The langoustine
(Nephrops norvegicus) was exposed to sound
by researchers at
the University
(February 5, 2016) Underwater
sound linked to human activity could alter the behaviour of seabed creatures
that play a vital role in marine ecosystems, according to new research from the
University of Southampton.
The study, reported in the journal Scientific Reports
published by Nature, found that exposure to sounds that resemble shipping
traffic and offshore construction activities results in behavioural responses
in certain invertebrate species that live in the marine sediment.
These species make a crucial contribution to the seabed
ecosystem as their burrowing and bioirrigation activities (how much the
organism moves water in and out of the sediment by its actions) are crucial in
nutrient recycling and carbon storage.
The study showed that some man-made sounds can cause certain
species to reduce irrigation and sediment turnover. Such reductions can lead to
the formation of compacted sediments that suffer reduced oxygen, potentially
becoming anoxic (depleted of dissolved oxygen and a more severe condition of
hypoxia), which may have an impact on seabed productivity, sediment
biodiversity and also fisheries production.
Lead author Martin Solan, Professor in Marine Ecology, said:
“Coastal and shelf environments support high levels of biodiversity that are
vital in mediating ecosystem processes, but they are also subject to noise
associated with increasing levels of offshore human activity. Previous work has
almost exclusively focussed on direct physiological or behavioural responses in
marine mammals and fish, and has not previously addressed the indirect impacts
of sound on ecosystem properties.