The Effects of Anthropogenic Noise on Aquatic Animals:With an Emphasis on Foraging Behaviour

Noise pollution caused by human activities is one of the types of environmental pollution. Anthropogenic noise level is increasing in both marine and freshwater ecosystems. Human activities have acoustically changed aquatic environments over the past decades and anthropogenic noise is now recognized as a ubiquitous pollutant in terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Shipping activities, wind mills, pile driving, seismic surveys, naval sonars and fisheries activities are all accompanied by the introduction of anthropogenic sounds in the water.

Here, we investigate how anthropogenic noise impairs behaviour and foraging activities, which has direct and indirect consequences for aquatic species survival and reproductive success.

While a broad range of direct destruction caused by human activities in terrestrial and aquatic habitats is relatively well understood, there is a lack of knowledge about such activities on wildlife and captive species. For example, in laboratory condition, elevated sound levels may affect predator-prey interactions. We still have little understanding of the potentially negative consequences of noise pollution for aquatic life. 

Discussion and conculation:

 Changes in foraging tendency and efficiency may directly and indirectly affect relative species abundance of both predator and prey and induce changes at the community level.