in

Acoustic differentiation and classification of wild belugas and narwhals using echolocation clicks

  • 1.

    Madsen, P. T. & Wahlberg, M. Recording and quantification of ultrasonic echolocation clicks from free-ranging toothed whales. Deep. Res. Part I(54), 1421–1444 (2007).

    Google Scholar 

  • 2.

    Au, W. W. L. Sonar of Dolphins (Springer, 1993).

    Google Scholar 

  • 3.

    Reeves, R. R. et al. Distribution of endemic cetaceans in relation to hydrocarbon development and commercial shipping in a warming Arctic. Mar. Policy 44, 375–389 (2014).

    Google Scholar 

  • 4.

    Hauser, D. D. W. et al. Habitat selection by two beluga whale populations in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. PLoS One 12, e0172755 (2017).

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • 5.

    Vacquié-Garcia, J., Lydersen, C., Ims, R. A. & Kovacs, K. M. Habitats and movement patterns of white whales Delphinapterus leucas in Svalbard, Norway in a changing climate. Mov. Ecol. 6, 21 (2018).

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • 6.

    Lydersen, C., Martin, A. R., Kovacs, K. M. & Gjertz, I. Summer and autumn movements of white whales Delphinapterus leucas in Svalbard, Norway. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 219, 265–274 (2001).

    ADS 

    Google Scholar 

  • 7.

    Innes, S. et al. Surveys of belugas and narwhals in the Canadian High Arctic in 1996. NAMMCO Sci. Publ. 4, 169–190 (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  • 8.

    Smith, T. G. & Martin, A. R. Distribution and movements of belugas, Delphinapterus leucas, in the Canadian High Arctic. Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 51, 1653–1663 (1994).

    Google Scholar 

  • 9.

    Hobbs, R. et al. Global review of the conservation status of Monodontid stocks. Mar. Fish. Rev. 81, 1–53 (2019).

    ADS 

    Google Scholar 

  • 10.

    Frost, K. J. & Lowry, L. F. Distribution, abundance, and movements of beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas, in coastal waters of western Alaska. In Advances in Research on the Beluga Whale, Delphinapterus leucas Vol. 224 (eds Smith, T. G. et al.) 39–57 (Canadian Bulletin of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 1990).

    Google Scholar 

  • 11.

    Lewis, A. E., Hammill, M. O., Power, M., Doidge, D. W. & Lesage, V. Movement and aggregation of eastern Hudson Bay beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas): A comparison of patterns found through satellite telemetry and Nunavik Traditional Ecological Knowledge. Arctic 62, 13–24 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  • 12.

    Ahonen, H., Stafford, K. M., Lydersen, C., Steur, L. D. & Kovacs, K. M. A multi-year study of narwhal occurrence in the western Fram Strait—detected via passive acoustic monitoring. Polar Res. 38, 1–14 (2019).

    Google Scholar 

  • 13.

    Heide-Jørgensen, M. P. et al. The migratory behaviour of narwhals (Monodon monoceros). Can. J. Zool. 81, 1298–1305 (2003).

    Google Scholar 

  • 14.

    Richard, P. R. et al. Baffin Bay narwhal population distribution and numbers: Aerial surveys in the Canadian High Arctic, 2002–04. Arctic 63, 85–99 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  • 15.

    Dietz, R., Heide-Jørgensen, M. P., Richard, P. R. & Acquarone, M. Summer and fall movements of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) from northeastern Baffin Island towards northern Davis Strait. Arctic 54, 244–261 (2001).

    Google Scholar 

  • 16.

    Castellote, M. et al. Monitoring white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) with echolocation loggers. Polar Biol. 36, 493–509 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  • 17.

    Frouin-Mouy, H., Kowarski, K., Martin, B. & Bröker, K. Seasonal trends in acoustic detection of marine mammals in Baffin Bay and Melville Bay, Northwest Greenland. Arctic 70, 59–76 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  • 18.

    Sousa-Lima, R. S., Norris, T. F., Oswald, J. N. & Fernandes, D. P. A review and inventory of fixed autonomous recorders for passive acoustic monitoring of marine mammals. Aquat. Mamm. 39, 23–53 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  • 19.

    Zhong, M. et al. Beluga whale acoustic signal classification using deep learning neural network models. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 147, 1834–1841 (2020).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 20.

    Castellote, M. et al. Seasonal distribution and foraging occurrence of Cook Inlet beluga whales based on passive acoustic monitoring. Endanger. Species Res. 41, 225–243 (2020).

    Google Scholar 

  • 21.

    Sjare, B. L. & Smith, T. G. The vocal repertoire of white whales, Delphinapterus leucas, summering in Cunningham Inlet, Northwest Territories. Can. J. Zool. 64, 407–415 (1986).

    Google Scholar 

  • 22.

    Chmelnitsky, E. G. & Ferguson, S. H. Beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas, vocalizations from the Churchill River, Manitoba, Canada. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 131, 4821–4835 (2012).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 23.

    Marcoux, M., Auger-Méthé, M. & Humphries, M. M. Variability and context specificity of narwhal (Monodon monoceros) whistles and pulsed calls. Mar. Mammal Sci. 28, 649–665 (2012).

    Google Scholar 

  • 24.

    Garland, E. C., Castellote, M. & Berchok, C. L. Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) vocalizations and call classification from the eastern Beaufort Sea population. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 137, 3054–3067 (2015).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 25.

    Rasmussen, M. H., Koblitz, J. C. & Laidre, K. L. Buzzes and high-frequency clicks recorded from narwhals (Monodon monoceros) at their wintering ground. Aquat. Mamm. 41, 256–264 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  • 26.

    McCullough, J. L. K., Simonis, A. E., Sakai, T. & Oleson, E. M. Acoustic classification of false killer whales in the Hawaiian islands based on comprehensive vocal repertoire. JASA Express Lett. 1, 071201 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  • 27.

    Ford, J. K. B. & Fisher, H. D. Underwater acoustic signals of the narwhal (Monodon monoceros). Can. J. Zool. 56, 552–560 (1978).

    Google Scholar 

  • 28.

    Rankin, S. et al. Acoustic classification of dolphins in the California Current using whistles, echolocation clicks, and burst pulses. Mar. Mammal Sci. 33, 520–540 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  • 29.

    Walmsley, S. F., Rendell, L., Hussey, N. E. & Marcoux, M. Vocal sequences in narwhals (Monodon monoceros). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 147, 1078–1091 (2020).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 30.

    Shapiro, A. D. Preliminary evidence for signature vocalizations among free-ranging narwhals (Monodon monceros). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 120, 1695–1705 (2006).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 31.

    Simões Amorim, T. O. et al. Integrative bioacoustics discrimination of eight delphinid species in the western South Atlantic Ocean. PLoS One 14, e0217977 (2019).

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • 32.

    Stafford, K. M., Laidre, K. L. & Heide-Jørgensen, M. P. First acoustic recordings of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in winter. Mar. Mammal Sci. 28, 197–207 (2012).

    Google Scholar 

  • 33.

    Castellote, M. et al. Dual instrument passive acoustic monitoring of belugas in Cook Inlet, Alaska. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 139, 2697–2707 (2016).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 34.

    Lammers, M. O. et al. Passive acoustic monitoring of Cook Inlet beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 134, 2497–2504 (2013).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 35.

    Roch, M. A., Stinner-Sloan, J., Baumann-Pickering, S. & Wiggins, S. M. Compensating for the effects of site and equipment variation on delphinid species identification from their echolocation clicks. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 137, 22–29 (2015).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 36.

    Au, W. W., Penner, R. H., Carder, D. A. & Scronce, B. Demonstration of adaptation in beluga whale echolocation signals. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 77, 726–730 (1985).

    ADS 
    CAS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 37.

    Au, W. W. L., Penner, R. H. & Turl, C. W. Propagation of beluga echolocation signals. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 82, 807–813 (1987).

    ADS 
    CAS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 38.

    Roy, N., Simard, Y., Gervaise, C. & Dtn, E. 3D tracking of foraging belugas from their clicks: Experiment from a coastal hydrophone array. Appl. Acoust. 71, 1050–1056 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  • 39.

    Zahn, M. J., Laidre, K. L., Stilz, P., Rasmussen, M. H. & Koblitz, J. C. Vertical sonar beam width of wild belugas (Delphinapterus leucas) in West Greenland. PLoS One 16, e0257054 (2021).

    CAS 
    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • 40.

    Rutenko, A. N. & Vishnyakov, A. A. Time sequences of sonar signals generated by a beluga whale when locating underwater objects. Acoust. Phys. 52, 314–323 (2006).

    ADS 

    Google Scholar 

  • 41.

    Koblitz, J. C., Stilz, P., Rasmussen, M. H. & Laidre, K. L. Highly directional sonar beam of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) measured with a vertical 16 hydrophone array. PLoS One 11, e0162069 (2016).

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • 42.

    Podolskiy, E. A. & Sugiyama, S. Soundscape of a narwhal summering ground in a glacier fjord (Inglefield Bredning, Greenland). J. Geophys. Res. Ocean. 125, e2020JC016116 (2020).

    ADS 

    Google Scholar 

  • 43.

    Miller, L. A., Pristed, J., Mohl, B. & Surlykke, A. The click-sounds of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) in Inglefield Bay, Northwest Greenland. Mar. Mammal Sci. 11, 491–502 (1995).

    Google Scholar 

  • 44.

    Marcoux, M., Auger-Methe, M., Chmelnitsky, E., Ferguson, S. H. & Humphries, M. M. Local passive acoustic monitoring of narwhal presence in the Canadian Arctic: A pilot project. Arctic 64, 307–316 (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  • 45.

    Overland, J. et al. The urgency of Arctic change. Polar Sci. 21, 6–13 (2019).

    ADS 

    Google Scholar 

  • 46.

    Comiso, J. C. & Hall, D. K. Climate trends in the Arctic as observed from space. WIREs Clim. Change 5, 389–409 (2014).

    Google Scholar 

  • 47.

    Kwok, R. Arctic sea ice thickness, volume, and multiyear ice coverage: Losses and coupled variability (1958–2018). Environ. Res. Lett. 13, 105005 (2018).

    Google Scholar 

  • 48.

    Overland, J. E. & Wang, M. When will the summer Arctic be nearly sea ice free?. Geophys. Res. Lett. 40, 2097–2101 (2013).

    ADS 

    Google Scholar 

  • 49.

    Smith, L. C. & Stephenson, S. R. New Trans-Arctic shipping routes navigable by midcentury. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 110, E1191–E1195 (2013).

    ADS 
    CAS 
    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • 50.

    Hauser, D. D. W., Laidre, K. L. & Stern, H. L. Vulnerability of Arctic marine mammals to vessel traffic in the increasingly ice-free Northwest Passage and Northern Sea Route. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 115, 7617–7622 (2018).

    CAS 
    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • 51.

    Halliday, W. D., Pine, M. K. & Insley, S. J. Underwater noise and Arctic marine mammals: Review and policy recommendations. Environ. Rev. 28, 438–448 (2020).

    Google Scholar 

  • 52.

    Halliday, W. D. et al. Underwater sound levels in the Canadian Arctic, 2014–2019. Mar. Pollut. Bull. 168, 112437 (2021).

    CAS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 53.

    Kochanowicz, Z. et al. Using western science and Inuit knowledge to model ship-source noise exposure for cetaceans (marine mammals) in Tallurutiup Imanga (Lancaster Sound), Nunavut, Canada. Mar. Policy 130, 104557 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  • 54.

    Stewart, R. E. A., Lesage, V., Lawson, J. W., Cleator, H. & Martin, K. A. Science technical review of the draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Baffinland’s Mary River Project (Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2011).

    Google Scholar 

  • 55.

    Heide-Jørgensen, M. P., Hansen, R. G., Westdal, K., Reeves, R. R. & Mosbech, A. Narwhals and seismic exploration: Is seismic noise increasing the risk of ice entrapments?. Biol. Conserv. 158, 50–54 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  • 56.

    Blackwell, S. B., Greene, C. R. & Richardson, W. J. Drilling and operational sounds from an oil production island in the ice-covered Beaufort Sea. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 116, 3199–3211 (2004).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 57.

    Yang, W. et al. Anthropogenic sound exposure-induced stress in captive dolphins and implications for cetacean health. Front. Mar. Sci. 8, 606736 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  • 58.

    Erbe, C. & Farmer, D. M. Zones of impact around icebreakers affecting beluga whales in the Beaufort Sea. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 108, 1332–1340 (2000).

    ADS 
    CAS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 59.

    Heide-Jørgensen, M. P. et al. Behavioral response study on seismic airgun and vessel exposures in narwhals. Front. Mar. Sci. 8, 658173 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  • 60.

    Gillespie, D., Mellinger, D. K., Gordon, J. & Al, E. PAMGUARD: Semiautomated, open source software for real-time acoustic detection and localization of cetaceans. Proc. Inst. Acoust. 30, 54–62 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  • 61.

    Sakai, T. PAMpal: Load and process passive acoustic data. R package version 0.12.6. http://cran.r-project.org/package=PAMpal (2021).

  • 62.

    R Core Team. R: A language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for Statistical Computing http://www.r-project.org/ (2021).

  • 63.

    Griffiths, E. T. et al. Detection and classification of narrow-band high frequency echolocation clicks from drifting recorders. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 147, 3511–3522 (2020).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 64.

    Baumann-Pickering, S., Wiggins, S. M., Hildebrand, J. A., Roch, M. A. & Schnitzler, H. Discriminating features of echolocation clicks of melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra), bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), and Gray’s spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris longirostris). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 128, 2212–2224 (2010).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 65.

    Sakai, T. PAMpal standardClickCalcs. https://taikisan21.github.io/PAMpal/StandardCalcs.html (2021).

  • 66.

    Anderson, M. J. A new method for non-parametric multivariate analysis of variance. Austral Ecol. 26, 32–46 (2001).

    Google Scholar 

  • 67.

    Anderson, M. J. Distance-based tests for homogeneity of multivariate dispersions. Biometrics 62, 245–253 (2006).

    MathSciNet 
    PubMed 
    MATH 

    Google Scholar 

  • 68.

    Anderson, M. J. Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (PERMANOVA). Wiley StatsRef Stat. Ref. Online https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118445112.stat07841 (2017).

    Article 

    Google Scholar 

  • 69.

    Pearson, K. On lines and planes of closest fit to systems of points in space. Philos. Mag. 2, 559–572 (1901).

    MATH 

    Google Scholar 

  • 70.

    Lever, J., Krzywinski, M. & Altman, N. Principal component analysis. Nat. Methods 14, 641–642 (2017).

    CAS 

    Google Scholar 

  • 71.

    Jackson, D. A. Stopping rules in principal components analysis: A comparison of heuristical and statistical approaches. Ecology 74, 2204–2214 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  • 72.

    Oksanen, J. et al. Vegan: Community ecology package. R package version 2.5-7. https://cran.r-project.org/package=vegan (2020).

  • 73.

    Breiman, L. Random forests. Mach. Learn. 45, 5–32 (2001).

    MATH 

    Google Scholar 

  • 74.

    Yang, L. et al. Description and classification of echolocation clicks of Indian Ocean humpback (Sousa plumbea) and Indo-Pacific bottlenose (Tursiops aduncus) dolphins from Menai Bay, Zanzibar, East Africa. PLoS One 15, e0230319 (2020).

    CAS 
    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • 75.

    Archer, F. I., Rankin, S., Stafford, K. M., Castellote, M. & Delarue, J. Quantifying spatial and temporal variation of North Pacific fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) acoustic behavior. Mar. Mammal Sci. 36, 224–245 (2020).

    Google Scholar 

  • 76.

    Ross, J. C. & Allen, P. E. Random Forest for improved analysis efficiency in passive acoustic monitoring. Ecol. Inform. 21, 34–39 (2014).

    Google Scholar 

  • 77.

    Liaw, A. & Wiener, M. Classification and regression by randomForest. R News 2, 18–22 (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  • 78.

    Archer, E. rfPermute: Estimate permutation p-values for Random Forest importance metrics. R package version 2.5. https://github.com/EricArcher/rfPermute (2021).

  • 79.

    Gurevich, V. S. & Evans, W. E. Echolocation discrimination of complex planar targets by the Beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 60, S5 (1976).

    ADS 

    Google Scholar 

  • 80.

    Soldevilla, M. S. et al. Classification of Risso’s and Pacific white-sided dolphins using spectral properties of echolocation clicks. J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 124, 609–624 (2008).

    ADS 
    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 81.

    Morisaka, T., Yoshida, Y., Akune, Y., Mishima, H. & Nishimoto, S. Exchange of ‘signature’ calls in captive belugas (Delphinapterus leucas). J. Ethol. 31, 141–149 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  • 82.

    Vergara, V., Michaud, R. & Barrett-Lennard, L. G. What can captive whales tell us about their wild counterparts? Identification, usage, and ontogeny of contact calls in belugas (Delphinapterus leucas). Int. J. Comp. Psychol. 23, 278–309 (2010).

    Google Scholar 

  • 83.

    Vergara, V. & Mikus, M. A. Contact call diversity in natural beluga entrapments in an Arctic estuary: Preliminary evidence of vocal signatures in wild belugas. Mar. Mammal Sci. 35, 434–465 (2019).

    Google Scholar 

  • 84.

    Panova, E. M. et al. Intraspecific variability in the ‘vowel’-like sounds of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas): Intra- and interpopulation comparisons. Mar. Mammal Sci. 32, 452–465 (2016).

    Google Scholar 

  • 85.

    Ames, A. E., Blackwell, S. B., Tervo, O. M. & Heide-Jørgensen, M. P. Evidence of stereotyped contact call use in narwhal (Monodon monoceros) mother-calf communication. PLoS One 16, e0254393 (2021).

    CAS 
    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • 86.

    Baumann-Pickering, S. et al. False killer whale and short-finned pilot whale acoustic identification. Endanger. Species Res. 28, 97–108 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  • 87.

    Halliday, W. D. et al. Potential exposure of beluga and bowhead whales to underwater noise from ship traffic in the Beaufort and Chukchi Seas. Ocean Coast. Manag. 204, 105473 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  • 88.

    Laidre, K. L., Jørgensen, O. A. & Treble, M. A. Deep-ocean predation by a high Arctic cetacean. ICES J. Mar. Sci. 61, 430–440 (2004).

    Google Scholar 

  • 89.

    Laidre, K. L., Heide-Jørgensen, M. P., Dietz, R., Hobbs, R. C. & Jørgensen, O. A. Deep-diving by narwhals Monodon monoceros: Differences in foraging behavior between wintering areas?. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 261, 269–281 (2003).

    ADS 

    Google Scholar 

  • 90.

    Lydersen, C. & Kovacs, K. M. A review of the ecology and status of white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) in Svalbard, Norway. Polar Res. 40, 5509 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  • 91.

    Hauser, D. D. W. et al. Regional diving behavior of Pacific Arctic beluga whales Delphinapterus leucas and possible associations with prey. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 541, 245–264 (2015).

    ADS 

    Google Scholar 

  • 92.

    Ragen, T. J., Huntington, H. P. & Hovelsrud, G. K. Conservation of Arctic marine mammals faced with climate change. Ecol. Appl. 18, S166–S174 (2008).

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 93.

    Laidre, K. L. et al. Quantifying the sensitivity of Arctic marine mammals to climate-induced habitat change. Ecol. Appl. 18, S97–S125 (2008).

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • 94.

    Heide-Jørgensen, M. P., Dietz, R., Laidre, K. L. & Richard, P. Autumn movements, home ranges, and winter density of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) tagged in Tremblay Sound, Baffin Island. Polar Biol. 25, 331–341 (2002).

    Google Scholar 

  • 95.

    Hauser, D. D. W., Laidre, K. L., Suydam, R. S. & Richard, P. R. Population-specific home ranges and migration timing of Pacific Arctic beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas). Polar Biol. 37, 1171–1183 (2014).

    Google Scholar 

  • 96.

    Huntington, H. P. A preliminary assessment of threats to Arctic marine mammals and their conservation in the coming decades. Mar. Policy 33, 77–82 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  • 97.

    Gregersen, U., Hopper, J. R. & Knutz, P. C. Basin seismic stratigraphy and aspects of prospectivity in the NE Baffin Bay, Northwest Greenland. Mar. Pet. Geol. 46, 1–18 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  • 98.

    McCauley, R. D. et al. Widely used marine seismic survey air gun operations negatively impact zooplankton. Nat. Ecol. Evol. 1, 0195 (2017).

    Google Scholar 


  • Source: Ecology - nature.com

    Decreased resting and nursing in short-finned pilot whales when exposed to louder petrol engine noise of a hybrid whale-watch vessel

    MIT makes strides on climate action plan