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Effects of Noise on Sound Detection and Acoustic Communication in Fishes

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Animal Communication and Noise

Part of the book series: Animal Signals and Communication ((ANISIGCOM,volume 2))

Abstract

The ambient noise in aquatic habitats is characterized by a large variety of noise levels and spectral profiles due to various abiotic and biotic factors such as running water, wind, tides, and vocalizing animals. Fish hearing sensitivity declines when exposed to high noise levels or in the presence of masking noise, in particular, in taxa possessing hearing enhancements. Most vocal fishes communicate over short distances (<0.5 m), probably because of low sound levels produced, low sound frequencies and the ambient noise conditions. Some species exploit ‘quiet windows’ of low spectral noise levels for acoustic communication. Human-made noise such as ship noise masks the hearing abilities of fishes and hinders acoustic communication. Whether fishes are able to cope with anthropogenic noise by increasing sound amplitude, shifting dominant frequencies of sounds, or by other mechanisms remains unknown.

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Acknowledgments

Thanks to Michael L. Fine and an anonymous reviewer for critically reading the manuscript. Support from the Austrian Science Fund (FWF grant 22319).

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  1. Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstrasse 14, 1090, Vienna, Austria

    Friedrich Ladich

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  1. Friedrich Ladich
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Correspondence to Friedrich Ladich .

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  1. Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany

    Henrik Brumm

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Ladich, F. (2013). Effects of Noise on Sound Detection and Acoustic Communication in Fishes. In: Brumm, H. (eds) Animal Communication and Noise. Animal Signals and Communication, vol 2. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-41494-7_4

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