@article {58484, title = {Mid-frequency song and low-frequency calls of sei whales in the Falkland Islands}, journal = {Royal Society Open Science}, volume = {9}, year = {2022}, abstract = {

Although sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis) are distributed throughout the globe, their behaviour and vocal repertoire are poorly described. We used passive acoustic monitoring to describe the vocal behaviour of sei whales in the Falkland Islands, between December 2018 and April 2019. We isolated more than 2000 low-frequency calls for manual classification, of which 510 calls with high signal-to-noise ratio were quantitatively measured. Five categories of stereotyped call types in the 15\–230 Hz range were described, some with multiple subcategories. These included some similar to previously described calls (e.g. downsweeps), but others that were novel in acoustic structure and frequency band. In the mid-frequency range, we documented a highly stereotyped, hierarchically structured and rhythmically repetitive song display. Songs were arranged in phrases with a structure composed of repetitive sub- phrases, and a diverse variety of sounds in the 1\–5 kHz range. Singing commenced in late February, despite the presence of whales and calls since early December, and continued through April. These acoustic properties and behavioural characteristics indicate that this is likely a male breeding display similar to songs and singing of other balaenopterids. This is the first detailed description of a song display for sei whales, highlighting the importance of the Falkland Islands.

}, keywords = {Balaenoptera borealis, low-frequency calls, passive acoustic monitoring, singing behaviour, song display}, doi = {10.1098/rsos.220738}, author = {Salvatore Cerchio and Caroline R. Weir} } @article {58467, title = {Temporal occurrence of three blue whale populations in New Zealand waters from passive acoustic monitoring}, journal = {Journal of Mammalogy}, year = {2022}, abstract = {

Describing spatial and temporal occurrence patterns of wild animal populations is important for understanding their evolutionary trajectories, population connectivity, and ecological niche specialization, with relevance for effective management. Throughout the world, blue whales produce stereotyped songs that enable identification of separate acoustic populations. We harnessed continuous acoustic recordings from five hydrophones deployed in the South Taranaki Bight (STB) region of Aotearoa New Zealand from January 2016 to February 2018. We examined hourly presence of songs from three different blue whale populations to investigate their contrasting ecological use of New Zealand waters. The New Zealand song was detected year-round with a seasonal cycle in intensity (peak February\–July), demonstrating the importance of the region to the New Zealand population as both a foraging ground and potential breeding area. The Antarctic song was present in two distinct peaks each year (June\–July; September\–October) and predominantly at the offshore recording locations, suggesting northbound and southbound migration between feeding and wintering grounds. The Australian song was only detected during a 10-day period in January 2017, implying a rare vagrant occurrence. We therefore infer that the STB region is the primary niche of the New Zealand population, a migratory corridor for the Antarctic population, and outside the typical range of the Australian population.

}, keywords = {bioacoustics, blue whale, distribution, ecology, marine mammals, New Zealand, passive acoustic monitoring, populations, vocalizations}, doi = {10.1093/jmammal/gyac106}, url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyac106}, author = {Dawn R Barlow and Holger Klinck and Dimitri Ponirakis and Mattea Holt Colberg and Leigh G. Torres} } @article {58406, title = {A new look at universals and specificities in the songs of humpback whales.}, journal = {Journal of Comparative Psychology}, volume = {135}, year = {2021}, month = {Jan-02-2021}, pages = {25 - 27}, abstract = {

In this issue\’s featured article, Mercado and Perazio (2021) describe songs of humpback whales using acoustic qualities, in part to determine the degree of similarity in songs across time and space that have not been revealed by information-theoretic analyses. They are particularly interested in evaluating alternative explanations of song variations in humpback whales. They argue that if humpback whales\’ songs \“are . . . transmitted through acoustic contact followed by imitation\” (p. 29) then (a) songs of populations not in acoustic contact should diverge, (b) songs of the same population should diverge increasingly over time, and (c) song forms separated by multiple decades either within or across populations should be dissimilar. Alternatively, acoustic similarities in song structure across populations and/or across decades in the same population would challenge the hypothesis that socially mediated learning is the primary driver of variation in the structure of humpback whales\’ songs over time. If that is the case, then identifying universal properties of song composition is important to move the field forward. Broadening the analytical tool kit can help in this effort.

}, issn = {0735-7036}, doi = {10.1037/com0000270}, url = {http://doi.apa.org/getdoi.cfm?doi=10.1037/com0000270}, author = {Fragaszy, Dorothy Munkenbeck} } @article {58404, title = {Similarities in composition and transformations of songs by humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) over time and space.}, journal = {Journal of Comparative Psychology}, volume = {135}, year = {2021}, month = {Jan-02-2021}, pages = {28 - 50}, abstract = {

The complex songs produced by humpback whales have been cited as evidence of prodigious memory, innovativeness, sophisticated auditory scene analysis, vocal imitation, and even culture. Researchers believe humpbacks learn their songs culturally because songs appear to change rapidly, consistently, and irreversibly across whales within a population. Here, we present evidence of similarities in song structure both across populations and decades that strongly challenge claims that social learning is the main driver of variations in humpback whale songs over time. Groups of humpback whales that were not in acoustic contact (recorded in Puerto Rico in 1970, Hawaii in 2012, and Colombia in 2013\–2019) produced songs in acoustically comparable cycles, suggesting that progression through sound patterns within and across songs is not simply determined by vocal imitation of innovative patterns, but may instead be controlled by production templates that prescribe how singers construct and transform songs over time. Identifying universal constraints on song production is critical to evaluating the role of vocal imitation and cultural transmission in the progressive changes that humpback whales make to their songs and for evaluating the functional relevance of such changes. The current findings illustrate how information theoretic analyses of vocal sequences can potentially obscure key acoustic qualities of signals that may be critical to understanding how vocalizers produce, perceive, and use those sequences.

}, issn = {0735-7036}, doi = {10.1037/com0000268}, url = {http://doi.apa.org/getdoi.cfm?doi=10.1037/com0000268}, author = {Mercado, Eduardo and Perazio, Christina E.} } @article {58254, title = {Fin whale acoustic presence and song characteristics in seas to the southwest of Portugal}, journal = {The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America}, volume = {147}, year = {2020}, month = {Jan-04-2020}, pages = {2235 - 2249}, abstract = {

Fin whales were once abundant in the seas to the southwest of Portugal, but whaling activities decreased their numbers considerably. Acoustic data from ocean bottom seismometers provide an opportunity to detect fin whales from their notes, data that would otherwise be logistically challenging and expensive to obtain. Based on inter-note interval and frequency bandwidth, two acoustic patterns produced by fin whales were detected in the study area: pattern 1, described from fin whales in the Mediterranean Sea, and pattern 2, associated with fin whales from the northeast North Atlantic Ocean (NENA). NENA fin whales travel into the western Mediterranean Sea, but the Mediterranean population has not been documented to travel regularly into the NENA. In this study, 11\ months of acoustic data recorded southwest of Portugal in the NENA were used to characterize 20-Hz fin whale notes into these patterns. Pattern 2 was the most common and occurred mostly in November\–January. Pattern 1 occurred less frequently and mostly in September\–December, February and April, which suggested a limited excursion of whales from the Mediterranean Sea. There were also occasions when the two patterns were recorded simultaneously. Results suggest that fin whales from the NENA and Mediterranean Sea might mix in the area during part of the year.

}, issn = {0001-4966}, doi = {10.1121/10.0001066}, url = {http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/10.0001066}, author = {Pereira, Andreia and Harris, Danielle and Tyack, Peter and Matias, Luis} } @article {58226, title = {Acoustic monitoring on a humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) feeding ground shows continual singing into late spring}, year = {2004}, abstract = {

Singing by males is a major feature of the mating system of humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski). Although a few songs have been opportunistically recorded on the whales\&$\#$39; high\–latitude feeding grounds, singing in these regions was thought to be only sporadic. We report results from the first continuous acoustic monitoring of a humpback whale feeding ground (off Cape Cod, MA, USA) in spring. Using autonomous sea\–floor recording systems, we found singing on a daily basis over the entire 25 day monitoring period, from 14 May to 7 June 2000. For much of the period, song was recorded 24 h per day. These results, combined with evidence for aseasonal conceptions in whaling catch data, suggest that the humpback whale breeding season should no longer be considered as confined to lower\–latitude regions in winter. Rather, we suggest breeding extends geographically and temporally onto feeding grounds into at least spring and early summer. Singing at these times represents either low\–cost opportunistic advertising by (perhaps relatively few) males to court females that failed to conceive during the winter, and/or possibly an intrasexual display.

}, keywords = {humpback whale; song; mating systems; North Atlantic}, doi = {10.1098/rspb.2004.2699}, url = {https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2004.2699}, author = {Clark, Christopher W. and Clapham, Phillip J.} } @article {57986, title = {Song structure and singing activity of two separate humpback whales populations wintering off the coast of Ca{\~n}o Island in Costa Rica}, year = {2019}, abstract = {

Central American (CA) and Breeding Stock-G (BSG) humpback whales are known to winter off Ca\ño Island, Costa Rica at different times of the year. To study their singing behavior, autonomous underwater recorders were used to record the whales. Song detection for BSG whales was higher than CA whales, and song structure was distinct for each population. No strong evidence for cross-equatorial connectivity was found. This study provides the first humpback whale song reference for both populations in Costa Rica, which can help advance understanding of CA and BSG whale song rate of change and connectivity with other wintering areas.

}, doi = {10.1121/1.5139205}, url = {http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5139205}, author = {Chereskin, Emma and Beck, Lucas and Gamboa-Poveda, M{\'o}nica P. and Palacios-Alfaro, Jos{\'e} D. and Monge-Arias, Ronald and Chase, Alex R. and Coven, Brian M. and Gloria Guzm{\'a}n, Ana and McManus, Noah W. and Neuhaus, Alyssa P. and O{\textquoteright}Halloran, Riley A. and Rosen, Sasha G. and May-Collado, Laura J.} } @article {57910, title = {Preliminary Report on Long-term Detection of Arabian Sea Humpback Whale Vocalizations off Oman}, year = {2016}, abstract = {

This report presents an overview of the progress to date on the humpback whale detection component of the Arabian Sea Humpback Whale Acoustic Research program off Oman. Three archival acoustic recorders were deployed at sites in two regions for approximately one year each, in Hallaniyats Bay during 2011/2012, and the Gulf of Masirah during 2012/2013. Performance of recorders varied among deployments, but despite some challenges due to equipment failures we succeeded in documenting spatiotemporal patterns in the presence of humpback whales in a large dataset. Several key findings broaden our understanding of the Arabian Sea humpback whale population off Oman. There appears a strong seasonal component to the use of song by this population, primarily from November through May, which is congruent with the Northern Hemisphere breeding cycle and singing season. Throughout this period, singing was heard in both Hallaniyats Bay and the Gulf of Masirah, separated by approximately 400km, indicating that the population utilizes both of these regions. However, there was a much stronger presence in Hallaniyats Bay, with song heard nearly 24 hours/day during the peak months, and song detected simultaneously at multiple sites across the Bay. Previous boat-based survey data indicated similar trends, however, given limitation in the duration of this fieldwork the current acoustic dataset provides a more reliable indication of this population\’s breeding related activity. This suggests that the Hallaniyats Bay might serve as a more important habitat for breeding activity than the monitored region of the Gulf of Masirah. There also appeared to be a subtle northward shift in distribution of detections as the singing season progressed, both within Hallaniyats Bay, and from Hallaniyats Bay to the Gulf of Masirah, suggesting a seasonal shift in distribution for singing males. During the summer and autumn months, very little song was detected, however sparse detections indicate that whales are present in both regions during at least some of this period. It is recommended that similar acoustic monitoring be conducted in all range states of the population to elucidate spatiotemporal distribution throughout the Arabian Sea.

}, author = {Salvatore Cerchio and Andrew Willson and Charles Muirhead and Gianna Minton and Tim Collins and Robert Baldwin and Maia Sarrouf Willson and Suaad Al Harthi} } @article {53545, title = {Low energy expenditure and resting behaviour of humpback whale mother-calf pairs highlights conservation importance of sheltered breeding areas}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, volume = {9}, year = {2019}, month = {Jan-12-2019}, abstract = {

Understanding the behaviour of humpback whale mother-calf pairs and the acoustic environment on their breeding grounds is fundamental to assessing the biological and ecological requirements needed to ensure a successful migration and survival of calves. Therefore, on a breeding/resting ground, Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia, we used animal-borne DTAGs to quantify the fine-scale behaviour and energetic expenditure of humpback whale mothers and calves, while sound recorders measured the acoustic environment. We show that: (i) lactating humpback whales keep their energy expenditure low by devoting a significant amount of time to rest, and their use of energy, inferred from respiration rates, is ~half than that of adults on their foraging grounds; (ii) lactating females mainly rest while stationary at shallow depths within reach of the hull of commercial ships, thus increasing the potential for ship strike collisions; (iii) the soundscape is dominated by biological sources; and (iv) even moderate increases of noise from vessels will decrease the communication range of humpback whales. Planned commercial infrastructure in Exmouth Gulf will cause a substantial increase in shipping traffic with the risk of ship strikes and acoustic disturbance potentially compromising energy reserves for the southern migration of humpback whales.

}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-018-36870-7}, url = {http://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-018-36870-7}, author = {Bejder, L. and Videsen, S. and Hermannsen, L. and Simon, M. and Hanf, D. and Peter Teglberg Madsen} } @article {53544, title = {Subarctic singers: Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) song structure and progression from an Icelandic feeding ground during winter}, journal = {PLOS ONE}, volume = {14}, year = {2019}, month = {Nov-01-2020}, pages = {e0210057}, abstract = {

of traditional low latitude breeding grounds. Songs from a subarctic feeding ground during the winter were quantitatively characterized to investigate the structure and temporal changes of the songs at such an atypical location. Recordings were collected from 26. January to 12. March, 2011, using bottom mounted recorders. Humpback songs were detected on 91\% of the recording days with peak singing activities during 9.\–26. February. The majority of the recordings included multiple chorusing singers. The songs were characterized by a) common static themes which transitioned consistently to predictable themes, b) shifting themes which occurred less predictably and c) rare themes. A set median sequence was found for four different periods (sets) of recordings (approximately 1 week each). The set medians were highly similar and formed a single cluster indicating that the sequences of themes sung in this area belonged to a single cluster of songs despite of the variation caused by the shifting themes. These subarctic winter songs could, thus, represent a characteristic song type for this area which is comparable to extensively studied songs from traditional low latitude breeding grounds. An increase in the number of themes per sequence was observed throughout the recording period including minor changes in the application of themes in the songs; indicating a gradual song progression. The results confirm that continual singing of sophisticated songs occur during the breeding season in the subarctic. In addition to being a well-established summer feeding ground the study area appears to be an important overwintering site for humpback whales delaying or canceling their migration where males engage in active sexual displays, i.e. singing. Importantly, such singing activity on a shared feeding ground likely aids the cultural transmission of songs in the North Atlantic.

}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0210057}, url = {http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0210057}, author = {Magn{\'u}sd{\'o}ttir, Edda E. and Lim, Rangyn}, editor = {Jon T. Sakata} } @article {53537, title = {Song variation of the South Eastern Indian Ocean pygmy blue whale population in the Perth Canyon, Western Australia}, journal = {PLOS ONE}, volume = {14}, year = {2019}, month = {Oct-01-2020}, pages = {e0208619}, abstract = {

Sea noise collected over 2003 to 2017 from the Perth Canyon, Western Australia was analysed for variation in the South Eastern Indian Ocean pygmy blue whale song structure. The primary song-types were: P3, a three unit phrase (I, II and III) repeated with an inter-song interval (ISI) of 170\–194 s; P2, a phrase consisting of only units II \& III repeated every 84\–96 s; and P1 with a phrase consisting of only unit II repeated every 45\–49 s. The different ISI values were approximate multiples of each other within a season. When comparing data from each season, across seasons, the ISI value for each song increased significantly through time (all fits had p \<\< 0.001), at 0.30 s/Year (95\%CI 0.217\–0.383), 0.8 s/Year (95\%CI 0.655\–1.025) and 1.73 s/Year (95\%CI 1.264\–2.196) for the P1, P2 and P3 songs respectively. The proportions of each song-type averaged at 21.5, 24.2 and 56\% for P1, P2 and P3 occurrence respectively and these ratios could vary by up to \± 8\% (95\% CI) amongst years. On some occasions animals changed the P3 ISI to be significantly shorter (120\–160 s) or longer (220\–280 s). Hybrid song patterns occurred where animals combined multiple phrase types into a repeated song. In recent years whales introduced further complexity by splitting song units. This variability of song-type and proportions implies abundance measure for this whale sub population based on song detection needs to factor in trends in song variability to make data comparable between seasons. Further, such variability in song production by a sub population of pygmy blue whales raises questions as to the stability of the song types that are used to delineate populations. The high level of song variability may be driven by an increasing number of background whale callers creating \‘noise\’ and so forcing animals to alter song in order to \‘stand out\’ amongst the crowd.

}, doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0208619}, url = {http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0208619}, author = {Jolliffe, Capri D. and McCauley, Robert D. and Gavrilov, Alexander N. and Jenner, K. Curt S. and Jenner, Micheline-Nicole M. and Duncan, Alec J.}, editor = {Matsumoto, Haru} } @article {53521, title = {Two unit analysis of Sri Lankan pygmy blue whale song over a decade}, journal = {The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America}, volume = {144}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-12-2018}, pages = {3618 - 3626}, abstract = {

Sri Lankan pygmy blue whale song consists of three repeated units: (1) low frequency pulsive unit, (2) frequency modulated (FM) upsweep, and (3) long tonal downsweep. The Unit 2 FM unit has up to three visible upsweeps with energy concentrated at approximately 40, 50, and 60\ Hz, while the Unit 3 (\∼100\ Hz) tonal downsweep is the most distinct unit lasting 20\–30\ s. Spectral characteristics of the Units 2 and 3 song elements, along with ocean sound levels, were analyzed in the Indian Ocean from 2002 to 2013. The peak frequency of the tonal Unit 3 calls decreased from approximately 106.5 to 100.7\ Hz over a decade corresponding to a 5.4\% decrease. Over the same time period, the frequency content of the Unit 2 upsweeps did not change as dramatically with only a 3.1\% change. Ambient sound levels in the vocalization bands did not exhibit equivalent patterns in amplitude trends. Analysis showed no increase in the ambient sound or compensated peak amplitude levels of the tonal downsweeps, eliminating the presence of a Lombard effect. Here it is proposed that each song unit may convey different information and thus may be responding to different selective pressures.

}, issn = {0001-4966}, doi = {10.1121/1.5084269}, url = {http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5084269}, author = {Jennifer L. Miksis-Olds and Nieukirk, Sharon L. and Danielle V. Harris} } @mastersthesis {53433, title = {Investigation of fin whales using ocean-bottom recordings}, year = {2018}, school = {UNIVERSIDADE DE LISBOA}, type = {PhD}, address = {Lisbon}, abstract = {

Instruments used for seismic monitoring (OBS) have been recording baleen whales along with the target data. These long-term datasets provide valuable information for the study of large cetaceans that would otherwise be difficult to obtain due to economic and logistic reasons. Fin whales are classified as \‘Endangered\’ species and therefore knowledge about population size and spatial and temporal distribution patterns is essential for good management strategies. In Portugal, sightings of fin whales off mainland waters are rare and are insufficient to assess any kind of trend. In this context, seismic datasets may become one of the primary sources of information on a year-round basis. The general aim of this thesis was to demonstrate the use of acoustic datasets, collected for non-biological focussed studies, such as seismic data, to study fin whales. Between September 2007 and August 2008 a network of 24 OBS was deployed off southwest Portugal with the main aim to obtain data to study the microseismicity originating from potential tsunami sources. During this time fin whale sounds were also recorded. The main acoustic signal produced by fin whales used in this thesis was the 20-Hz call. A detection process to detect the 20-Hz call was developed (Chapter 2) and the resulting dataset of automatic detections was used to: 1) estimate a relative location, i.e. a range from the recording instrument, of the automatic detections with the single-station method and develop a classification scheme that help deciding if a detection was from a 20-Hz call and if the range estimates were inside the critical area of the single station (Chapter 3); 2) characterize the 20-Hz call and assess the existence of different acoustic groups (Chapter 4); 3) obtain an average fin whale density and abundance (Chapter 5); and 4) assess the impact of acoustic interference on the 20-Hz call and infer about the depth of the calling fin whale (Chapter 6). This thesis showed how OBS data can be used in different types of studies about fin whales and provide valuable information for cetacean conservation.

}, keywords = {bioacoustics, cetacean, fin whale, Ocean-bottom seismometer (OBS), wildlife conservartion}, author = {Andreia Filipa da Pereira} } @article {53390, title = {Culturally transmitted song exchange between humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae) in the southeast Atlantic and southwest Indian Ocean basins}, journal = {Royal Society Open Science}, volume = {5}, year = {2018}, month = {Apr-16-20182023}, pages = {172305}, abstract = {

In migratory marine species, investigating population connectivity and structure can be challenging given barriers to dispersal are less evident and multiple factors may influence individual movement patterns. Male humpback whales sing a song display that can provide insights into contemporary connectivity patterns, as there can be a cultural exchange of a single, population-wide shared song type with neighbouring populations in acoustic contact. Here, we investigated song exchange between populations located on the east and west coasts of Africa using 5 years of concurrent data (2001\–2005). Songs were qualitatively and quantitatively transcribed by measuring acoustic features of all song units and then compared using both Dice\’s similarity index and the Levenshtein distance similarity index (LSI) to quantitatively calculate song similarity. Song similarity varied among individuals and potentially between populations depending on the year (Dice: 36\–100\%, LSI: 21\–100\%), suggesting varying levels of population connectivity and/or interchange among years. The high degree of song sharing indicated in this study further supports genetic studies that demonstrate interchange between these two populations and reinforces the emerging picture of broad-scale connectivity in Southern Hemisphere populations. Further research incorporating additional populations and years would be invaluable for better understanding of fine-scale, song interchange patterns between Southern Hemisphere male humpback whales.

}, keywords = {Africa, cultural transmission, humpback whale, population structure, song}, doi = {10.1098/rsos.172305}, url = {http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/lookup/doi/10.1098/rsos.172305https://syndication.highwire.org/content/doi/10.1098/rsos.172305}, author = {Garland, Ellen C. and Carvajal, Gabriella A. and King, Carissa D. and Tim Collins and Razafindrakoto, Yvette and Howard C. Rosenbaum} } @article {53357, title = {Long-Term and Seasonal Changes of Large Whale Call Frequency in the Southern Indian Ocean}, journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans}, year = {2018}, month = {Mar-11-2020}, abstract = {

In the past decades, in the context of a changing ocean submitted to an increasing human activity, a progressive decrease in the frequencies (pitch) of blue whale vocalizations has been observed worldwide. Its causes, of natural or anthropogenic nature, are still unclear. Based on 7 years of continuous acoustic recordings at widespread sites in the southern Indian Ocean, we show that this observation stands for five populations of large whales. The frequency of selected units of vocalizations of fin, Antarctic, and pygmy blue whales has steadily decreased at a rate of a few tenths of hertz per year since 2002. In addition to this interannual frequency decrease, blue whale vocalizations display seasonal frequency shifts. We show that these intra-annual shifts correlate with seasonal changes in the ambient noise near their call frequency. This ambient noise level, in turn, shows a strong correlation with the seasonal presence of icebergs, which are one of the main sources of oceanic noise in the Southern Hemisphere. Although cause-and-effect relationships are difficult to ascertain, wide-ranging changes in the acoustic environment seem to have a strong impact on the vocal behavior of large baleen whales. Seasonal frequency shifts may be due to short-term changes in the ambient noise, and the interannual frequency decline to long-term changes in the acoustic properties of the ocean and/or in postwhaling changes in whale abundances.

}, doi = {10.1029/2018JC014352}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1029/2018JC014352}, author = {Leroy, Emmanuelle C. and Royer, Jean-Yves and Bonnel, Julien and Samaran, Flore} } @article {53329, title = {Environmental evidence for a pygmy blue whale aggregation area in the Subtropical Convergence Zone south of Australia}, journal = {Marine Mammal Science}, volume = {34}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-10-2018}, pages = {901 - 923}, abstract = {

The importance of the Subtropical Convergence Zone south of Australia as a feeding area to the pygmy blue whale of the eastern Indian Ocean was investigated to better understand migration patterns and habitat use. A combination of satellite tagging studies during 2003\–2005 and acoustic and visual surveys during the austral summer of 2013 confirmed the presence of pygmy blue whales in the Subtropical Convergence Zone and provided evidence for feeding throughout the region. Of the 67 pygmy blue whales acoustically detected, many were localized in proximity to sea surface temperature fronts and high chlorophyll concentrations, which could be a behavioral strategy to attract conspecifics to good feeding sites. Aggregations of up to four pygmy blue whales, along with decreased call rates during the day, may suggest feeding despite no direct observations of pygmy blue whales consuming euphausiids. The oceanographic features present throughout the Subtropical Convergence Zone continue to create an environment productive enough to support the world\&$\#$39;s largest living mammals during their migratory foraging movements between the Southern Ocean and Indonesia.

}, doi = {10.1111/mms.v34.410.1111/mms.12494}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.v34.4}, author = {Garcia-Rojas, Maria I. and Jenner, K. Curt S. and Gill, Peter C. and Jenner, Micheline-Nicole M. and Sutton, Alicia L. and McCauley, Robert D.} } @article {53310, title = {Towards the topology of autoencoder of calls versus clicks of marine mammal}, journal = {The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America}, volume = {144}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-09-2018}, pages = {1777 - 1778}, abstract = {

The goal is to learn the features and the representation adapted for cetacean sound dynamics without any priors. Thus, we develop data driven model to generate voicing and click of cetaceans audio signals. We learn representation and features of stationary or nonstationary emission using neural network from raw audio. We use different types of convolutions (causal, with strides, with dilation [1]), or gradient inversion [2]. Experiments are conducted on various kind of calls of humpback whales from nips4b challenge [3] or Orca whale. We compare the topology for transient encoding on Physeters and Inia g. For each model, we detail the resulting filters and discuss on the topology. We acknowledge Region PACA and NortekMED for Roger\’s Phd grant, \& DGA and R\égion Haut de France for Ferrari\’s Phd grant. [1] Oord, Dieleman, Zen, Simonyan, Vinyals, Graves et al. Wavenet : A generative model for raw audio, arXiv:1609.03499, 2016 [2] Balestriero, Roger, Glotin, Baraniuk, Semi-Supervised Learning via New Deep Network Inversion, arXiv:1711.04313, 2017 [3] Glotin, LeCun, Mallat et al. Proc. 1st wkp on Neural Information Processing for Bioacoustics NIPS4B, joint to NIPS Alberta USA, 2013 http://sabiod.org/nips4b/challenge2.html, http://sabiod.org/NIPS4B2013_book.pdf

}, issn = {0001-4966}, doi = {10.1121/1.5067859}, url = {http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5067859}, author = {Roger, Vincent and Ferrari, Maxence and Marxer, Ricard and Chamroukhi, Faicel and Glotin, Herv{\'e}} } @article {53303, title = {Potential changes in the communication space of humpback whale social sounds in increasing wind and vessel-dominated noise}, journal = {The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America}, volume = {144}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-09-2018}, pages = {1885 - 1885}, abstract = {

An animal communication network involves complex acoustic interactions between multiple senders, receivers, and eavesdroppers. Any reduction in communication space, due to signal masking, may have detrimental effects on their ability to obtain social information. Humpback whales use social sounds (vocal and surface-generated percussive sounds) for within-, and between-, group communication. To generate masking models, and infer communication space, changes in signal-above-noise and frequency content of received humpback whale social sounds were modelled with the combined effect of increasing background noise (wind or vessel-dominated) and distance from the source (signalling whale). Results suggest that the signaler\’s communication space in increasing wind-dominated noise (shallow water) was maintained out to approximately 3 km by using a Lombard response. In high wind noise (over 105 dB re 1 \μPa; 12\–15 knots), the vocal communication space was significantly reduced, though the increased use of surface-generated sounds likely aided in maintaining this space. In vessel-dominated noise, communication space was significantly reduced in levels exceeding 110 dB re 1 \μPa (vessel within approximately 2 km), with no evidence that the signaler switched to using surface-generated sounds. These models can be updated as more information on humpback auditory capabilities becomes available.

}, issn = {0001-4966}, doi = {10.1121/1.5068262}, url = {http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5068262}, author = {Dunlop, Rebecca} } @article {53297, title = {Detection and classification of whales calls using band-limited energy detection and transfer learning}, journal = {The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America}, volume = {144}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-09-2018}, pages = {1769 - 1769}, abstract = {

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute has been recording since July 2015 almost continuously at the Monterey Accelerated Research System (MARS) cabled observatory in Monterey Bay, California, USA. This long-term recording contains thousands of whale calls to help further our understanding of interannual, seasonal, and diel patterns. Here we report on our highly accurate detection and classification method developed to classify blue whale A, B, and D calls and Fin whale 20 Hz pulses. The foundation of the method is a computationally efficient and tuned decimation filter to convert the broadband hydrophone 128 kHz signal to 2 kHz which preserves the low-frequency signal and avoids any high-frequency aliasing. Detection is done using a band-limited-energy-detection filter to find potential calls in the decimated data. Spectrograms are then generated for potential calls and enhanced with local image normalization followed by smoothing by convolving in either time or frequency. Classification is done using the Google Inception v3 model with a transfer learning method. Overall, false positive rates are very low despite variability in whale call shape and background noise.

}, issn = {0001-4966}, doi = {10.1121/1.5067825}, url = {http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5067825}, author = {Cline, Danelle E. and Ryan, John P.} } @article {53295, title = {Mapping the phonetic structure of humpback whale song units}, journal = {The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America}, volume = {144}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-09-2018}, pages = {1953 - 1954}, abstract = {

The striking similarities of time-frequency spectrograms of voiced human speech and humpback whale vocalizations suggested a common targeted frequency-modulated phonetic basis. To map the sub-unit structure of humpback whale song units, a time-frequency contour segmentation, extraction, and classification procedure was developed and tested on streaming voiced human speech. When the procedure was applied to humpback vocalizations and the tone-pairs of the two most energetic \“vocal fold\” harmonic frequencies were plotted in x-y coordinates, the plot exhibited properties of an optimally structured Shannon \“modem symbol constellation\” diagram of 14 distinct sub-regions and 60 acoustically distinct sub-unit symbols. The humpback symbol constellation is structurally comparable to the tone-pair symbol constellations of English and Asian language vowels. The information entropy and plot of the humpback sub-unit symbol set\’s cumulative probability vs. ranked frequency distribution function are nearly identical to the entropy and Zipf power law profile of the English language phoneme set. The precise specification of the sub-unit structure of more than one hundred song units analyzed to date has resulted in a three-fold expansion in the number of unique units identified in previous studies, suggesting that the \“lexicon\” of humpback song units is potentially much larger than cited in the literature.

}, issn = {0001-4966}, doi = {10.1121/1.5068541}, url = {http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5068541}, author = {Pines, Howard S.} } @article {53285, title = {Temporal variations in humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) song in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, northeast Pacific}, journal = {The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America}, volume = {144}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-09-2018}, pages = {1953 - 1953}, abstract = {

Using two years of nearly continuous recordings from Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, August 2015 through July 2017, variations in humpback whale song are examined on diel, seasonal, and interannual time scales. The cabled hydrophone is in humpback feeding and migratory habitat at 36.7128\°N, 122.186\°W. Diel analyses show 69\% of song during night, 23\% during day, and 8\% during dusk or dawn. Seasonal analyses show song absence during summer (June\–August), emergence during fall (September\–October), peak during late fall/winter (November\–January), and highly variable detection during spring (February\–May). During both years \>80\% of song occurred during the November\–January peak. Song detection within a month reached a maximum of 58\% of the time during November 2016. Song length increased (p \< 0.01) month-to-month from the start in fall through the end of the peak in January. The months of maximum song occurrence coincide with declining visual sighting of humpbacks within Monterey Bay, consistent with seasonal southward migration to breeding habitat and/or more offshore residence. Interannual variation in song was marked by a 51\% increase between the first and second years. Habitat during the first year was strongly influenced by a prolonged regional oceanic warm anomaly and the largest toxic algal bloom ever recorded in the northeast Pacific. Alternative hypotheses for the interannual difference in song detection relate to differences in humpback regional abundance, behavior, and habitat occupancy.

}, issn = {0001-4966}, doi = {10.1121/1.5068537}, url = {http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5068537}, author = {Ryan, John P. and Cline, Danelle E. and Joseph, John E. and Margolina, Tetyana and Stimpert, Alison K. and Forney, Karin and Black, Nancy and DeVogelaere, Andrew and Fischer, Mark and Wahl, Christopher and Chavez, Francisco} } @article {53275, title = {Investigation of the context of humpback whale non-song calls in the North Atlantic}, journal = {The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America}, volume = {144}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-09-2018}, pages = {1979 - 1979}, abstract = {

Humpback whales display behavioural plasticity in their foraging behaviours and non-song calling behaviours. Prey type appears to be associated with some of the variation in foraging behaviours and, thus, may also be related to variation in use of non-song calls related to foraging. Our goal was to compare non-song calls from two regions and identify any call types that occur in only one of the regions. We used recordings from stationary hydrophones within two foraging grounds: from the northeast Newfoundland coast, where capelin is the main prey; and the Gulf of Maine, where herring and sand lance dominate the diet. These areas are sympatric and foraging groups are thought to be from the same breeding aggregation, suggesting that call type differences would not have a genetic-basis. Most of the call types were the same across both areas, as has been found across many foraging grounds, but a small number of call types and call sequences were heard in only one of the two regions. We hope to use multi-sensor tag data and video recordings to help identify the contexts of these calls to further determine whether non-song call variation can be linked to prey type.

}, issn = {0001-4966}, doi = {10.1121/1.5068642}, url = {http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5068642}, author = {Epp, Mikala and Davoren, Gail} } @article {53271, title = {Acute motor and vocal response of humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) to playback of amplitude-modulated noise: A method to test frequency range of hearing}, journal = {The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America}, volume = {144}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-09-2018}, pages = {1953 - 1953}, abstract = {

The frequency hearing range of mysticete cetaceans remains elusive despite a growing concern about the negative impacts of anthropogenic noise. A playback study was conducted in the Maui Nui region of Hawaii during March 2018. Stationary humpback whales (i.e., single singers or silent dyads) were targeted due to their predictable behavior that allowed for observations pre, during, and post-playback. Playback consisted of amplitude-modulated noise that was broadband, high-pass filtered, or 1/3 octave bandpass filtered. The animal\’s motor behavior was recorded by video from a swimmer positioned above the animal. Acoustic playback and acquisition was performed from a small vessel approximately 41 m to 56 m from a targeted animal. A total of 16 playbacks were conducted with estimated received levels between 116 dB\–138 dB RMS (re 1 \μPa). Motor responses ranged from abruptly swimming away to subtle fluke movements with a median response latency of 1.7 sec (n = 7). Vocal responses ranged from abrupt song termination to unexpected changes in song unit pattern, with a median response latency of 2.94 sec (n = 8). This novel playback methodology was effective at producing and measuring motor and vocal responses to sound and may be useful in measuring the hearing range of mysticetes.

}, issn = {0001-4966}, doi = {10.1121/1.5068540}, url = {http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5068540}, author = {Branstetter, Brian K. and Deakos, Mark H. H. and Jenkins, Keith and Balmer, Brian C. and Ness, Alan P. and Cartwright, Rachel} } @article {53260, title = {Incorporating tides into the acoustic ecology of humpback whales}, journal = {Marine Mammal Science}, year = {2018}, month = {Oct-10-2019}, abstract = {

North Pacific humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate annually to foraging grounds in Southeast Alaska that are characterized by semidiurnal tidal cycles. Tidal activity is an important driver of marine mammal behavior on foraging grounds, but is often omitted in studies of acoustic ecology. To better understand the role of sound in this vocal species we investigated the influence of tidal height and direction on humpback whale nonsong calling behavior in Frederick Sound and described new call types for this population. The likelihood of detecting a call from the low-frequency-harmonic, pulsed, or noisy-complex call classes was independent of tidal activity. The likelihood of detecting a call from the tonal call class, and a feeding call in particular, was 2.1 times higher during flood tides than during ebb tides (95\% CI 1.1\–4.4). This likely reflects an indirect relationship between humpback whale foraging and tides.

}, keywords = {acoustic ecology, humpback whale, Megaptera novaean- gliae, repertoire, Southeast Alaska, tides}, doi = {10.1111/mms.12534}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.12534}, author = {Barlow, Dawn R. and Michelle E.H. Fournet and Sharpe, Fred} } @article {53103, title = {On the reliability of acoustic annotations and automatic detections of Antarctic blue whale calls under different acoustic conditions}, journal = {The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America}, volume = {144}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-08-2018}, pages = {740 - 754}, abstract = {

Evaluation of the performance of computer-based algorithms to automatically detect mammalian vocalizations often relies on comparisons between detector outputs and a reference data set, generally obtained by manual annotation of acoustic recordings. To explore the reproducibility of these annotations, inter- and intra-analyst variability in manually annotated Antarctic blue whale (ABW) Z-calls are investigated by two analysts in acoustic data from two ocean basins representing different scenarios in terms of call abundance and background noise. Manual annotations exhibit strong inter- and intra-analyst variability, with less than 50\% agreement between analysts. This variability is mainly caused by the difficulty of reliably and reproducibly distinguishing single calls in an ABW chorus made of overlaying distant calls. Furthermore, the performance of two automated detectors, based on spectrogram correlation or subspace-detection strategy, is evaluated by comparing detector output to a \“conservative\” manually annotated reference data set, which comprises only analysts\&$\#$39; matching events. This study highlights the need for a standardized approach for human annotations and automatic detections, including a quantitative description of their performance, to improve the comparability of acoustic data, which is particularly relevant in the context of collaborative approaches in collecting and analyzing large passive acoustic data sets.

}, issn = {0001-4966}, doi = {10.1121/1.5049803}, url = {http://asa.scitation.org/doi/10.1121/1.5049803}, author = {Leroy, Emmanuelle C. and Thomisch, Karolin and Royer, Jean-Yves and Boebel, Olaf and Van Opzeeland, Ilse} } @article {53064, title = {Context-dependent variability in blue whale acoustic behaviour}, journal = {Royal Society Open Science}, volume = {5}, year = {2018}, abstract = {

Acoustic communication is an important aspect of reproductive, foraging and social behaviours for many marine species. Northeast Pacific blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) produce three different call types\—A, B and D calls. All may be produced as singular calls, but A and B calls also occur in phrases to form songs. To evaluate the behavioural context of singular call and phrase production in blue whales, the acoustic and dive profile data from tags deployed on individuals off southern California were assessed using generalized estimating equations. Only 22\% of all deployments contained sounds attributed to the tagged animal. A larger proportion of tagged animals were female (47\%) than male (13\%), with 40\% of unknown sex. Fifty per cent of tags deployed on males contained sounds attributed to the tagged whale, while only a few (5\%) deployed on females did. Most calls were produced at shallow depths (less than 30\ m). Repetitive phrasing (singing) and production of singular calls were most common during shallow, non-lunging dives, with the latter also common during surface behaviour. Higher sound production rates occurred during autumn than summer and they varied with time-of-day: singular call rates were higher at dawn and dusk, while phrase production rates were highest at dusk and night.

}, keywords = {acoustic communication, Balaenoptera musculus, behavioural context, blue whale, song}, doi = {10.1098/rsos.180241}, url = {http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/lookup/doi/10.1098/rsos.180241https://syndication.highwire.org/content/doi/10.1098/rsos.180241}, author = {Lewis, Leah A. and Calambokidis, John and Stimpert, Alison K. and Fahlbusch, James and Friedlaender, Ari S. and McKenna, Megan F. and Mesnick, Sarah L. and Southall, Brandon L. and Szesciorka, Angela R. and {\v S}irovi{\'c}, Ana} } @article {53030, title = {Feeding calls produced by solitary humpback whales}, journal = {Marine Mammal Science}, volume = {34}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-07-2018}, pages = {851 - 865}, doi = {10.1111/mms.v34.310.1111/mms.12485}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.v34.3}, author = {Gabriele, Christine M. and Sharpe, Fred and Straley, Janice M. and Szabo, Andrew} } @article {53028, title = {First record of humpback whale songs in Southern Chile: Analysis of seasonal and diel variation}, journal = {Marine Mammal Science}, volume = {34}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-07-2018}, pages = {718 - 733}, abstract = {

Although humpback whales have been well-studied on their Hawaiian breeding grounds, it is difficult to track individual animals over long distances without tags, particularly when they move offshore. Here, singing humpback whales were localized in three dimensions on the Pacific Missile Range Facility off Kauai, Hawaii, located between 20 km and 80 km offshore, from January 2011 through June 2014. Detailed behavioral analyses were conducted on the resulting tracks. One hundred and eight individual tracks were identified and metrics of these tracks were examined. Using these metrics, the tracks were classified into four behavior categories, described herein as Directed Travel, Repeated Stationary Dives, Mill, and tracks with Combinations of behavioral states. Some diel and seasonal patterns were identified, with Mill tracks occurring more at night than the other behaviors, Repeated Stationary Dive tracks occurring more during the day, and Directed Travel occurring only at the start and end of the breeding season. These results provide detailed insights into the movement of singing humpback whales, particularly in offshore waters where they may be migrating into or out of breeding grounds. This also contributes valuable information on the baseline behavior of humpback whales on a US Navy training range.

}, doi = {10.1111/mms.v34.310.1111/mms.12477}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.v34.3}, author = {Espa{\~n}ol-Jim{\'e}nez, Sonia and van der Schaar, Mike} } @article {53027, title = {Identifying behavioral states and habitat use of acoustically tracked humpback whales in Hawaii}, journal = {Marine Mammal Science}, volume = {34}, year = {2018}, month = {Jan-07-2018}, pages = {701 - 717}, abstract = {

Although humpback whales have been well-studied on their Hawaiian breeding grounds, it is difficult to track individual animals over long distances without tags, particularly when they move offshore. Here, singing humpback whales were localized in three dimensions on the Pacific Missile Range Facility off Kauai, Hawaii, located between 20 km and 80 km offshore, from January 2011 through June 2014. Detailed behavioral analyses were conducted on the resulting tracks. One hundred and eight individual tracks were identified and metrics of these tracks were examined. Using these metrics, the tracks were classified into four behavior categories, described herein as Directed Travel, Repeated Stationary Dives, Mill, and tracks with Combinations of behavioral states. Some diel and seasonal patterns were identified, with Mill tracks occurring more at night than the other behaviors, Repeated Stationary Dive tracks occurring more during the day, and Directed Travel occurring only at the start and end of the breeding season. These results provide detailed insights into the movement of singing humpback whales, particularly in offshore waters where they may be migrating into or out of breeding grounds. This also contributes valuable information on the baseline behavior of humpback whales on a US Navy training range.

}, doi = {10.1111/mms.v34.310.1111/mms.12475}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.v34.3}, author = {Elizabeth Henderson, E. and Helble, Tyler A. and Ierley, Glenn and Martin, Steve} } @article {53007, title = {The Sonar Model for Humpback Whale Song Revised}, journal = {Frontiers in Psychology}, volume = {9}, year = {2018}, month = {Apr-07-2019}, abstract = {

Why do humpback whales sing? This paper considers the hypothesis that humpback whales may use song for long range sonar. Given the vocal and social behavior of humpback whales, in several cases it is not apparent how they monitor the movements of distant whales or prey concentrations. Unless distant animals produce sounds, humpback whales are unlikely to be aware of their presence or actions. Some field observations are strongly suggestive of the use of song as sonar. Humpback whales sometimes stop singing and then rapidly approach distant whales in cases where sound production by those whales is not apparent, and singers sometimes alternately sing and swim while attempting to intercept another whale that is swimming evasively. In the evolutionary development of modern cetaceans, perceptual mechanisms have shifted from reliance on visual scanning to the active generation and monitoring of echoes. It is hypothesized that as the size and distance of relevant events increased, humpback whales developed adaptive specializations for long-distance echolocation. Differences between use of songs by humpback whales and use of sonar by other echolocating species are discussed, as are similarities between bat echolocation and singing by humpback whales. Singing humpback whales are known to emit sounds intense enough to generate echoes at long ranges, and to flexibly control the timing and qualities of produced sounds. The major problem for the hypothesis is the lack of recordings of echoes from other whales arriving at singers immediately before they initiate actions related to those whales. An earlier model of echoic processing by singing humpback whales is here revised to incorporate recent discoveries. According to the revised model, both direct echoes from targets and modulations in song-generated reverberation can provide singers with information that can help them make decisions about future actions related to mating, traveling, and foraging. The model identifies acoustic and structural features produced by singing humpback whales that may facilitate a singer\’s ability to interpret changes in echoic scenes and suggests that interactive signal coordination by singing whales may help them to avoid mutual interference. Specific, testable predictions of the model are presented.

}, doi = {10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01156}, url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01156/full}, author = {III, Eduardo Mercado} } @mastersthesis {52812, title = {Impacts of Ambient Noise on Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) Habitat Use and Behavior}, year = {2018}, pages = {171}, type = {phd}, abstract = {

This study examines the soundscape of minke whale habitat in the Scottish Inner Hebrides around the islands of Mull, Coll and Muck and near the Ardnamurchan Peninsula of the Scottish mainland. To compare the soundscape with minke whale presence and behavior, acoustic recordings were paired with behavior and respiration data. Acoustic recordings were taken using a Soundtrap 300, deployed from a whale watching vessel. Data was taken from June - September 2016. The soundscape was analyzed by comparing power spectral density averaged into octave bands (center frequencies from 16 Hz \– 128 kHz). The soundscape of the region is ephemeral, with some locations having very different acoustic patterns depending on transient animal and human activity. Humans contribute to the soundscape through movement of small ships and dredging. Notable biological contributors to the soundscape include dolphins and snapping shrimp. Outside the island of Coll is quieter at mid-frequencies (2-8 kHz octave bands). Inside Coll is quieter at frequencies in the 16-128 kHz octave bands. Ardmore point, in the Sound of Mull, is louder for most frequencies. These differences create a potential way for animals to navigate or orient based on sound. Observed minke whale behaviors were categorized into behavior states to create a behavior budget. Minke whales in this area spend 56\% of their daytime feeding, 7\% traveling and 39\% in other activities. The average inter-breath interval for minke whales in this study was 60.7s. Minke presence and behavior were compared with sound levels in 1/3rd octave bands using generalized linear models. Minke whale presence and behavior both correlate with changes in the Soundscape. Minke whales are less likely to be seen with higher levels of low (31 Hz) and high (25.4 kHz) frequency sound. Higher levels of sound at low (63 Hz) frequencies were associated with lower probability of minke whales feeding. Higher probability of minke whales feeding in higher levels of high (25.4 kHz) frequency sound may indicate that minke whales are optimizing that time which is spent in regions with higher levels of noise at these frequencies.

}, keywords = {acoustics, ambient noise, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, Behavior, biological sciences, Conservation biology, Environmental science, Health and environmental sciences, Minke, Pure sciences, Soundscape}, isbn = {9780355660500}, url = {https://search.proquest.com/docview/2020840628?accountid=15181}, author = {Roland, Adele} } @article {47323, title = {Estimation of minke whale abundance from an acoustic line transect survey of the Mariana Islands}, journal = {Marine Mammal Science}, year = {2017}, month = {Jan-03-2017}, abstract = {

The minke whale is one of the most abundant species of baleen whales worldwide, yet is rarely sighted in subtropical waters. In the North Pacific, they produce a dis- tinctive sound known as the \“boing,\” which can be used to acoustically localize indi- viduals. A vessel-based survey using both visual and passive acoustic monitoring was conducted during the spring of 2007 in a large (616,000 km 2 ) study area encom- passing the Mariana Islands. We applied line transect methods to data collected from a towed hydrophone array to estimate the abundance of calling minke whales in our study area. No minke whales were sighted, but there were hundreds of acoustic detections of boings. Computer algorithms were developed to localize calling minke whales from acoustic recordings, resulting in over 30 independent localizations, a six-fold increase over those estimated during the survey. The two best estimates of abundance of calling minke whales were determined to be 80 and 91 animals (0.13 and 0.15 animals per 1,000 km2, respectively; CV = 34\%). These are the first den- sity and abundance estimates for calling minke whales using towed hydrophone array surveys, and the first estimates for this species in the Mariana Islands region. These are considered minimum estimates of the true number of minke whales in the study area.

}, keywords = {Balaenoptera acutorostrata, density esti- mation, Mariana Islands, marine mammals., minke whale, Pacific, passive acoustics}, doi = {10.1111/mms.12397}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.12397}, author = {Norris, Thomas F. and Dunleavy, Kerry J. and Yack, Tina M. and Ferguson, Elizabeth L.} } @article {16156, title = {Common nonsong social calls of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) recorded off northern Angola, southern Africa}, journal = {Marine Mammal Science}, volume = {33}, year = {2017}, month = {Jan-01-2017}, pages = {365 - 375}, doi = {10.1111/mms.2017.33.issue-110.1111/mms.12355}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.2017.33.issue-1}, author = {Melinda L. Rekdahl and Tisch, Charlotte and Salvatore Cerchio and Howard C. Rosenbaum} } @article {16154, title = {Southeastern Pacific humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae and their breeding grounds: Distribution and habitat preference of singers and social groups off the coast of Ecuador}, journal = {Marine Mammal Science}, volume = {33}, year = {2017}, month = {Jan-01-2017}, pages = {219 - 235}, doi = {10.1111/mms.2017.33.issue-110.1111/mms.12365}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.2017.33.issue-1}, author = {O{\~n}a, Javier and Garland, Ellen C. and Denkinger, Judith} } @article {16153, title = {Seasonal acoustic behavior of blue whales ( Balaenoptera musculus ) in the Gulf of California, Mexico}, journal = {Marine Mammal Science}, volume = {33}, year = {2017}, month = {Jan-01-2017}, pages = {206 - 218}, doi = {10.1111/mms.2017.33.issue-110.1111/mms.12362}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.2017.33.issue-1}, author = {Paniagua-Mendoza, Aurora and Gendron, Diane and Romero-Vivas, Eduardo} } @article {16152, title = {Using calls as an indicator for Antarctic blue whale occurrence and distribution across the southwest Pacific and southeast Indian Oceans}, journal = {Marine Mammal Science}, volume = {33}, year = {2017}, month = {Jan-01-2017}, pages = {172 - 186}, doi = {10.1111/mms.2017.33.issue-110.1111/mms.12373}, url = {http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/mms.2017.33.issue-1}, author = {Balcazar, Naysa E. and Klinck, Holger and Nieukirk, Sharon L. and Mellinger, David K. and Klinck, Karolin and Dziak, Robert P. and Rogers, Tracey L.} }