Dolphins simplify their vocal calls in response to increased ambient noise

Publication Type:Journal Article
Year of Publication:2018
Authors:Fouda, Wingfield, Fandel, Garrod, Hodge, Rice, Bailey
Journal:Biology Letters
Volume:14
Issue:10
Pagination:20180484
Date Published:Sep-05-20182022
ISSN:1744-9561
Keywords:acoustic communication, anthropogenic noise, bottlenose dolphin, vocal modification
Abstract:

Ocean noise varies spatially and temporally and is driven by natural and anthropogenic processes. Increased ambient noise levels can cause signal masking and communication impairment, affecting fitness and recruitment success. However, the effects of increasing ambient noise levels on marine species, such as marine mammals that primarily rely on sound for communication, are not well understood. We investigated the effects of concurrent ambient noise levels on social whistle calls produced by bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the western North Atlantic. Elevated ambient noise levels were mainly caused by ship noise. Increases in ship noise, both within and below the dolphins' call bandwidth, resulted in higher dolphin whistle frequencies and a reduction in whistle contour complexity, an acoustic feature associated with individual identification. Consequently, the noise-induced simplification of dolphin whistles may reduce the information content in these acoustic signals and decrease effective communication, parent–offspring proximity or group cohesion.

URL:http://rsbl.royalsocietypublishing.org/lookup/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2018.0484https://syndication.highwire.org/content/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2018.0484
DOI:10.1098/rsbl.2018.0484
Short Title:Biol. Lett.
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Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith