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An Introduction to OrcaSound

Your blog posts will have multiple components over the course of the semester:



  • OrcaSound Citizen Science Project:
  • This project exists to monitor the habitat of the endangered Northwest Pacific orca by detecting and identifying the sounds of orcas and any dangerous noises. OrcaSound primarily uses computer software to distinguish natural from anthropogenic sounds; however, Human ears can do a better job of detecting unusual or new sounds. Therefore OrcaSound maintains live audio feed from its 5 hydrophones and also publishes recordings or various sounds and distinct orca calls. 
  • OrcaSound is run by a broad coalition of organizations including Beam Reach, Colorado College Physics and Environmental Science Dept, The Orca Network, Port Townsend Marine Science Center, the Orca Behavior Institute, Cetacean Research Technology, and many others. Primarily, OrcaSound is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 
  • The citizen scientists are primarily engaged by listening to live audio feeds sprinkled around the Salish Sea. Those with more specialized experience can volunteer to educate students or whale watchers in the area around the Salish Sea about anthropogenic noise pollution and its effects on aquatic life and orcas in particular. 
  • Kunc, Hansjoerg P., Kirsty Elizabeth McLaughlin, and Rouven Schmidt. 2016. “Aquatic Noise Pollution: Implications for Individuals, Populations, and Ecosystems.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences 283 (1836): 1–8. doi:10.1098/rspb.2016.0839.
  • This article by Kunc et al. does a wonderful job at examining the importance of studying noise pollution and the effects it can have on aquatic life. 
  • Kunc et al. state that "Anthropogenic noise can affect an individual's anatomy, physiology, and/or behaviour in several ways: (i) hearing damage, including permanent threshold shifts, and other non-auditory tissue damage from exposure to very loud sounds, (ii) temporary threshold shifts from acoustic overexposure, (iii) masking of sounds hindering the perception of acoustic information, and (iv) changing hormone levels, leading to stress responses and lack of sleep."
  • Anthopogenic noise pollution can not only damage auditory and swim bladder tissue but can also cause "morphological malformations, reduce successful embryonic development, and increase larvae mortality. This suggests that noise may cause developmental instablity, i.e. the inability of the genome to buffer developmental processes against disturbances". Kunc et al also found that "anthropogenic noise can also influence the endocrine system, leading to an increase in secretion of the stress hormone cortisol in fish  and mammals." While this may seem innocuous Kunc et al state that, "physiological stress caused by noise is a likely source for developmental delays and growth abnormalities  but may also hamper reproduction, growth, and immunity."
  • Furthermore, Orcas in particular are affected by noise pollution because of their use of echolocation which allows them to gather information about their environment. As Kunc et al state, noise pollution can "[decrease] the accuracy of detecting objects with sonar and increasing noise levels ceased the production of sonar clicks due to a decrease in effectiveness. Thus, acoustic information used in navigation and prey location is disrupted by noise, individuals will have difficulties locating indispensable resources, e.g. suitable habitats and food."

More on the project can be found at https://www.orcasound.net/

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