Lammers Marc O, Howe Marian, Zang Eden, McElligott Megan, Engelhaupt Amy, Munger Lisa
Oceanwide Science Institute, PO Box 61692, Honolulu, HI 96839, USA.
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology, PO Box 1346, Kaneohe, HI 96744, USA.
R Soc Open Sci. 2017 Dec 6;4(12):170558. doi: 10.1098/rsos.170558. eCollection 2017 Dec.
To investigate the potential impacts of naval mine neutralization exercises (MINEX) on odontocete cetaceans, a long-term passive acoustic monitoring study was conducted at a US Navy training range near Virginia Beach, USA. Bottom-moored acoustic recorders were deployed in 2012-2016 near the epicentre of MINEX training activity and were refurbished every 2-4 months. Recordings were analysed for the daily presence/absence of dolphins, and dolphin acoustic activity was quantified in detail for the hours and days before and after 31 MINEX training events. Dolphins occurred in the area year-round, but there was clear seasonal variability, with lower presence during winter months. Dolphins exhibited a behavioural response to underwater detonations. Dolphin acoustic activity near the training location was lower during the hours and days following detonations, suggesting that animals left the area and/or reduced their signalling. Concurrent acoustic monitoring farther away from the training area suggested that the radius of response was between 3 and 6 km. A generalized additive model indicated that the predictors that explained the greatest amount of deviance in the data were the day relative to the training event, the hour of the day and circumstances specific to each training event.
为了调查海军扫雷演习（MINEX）对齿鲸类鲸目动物的潜在影响，在美国弗吉尼亚海滩附近的一个美国海军训练靶场进行了一项长期的被动声学监测研究。底部系留式声学记录仪于2012年至2016年部署在MINEX训练活动的震中附近，每2至4个月进行一次翻新。对记录进行分析，以确定海豚每日的出没情况，并对31次MINEX训练活动前后的数小时和数天内的海豚声学活动进行了详细量化。海豚全年都出现在该区域，但存在明显的季节性变化，冬季出现的频率较低。海豚对水下爆炸表现出行为反应。爆炸后的数小时和数天内，训练地点附近的海豚声学活动较低，这表明动物离开了该区域和/或减少了它们的信号传递。在远离训练区域的同步声学监测表明，反应半径在3至6公里之间。一个广义相加模型表明，解释数据中最大偏差量的预测因子是相对于训练活动的日期、一天中的时间以及每个训练活动的具体情况。
