The Soundscape of a Nearshore Reef near an Urban Center Whitlow W. L. Au, Michael Richlen, Marc Lammers Marine Mammal Research Program Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology University of Hawaii
Kilo Nalu Nearshore Reef Observatory Acoustic monitor installed – Nov 2008 – 24 kHz sample rate on wet end Kilo Nalu -- “observe the wave”
Orginally at 22 m depth 690 m off-shore Sample rate = 24 kHz = 48 kbytes/s = 4.2 Gbytes/day = 124 Gbytes/mn Modified EAR Now closer to shore at 10 m depth
Background 1.The only real time acoustic monitor in tropical waters (very unique and valuable asset) 2.Complementary to NMFS/CRED program to collect baseline/time series data to acoustically monitor the health of coral reefs 3.Excellent platform to collect acoustic signature of small crafts for template development fishing restricted areas marine protected areas Nature conservancy Homeland security 4.Data for development of software for automatic detection humpback whales fish sounds
Background 1.Ecological Acoustic Monitor (EAR) modified and deployed at Kilo Nalu site – up and running 1 st week in Nov, Sounds being heard Boats, boats, boats and more boats. dinner cruise boats tour-dive boats pleasure crafts tour fishing boats etc snapping shrimps fishes humpback whales rain
6 November Hour (HST) RMS (db re 1uPa) Boat Snapping shrimp EXAMPLE OF RMS SPL IN A DAY: 6 NOVEMBER
SPL 28 February (Mean SPL = dB re1uPa) RMS (dB re1uPa) Hour (HST) 28 February Boats & Humpback Whales Hump & sshrimp EXAMPLE OF MIXTURE OF SOUNDS IN WINTER
1-7 November RMS (dB re 1uPa) DAY EXAMPLE OF A WEEK RMS SPL: 1-7 NOVEMBER Boat in daylight/ snapping shrimp night
3 K 2 K 1K Time (min) 55 Frequency (Hz) 4 K 5K 6 K EXAMPLE OF A BOAT PASSING BY THE KILO NALU SITE Sound starts
EXAMPLE OF HUMPBACK WHALE SONG AT THE KILO NALU SITE 3 K 2 K 1K Time (min) Frequency (Hz)
3 K 2 K 1K 0 Frequency (Hz) Time (min) EXAMPLE OF BOAT & HUMPBAC WHALE
EXAMPLE OF A BOAT SOUND Seconds Relative Amplitude
EXAMPLE FOR HUMPBACK WHALE SIGNALS Seconds Relative Amplitude
CONCLUSIONS 2. Need to develop smart processing as close to wet end as possible to minimize data management issues 3. Need to develop parallel scheme rather than present serial scheme 4. Better results can be achieved by understanding and using the characteristics of different biological sounds 1.Valuable resource for understanding use of acoustics to monitor health of coral reef environment & to understand the effects of anthropogenic noise on organisms