Hello MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent publication: "Comparison of the marine soundscape before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in dolphin habitat in Sarasota Bay, FL," published in the special issue of JASA on COVID-19 Pandemic Acoustic Effects.
The full paper is available here: (PDF) Comparison of the marine soundscape before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in dolphin habitat in Sarasota Bay, FL (researchgate.net)<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/365967746_Comparison_of_the_marine_soundscape_before_and_during_the_COVID-19_pandemic_in_dolphin_habitat_in_Sarasota_Bay_FL> and an infographic here: https://twitter.com/emmalongden_/status/1599791931499823105?s=20&t=MrubQLRYAMewT5t7dwHqtg. Please find the full citation and abstract below. Best wishes, Emma Longden, E. G., Gillespie, D., Mann, D. A., McHugh, K. A., Rycyk, A. M., Wells, R. S., & Tyack, P. L. (2022). Comparison of the marine soundscape before and during the COVID-19 pandemic in dolphin habitat in Sarasota Bay, FL. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 152(6), 3170-3185. https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0015366 Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, changes in vessel activity and associated noise have been reported globally. Sarasota Bay is home to a large and increasing number of recreational vessels as well as a long-term resident community of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus. Data were analyzed from two hydrophones to compare the soundscape during the COVID-19 pandemic to previous years (March-May 2020 and 2018/2019). Hourly metrics were calculated: vessel passes, 95th percentile sound levels [125 Hz and 16 kHz third octave bands (TOBs), and two broader bands: 88-1122 Hz and 1781-17 959 Hz], and dolphin whistle detection to understand changes in vessel activity and the effect on wildlife. Vessel activity increased during COVID-19 restrictions by almost 80% at one site and remained the same at the other site. Of the four sound level measures, only the 125 Hz TOB and 88-1122 Hz band increased with vessel activity at both sites, suggesting that these may be appropriate measures of noise from rapid pass-bys of small vessels in very shallow (<10 m) habitats. Dolphin whistle detection decreased during COVID-19 restrictions at one site but remained the same at the site that experienced increased vessel activity. The results suggest that pandemic effects on wildlife should not be viewed as homogeneous globally. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Emma Longden Researcher Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) Scottish Oceans Institute University of St Andrews St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB Twitter: @EmmaLongden_ @_SMRU_ ResearchGate<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Emma-Longden-2> The University of St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland: No SC013532
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