Dataset Information

A Permanent Automated Real-Time Passive Acoustic Monitoring System for Bottlenose Dolphin Conservation in the Mediterranean Sea.

ABSTRACT: Within the framework of the EU Life+ project named LIFE09 NAT/IT/000190 ARION, a permanent automated real-time passive acoustic monitoring system for the improvement of the conservation status of the transient and resident population of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) has been implemented and installed in the Portofino Marine Protected Area (MPA), Ligurian Sea. The system is able to detect the simultaneous presence of dolphins and boats in the area and to give their position in real time. This information is used to prevent collisions by diffusing warning messages to all the categories involved (tourists, professional fishermen and so on). The system consists of two gps-synchronized acoustic units, based on a particular type of marine buoy (elastic beacon), deployed about 1 km off the Portofino headland. Each one is equipped with a four-hydrophone array and an onboard acquisition system which can record the typical social communication whistles emitted by the dolphins and the sound emitted by boat engines. Signals are pre-filtered, digitized and then broadcast to the ground station via wi-fi. The raw data are elaborated to get the direction of the acoustic target to each unit, and hence the position of dolphins and boats in real time by triangulation.

SUBMITTER: Brunoldi M

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4720475 | biostudies-literature | 2016

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

A Permanent Automated Real-Time Passive Acoustic Monitoring System for Bottlenose Dolphin Conservation in the Mediterranean Sea.

Brunoldi Marco M Bozzini Giorgio G Casale Alessandra A Corvisiero Pietro P Grosso Daniele D Magnoli Nicodemo N Alessi Jessica J Bianchi Carlo Nike CN Mandich Alberta A Morri Carla C Povero Paolo P Wurtz Maurizio M Melchiorre Christian C Viano Gianni G Cappanera Valentina V Fanciulli Giorgio G Bei Massimiliano M Stasi Nicola N Taiuti Mauro M

PloS one 20160120 1

Within the framework of the EU Life+ project named LIFE09 NAT/IT/000190 ARION, a permanent automated real-time passive acoustic monitoring system for the improvement of the conservation status of the transient and resident population of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) has been implemented and installed in the Portofino Marine Protected Area (MPA), Ligurian Sea. The system is able to detect the simultaneous presence of dolphins and boats in the area and to give their position in real time ...[more]

PMID: 26789265

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Project description:The studies on the variation of acoustic communication in different species have provided insight that genetics, geographic isolation, and adaptation to ecological and social conditions play important roles in the variability of acoustic signals. The dolphin whistles are communication signals that can vary significantly among and within populations. Although it is known that they are influenced by different environmental and social variables, the factors influencing the variation between populations have received scant attention. In the present study, we investigated the factors associated with the acoustic variability in the whistles of common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), inhabiting two Mediterranean areas (Sardinia and Croatia). We explored which factors, among (a) geographical isolation of populations, (b) different environments in terms of noise and boat presence, and (c) social factors (including group size, behavior, and presence of calves), were associated with whistle characteristics. We first applied a principal component analysis to reduce the number of collinear whistle frequency and temporal characteristics and then generalized linear mixed models on the first two principal components. The study revealed that both geographic distance/isolation and local environment are associated with whistle variations between localities. The prominent differences in the acoustic environments between the two areas, which contributed to the acoustic variability in the first principal component (PC1), were found. The calf's presence and foraging and social behavior were also found to be associated with dolphin whistle variation. The second principal component (PC2) was associated only with locality and group size, showing that longer and more complex tonal sound may facilitate individual recognition and cohesion in social groups. Thus, both social and behavioral context influenced significantly the structure of whistles, and they should be considered when investigating acoustic variability among distant dolphin populations to avoid confounding factors.

Dataset Information

A Permanent Automated Real-Time Passive Acoustic Monitoring System for Bottlenose Dolphin Conservation in the Mediterranean Sea.

Publications

A Permanent Automated Real-Time Passive Acoustic Monitoring System for Bottlenose Dolphin Conservation in the Mediterranean Sea.

Similar Datasets

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