title: Leisure boating noise as a trigger for the displacement of the bottlenose dolphins of the Cres-Lošinj archipelago (northern Adriatic Sea, Croatia).
abstract: The waters of the Cres-Lošinj archipelago are subject to intense boat traffic related to the high number of leisure boats frequenting this area during the summer tourist season. Boat noise dominates the acoustic environment of the local bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) population. This study investigates the spatial and temporal change in the underwater noise levels due to intense boating, and its effect on the distribution of the bottlenose dolphins. In the period 2007-2009 sea ambient noise (SAN) was sampled across ten acoustic stations. During data collection the presence of leisure boats was recorded if they were within 2 km of the sampling station. Bottlenose dolphin spatial distribution was monitored in the same period. Results showed a strong positive correlation between high SAN levels and boat presence, particularly in the tourist season. Dolphin distribution indicated significant seasonal displacements from noisy areas characterized by the intense leisure boating.
authors: Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, 51551 Veli Lošinj, Croatia. nikolina.rako@blue-world.org
authors: Nikolina
authors: N
authors: Rako
authors: Caterina Maria
authors: CM
authors: Fortuna
authors: Draško
authors: D
authors: Holcer
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Mackelworth
authors: Maja
authors: M
authors: Nimak-Wood
authors: Grgur
authors: G
authors: Pleslić
authors: Linda
authors: L
authors: Sebastianutto
authors: Ivica
authors: I
authors: Vilibić
authors: Annika
authors: A
authors: Wiemann
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Picciulin
mesh_terms: D025041:Animal Migration; D000818:Animals; D050681:Bottle-Nosed Dolphin / Q000502:physiology*; D017523:Croatia; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D007899:Leisure Activities; D009624:Noise, Transportation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012621:Seasons; D012767:Ships / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*