Fish, Mollusks and other Sea Animals ’ use of Sound, and the Impact of Anthropogenic Noise in the Marine Acoustic Environment

Many marine animals use sound and acoustic energy sensors to adapt to their environment. Most biological studies closely examine a particular species’ relationship to a specific stimulus. This report examines the fields of research on marine biological adaptations to sound since 1950, assembling an overview of the biological importance of sound in the ocean. It also examines the various sources of anthropogenic noise in the sea with a focus on the potential impacts of that noise on the marine acoustic environment. 1.0 Overview It has long been known that ocean creatures produce and use sound. Recognition of the musicality of sea animals dates back at least as far as the 7th Century B.C., when dolphins rescued Greek musician Arion from the sea because they recognized him as a kindred musician. Throughout all cultures, the earliest tales of seafaring include accounts of singing sirens, howling serpents and other noisy denizens that inhabit the deep. Perhaps these tall tales were dismissed by those on the shore as madness induced by sailor’s long and lonely stretches over the silent seas, because it was only during th