Marine Mammal Behavioral Response Studies: Advances in Science and Technology

Transcription

1 Marine Mammal Behavioral Response Studies: Advances in Science and Technology ONR Naval Future Forces Science & Technology Expo Washington DC Feb 4-5, 2015 Brandon L. Southall, Ph.D. Southall Environmental Associates, Inc. UC Santa Cruz Long Marine Laboratory Duke University Marine Laboratory Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 1

2 Navy Mid-Frequency Active Sonar (MFAS) and Marine Mammals: OVERVIEW Marine Mammal Stranding Events - Examples: Greece 1996; Bahamas, 2000; Canaries (multiple events); Greece 2014 Multiple Lawsuits Challenge Legality, Regulatory Compliance, and Conditions of MFAS Training - U.S. Circuit Courts (early 2000s); U.S. Supreme Court ( ); ongoing Navy and NOAA Develop Systematic Regulatory Approach for MFAS Compliance (Analysis, Mitigation) implementation; ongoing, complex process - Monitoring for effects required under LOA s Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 2

3 Navy MFAS and Marine Mammals: KEY S&T NEEDS FOR ENVT COMPLIANCE Species Differences in Hearing If and how MFAS Injures Marine Mammals If and how MFAS Affects Behavior What Potential Responses Mean Energetics, Populations ~ Uncertainty in the regulatory world triggers caution and legal vulnerability ~ ~ Most robust decisions are based on direct, controlled, empirical measurements ~ Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 3

4 U.S. Navy Marine Resource Investments Transition from Research to Application

5 ONR Marine Mammal & Biology Program Monitoring & Detection of Marine Mammals Improve monitoring of marine mammals over current methods Integrated Ecosystem Research Multidisciplinary approach to collect baseline measures of marine mammal behaviors and distributions relative to key environmental features Sensor and Tag Development: Development of attachment mechanisms; development of broad sensor suites into tags; Effects of Sound on Marine Mammals Behavioral Response: Define/characterize behavioral response of tagged marine mammals to sound exposure (A-B-A experimental design) Hearing: Developing complete model of marine mammal hearing anatomy, temporary and permanent threshold shifts, improved testing via AEP Dive Physiology: Investigate potential development of gas-bubble disease or Decompression Sickness (DCS) related to MFA exposure Stress*: Characterize and measure the stress response in marine mammals from acoustic disturbance using hormones and other biomarkers Population Level Effects of Disturbance (PCAD)*: Determine if short term responses of marine mammals result in biologically significant or meaningful effects on individuals and/or their populations Models & Databases for Decision Making Provide tools to support environmental compliance & decision making

6 Navy MFAS and Marine Mammals: KEY SPECIES GROUPS Particularly Sensitive Species - Beaked whales, harbor porpoise, melon-headed whales Endangered Species - Most baleen whales Common Species - e.g., most dolphins Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 6

7 Measuring Marine Mammal Behavior Experimental Methods - Controlled Exposure Experiments (CEEs) with FIELD and LAB BRS Approaches Observational/Opportunistic Methods - Behavioral Monitoring during ongoing activities (uncontrolled) Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 7

8 Field Behavioral Response Studies: KEY S&T ENABLER ACOUSTIC TAGS Evolution of non-invasive, remotedeployed, archival tags to obtain highresolution, multivariate individual data - Depth (pressure sensors) - 3D movement (accelerometers, magnetometers) - Light (photo sensors) - High-sampling rate acoustics (up to 512 khz; multiple hydrophones) - Lat/Lon position Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 8

9 Field Experimental Methods to Quantify Behavioral Responses to MFAS Bahamas (AUTEC): Navy/NOAA coordinated BRS effort to get direct data A. Before B. During C hrs after D hrs after Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 9 Distance (km) May E 12-May 13-May 14-May 15-May 16-May 17-May Day 18-May 19-May 20-May Before During After (0-72 hrs) After ( hrs) 21-May 22-May 23-May 24-May Before During After

10 Field Experimental Methods to Quantify Behavioral Responses to MFAS 3S Program (Norway): Dutch/Norwegian collaboration to measure responses operational Navy sonars - Operational, mobile sources approach subjects to increase dose Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 10 Miller et al., 2012; 2014

11 Field Experimental Methods to Quantify Behavioral Responses to MFAS Southern California (SOCAL) BRS: 2010-present - Adapted AUTEC BRS methods for new species - Simulated and real MFAS in experimental paradigm - Better weather, more species and location options Decentralized Vessel Strategy * Smaller, flexible central platform * Fast, independent tag boats * Towed passive acoustics * Real Navy ships at real ranges Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 11

12 Quantifying Behavioral Responses to MFAS 2D MOVEMENT Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 12

13 Stimpert et al., (2014) Quantifying Behavioral Responses to MFAS SYNOPTIC, HIGH-RES DATA Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 13

14 Quantifying Behavioral Responses to MFAS BRS S&T INNOVATIONS Identifying Vocalizing Individuals (Response, Density Estimates) Time of arrival differences to identify clicking Risso s dolphins (Arranz et al., in review) Accelerometers to identify calling fin whales (Goldbogen et al., 2014) Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 14

15 Quantifying Behavioral Responses to MFAS BRS S&T INNOVATIONS BEHAVIORAL CONTEXT: Synoptic, Direct Measurements of Prey for Feeding Animals - Five-fold increase in ability to describe variance in behavior in BRS Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo Roll 360 Roll (Goldbogen et al., 2014)

16 Quantifying Behavioral Responses to MFAS BRS S&T INNOVATIONS Univariate Methods Multivariate Methods State-Based Methods Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 16

17 Quantifying MFAS Behavioral Responses: NOVEL USE OF NAVY SHIPS First-ever direct integration of tactical MFAS (53C) in marine mammal BRS using in situ acoustic modeling Real systems, real ranges, realistic scenarios to obtain directly applicable, highly relevant data SOCAL-BRS Collaboration with USS Cape St. George 29 July 2013 Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 17

18 Quantifying MFAS Behavioral Responses: NOVEL USE OF NAVY SHIPS Beaked whale BRS with real 53C (~65 km) Beaked whale BRS with simulated 53C (~5 km) Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 18

19 Quantifying MFAS Behavioral Responses: BROAD CONCLUSIONS Marine mammal responses to MFAS include: avoidance; changes in diving, feeding, social interaction Certain species (beaked whales) appear particularly sensitive; others more tolerant but variable Contextual issues (e.g., behavioral state, relative proximity) as or more important than received sound level Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 19

20 Quantifying MFAS Behavioral Responses: NAVY IMPLICATIONS Initial SOCAL-BRS results suggest real, distant MFAS may have less effect than simulated, near MFAS Direct measurements are immediately integrated and applied in Navy environmental regulatory compliance Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 20

21 Quantifying MFAS Behavioral Responses: EVOLVING S&T STRATEGIES More direct measurements with real Navy sources Experimental analysis of response differences based on range Integrating short-term, high-resolution tags with longer-term satellite monitoring tags Validation, hypothesis testing of energetic models of disturbance Direct interaction to support policy and regulatory requirements Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 21

22 Population-Level Effects ONR PCoD Framework PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGE ACUTE DISTURBANCE CHRONIC CHRONIC HEALTH VITAL RATES POPULATION DYNAMICS BEHAVIOUR CHANGE ACUTE New et al. 2013, PLoS One

23 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS PRIMARY RESOURCE SPONSORS RESEARCH PROGRAMS ADDITIONAL SUPPORTING AGENCIES Southall ONR Naval Future Forces S&T Expo 23