title: A severe red tide (Tampa Bay, 2005) causes an anomalous decrease in biological sound.
abstract: Although harmful algal blooms (HABs) are known to cause morbidity and mortality in marine organisms, their sublethal effects are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to compare ambient noise levels during a severe HAB event in Tampa Bay, Florida, to those during non-HAB periods. Passive acoustic monitoring was conducted using bottom-mounted autonomous acoustic recorders during a severe HAB in summer 2005, and in summers 2006, 2011 and 2012 (non-severe HAB years). Ambient noise levels were significantly higher during the non-HAB years due to an abundance of snapping shrimp (Alpheidae) sounds and fish chorusing. The difference of sound intensity between the study years is most likely attributable to effects of the HAB on the abundance and/or behaviour of fish and snapping shrimp as a result of mortality and stress-induced behavioural modifications.
authors.affiliation: Eckerd College, 4200 54th Avenue South , St. Petersburg, FL 33711, USA.
authors.forename: Katherine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Indeck
authors.affiliation: Eckerd College, 4200 54th Avenue South , St. Petersburg, FL 33711, USA ; College of Marine Science , University of South Florida, 140 7th Avenue South , St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Simard
authors.affiliation: Eckerd College, 4200 54th Avenue South , St. Petersburg, FL 33711, USA.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gowans
authors.affiliation: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, 100 8th Avenue Southeast , St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lowerre-Barbieri
authors.affiliation: College of Marine Science , University of South Florida, 140 7th Avenue South , St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA ; Loggerhead Instruments, 6576 Palmer Park Circle , Sarasota, FL 34238, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Mann
keywords: Karenia brevis; acoustics; ambient noise; fish chorusing; harmful algal bloom; snapping shrimp