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In coastal waters, anthropogenic activity and its associated sound have been shown to negatively impact aquatic taxa that rely on sound signaling and reception for navigation, prey location, and intraspecific communication. The oyster toadfish Opsanus tau depends on acoustic communication for reproductive success, as males produce ‘boatwhistle’ calls to attract females to their nesting sites. However, it is unknown if in situ vessel sound impacts intraspecific communication in this species. Passive acoustic monitoring using a 4-hydrophone linear array was conducted in Eel Pond, a small harbor in Woods Hole, MA, USA, to monitor the calling behavior of male toadfish. The number of calls pre- and post-exposure to vessel sound was compared. Individual toadfish were localized, and their approximate sound level exposure was predicted using sound mapping. Following exposure to vessel sound, the number of calls significantly decreased compared to the number of calls pre-exposure, with vessel sound overlapping the frequency range of male toadfish boatwhistles. This study provides support that anthropogenic sound can negatively affect intraspecific communication and suggests that in situ vessel sound has the ability to mask boatwhistles and change the calling behavior of male toadfish. Masking could lead to a reduction in intraspecific communication and lower reproductive efficiency within the Eel Pond toadfish population.

Animals can adapt to anthropogenic sound, however, sudden impulsive sounds, such as fireworks, can trigger behavioural responses. The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, South Africa, holds several threatened and endangered coastal marine species and hosts an annual New Year’s Eve celebration involving firework displays. Video and acoustic data were collected during this event to assess the short-term impacts of in-air firework sounds on common and accessible species, Hartlaub’s gulls Chroicocephalus hartlaubii and Cape fur seals Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus . The propagation of firework pulses underwater was also assessed in the harbour. Both species increased vocal production soon after firework cessation, and the seals shifted from sleeping to increased vigilance and locomotion at exposure onset. The in-air frequency of firework sounds overlapped the communicative frequency band of both species, resulting in potential acoustic masking or disruption. Underwater, the received sound pressure level of fireworks was ~ 143 dB re 1 µPa, providing evidence of in-air firework sound propagation underwater. However, this contributed very little to the underwater soundscape. This case study provides baseline information on the short-term impacts of fireworks on marine species. Such displays that cause disturbance likely constitute harassment of threatened or protected marine species, prohibited under South African law.

Anthropogenic sound caused by ship traffic as well as the construction and operation of offshore windfarms have increased exponentially in the last decades. While its impact on marine life is relatively well studied for mammals and fish, the implications of anthropogenic sound on benthic invertebrates are poorly understood. Here, we tested for potential stress responses of common marine invertebrates using two widespread mesograzing crustaceans: the isopod Idotea balthica and the amphipod Gammarus locusta . All experimental animals were gathered from laboratory cultures in the facilities of the Alfred Wegener Institute in Bremerhaven, Germany, in spring 2023. Oxygen consumption rates and the activities of four key mitochondrial enzymes (cytochrome c oxidase, electron transport system complex I and III, citrate synthase and lactate dehydrogenase) were examined under the influence of added low-frequency sound (+ 25 dB SPL RMS re 1 µPa at 90 Hz, above background soundscape) to assess how basal energy demands and supplies were affected. The isopod I. balthica seemed to be robust against added sound exposure over 72 h as neither oxygen consumption rates nor enzyme activities were significantly altered. The amphipod G. locusta , however, displayed significantly lower oxygen consumption rates in response to both short-term (1–4 h; 39% reduction) and longer-term (68–72 h; 35% reduction) added sound exposure, although enzymatic activities were not significantly affected. This study underlines the need to address the potential impact of sound on the energy available for the growth and reproduction of small invertebrates. Overlooked vulnerabilities to noise pollution in key taxa could have far reaching implications for marine food webs, nutrient cycles and ecosystem functioning.

Background Ecological research now deals increasingly with the effects of noise pollution on biodiversity. Indeed, many studies have shown the impacts of anthropogenic noise and concluded that it is potentially a threat to the persistence of many species. The present work is a systematic map of the evidence of the impacts of all anthropogenic noises (industrial, urban, transportation, etc.) on biodiversity. This report describes the mapping process and the evidence base with summary figures and tables presenting the characteristics of the selected articles. Methods The method used was published in an a priori protocol. Searches included peer-reviewed and grey literature published in English and French. Two online databases were searched using English terms and search consistency was assessed with a test list. Supplementary searches were also performed (using search engines, a call for literature and searching relevant reviews). Articles were screened through three stages (titles, abstracts, full-texts). No geographical restrictions were applied. The subject population included all wild species (plants and animals excluding humans) and ecosystems. Exposures comprised all types of man-made sounds in terrestrial and aquatic media, including all contexts and sound origins (spontaneous or recorded sounds, in situ or laboratory studies, etc.). All relevant outcomes were considered (space use, reproduction, communication, etc.). Then, for each article selected after full-text screening, metadata were extracted on key variables of interest (species, types of sound, outcomes, etc.). Review findings Our main result is a database that includes all retrieved literature on the impacts of anthropogenic noise on species and ecosystems, coded with several markers (sources of noise, species concerned, types of impacts, etc.). Our search produced more than 29,000 articles and 1794 were selected after the three screening stages (1340 studies (i.e. primary research), 379 reviews, 16 meta-analyses). Some articles (n = 19) are written in French and all others are in English. This database is available as an additional file of this report. It provides an overview of the current state of knowledge. It can be used for primary research by identifying knowledge gaps or in view of further analysis, such as systematic reviews. It can also be helpful for scientists and researchers as well as for practitioners, such as managers of transportation infrastructure. Conclusion The systematic map reveals that the impacts of anthropogenic noises on species and ecosystems have been researched for many years. In particular, some taxonomic groups (mammals, birds, fishes), types of noise (transportation, industrial, abstract) and outcomes (behavioural, biophysiological, communication) have been studied more than others. Conversely, less knowledge is available on certain species (amphibians, reptiles, invertebrates), noises (recreational, military, urban) and impacts (space use, reproduction, ecosystems). The map does not assess the impacts of anthropogenic noise, but it can be the starting point for more thorough synthesis of evidence. After a critical appraisal, the included reviews and meta-analyses could be exploited, if reliable, to transfer the already synthesized knowledge into operational decisions to reduce noise pollution and protect biodiversity.

Alterations in the acoustic environment owing to anthropogenic sound are recognised as global pollution and strengthening studies in freshwater. This study focuses on the impact of lake seismic surveys on fish. First, we measured individual stress responses, i.e. cortisol levels and oxidative stress, morphological parameters, and stomach contents of juvenile roaches (Rutilus rutilus) captured by trawling prior to and during the seismic survey. Second, using hydroacoustics, we analysed individual fish and school behaviour before, during, and after the shots. We collected environmental DNA (eDNA) and analysed the concentrations of three species to assess their littoral refuge. Finally, using hydroacoustics, we assessed pelagic fish density before, during, and after the shots. We demonstrated that the shots noticeably impacted juvenile roaches, from the molecular and cellular level to individual morphological characteristics. During the seismic shots, changes in school characteristics were observed. At the onset of the seismic survey, a sharp decrease (> 30%) in pelagic fish density was observed, and no increase in fish density in the littoral area was noted for the three species. These responses suggest that sound disturbances due to air gun shots affect fish in multiple ways (physiology, morphology, behaviour, and habitat use) and across multiple biological scales.

Research evaluating marine mammal welfare and opportunities for advancements in the care of species housed in a professional facility have rapidly increased in the past decade. While topics, such as comfortable housing, adequate social opportunities, stimulating enrichment, and a high standard of medical care, have continued to receive attention from managers and scientists, there is a lack of established acoustic consideration for monitoring the welfare of these animals. Marine mammals rely on sound production and reception for navigation and communication. Regulations governing anthropogenic sound production in our oceans have been put in place by many countries around the world, largely based on the results of research with managed and trained animals, due to the potential negative impacts that unrestricted noise can have on marine mammals. However, there has not been an established best practice for the acoustic welfare monitoring of marine mammals in professional care. By monitoring animal hearing and vocal behavior, a more holistic view of animal welfare can be achieved through the early detection of anthropogenic sound sources, the acoustic behavior of the animals, and even the features of the calls. In this review, the practice of monitoring cetacean acoustic welfare through behavioral hearing tests and auditory evoked potentials (AEPs), passive acoustic monitoring, such as the Welfare Acoustic Monitoring System (WAMS), as well as ideas for using advanced technologies for utilizing vocal biomarkers of health are introduced and reviewed as opportunities for integration into marine mammal welfare plans.

Exponential increases in anthropogenic noise and light pollution have accompanied growth of the built environment. Noise and light cause negative consequences for birds, such as disrupted navigation during migration, mortality from collisions with windows and other infrastructure, and reduced reproductive success, as well as some positive consequences, such as expanded night niches for behaviors associated with feeding, territoriality, and mating. Relatively less is known about noise and light effects on annual survival of non-migratory birds, so we conducted an exploratory study to examine variation in adult survival rates of seven avian species in relation to noise and light pollution. We used 20 years of band-resight data collected as a part of the Neighborhood Nestwatch Program (NN), a citizen science project run by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, at 242 sites in greater Washington, D.C. USA. We estimated apparent survival and documented species-specific relationships with light and noise. Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) and House Wren (Thryothorus aedon) survival decreased and American Robin (Turdus migratorius) survival increased with greater amounts of anthropogenic light. Anthropogenic noise had no relationship with apparent survival for any of the seven species. Life-history trade-offs between survival and reproduction may account for differences in species-specific effects of light pollution. Future research should examine the availability of other fine scale environmental conditions, such as tree canopy cover, that might buffer avian exposure to noise and light pollution.

Susceptibility to temporary hearing threshold shift (TTS) in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) depends, in part, on the frequency of the fatiguing sound (the sound causing the shift). The TTS induced and the pattern of hearing recovery were documented in two female harbor seals after exposure for one hour to a continuous, constant-amplitude one-sixth-octave noise band (NB) at 8 kHz. This fatiguing sound was emitted at average received sound pressure levels (SPLs) estimated at between 138 and 156 dB re 1 µPa, resulting in sound exposure levels (SELs) of 174 to 192 dB re 1 µPa2s. Hearing thresholds for narrow-band sweeps were determined at 8, 11.3, and 16 kHz. The hearing frequency most affected was 11.3 kHz, half an octave above the fatiguing sound’s center frequency. Higher SELs were more likely to result in TTS than lower SELs. At hearing frequencies 8 and 16 kHz, initial TTS (1 to 4 min after the sound stopped) only occurred after exposure to the highest SEL (192 dB re 1 µPa2s). Recovery of hearing took longer after large TTSs than after small TTSs. The equal-energy hypothesis was tested by exposing the seals to the same continuous fatiguing sound with SPLs between 149 and 165 dB re 1 µPa, and exposure durations between two and 80 min; all seven combinations had the same SEL of 186 dB re 1 µPa2s. The equal-energy hypothesis was supported in both seals for the frequency, SPL, and duration ranges that were tested; thus, SEL can be used to predict the TTS elicited in harbor seals by continuous, constant-amplitude sound around 8 kHz. The TTS-onset SEL for the NB at 8 kHz, taken together with the TTS-onset SELs for fatiguing sound frequencies tested in previous studies, can form the basis for a revised TTS-onset function for harbor seals.

For each mammalian species, the pattern of susceptibility to temporary hearing threshold shift (TTS) with changing frequency has been assumed to be related to the pattern of hearing thresholds with changing frequency (the basic audiogram). This relationship was tested with one individual of each of three marine mammal species: one odontocete (harbor porpoise [Phocoena phocoena]) and two pinniped species (harbor seal [Phoca vitulina] and California sea lion [Zalophus californianus]). Audiograms showed that they had similar basic hearing thresholds at 8 kHz (61, 59, and 60 dB re 1 µPa, respectively). Hearing thresholds for narrow-band sweeps at 11.3 kHz (the hearing frequency at which the greatest TTS occurred in all three species) before and after exposure for 1 h to a continuous, constant-amplitude, one-sixth-octave noise band centered at 8 kHz at several sound exposure levels (SELs) showed that the TTS experienced by the three individuals differed. The 6 dB TTS-onset SELs were for the harbor porpoise: 169 dB re 1 µPa2s; for the harbor seal: 182 dB re 1 µPa2s; and for the California sea lion: 176 dB re 1 µPa2s. The pattern of increase in TTS with increasing SEL was steeper for the harbor porpoise and harbor seal than for the California sea lion. This means that TTS onset occurs at a different sensation level (i.e., at a different number of dB above the basic hearing threshold) in each of the three marine mammal species. Therefore, different policies, recommendations, or regulations for permissible sound exposure are needed for each species.

Freshwater fishes exhibit a wide range of auditory adaptations and capabilities, which are assumed to help them navigate their environment, avoid predators, and find potential mates. Yet, we know very little about how freshwater environments sound to fish, or how fish with different auditory adaptations respond to different soundscapes. We first compiled data on fish hearing acuity and adaptations and provided a portrait of how anthropogenic sounds compare to natural sounds in different freshwater soundscapes. We then conducted a sound‐enrichment field experiment at Lake Saint Pierre, a large fluvial lake in Canada, to evaluate the effect of motorboat sound exposure on the fish community by looking at the extent to which changes in species abundances were linked to auditory adaptations. Data compilation showed that the hearing acuity of most species overlaps with a wide range of ambient and anthropogenic underwater sounds while the field experiment showed that species with more specialized auditory structures were captured less often in sound‐enriched traps, indicating avoidance behavior. Our findings highlight the importance of considering species' sensorial adaptations when evaluating the community‐scale effects of anthropogenic sounds on the fish community, especially at low levels of anthropogenic activity. Freshwater fishes exhibit a wide range of auditory adaptations and capabilities. We found that the hearing acuity of most species overlapped with a wide range of ambient and anthropogenic underwater sounds, and species with more specialized auditory structures were captured less often in sound‐enriched traps, indicating avoidance behavior.