Southern Hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) (Artiodactyla: Balaenopteridae) singing activity at Caño Island Biological Reserve, Costa Rica before, during, and after COVID-19 lockdowns.

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Title: Southern Hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) (Artiodactyla: Balaenopteridae) singing activity at Caño Island Biological Reserve, Costa Rica before, during, and after COVID-19 lockdowns.
Alternate Title: Actividad de canto de las ballenas jorobadas (Megaptera novaeangliae) (Artiodactyla: Balaenopteridae) del hemisferio sur en la Reserva Biológica de la Isla del Caño, Costa Rica, antes, durante y después de los cierres asociados a la pandemia de COVID-19
Authors: May-Collado, Laura J.1,2 lmaycoll@uvm.edu, Bottoms, Sawyer1 sawyer.miller-bottoms@uvm.edu, Durant, Grace1 grace.durant@uvm.edu, David Palacios-Alfaro, Jose3 pala1611@gmail.com, Jose Alvarado, Juan4,5,6 juan.alvarado@ucr.ac.cr
Source: Revista de Biología Tropical. 2023 Supplement, Vol. 71, p1-11. 11p.
Subjects: HUMPBACK whale, STAY-at-home orders, NOISE, UNDERWATER noise, COVID-19 pandemic, WHALE watching
Geographic Terms: COSTA Rica
Abstract (English): Introduction: Boat traffic is recognized as a major contributor of underwater noise. Increasing presence of boats in coastal habitats is predicted to have important repercussions on the communication of marine mammals. In Costa Rica, the waters of the Caño Island Biological Reserve are an important breeding area for humpback whales from the Breeding-Stock G (BSG). Their predicted and abundant presence has fueled the development of whale watching activities as an important component of the local economy, and while the country has norms of conduct for this activity, whales often interact with multiple boats at the same time. The lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to study the potential impacts of noise associated with boat traffic on the singing activity of humpback whales. Objective: Determine whether noise levels and boat acoustic presence around Caño Island Biological Reserve changed during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and if it did, what is the impact on song detection of BSG humpback whales. Methods: Acoustic recordings were made using a bottom-mounted autonomous underwater recorder for 30 days in September 2019, 2020, and 2021, resulting in a total recording effort of 480 hours. Results: Our results show that broadband underwater noise levels (dBRMS) during pre-lockdown were significantly higher, particularly at frequencies below 1kHz, than during and post-lockdown. This is likely due to a decrease in the proportion of boat acoustic presence during the lockdown. Although the proportion of whale songs detected did not vary among years, whale songs were detected similarly throughout the day during the lockdown, compared to pre-and-post lockdown where the proportion of whale song presence decreased during hours when more boats were present. Conclusions: This study shows a clear change in underwater noise levels during the COVID-19 lockdown, likely due to a decrease in boat presence. The study also highlights the potential impact of noise associated with boat traffic on humpback whale singing activity. The results of this study can inform the Conservation Areas of Osa (ACOSA) in charge of managing Caño Island Biological Reserve, to develop and implement mitigation measures to regulate underwater anthropogenic noise associated with tour boats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Abstract (Spanish): Introducción: Se reconoce que el tráfico de embarcaciones es uno de los principales contribuyentes al ruido marino. Se predice que la creciente presencia de barcos en los hábitats costeros tendrá importantes repercusiones en la comunicación de los mamíferos marinos. En Costa Rica, las aguas de la Reserva Biológica Isla del Caño son un hábitat reproductivo importante para las ballenas jorobadas de la población reproductiva G (BSG). Su presencia ha impulsado el desarrollo de las actividades de observación comercial de ballenas, el cual es un componente importante de la economía local. Aunque el país tiene normas de conducta para esta actividad, las ballenas a menudo interactúan con múltiples barcos turísticos al mismo tiempo. Los cierres y limitaciones de movilización de botes asociados a la pandemia de COVID-19 brindan una oportunidad para estudiar el impacto potencial del ruido asociado al tráfico de embarcaciones en la actividad de canto de las ballenas jorobadas. Objetivo: Determinar si los niveles de ruido ambiental bajo el agua y la presencia de botes cambiaron antes, durante y después de los cierres y cuarentena por COVID-19, y si estos cambios influyen en la detección de cantos de machos de ballenas jorobadas. Métodos: las grabaciones acústicas se realizaron con una grabadora autónoma montada en el fondo marino durante 30 días en septiembre de 2019, 2020 y 2021, resultando en un esfuerzo de grabación de 480 horas. Resultados: Nuestros resultados muestran que los niveles de ruido ambiental (dBRMS) antes del cierre (2019) fueron significativamente más altos, particularmente a frecuencias bajas (<1kHz), que durante y después de los cierres asociados a la pandemia de COVID-19. Es probable que esto se deba a una reducción en la presencia de embarcaciones durante el cierre. Aunque la detección de cantos de ballenas jorobadas no varió entre años, durante la cuarentena se detectaron los cantos de ballenas de forma uniforme durante el día, mientras que antes y después de la cuarentena se notó un decrecimiento en la proporción de cantos a horas donde hay más detección de botes presentes. Conclusiones: Este estudio muestra un cambio claro en los niveles de ruido ambiental durante el cierre de COVID-19, probablemente debido a una disminución en la presencia de embarcaciones. El estudio también muestra el potencial impacto del ruido asociado al tráfico de embarcaciones en la actividad del canto de las ballenas jorobadas. Los resultados de este estudio pueden informar al Área de Conservación de Osa (ACOSA), la cual está a cargo de la Reserva Biológica Isla del Caño, a desarrollar e implementar medidas que regulen el ruido antropogénico bajo el agua asociado a tráfico de botes turísticos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Revista de Biología Tropical is the property of Universidad de Costa Rica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Southern Hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) (Artiodactyla: Balaenopteridae) singing activity at Ca&#241;o Island Biological Reserve, Costa Rica before, during, and after COVID-19 lockdowns.
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  Data: Actividad de canto de las ballenas jorobadas (Megaptera novaeangliae) (Artiodactyla: Balaenopteridae) del hemisferio sur en la Reserva Biol&#243;gica de la Isla del Ca&#241;o, Costa Rica, antes, durante y despu&#233;s de los cierres asociados a la pandemia de COVID-19
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22May-Collado%2C+Laura+J%2E%22&quot;&gt;May-Collado, Laura J.&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;1,2&lt;/relatesTo&gt;&lt;i&gt; lmaycoll@uvm.edu&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Bottoms%2C+Sawyer%22&quot;&gt;Bottoms, Sawyer&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;1&lt;/relatesTo&gt;&lt;i&gt; sawyer.miller-bottoms@uvm.edu&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Durant%2C+Grace%22&quot;&gt;Durant, Grace&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;1&lt;/relatesTo&gt;&lt;i&gt; grace.durant@uvm.edu&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22David+Palacios-Alfaro%2C+Jose%22&quot;&gt;David Palacios-Alfaro, Jose&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;3&lt;/relatesTo&gt;&lt;i&gt; pala1611@gmail.com&lt;/i&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;AR&quot; term=&quot;%22Jose+Alvarado%2C+Juan%22&quot;&gt;Jose Alvarado, Juan&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;relatesTo&gt;4,5,6&lt;/relatesTo&gt;&lt;i&gt; juan.alvarado@ucr.ac.cr&lt;/i&gt;
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;JN&quot; term=&quot;%22Revista+de+Biolog&#237;a+Tropical%22&quot;&gt;Revista de Biolog&#237;a Tropical&lt;/searchLink&gt;. 2023 Supplement, Vol. 71, p1-11. 11p.
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22HUMPBACK+whale%22&quot;&gt;HUMPBACK whale&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22STAY-at-home+orders%22&quot;&gt;STAY-at-home orders&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22NOISE%22&quot;&gt;NOISE&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22UNDERWATER+noise%22&quot;&gt;UNDERWATER noise&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22COVID-19+pandemic%22&quot;&gt;COVID-19 pandemic&lt;/searchLink&gt;&lt;br /&gt;&lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22WHALE+watching%22&quot;&gt;WHALE watching&lt;/searchLink&gt;
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  Data: &lt;searchLink fieldCode=&quot;DE&quot; term=&quot;%22COSTA+Rica%22&quot;&gt;COSTA Rica&lt;/searchLink&gt;
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract (English)
  Group: Ab
  Data: Introduction: Boat traffic is recognized as a major contributor of underwater noise. Increasing presence of boats in coastal habitats is predicted to have important repercussions on the communication of marine mammals. In Costa Rica, the waters of the Ca&#241;o Island Biological Reserve are an important breeding area for humpback whales from the Breeding-Stock G (BSG). Their predicted and abundant presence has fueled the development of whale watching activities as an important component of the local economy, and while the country has norms of conduct for this activity, whales often interact with multiple boats at the same time. The lockdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic provided a unique opportunity to study the potential impacts of noise associated with boat traffic on the singing activity of humpback whales. Objective: Determine whether noise levels and boat acoustic presence around Ca&#241;o Island Biological Reserve changed during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and if it did, what is the impact on song detection of BSG humpback whales. Methods: Acoustic recordings were made using a bottom-mounted autonomous underwater recorder for 30 days in September 2019, 2020, and 2021, resulting in a total recording effort of 480 hours. Results: Our results show that broadband underwater noise levels (dBRMS) during pre-lockdown were significantly higher, particularly at frequencies below 1kHz, than during and post-lockdown. This is likely due to a decrease in the proportion of boat acoustic presence during the lockdown. Although the proportion of whale songs detected did not vary among years, whale songs were detected similarly throughout the day during the lockdown, compared to pre-and-post lockdown where the proportion of whale song presence decreased during hours when more boats were present. Conclusions: This study shows a clear change in underwater noise levels during the COVID-19 lockdown, likely due to a decrease in boat presence. The study also highlights the potential impact of noise associated with boat traffic on humpback whale singing activity. The results of this study can inform the Conservation Areas of Osa (ACOSA) in charge of managing Ca&#241;o Island Biological Reserve, to develop and implement mitigation measures to regulate underwater anthropogenic noise associated with tour boats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract (Spanish)
  Group: Ab
  Data: Introducci&#243;n: Se reconoce que el tr&#225;fico de embarcaciones es uno de los principales contribuyentes al ruido marino. Se predice que la creciente presencia de barcos en los h&#225;bitats costeros tendr&#225; importantes repercusiones en la comunicaci&#243;n de los mam&#237;feros marinos. En Costa Rica, las aguas de la Reserva Biol&#243;gica Isla del Ca&#241;o son un h&#225;bitat reproductivo importante para las ballenas jorobadas de la poblaci&#243;n reproductiva G (BSG). Su presencia ha impulsado el desarrollo de las actividades de observaci&#243;n comercial de ballenas, el cual es un componente importante de la econom&#237;a local. Aunque el pa&#237;s tiene normas de conducta para esta actividad, las ballenas a menudo interact&#250;an con m&#250;ltiples barcos tur&#237;sticos al mismo tiempo. Los cierres y limitaciones de movilizaci&#243;n de botes asociados a la pandemia de COVID-19 brindan una oportunidad para estudiar el impacto potencial del ruido asociado al tr&#225;fico de embarcaciones en la actividad de canto de las ballenas jorobadas. Objetivo: Determinar si los niveles de ruido ambiental bajo el agua y la presencia de botes cambiaron antes, durante y despu&#233;s de los cierres y cuarentena por COVID-19, y si estos cambios influyen en la detecci&#243;n de cantos de machos de ballenas jorobadas. M&#233;todos: las grabaciones ac&#250;sticas se realizaron con una grabadora aut&#243;noma montada en el fondo marino durante 30 d&#237;as en septiembre de 2019, 2020 y 2021, resultando en un esfuerzo de grabaci&#243;n de 480 horas. Resultados: Nuestros resultados muestran que los niveles de ruido ambiental (dBRMS) antes del cierre (2019) fueron significativamente m&#225;s altos, particularmente a frecuencias bajas (&lt;1kHz), que durante y despu&#233;s de los cierres asociados a la pandemia de COVID-19. Es probable que esto se deba a una reducci&#243;n en la presencia de embarcaciones durante el cierre. Aunque la detecci&#243;n de cantos de ballenas jorobadas no vari&#243; entre a&#241;os, durante la cuarentena se detectaron los cantos de ballenas de forma uniforme durante el d&#237;a, mientras que antes y despu&#233;s de la cuarentena se not&#243; un decrecimiento en la proporci&#243;n de cantos a horas donde hay m&#225;s detecci&#243;n de botes presentes. Conclusiones: Este estudio muestra un cambio claro en los niveles de ruido ambiental durante el cierre de COVID-19, probablemente debido a una disminuci&#243;n en la presencia de embarcaciones. El estudio tambi&#233;n muestra el potencial impacto del ruido asociado al tr&#225;fico de embarcaciones en la actividad del canto de las ballenas jorobadas. Los resultados de este estudio pueden informar al &#193;rea de Conservaci&#243;n de Osa (ACOSA), la cual est&#225; a cargo de la Reserva Biol&#243;gica Isla del Ca&#241;o, a desarrollar e implementar medidas que regulen el ruido antropog&#233;nico bajo el agua asociado a tr&#225;fico de botes tur&#237;sticos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
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  Data: &lt;i&gt;Copyright of Revista de Biolog&#237;a Tropical is the property of Universidad de Costa Rica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder&#39;s express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.&lt;/i&gt; (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.15517/rev.biol.trop..v71iS4.57280
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        Text: English
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      – SubjectFull: HUMPBACK whale
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: STAY-at-home orders
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: NOISE
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      – SubjectFull: UNDERWATER noise
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COVID-19 pandemic
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: WHALE watching
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: COSTA Rica
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Southern Hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) (Artiodactyla: Balaenopteridae) singing activity at Caño Island Biological Reserve, Costa Rica before, during, and after COVID-19 lockdowns.
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