ABSTRACT: Underwater noise has increased globally, yet our understanding of how baleen whales may be affected is limited. A controlled exposure experiment was used to determine whether an acoustic deterrent device (ADD) would modify the behaviour of minke whales Balaenoptera acutorostrata in Iceland. The Lofitech Seal Scarer in this study emitted a 14.6 kHz tone with a source level of 198 dB re 1 μPa re 1 m (rms). Video-range tracking was used to monitor behaviour during pre-treatment, control, treatment and post-treatment phases, with the ADD deployed at 338-1562 m during treatment (n = 10). Dive duration, swimming speed, reoxygenation rate and measures of path predictability were used to quantify responses. In all deployments, the ADD caused focal animals to move away immediately, typically increasing horizontal speed and directness away from the source and extending dives. Whales exhibited sustained movement away after deactivation. Deployment distance had the largest effect in a multiple regression model; closer deployments caused whales to move away faster. However, increases in dive duration and horizontal speed were apparently caused by the signal alone, rather than its magnitude. A noise propagation model suggested whales received maximum sound pressures of 150 dB re 1 μPa (rms) for the closest deployment (338 m). When modelling cumulative exposure over 24 h, deploying the ADD 25 m or more from individuals moving away at the average speed of 3.4 km h^-1 did not risk injury; temporary threshold shifts may be expected if deployed any closer. This study provides evidence that minke whales clearly react to signals at the likely upper limit of their hearing sensitivity.

中文翻译：

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小须鲸 Balaenoptera acutorostrata 避免使用 15 kHz 声威慑装置 (ADD)

摘要：水下噪音在全球范围内有所增加，但我们对须鲸如何受到影响的了解有限。受控暴露实验用于确定声威慑装置 (ADD) 是否会改变小须鲸Balaenoptera acutorostrata的行为在冰岛。本研究中的 Lofitech Seal Scarer 发出 14.6 kHz 音调，源电平为 198 dB re 1 μPa re 1 m (rms)。视频范围跟踪用于监测治疗前、控制、治疗和治疗后阶段的行为，治疗期间 ADD 部署在 338-1562 m（n = 10）。潜水持续时间、游泳速度、复氧率和路径可预测性的措施被用来量化反应。在所有部署中，ADD 都会导致焦点动物立即移开，通常会增加远离源的水平速度和方向并延长俯冲。鲸鱼在失活后表现出持续的运动。部署距离在多元回归模型中的影响最大；更近的部署导致鲸鱼更快地离开。然而，潜水持续时间和水平速度的增加显然是由信号本身引起的，而不是由其幅度引起的。噪声传播模型表明，鲸鱼在最近部署（338 m）时接收到的最大声压为 150 dB re 1 μPa (rms)。在对超过 24 小时的累积暴露进行建模时，将 ADD 部署在距离以 3.4 km h 平均速度离开的个人 25 m 或更多距离^-1没有受伤的危险；如果部署得更近，可能会出现临时阈值变化。这项研究提供的证据表明，小须鲸对可能达到其听觉灵敏度上限的信号有明显的反应。