title: Response of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) to ramp-up of a small experimental air gun array.
abstract: 'Ramp-up', or 'soft start', is a mitigation measure used in seismic surveys and involves increasing the radiated sound level over 20-40 min. This study compared the behavioural response in migrating humpback whales to the first stages of ramp-up with the response to a 'constant' source, 'controls' (in which the array was towed but not operated) with groups in the absence of the source vessel used as the 'baseline'. Although the behavioural response, in most groups, resulted in an increase in distance from the source (potential avoidance), there was no evidence that either 'ramp-up' or the constant source at a higher level was superior for triggering whales to move away from the source vessel. 'Control' groups also responded suggesting the presence of the source vessel had some effect. However, the majority of groups appeared to avoid the source vessel at distances greater than the radius of most mitigation zones.
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia. Electronic address: r.dunlop@uq.edu.au.
authors.forename: Rebecca A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dunlop
authors.affiliation: School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Noad
authors.affiliation: Curtin University, GPO Box U 1987, Perth, 6845, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: McCauley
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kniest
authors.affiliation: Blue Planet Marine, P.O. Box 919, Canberra, ACT 2614, Australia.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Slade
authors.affiliation: Blue Planet Marine, P.O. Box 919, Canberra, ACT 2614, Australia.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Paton
authors.affiliation: Defence Science and Technology Group, University of Sydney, PO Box 44, Pyrmont, NSW 2009, Australia.
authors.forename: Douglas H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Cato
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D004781:Environmental Exposure; D005260:Female; D050640:Humpback Whale / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009622:Noise
keywords: Acoustic exposure; Behavioural response; Seismic mitigation; Seismic ramp-up