Population Consequences of Multiple Stressors Project - Analysis of Sound as a Stressor for North Atlantic Right Whales in the Cape Cod Bay Area during 2013 (CCB/SERDP)

Yack, Tina

Schick, Robert

Halpin, Patrick N

Nowacek, Douglas

Coleman, Taylor

2024-04-25T21:52:51Z

2024-04-25T21:52:51Z

2024-04-25

Nicholas School of the Environment

The North Atlantic right whale (Eubaleana glacialis) is critically endangered, primarily due to anthropogenic threats such as vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglement. Equally important for the conservation of this Mysticete is the recognition of cryptic stressors such as sound, which is their primary sensory modality and necessary for communication with conspecifics. This study focused on the calling behavior of individuals located within Cape Cod Bay during 2013 and utilized overlapping data from 19 days of aerial surveys, 21 days of passive acoustic monitoring, and 86 transiting vessels. Data were aggregated and summarized in hourly and daily increments to examine: (1) relationships between calling behavior (call rates and number of calls) and sighted group sizes; (2) changes in calling behavior over time; and (3) calling behavior in the presence of noise and vessels. An additional analysis investigated the difference between calling behavior occurring during light and dark periods. Findings are intended to inform ongoing conservation and research efforts to understand the calling behavior of the North Atlantic right whale in its changing environment.

https://hdl.handle.net/10161/30552

en_US

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

North Atlantic right whale

Cape Cod Bay

Sound

Stressor

Vessel noise

Passive acoustic monitoring

Calling behavior

Population Consequences of Multiple Stressors Project - Analysis of Sound as a Stressor for North Atlantic Right Whales in the Cape Cod Bay Area during 2013 (CCB/SERDP)

Master's project