Show simple item record

Files in this item

Thumbnail

Item metadata

dc.contributor.advisorThomas, Len
dc.contributor.advisorHarwood, John
dc.contributor.authorMoretti, David
dc.coverage.spatialxv, 246 p.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2020-01-08T14:48:37Z
dc.date.available2020-01-08T14:48:37Z
dc.date.issued2019-12-03
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10023/19250
dc.description.abstractPassive acoustic methods were used to study the effect of mid-frequency active sonar (MFAS) on a population of Blainville’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris, Md) at the U.S. Navy Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Centre (AUTEC), Bahamas. AUTEC contains an array of bottom-mounted hydrophones that can detect Md echolocation clicks. Methods to estimate abundance, the risk of behavioural disruption, and the population level effect of repeated MFAS exposure are presented. A passive acoustic abundance estimation method, a parametric equation that predicts the probability of foraging dive disruption as a function of MFAS received level and an Md bioenergetics model were developed. The effect of changes in energy flow on the demographic characteristics of an Md population were explored. Passive acoustic data from AUTEC were used to estimate the behavioural disturbance resulting from sonar operations; combined with the bioenergetic model, this suggested that the effect of sonar operations could cause an increase in a female’s age at maturity, a longer inter-calf-interval, calf survival rate and probability of giving birth that could in turn result in a declining population. Model results were also compared to those from an expert elicitation study. A power analysis for predicting abundance via passive acoustic and visual monitoring were used to inform recommendations for a long-term monitoring plan that includes passive acoustic monitoring of Md abundance combined with a photo-identification study at both AUTEC and a reference site (Abaco) to improve demographic rate estimates.en_US
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUniversity of St Andrews
dc.subject.lccQL737.C438M7
dc.subject.lcshBlainville's beaked whale--Effect of noise on--Bahamasen
dc.subject.lcshBlainville's beaked whale--Bahamas--Countingen
dc.subject.lcshUnderwater acousticsen
dc.titleEstimating the effect of mid-frequency active sonar on the population health of Blainville's beaked whales (Mesoplodon densirostris) in the Tongue of the Oceanen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
dc.contributor.sponsorUnited States. Navyen_US
dc.type.qualificationlevelDoctoralen_US
dc.type.qualificationnamePhD Doctor of Philosophyen_US
dc.publisher.institutionThe University of St Andrewsen_US
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.17630/10023-19250


This item appears in the following Collection(s)

Show simple item record