title: Communication masking in marine mammals: A review and research strategy.
abstract: Underwater noise, whether of natural or anthropogenic origin, has the ability to interfere with the way in which marine mammals receive acoustic signals (i.e., for communication, social interaction, foraging, navigation, etc.). This phenomenon, termed auditory masking, has been well studied in humans and terrestrial vertebrates (in particular birds), but less so in marine mammals. Anthropogenic underwater noise seems to be increasing in parts of the world's oceans and concerns about associated bioacoustic effects, including masking, are growing. In this article, we review our understanding of masking in marine mammals, summarise data on marine mammal hearing as they relate to masking (including audiograms, critical ratios, critical bandwidths, and auditory integration times), discuss masking release processes of receivers (including comodulation masking release and spatial release from masking) and anti-masking strategies of signalers (e.g. Lombard effect), and set a research framework for improved assessment of potential masking in marine mammals.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Marine Science & Technology, Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia. Electronic address: c.erbe@curtin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Erbe
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Sciences, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA. Electronic address: coll@ucsc.edu.
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Reichmuth
authors.affiliation: Institute of Marine Sciences, Long Marine Laboratory, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, USA. Electronic address: kaacunni@ucsc.edu.
authors.forename: Kane
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.affiliation: Centre for Marine Science & Technology, Curtin University, PO Box U1987, Perth, WA 6845, Australia. Electronic address: klaus.lucke@curtin.edu.au.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lucke
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland, 2123D Biology-Psychology Building, College Park, MD 20742, USA. Electronic address: dooling@psyc.umd.edu.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dooling
mesh_terms: D000819:Animal Communication; D000818:Animals; D059001:Aquatic Organisms / Q000502:physiology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D008322:Mammals / Q000502:physiology*; D009622:Noise; D009792:Oceans and Seas
keywords: Audiogram; Comodulation masking release; Critical band; Critical ratio; Marine mammal; Masking