Marine soundscape variation reveals insights into baleen whales and their environment: a case study in central New Zealand

Baleen whales reliably produce stereotyped vocalizations, enabling their spatio-temporal distributions to be inferred from acoustic detections. Soundscape analysis provides an integrated approach whereby vocal species, such as baleen whales, are sampled holistically with other acoustic contributors to their environment. Acoustic elements that occur
concurrently in space, time and/or frequency can indicate overlaps between free-ranging species and potential stressors. Such information can inform risk assessment framework models. Here, we demonstrate the utility of soundscape monitoring in central New Zealand, an area of high cetacean diversity where potential threats are poorly understood. Pygmy blue whale calls were abundant in the South Taranaki Bight (STB) throughout recording periods and were also detected near Kaikōura during autumn. Humpback, Antarctic blue and Antarctic minke whales were detected in winter and spring, during migration. Wind, rain, tidal, and wave activity increa...

须鲸（Baleen whales）能够稳定发出模式化鸣叫声，借此可通过声学探测结果反推其时空分布特征。声景分析（Soundscape analysis）提供了一种整合式研究方法，可对鸣叫声物种（如须鲸）及其所处环境中的其他声学来源开展全面同步采样。在空间、时间和/或频率维度上同步出现的声学信号特征，能够反映野生自由活动物种与潜在胁迫因子之间的共存重叠关系。此类信息可为风险评估框架模型提供科学依据。本研究展示了声景监测在新西兰中部地区的应用价值，该区域鲸类（cetaceans）多样性极高，但目前对其潜在威胁的认知仍较为匮乏。侏儒蓝鲸（Pygmy blue whale）的鸣叫声在整个记录周期内于塔拉纳基湾南部（South Taranaki Bight，简称STB）大量出现，且在秋季于凯库拉（Kaikōura）附近被探测到。座头鲸、南极蓝鲸以及南极小须鲸在迁徙季的冬、春两季均被探测到。风力、降雨、潮汐及海浪活动呈递增……