Geography 2050 (2020) The 10 Greatest Challenges Facing the World Ocean: Changing Ocean Soundscape

Summary

Dr. Kevin Heaney discusses ocean noise and its global impact, focusing on sound sources, propagation, and marine mammal sensitivity.

Highlights

🌊 Ocean noise affects marine life’s behavior and stress levels, altering communication and hunting abilities.

🚢 Natural sources like wind and waves, alongside anthropogenic sources such as shipping and seismic exploration, contribute to ocean noise.

🐋 Marine mammals rely on sound for communication, navigation, and hunting, with noise pollution affecting their well-being.

🌍 COVID-19 reduced ship traffic, leading to a notable decrease in ocean noise levels globally.

📉 Reduced noise levels from fewer ships during COVID-19 could extend marine mammals’ communication ranges significantly.

❄️ Arctic shipping noise levels, amplified by reduced sea ice, pose a threat to marine life, especially in shallow waters.

📊 Ongoing studies aim to quantify the impact of shipping noise on marine ecosystems, particularly in the Arctic region.