Abstract
Using long-term empirical data, we developed a complete population consequences of acoustic disturbance (PCAD) model and application for northern elephant seals. We assumed that the animals would not successfully forage while in a 100-km-diameter disturbance region within their foraging and transit paths. The decrease in lipid gain due to exposure was then translated to changes in birth rate and pup survival. Given their large foraging range, elephant seals were resilient to such a disturbance, showing no population-level effects. However, similar track analysis showed that given their more coastal nature, California sea lions were within a 25-km-diameter region of disturbance more often.
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Acknowledgments
This paper was developed in association with the Office of Naval Research-supported population consequences of acoustic disturbance/population consequences of disturbance (PCAD/PCOD) committee and was supported by Office of Naval Research Grant N00014-08-1-1195, the Exploration and Production (E&P) Sound and Marine Life Joint Industry Programme of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers, ExxonMobil and Shell oil companies, and the Ida Benson Lynn Chair in Ocean Health. We also acknowledge the University of California Natural Reserve System and the rangers of Ano Nuevo Reserve.
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Costa, D.P. et al. (2016). A Bioenergetics Approach to Understanding the Population Consequences of Disturbance: Elephant Seals as a Model System. In: Popper, A., Hawkins, A. (eds) The Effects of Noise on Aquatic Life II. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 875. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-2981-8_19
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