Explore the vast range of titles available.

Despite the well-documented, broad global distribution of sperm whales ( Physeter macrocephalus ), their distributional patterns remain poorly known in Arctic regions, where year-round monitoring is challenging. Adult male sperm whales are known to migrate seasonally between nutrient-rich high latitude waters and low latitude breeding grounds. However, knowledge is limited regarding fine-scale distribution and seasonal presence at high latitudes. To investigate the acoustic occurrence of this vocally active species in the High Arctic of the Northeast Atlantic, this study combined automated and manual click detection methods to analyze passive acoustic data collected at eight locations around the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway, between 2012 and 2021. The results revealed the presence of sperm whales at six recording sites and demonstrated sperm whale “hotspots” in ice-free areas in eastern Fram Strait along the shelf break and close to the west coast of Spitsbergen from May–January, with some variation between years and locations. Although acoustic presence decreased with increasing latitude, even the northern-most location (81° N) recorded sperm whale vocal activity between August and January. This study provides a baseline for sperm whale acoustic presence in the High Arctic, which will be essential in the context of detecting future changes and also for predicting future distribution patterns in the rapidly changing Arctic marine environment.

The bowhead whale ( Balaena mysticetus ) is an Arctic endemic cetacean that spends its entire life in Arctic waters, living in tight association with sea ice. In this study, passive acoustic data recorded between 2017 and 2022 at six locations around the Svalbard Archipelago, Norway, were analysed for the seasonal and spatial vocal occurrence of this endangered bowhead whale stock, using a combination of Long-Term Spectral Averages and visual/auditory verification. The results were subsequently correlated to seasonal patterns in environmental conditions. Bowhead whale vocalizations were detected at all study sites, but there was significant variation between locations and years in acoustic presence and singing behaviour. Consistent, high detection rates of singing west and east of Svalbard suggest that these sites serve as key areas for overwintering and breeding. The lower and fluctuating detection rates north of Svalbard suggest that this area serves as a movement corridor between regions. Significant positive correlations between bowhead whale acoustic activity and high sea ice concentrations emphasizes their ice-affiliated nature. This study provides novel information on the distribution and habitat use of bowhead whales in the Svalbard area and raises concern for the future of this population, in an Arctic that is experiencing rapid sea ice habitat loss.

The Southern Ocean is a major sink of anthropogenic CO2 and an important foraging area for top trophic level consumers. However, iron limitation sets an upper limit to primary productivity. Here we report on a considerably dense late summer phytoplankton bloom spanning 9000 km2 in the open ocean of the eastern Weddell Gyre. Over its 2.5 months duration, the bloom accumulated up to 20 g C m−2 of organic matter, which is unusually high for Southern Ocean open waters. We show that, over 1997–2019, this open ocean bloom was likely driven by anomalies in easterly winds that push sea ice southwards and favor the upwelling of Warm Deep Water enriched in hydrothermal iron and, possibly, other iron sources. This recurring open ocean bloom likely facilitates enhanced carbon export and sustains high standing stocks of Antarctic krill, supporting feeding hot spots for marine birds and baleen whales.

The Svalbard Archipelago, Norway, is warming rapidly, resulting in environmental change that is likely already affecting the underwater soundscape, a critical habitat feature for marine mammals. Baseline information about current sound levels is needed to monitor future changes. Fixed-location recorders were used in this study to characterize the soundscape and study the occurrence and phenology of marine mammals at two locations within Svalbard. Kongsfjorden (2017-2018), on the west coast, has already undergone vast environmental change, whereas M2 (2019-2020), on the east coast, remains more Arctic. The results of the study reveal that the soundscapes and species assemblages differed markedly west vs east. In the west, Arctic species were detected from winter to summer and migrant marine mammal species were detected occasionally through the autumn. In the east, Arctic species were detected constantly on an almost year-round basis, and a few migrant species were detected during summer. Vessels were detected more often in the west than in the east, in accordance with AIS traffic data that indicated more boat traffic in Kongsfjorden in the west than in the east of the archipelago. In terms of soundscapes, geophonies (wind, ice) were the main factors determining the sound energy at both locations. Kongsfjorden’s soundscape was characterized by glacier-melt sounds with moderate levels of anthropogenic noise and some biophonies (marine mammals). At M2, sea-ice noises shaped the soundscape, which was otherwise dominated by biophonies from Arctic marine mammals. At the east coast site there was little impact from anthropophonies (vessels). This study provides information on Svalbard’s current underwater soundscape, which is likely to be transformed in the future due to ongoing climate change, with the west coast reflecting future conditions in many Arctic regions if ship-traffic is not regulated.

Researchers have hypothesized that thalamocortical dysfunction plays a role in fibromyalgia. The use of low‐frequency sound stimulation to ameliorate thalamocortical dysfunction has also been investigated, and has shown promise in treating certain pain conditions. Accordingly, the authors of this study aimed to assess the effects of treatment with low‐frequency sound stimulation among patients with fibromyalgia. BACKGROUND: The search for effective treatments for fibromyalgia (FM) has continued for years. The present study premises that thalamocortical dysrhythmia is implicated in fibromyalgia and that low‐frequency sound stimulation (LFSS) can play a regulatory function by driving neural rhythmic oscillatory activity. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of LFSS on FM. METHOD: The present open‐label study with no control group used a repeated‐measures design with no noncompleters. Nineteen female volunteers (median age 51 years; median duration of FM 5.76 years) were administered 10 treatments (twice per week for five weeks). Treatments involved 23 min of LFSS at 40 Hz, delivered using transducers in a supine position. Measures (repeated before and after treatment) included the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, Jenkins Sleep Scale, Pain Disability Index, sitting and standing without pain (in minutes), cervical muscle range of motion and muscle tone. Mean percentages were calculated on end of treatment self‐reports of improvement on pain, mood, insomnia and activities of daily living. RESULTS: Significant improvements were observed with median scores: Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire, 81% (P<0.0001); Jenkins Sleep Scale, 90% (P<0.0001); and Pain Disability Index, 49.1% (P<0.0001). Medication dose was reduced in 73.68% of patients and completely discontinued in 26.32%. Time sitting and standing without pain increased significantly (P<0.0001). Cervical muscle range of motion increased from 25% to 75% (P=0.001), while muscle tone changed from hypertonic to normal (P=0.0002). CONCLUSION: In the present study, the LFSS treatment showed no adverse effects and patients receiving the LFSS treatment showed statistically and clinically relevant improvement. Further phase 2 and 3 trials are warranted.

Significant increase in shipping in the Arctic has caught international and national attention. The rising presence of touristic expedition cruise vessels might describe a special case for noise as a marine pollutant while they seek exclusive opportunities to experience the Arctic first-hand. This interdisciplinary study develops a conceptual framework to investigate context-specific vessel noise cause-effect dynamics and how this knowledge can assist policymakers and industry in increasing environmental safety. The study comprehensively reviews noise-emitting activities from Arctic cruise expeditions and potential adverse consequences for Arctic endemic marine mammals. It further discusses governance options for mitigating these consequences. Internationally, legal adaptations in the shipping conventions MARPOL and SOLAS should recognise noise as harmful energy. This could facilitate the uptake of noise-level-based certification schemes in the Polar Code. These legal actions can be strengthened by extended collective self-governance and through introducing economic incentives at the port level.

Increased knowledge about marine mammal seasonal distribution and species assemblage from the South Orkney Islands waters is needed for the development of management regulations of the commercial fishery for Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) in this region. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) data were collected during the autumn and winter seasons in two consecutive years (2016, 2017), which represented highly contrasting environmental conditions due to the 2016 El Niño event. We explored differences in seasonal patterns in marine mammal acoustic presence between the two years in context of environmental cues and climate variability. Acoustic signals from five baleen whale species, two pinniped species and odontocete species were detected and separated into guilds. Although species diversity remained stable over time, the ice-avoiding and ice-affiliated species dominated before and after the onset of winter, respectively, and thus demonstrating a shift in guild composition related to season. Herein, we provide novel information about local marine mammal species diversity, community structure and residency times in a krill hotspot. Our study also demonstrates the utility of PAM data and its usefulness in providing new insights into the marine mammal habitat use and responses to environmental conditions, which are essential knowledge for the future development of a sustainable fishery management in a changing ecosystem.

Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) has proven to be an efficient method for studying vocally active marine mammals in areas that are difficult to access on a year-round basis. In this study, a PAM recorder was deployed on an oceanographic mooring in western Fram Strait (78°50'N, 5°W) to record the acoustic presence of narwhals (Monodon monoceros) over a 3-yr period. Acoustic data were recorded for 14–17 min at the start of each hour from 25 September 2010 to 26 August 2011, from 2 September 2012 to 11 April 2013 and from 8 September 2013 to 27 April 2014. Pulsed and tonal signals, as well as echolocation clicks, were detected throughout the recording periods, demonstrating that this species is present in this region throughout the year. Generalized linear mixed-effect models showed a negative correlation between the acoustic presence of narwhals and very dense sea-ice cover (≥90%). Surprisingly, a positive correlation was found between the acoustic presence of narwhals and the presence of warm Atlantic Water in the area. Available data suggest that there might be a unique stock of narwhals in the Eurasian sector of the Atlantic Arctic that do not exhibit the “traditional” narwhal pattern of seasonal migration between coastal summering areas and offshore wintering grounds, but rather remain resident year-round in deep, offshore waters.

Male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are known to produce long complex sequences of structured vocalizations called song. Singing behavior has traditionally been associated with low latitude breeding grounds but is increasingly reported outside these areas. This study provides the first report of humpback whale songs in the subarctic waters of Northern Norway using a long-term bottom-moored hydrophone. Data processed included the months January–June 2018 and December 2018–January 2019. Out of 189 days with recordings, humpback whale singing was heard on 79 days. Singing was first detected beginning of January 2018 with a peak in February and was heard until mid-April. No singing activity was found during the summer months and was heard again in December 2018, continuing over January 2019. A total of 131 song sessions, including 35 full sessions, were identified throughout the study period. The longest and shortest complete sessions lasted 815 and 13 min, respectively. The results confirm that singing can be heard over several months in winter and spring on a high latitude feeding ground. This provides additional evidence to the growing literature that singing is not an explicit behavior confined to low latitude breeding grounds. The peak of song occurrence in February appears to coincide with the reproductive cycle of humpback whales. Finally, this study indicates that song occurrence on a subarctic feeding ground likely aids the cultural transmission for the North Atlantic humpback whale population.

Singing behaviour by male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) has traditionally been associated with low-latitude breeding grounds. However, in recent years, this vocal behaviour has been increasingly reported outside these areas. All singers in a given population sing the same version of a song and this song is continually evolving over time with modifications on different levels within the song structure. Tracing changes in whale song will help to undercover the drivers underlying this vocal display and contribute to the understanding of animal culture and its evolution. To determine the progressive changes in songs found on a subarctic feeding ground and migratory stopover, a detailed analysis of humpback whale song recordings from Northern Norway was conducted. Passive acoustic data from the Lofoten-Vesterålen Ocean Observatory (LoVe), collected using a bottom-moored underwater hydrophone, were used from January - April 2018 and January 2019. Two measures of the song structure were examined: (1) sequence similarities using the Levenshtein distance and (2) song complexity using a principal component analysis (PCA). In total, 21 distinct themes were identified which presented highly directional, structural changes over time. Two themes from 2018 reoccurred in 2019, whereas all other themes in 2019 appeared to be evolved versions of 2018 themes. All songs grouped into three general clusters, reflecting the rapid evolution over the study period. With all sampled animals singing the same version of the song, this might indicate that the singers are either from the same breeding population or that song learning occurred before the study period. Song complexity appeared to follow the trend of song progression; songs became more complex as they evolved over the months in 2018 and decreased in complexity between the years, returning to a more simplified song in 2019. The results confirm that humpback whale song exhibits a rapid progression on a shared subarctic feeding ground, with strong potential for song exchange and opportunities for cultural transmission between populations in the North Atlantic.