Ocean Bio-Acoustics and Noise Pollution

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

Abstract

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 field of biological adaptations to sound through research 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.