link will bring you to the website where the article can be _viewed 
and downloaded freely until 06 December 2022_. No sign up, registration 
or fees are required.


https://authors.elsevier.com/a/1fx38Es4JKUCb

Best wishes to all,

Fabian

--
_


Fabian Ritter
President

M.E.E.R. e.V.
Bundesallee 123
D-12161 Berlin

T +49-(0)30-644 97 230
rit...@m-e-e-r.de

www.m-e-e-r.org

"The dolphins were having a great relaxed
time and there were no major answers
they wished to have the questions to."
-after Douglas Adams-
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[MARMAM] U.S. Navy Living Marine Resource Program Need Topic - call for pre-proposals

[LMR Program]

The U.S. Navy Living Marine Resources (LMR) applied research program is
seeking pre-proposals pertaining to one need topic. The FY23 need topic
pertains to automated detection of marine mammals for unmanned surface
vessel strike avoidance.

Details regarding the need topic mentioned above and what information is
required in a pre-proposal can be found at
https://exwc.navfac.navy.mil/lmr/proposals. All pre-proposals should be
submitted via email to exwc_lmr_prog...@navy.mil. Pre-proposals pertaining
to this need topic will be accepted until 11:59 PM PST on 05 December 2022.
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[MARMAM] Publication on Risso's dolphin behaviors from Southern California

[David Sweeney]

Dear marmam community,

My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our recent
research article:

Rone BK, Sweeney DA, Falcone EA, Watwood SL and Schorr GS (2022) Movements
and diving behavior of Risso’s dolphins in the Southern California Bight.
Front. Mar. Sci. 9:873548. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2022.873548

The paper can be downloaded from:
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.873548/full

Abstract:
Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus), uncommon prior to the 1970’s, are now
regularly observed within the Southern California Bight. During long-term
cetacean monitoring programs on United States Navy range areas in the
Southern California Bight from 2009–2019, we deployed 16 Argos-linked
satellite tags on Risso’s to acquire objective, detailed depictions of
their movements and behaviors. Individuals were tracked for a median of
10.7 days (range = 0.8 – 19.7). Kernel density estimation suggested
individuals utilized the entire Southern California Bight with the 50% core
use area centered around San Clemente and Santa Catalina Islands where most
of the tag deployments occurred. Grand median dive depth was 101 m (max =
528) and dive duration was 5.6 min (max = 11.1). We used generalized mixed
models to assess seasonal and environmental effects on distribution and
diving behavior including month, distance to shore, time of day, lunar
phase, sea surface temperature, and chlorophyll-a residuals. Animals were
further from shore (including islands) during a full versus new moon and
from the mainland during the last versus first quarter moon. Animals also
tended to be closer to land in the fall and early winter months. Dives were
deeper yet shorter during the night, during a full moon, and when animals
were further offshore. Animals conducted nearly twice as many dives at
night compared to day, though deep dives (> 500 m) occurred at all times of
day. This study provides insights into Risso’s distribution and behavioral
trends while identifying priorities for future research.

Feel free to email Brenda Rone (brenda.r...@marecotel.org), our
corresponding author, with any questions.

Best,
David Sweeney

-- 
David Sweeney, Research Assistant
Marine Ecology and Telemetry Research
2468 Camp McKenzie Trail NW, Seabeck WA 98380-4513
dswee...@marecotel.org | 224-804-7754
www.marecotel.org
Follow MarEcoTel on Facebook,  Twitter
, and Instagram

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[MARMAM] Proposed Rule for the Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to the Construction of the Ocean Wind 1 Offshore Wind Facility off New Jersey

[Kelsey Potlock - NOAA Federal]

NOAA Fisheries has received a request for five-year Incidental Take
Regulations and an associated Letter of Authorization from Ocean Wind, LLC,
a subsidiary of Orsted Wind Power North America, LLC’s and a joint venture
partner of the Public Service Enterprise Group Renewable Generation, LLC,
for the incidental take of small numbers of marine mammals during the
construction of the Ocean Wind 1 offshore wind energy facility in a
designated lease area on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS-A-0498) offshore
of New Jersey.

The requested regulations would govern the authorization of take, by both
Level A and Level B harassment, of small numbers of marine mammals over a
5-year period incidental to construction-related pile driving activities
(impact and vibratory), potential unexploded ordnances or munitions and
explosives of concern (UXOs/MECs) detonation, and high-resolution
geophysical (HRG) site characterization surveys conducted by Ocean Wind in
Federal and State waters off of New Jersey. These regulations propose to
authorize the take of individuals by Level B harassment and, for some
species, by Level A harassment incidental to the construction activities
previously described. No mortality or serious injury is expected or
proposed to be authorized. NOAA Fisheries’ proposed regulations would
require mitigation measures that are expected to reduce adverse impacts to
marine mammals, including operational measures that reduce the likelihood
of injury and time/area limitations that reduce the probability and
severity of behavioral disturbance in areas where marine mammals conduct
important behaviors or where sensitive species congregate. Required
monitoring and reporting will increase our understanding of the impacts of
the activity on marine mammals. The proposed rule can be accessed at the
following link and will have a 30 day public comment period, starting on
October 26, 2022 and ending November 25, 2022:
https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2022-23200.

Please visit
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/permit/incidental-take-authorizations-under-marine-mammal-protection-act
for
more information on NOAA Fisheries’ incidental take program under the MMPA.

Thank you,

Kelsey

- - - - -
*Kelsey Potlock, Marine Resources Management Specialist **(she/her/hers)*
Permits and Conservation Division
Office of Protected Resources
NOAA Fisheries | U.S. Department of Commerce
www.fisheries.noaa.gov

Google Voice Phone Number: (301) 427-8410
Email:

*kelsey.potl...@noaa.gov *><º>·.¸.
·.¸.·´¯`·...¸.·´¯`·...¸.·><º>
·.¸.·´¯`·...¸.·´¯`·...¸.·><º>·.¸.·´¯`·...¸.·´¯`·...¸.·><º>


[image: icon-facebook.png] [image:
icon-twitter.png] [image:
icon-youtube.png] [image:
icon-instagram.png] [image:
icon-linkedin.png] 
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[MARMAM] Open Senior Marine Wildlife Survey Consultant position

[Jessie Behr]

There is an open Senior Marine Wildlife Survey Consultant position available at 
APEM:

Job Title: Senior Marine Wildlife Survey Consultant 
Salary:Competitive and Rewarding + Benefits  
Hours: 37.5
Location: Flexible across the UK

Being an experienced consultant in a relevant sector, you will possess good 
knowledge of a wide range of subjects within the marine field or marine ecology 
space, or have an understanding of marine wildlife. 

The ability to produce high quality work (including data analysis and report 
writing) within tight deadlines will be required of you. Flexibility, 
reliability and excellent communication skills are also required as you will be 
managing a team across various locations. Prioritisation of your time and 
workload, producing high quality work and achieving deadlines is essential to 
you.

You hold a degree in ecology, environmental, planning or another related field.

This is the link to see all details of the position: 

https://careers.apemltd.co.uk/jobs/2016885-senior-marine-wildlife-survey-consultant-ref-1044
 


If you are interested in the role or wish to apply, please follow the link 
above or contact recruitm...@apemltd.co.uk . 

If you apply, please explain in your cover letter how you heard about the role 
and mention you were referred by myself.

Best of luck!

Kind regards,

Jessie Behr
Marine Wildlife Survey Consultant
MSc Marine Conservation | BSc Biological Sciences
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[MARMAM] Open Senior Marine Mammal Consultant position

[Jessie Behr]

There is an open Senior Marine Mammal Consultant position available at APEM:

Job Title:  Senior Marine Mammal Consultant
Salary: Competitive and Rewarding + Benefits  
Hours:  37.5
Location:   Buckfastleigh - Flexible - Remote

The appointed consultant will have knowledge, skills, and a minimum of two 
years of experience with a consulting firm or similar organisation, with 
cross-cutting expertise in marine mammal ecology. They will deliver a range of 
coastal and marine projects, requiring a detailed understanding of 
environmental and ecological impacts on marine mammals. The Senior Marine 
Mammal Consultant will be encouraged to determine opportunities to tender for 
and deliver a range of projects across a variety of clients, including: 
environmental and conservation regulatory agencies; renewable energy companies; 
oil and gas companies; water industry companies; and private and public sector 
coastal and marine infrastructure developers. All such work will be unified by 
the theme of sustainable development and the need for associated environmental 
protection and effective management.

This is the link to see all details of the position: 

https://careers.apemltd.co.uk/jobs/2094018-senior-marine-mammal-consultant-ref-2038
 


If you are interested in the role or wish to apply, please follow the link 
above or contact recruitm...@apemltd.co.uk. 

If you apply, please explain in your cover letter how you heard about the role 
and mention you were referred by myself.

Best of luck!

Kind regards,

Jessie Behr
Marine Wildlife Survey Consultant
MSc Marine Conservation | BSc Biological Sciences
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[MARMAM] Please Post: Marine Genomics Tenure-track position at GELIFES, University of Groningen, The Netherlands

[Per Palsbøll]

There is an opening for a tenure track position at the level of 
Assistant/Associate Professor at the Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life 
Sciences (GELIFES ) of the Faculty of 
Sciences and Engineering at the University of Groningen, the Netherlands of 
possible interest to MARMAM subscribers. 

The position fallS under the Rosalind Franklin Fellowship Program. The Rosalind 
Frank lin Fellowship Program 
 aims at promoting the 
advancement of talented female researchers and is addressed to women in 
industry, academia or research institutes who aspire to become a Full Professor 
at a European top research university. The relevant position is in:
Ecological genomics of marine/intertidal ecosystems
Detailed information on the specific profile can be found here 
. Applications are 
due by the 27th of October 11:59pm Dutch local time (CET) via the on-line 
application at this link .
Additional information:
Profiles: https://www.rug.nl/research/gelifes/organisation/vacancies 
Terms and 
conditions + application process: 
https://www.rug.nl/about-ug/work-with-us/job-opportunities/?details=00347-02S0009JEP
 


Best regards,

Per
--
Per J. Palsboll (he/him)

Professor of Marine Evolution and Conservation
Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences
University of Groningen
Nijenborgh 7
9747 AG Groningen
The Netherlands
 
Office phone: +31 50 363 9882
Mobile +31 6 5777 9495
 
Mail address:
PO Box 11103
9700 CC Groningen
The Netherlands

Adjunct scientist
Center for Coastal Studies
5 Holway Avenue, Provincetown, MA 02657, U.S.A.
--
"How wonderful that we have met with a paradox. Now we have some hope of making 
progress."
 
As quoted in "Niels Bohr : The Man, His Science, & the World They Changed" 
(1966) by Ruth Moore, p. 196
--

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[MARMAM] MMO Training Course, November 2022

[Carolyn Barton]

JNCC-recognised MMO course for UK waters, 7 & 8 November 2022, remote
delivery by Zoom.



This course will cover all the information needed for work as a Marine
Mammal Observer (MMO) in UK waters.  Taught by an instructor with over 25
years experience, the course content includes:



1) Impacts of noise on marine mammals

2) Introduction to activities that require mitigation

3) Legislation protecting marine mammals and marine licensing

4) Detailed examination of the JNCC guidelines for geophysical surveys,
pile driving and explosives

5) Data recording and reporting requirements

6) Visual monitoring and distance estimation

7) Overview of passive acoustic monitoring

8) Working as an MMO/ PAM operator

9) Identification of marine mammals



Zoom sessions will be a mixture of lectures and exercises, over 1.5 days.
Any exercises not completed during the sessions can be completed in your
own time.  There is also an online multiple choice exam to be done at your
convenience after the Zoom sessions (re-sits are possible if you don't pass
first time).



The cost of the course is £200 (200GBP) payable after the course.  There is
no cancellation fee.  The course is limited to small numbers; each delegate
gets individual feedback on their exercises and the exam.  On successful
completion of the course (including the exercises and exam) you will
receive JNCC-recognised certification, which is required for work as an MMO
or PAM operator in UK waters.



For further details and for a registration form see www.carolynbarton.co.uk or
e-mail i...@carolynbarton.co.uk .



Carolyn Barton
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[MARMAM] FWC Southwest Field Lab Marine Mammal Internship

[Schubert, Molly]

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Marine Mammals section 
at the Charlotte Harbor Field Lab in Port Charlotte, FL is accepting 
applications for an intern to start in January 2023.

The Southwest Field Lab is offering two internships to driven, self-motivated 
individuals for the Winter 2023 season. The expected start date for the 
internship is the beginning of January, however, start dates will be flexible. 
Working hours are typically four to five days a week, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some 
additional night and weekend hours may be required. The position is located in 
Port Charlotte on the west coast of Florida, just north of Fort Myers. The 
intern's duties would include assisting with manatee and cetacean carcass 
salvage, necropsies, research projects (temperature monitoring, Photo ID, 
etc.), public outreach, and occasional rescues. The intern will also assist 
with office duties including mortality reports, upkeep of databases, and other 
office work as needed. To perform the tasks mentioned, interns will operate FWC 
trucks and dependent upon experience, trailers and boats up to 22' in length. 
At the end of the internship, interns are required to complete a project and a 
10-15 minute presentation on a marine mammal topic of their choosing.

Qualifications:
* College juniors, seniors, recent graduates, and graduate students 
are eligible
* Interns must have some research field experience
* Interns must be comfortable operating large trucks and speaking 
to the public
* Familiarity with digital cameras, telephoto lenses, and filters 
is preferred, but can be trained
* Computer literacy
* Previous animal handling experience is desirable but not necessary
* Ability to trailer and operate watercrafts up to 22' in length 
and experience with radio telemetry tracking gear is desirable, but not 
necessary
* Interns must be able to lift 50 lbs., swim, and possess a valid 
US driver's license
* Interns should understand that this job will require them to be 
wet, dirty and outdoors in all weather conditions for long periods of time

Application Process:
If you are interested in applying for an internship with FWRI, please provide 
the following information:

* A cover letter describing area(s) of interest and the dates, 
days, and hours of availability
* A resume describing training and experience
* Names and contact information for at least three references
* An unofficial copy of your academic transcript

Please send these items as e-mail attachments to:
inte...@myfwc.com
If electronic submission is not possible, hard copies can be mailed to:

Internship Coordinator
585 Prineville Street
Port Charlotte, FL 33954


Molly R. Schubert
Marine Mammal Biologist
Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Fish and Wildlife Research Institute
Southwest Field Lab
585 Prineville St
Port Charlotte, FL 33954
Office: (941) 249-6559
molly.schub...@myfwc.com
Manatee Hotline: 1-888-404-3922

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[MARMAM] New paper on empirical tests for changes in diving behavior

[Dr Robert Schick, Ph.D.]

On behalf of my co-authors, I’m pleased to announce the recent publication of 
our paper that developed methods to detect changes in diving behavior of 
Ziphius cavirostris following exposure to simulated mid-frequency sonar.

Publication details are:
Kernel density estimation of conditional distributions to detect responses in 
satellite tag data.
Joshua Hewitt, Alan E. Gelfand, Nicola J. Quick, William R. Cioffi, Brandon L. 
Southall, Stacy L. DeRuiter & Robert S. Schick. Animal Biotelemetry Volume 10, 
Article number: 28 (2022)

Abstract
Background
As levels of anthropogenic noise in the marine environment rise, it is crucial 
to quantify potential associated effects on marine mammals. Yet measuring 
responses is challenging because most species spend the majority of their time 
submerged. Consequently, much of their sub-surface behavior is difficult or 
impossible to observe and it can be difficult to determine if—during or 
following an exposure to sound—an observed dive differs from previously 
recorded dives. We propose a method for initial assessment of potential 
behavioral responses observed during controlled exposure experiments (CEEs), in 
which animals are intentionally exposed to anthropogenic sound sources. To 
identify possible behavioral responses in dive data collected from 
satellite-linked time–depth recorders, and to inform the selection and 
parameters for subsequent individual and population-level response analyses, we 
propose to use kernel density estimates of conditional distributions for 
quantitative comparison of pre- and post-exposure behavior.
Results
We apply the proposed method to nine Cuvier’s beaked whales (Ziphius 
cavirostris) exposed to a lower-amplitude simulation of Mid-Frequency Active 
Sonar within the context of a CEE. The exploratory procedure provides evidence 
that exposure to sound causes animals to change their diving behavior. Nearly 
all animals tended to dive deep immediately following exposure, potentially 
indicating avoidance behavior. Following the initial deep dive after exposure, 
the procedure provides evidence that animals either avoided deep dives entirely 
or initiated deep dives at unusual times relative to their pre-exposure, 
baseline behavior patterns. The procedure also provides some evidence that 
animals exposed as a group may tend to respond as a group.
Conclusions
The exploratory approach we propose can identify potential behavioral responses 
across a range of diving parameters observed during CEEs. The method is 
particularly useful for analyzing data collected from animals for which neither 
the baseline, unexposed patterns in dive behavior nor the potential types or 
duration of behavioral responses is well characterized in the literature. The 
method is able to be applied in settings where little a priori knowledge is 
known because the statistical analyses employ kernel density estimates of 
conditional distributions, which are flexible non-parametric techniques. The 
kernel density estimates allow researchers to initially assess potential 
behavioral responses without making strong, model-based assumptions about the 
data.

https://animalbiotelemetry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40317-022-00299-7

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[MARMAM] New publication on humpback whale response to noise

[Elisa Maria Girola]

Dear Colleagues,



We are happy to announce the publication of our new paper



Girola, E., Dunlop, R. A., Noad, M. J. (2022). "Singing in a noisy ocean: vocal 
plasticity in male humpback whales." Bioacoustics: 1-24. DOI: 
10.1080/09524622.2022.2122560



Abstract
The songs produced by male humpback whales are believed to be a reproductive 
display shared by all singers within the same population. Ocean noise can 
interfere with the transmission of acoustic signals such as humpback whale 
songs. However, humpback whales evolved in an environment characterised by 
variable levels of noise generated by natural sources. This study investigates 
whether singing males compensate for natural noise by changing the 
characteristics of their sounds.  Songs were recorded off eastern Australia 
during periods of time when the soundscape was dominated by natural noise. 
Source level, peak frequency and duration were measured for 2,318 song units 
from 19 singers. Source levels were positively correlated with noise levels, 
while there was no correlation between the peak frequency or duration of the 
units and noise levels. Our study shows that male humpback whales increase the 
source level of their units in response to increasing natural noise, i.e. they 
have a Lombard response, but they do not modify their spectral or temporal 
characteristics. This suggests that the need to adhere to the shared repertoire 
prevents changes to distinctive features of song units, i.e. frequency and 
duration, however, vocal plasticity allows adjusting source levels to the 
environmental conditions.



The paper can be accessed here https://doi.org/10.1080/09524622.2022.2122560



or you can request a pdf copy from the corresponding author 
(e.gir...@uq.edu.au).

Best regards

Elisa

Dr. Elisa Girola
The University of Queensland
Australia

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