From physiology to policy: A review of physiological noise effects on marine fauna with implications for mitigation
The development of guidelines for mitigating noise impacts on marine fauna requires data about the biological relevance of noise effects and about the practicality of mitigation options. Recent expansion of scientific knowledge has shown that noise effects vary among animals with different behavioral ecophysiology. Beaked whales exemplify that some sensitive species may experience negative effects of sound at kilometers from the source, due to behavioral reactions leading to indirect physiological damage. Moored hydrophone arrays have contributed substantially to our understanding of naval sonar effects on beaked whales and have been used to refine techniques for passive acoustic detection of cetaceans. Similarly, broadband Ocean Bottom Cables/Nodes could facilitate learning about effects of seismic sounds and cetaceans' distribution offshore. This information is essential to improve spatial mitigation in the planning phase of activities. Also, passive acoustics can help real time mitigation, which requir.