长江和畅洲江段大型船舶的噪声特征及其对长江江豚的潜在影响

长江航运业的快速发展导致长江中船舶数量激增,相应的水体噪声污染可能对同水域的长江江豚（Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis）产生一定的负面影响,本研究采用宽频录音设备对长江和畅洲北汊非正式通航江段的各类常见大型船舶（长>15m且宽>5m）的航行噪声进行了记录,并分析其峰值-峰值声压级强度（SPLp-p）和功率谱密度（PSD）等。结果表明,大型船舶的航行噪声能量分布频率范围较广（>100kHz）,但主要集中于中低频（<10kHz）部分,各频率（20Hz~144kHz）处的均方根声压级（SPLrms）对环境背景噪声在该频率处的噪声增量范围为3.7~66.5dB。接收到的1/3倍频程声压级（TOL）在各频率处都大于70dB,在8~140kHz频段内都高于长江江豚的听觉阈值。说明大型船舶的航行噪声可能会对长江江豚个体间的声通讯及听觉带来不利影响,如听觉掩盖。     

Cylinder wall thickness difference discrimination by an echolocating Atlantic bottlenose dolphin

Summary The capability of an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus to discriminate wall thickness differences of hollow cylinders by echolocation was studied. A standard cylinder of 6.35 mm wall thickness was compared with cylinders having wall thicknesses that differed from the standard by ± 0.2, ± 0.3, ± 0.4, and ± 0.8 mm. All cylinders had an O.D. of 37.85 mm, and a length of 12.7 cm. The dolphin was required to station in a hoop while the standard and comparison targets, separated by an angle of ± 11° from a center line, were simultaneously presented at a range of 8 m. The dolphin was required to echolocate and indicate the side of the standard target. Target location on each trial was randomized. Interpolation of the dolphin performance data indicated a wall thickness discrimination threshold (at the 75% correct response level) of –0.23 mm and +0.27 mm. Backscatter measurements suggest that if the dolphin used time domain echo cues, it may be able to detect time differences between two echo highlights to within approximately ± 500 ns. If frequency domain cues were used, the dolphin may be able to detect frequency shifts as small as 3 kHz in a broadband echo having a center frequency of approximately 110 kHz. Finally, if the dolphin used time-separation pitch (TSP) cues, it may be able to detect TSP differences of approximately 450 Hz.Discrimination tests with the thinner comparison targets were also conducted in the presence of broadband masking noise. For an echo energy-to-noise ratio of 19 dB the dolphin's performance was comparable to its noise-free performance. At an energy-to-noise ratio of 14 dB the dolphin was unable to achieve the 75% correct threshold with any of the comparison targets.Abbreviations c sound velocity - DI _R receive directivity index - difference between highlight intervals of two targets - th wall thickness difference between standard and comparison targets; - E energy flux density - E _e echo energy flux density - E _e /N _L echo energy to noise ratio - E(f) frequency spectrum of artificial echo - e(t) artificial echo - N _J ambient noise spectral density - N _L received noise spectral density - O.D. outer diameter - p instantaneous acoustic pressure - R target range - SE source energy flux density in dB - s(t) dolphin sonar signal - time between first and second echo highlights - TS _E target strength based on energy - TSP time-separation pitch     

Target ranging and the role of time-frequency structure of synthetic echoes in big brown bats,Eptesicus fuscus

Summary Echolocating bats judge the distance to a target on basis of the delay between the emitted cry and the returning echo. In a phantom echo set-up it was investigated how changes in the time-frequency structure of synthetic echoes affect ranging accuracy of big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus.A one channel phantom target simulator and a Y/N paradigm was used. Five Eptesicus fuscus were trained to discriminate between phantom targets with different virtual distances (delays). The phantom echo was stored in a memory and broadcast from a loudspeaker after a certain delay following the bat's triggering of the system via a trigger microphone. The ranging accuracy was compared using 5 different signals with equal energy as phantom echoes: a standard cry (a natural bat cry), two kinds of noise signals, a high pass, and a low pass filtered version of the standard cry.The standard cry was recorded from one of the bats while judging the distance to a real target. The duration was 1.1 ms, the first harmonic swept down from 55 to 25 kHz and there was energy also in the second and third harmonic. Both noise signals had the same duration, power spectrum, and energy as the standard cry. One noise signal was stored in a memory and hence was exactly the same each time the bat triggered the system. The other variable noise signal was produced by storing the envelope of the standard cry and multiplying on-line with band pass filtered noise. The time-frequency structure (e.g. rise time) of this noise signal changed from triggering to triggering. The filtered signals were produced by either 40 kHz high pass or 40 kHz low pass filtering of the standard cry.The range difference thresholds for the 5 bats were around 1–2 cm (51–119 us) using the standard cry as echo. The range difference threshold with both noise signals was 7–8 cm (around 450 s delay difference). The 40 kHz high pass filtered cry increased the threshold to approximately twice the threshold with the standard cry. With the 40 kHz low pass filtered cry the threshold was increased 2.5–3 times relative to the threshold with the standard cry. A single bat was tested with a signal filtered with a 55 kHz low pass filter leaving the whole first harmonic. The threshold was the same as that with the standard signal.The reduced ranging accuracy with the filtered signals indicates that the full band width of the first harmonic is utilised for ranging by the bats. The substantial reduction in accuracy with the noise signals indicates that not only the full band width but also the orderly time-frequency structure (the FM sweep) of the cry is important for ranging in echolocating bats.Abbreviations FM frequency modulated - CF constant frequency - peSPL peak equivalent sound pressure level - SD standard deviation - SE standard error of mean - EPROM erasable programmable read only memory - FFT fast Fourier transform - S/N signal-to-noise ratio     

基于水声学频差技术的镇江长江豚类省级自然保护区鱼类资源时空特征

为掌握镇江长江豚类省级自然保护区鱼类资源现状,于2020年春季(4月)和秋季(9月)利用水声学频差技术和网具调查方法同步开展鱼类资源调查,评估调查江段鱼类资源时空特征。水声学调查结果表明,调查江段鱼类资源密度均值为(0.094±0.183)尾/m²,鱼类单体目标强度(Target strength, TS)均值为–(57.33±5.69) dB,主要分布在–62.5—–50.5 dB,随着水深的增加, TS逐渐增大;网具调查结果表明,调查江段共采集鱼类758尾、53.53 kg,鉴定鱼类种类达48种,其中以鲤形目(Cypriniformes)鱼类占优,中上层鱼类群体数量和质量占比分别为36.15%和66.12%,长江江豚饵料鱼类(体长小于20 cm、体高小于6 cm、体重小于100 g的中上层鱼类)数量和质量占比分别为23.22%和8.72%。在时间特征上, 4月和9月鱼类资源密度差异不显著(P>0.05), 4月鱼类TS均值小于9月,且4月鱼类平均规格小于9月。在空间特征上,鱼类资源主要分布于和畅洲北汊和焦北滩附近水域,中上层鱼类资源相对较多,且4月鱼类资...     

Keeping returns optimal: gain control exerted through sensitivity adjustments in the harbour porpoise auditory system

Animals that use echolocation (biosonar) listen to acoustic signals with a large range of intensities, because echo levels vary with the fourth power of the animal's distance to the target. In man-made sonar, engineers apply automatic gain control to stabilize the echo energy levels, thereby rendering them independent of distance to the target. Both toothed whales and bats vary the level of their echolocation clicks to compensate for the distance-related energy loss. By monitoring the auditory brainstem response (ABR) during a psychophysical task, we found that a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), in addition to adjusting the sound level of the outgoing signals up to 5.4 dB, also reduces its ABR threshold by 6 dB when the target distance doubles. This self-induced threshold shift increases the dynamic range of the biosonar system and compensates for half of the variation of energy that is caused by changes in the distance to the target. In combination with an increased source level as a function of target range, this helps the porpoise to maintain a stable echo-evoked ABR amplitude irrespective of target range, and is therefore probably an important tool enabling porpoises to efficiently analyse and classify received echoes.     

The modulation rate transfer function of a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

During echolocation, toothed whales produce ultrasonic clicks at extremely rapid rates and listen for the returning echoes. The auditory brainstem response (ABR) duration was evaluated in terms of latency between single peaks: 5.5 ms (from peak I to VII), 3.4 ms (I–VI), and 1.4 ms (II–IV). In comparison to the killer whale and the bottlenose dolphin, the ABR of the harbour porpoise has shorter intervals between the peaks and consequently a shorter ABR duration. This indicates that the ABR duration and peak latencies are possibly related to the relative size of the auditory structures of the central nervous system and thus to the animal’s size. The ABR to a sinusoidal amplitude modulated stimulus at 125 kHz (sensitivity threshold 63 dB re 1 μPa rms) was evaluated to determine the modulation rate transfer function of a harbour porpoise. The ABR showed distinct envelope following responses up to a modulation rate of 1,900 Hz. The corresponding calculated equivalent rectangular duration of 263 μs indicates a good temporal resolution in the harbour porpoise auditory system similar to the one for the bottlenose dolphin. The results explain how the harbour porpoise can follow clicks and echoes during echolocation with very short inter click intervals.     

Size, peripheral auditory tuning and target strength in noctuid moths

We investigated relationships among body size, the frequency of peak auditory sensitivity (best frequency) and acoustic conspicuousness (measured as target strength) to simulated bat echolocation calls in a range of tympanate moths (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Audiograms of Amphipyra pyramidea Linnaeus, Agrotis exclamationis Linnaeus, Omphaloscelis lunosa Haworth and Xestia xanthographa Denis and Schiffermüller are described for the first time. Best frequency was inversely related to forewing length, an index of body size. Models predict that target strength falls off rapidly once wavelength (1/frequency) exceeds some defined feature of target size (e.g. circumference for spheres). We investigated how target strength varies in relation to target size and emitted frequency for simple targets (paper discs) and for moths. Target strength fell rapidly when target radius/wavelength < 2 for paper discs of similar size to many noctuid moths. Target strength fell rapidly below wing‐length/wavelength ratios of 2 in relatively small (O. lunosa, wing‐length = 15.2 ± 0.4 mm, best frequency = 45 kHz) and large (N. pronuba, wing‐length = 24.6 ± 0.8 mm, best frequency = 15 kHz) noctuid species, and decreased rapidly at frequencies below 25 kHz in both species. These target strengths were used to predict the detection distance of the moths by bat sonar between 10 and 55 kHz. Predicted detection distances of both species were maximal for fictive call frequencies of 20 kHz, and were reduced at lower frequencies due to decreased target strength and at higher frequencies by excess atmospheric attenuation. Both relatively large and small noctuid moths are therefore strong acoustic targets to bats that echolocate at relatively low frequencies. Bats may emit allotonic calls at low frequency because the costs of reduced detection range are smaller than the benefits of reduced audibility to moths. Because best frequency scales with body size and maximum detection distance is not very sensitive to body size, noctuid moths in the size range examined do not necessarily have best frequencies that would match the call frequencies of bats that may detect the moths at greatest distance precisely. Hence, best frequency may be constrained in part by body size.     

Synthetic communication signals influence wild harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) behaviour

We used our novel and programmable Porpoise Alarm (PAL, patd.) to synthesize life-like, electronic harbour porpoise communication signals based on those described for captive animals. In the Little Belt, Denmark, we employed PAL (source level 158 ± 1 dB p–p re 1 μPa@1 m; centroid frequency 133 ± 8.5 kHz) to synthesize three aggressive click train types termed “A”, “F3” and “M1” to naive, free-living harbour porpoises. Via theodolite tracking (372 h of total visual effort spread over 10 expeditions) we found that, depending on signal type, porpoises either avoid or become attracted to PAL: Signal types “A” and “F3” are slight deterrents, porpoises increasing minimum range (+23 to 32 m, respectively), whereas “M1” attracts porpoises, reducing range (by ? 29 m). As determined via archival acoustic detectors (AADs), both signals “F3” and “M1” led the animals to significantly intensify their click rate (by +10% and 68%, respectively) while signal “A” led to a significant reduction ( ? 59%). We propose that equipping fishing gear with PAL emitting signal “F3” could potentially reduce porpoise by-catch by increasing (1) awareness through enhanced echolocation and (2) distance to the nets. Detection probability and radius of PAL/AAD tandems could be improved by emitting signal “M1” to focus porpoise echolocation signals on the AAD. The signal may also be useful in luring animals away from hazards, which may be helpful for conservation measures prior to the onset of harmful acoustic activities such as pile-driving, seismic exploration or ammunition clearance.     

Cobalamin binding proteins in stomach and serum from various animal species data for B12 binding capacities and molecular sizes of the binding proteins.

1. The unsaturated cobalamin-binding capacity of stomach mucosa and serum from 37 animals and the size of the binders have been measured. 2. The binding capacity in stomach mucosa was from 1 to 600 nmole kg-1 wet wt, the highest values occurring in pig, guinea pig, porpoise and earthworm. In serum it varied from 0.4 to 270 nmole 1(-1), the highest values occurring in duck, grass snake, toad and spiny dogfish. 3. The size in terms of Stokes radius of the cobalamin binders in stomach mucosa varied from 1 nm in hagfish (Mr approximately 14,000) to 7 nm in lamprey (Mr approximately 210,000). In serum it was from 1.4 nm (Mr approximately 17,000) to 7.4 nm (Mr approximately 240,000) both in frog.     

Comparing acoustic model predictions to in situ backscatter measurements of fish with dual-chambered swimbladders

Lavnun Mirogrex terraesanctae have a dual-chambered swimbladder and are the dominant fish species in Lake Kinneret, Israel. Bi-monthly acoustic assessments are used to monitor lavnun abundance but the relation between the amount of reflected sound and organism morphology is not well described. Predictions from Kirchho.-ray mode (KRM) backscatter models show a sensitivity of echo amplitude to fish length and fish aspect. Predicted mean KRM target strengths matched maximum in situ target strength measurements of eight tethered fish within 2·5 dB at 120 kHz and within 7 dB at 420 kHz. Tilt and roll of lavnun during tethered measurements increased variance of backscatter measurements. Accurate abundance and length frequency distribution estimates cannot be obtained from in situ acoustic measurements without supplementary net samples.     

Nonstochastic effects of different energy beta emitters on pig skin

Circular areas of pig skin from 1- to 40-mm diameter were irradiated with beta emitters of high, medium, and low energies, 90Sr, 170Tm, and 147Pm, respectively. The study provides information for radiological protection problems of localized skin exposures. During the first 16 weeks after irradiation 90Sr produced a first reaction due to epithelial cell death followed by a second reaction attributable to damage to the dermal blood vessels. 170Tm and 147Pm produced the epithelial reaction only. The epithelial dose response varied as a function of beta energy. The doses required to produce moist desquamation in 50% of 15- to 22.5-mm fields (ED50) were 30-45 Gy from 90Sr, approximately 80 Gy from 170Tm, and approximately 500 Gy from 147Pm. A model involving different methods of epithelial repopulation is proposed to explain this finding. An area effect was observed in the epithelial response to 90Sr irradiation. The ED50 for moist desquamation ranged from approximately 25 Gy for a 40-mm source to approximately 450 Gy for a 1-mm source. The 5-, 9-, and 19-mm 170Tm sources all produced an ED50 of approximately 80 Gy, while the value for the 2-mm source was approximately 250 Gy. It is also suggested that the area effects could be explained by different modes of epithelial repopulation after irradiation. After high energy beta irradiation repopulation would be mainly from the field periphery, while after lower energy irradiation repopulation from hair follicle epithelium would predominate.     

CLICK CHARACTERISTICS OF NORTHERN BOTTLENOSE WHALES (HYPEROODON AMPULLATUS)

Sounds produced by northern bottlenose whales ( Hyperoodon ampullatus ) recorded in the Gully, a submarine canyon off Nova Scotia, consisted predominately of clicks. In 428 min of recordings no whistles were heard which could unequivocally be attributed to bottlenose whales. There were two major types of click series, initially distinguished by large differences in received amplitude. Loud clicks (produced by nearby whales socializing at the surface) were rapid, with short and variable interclick intervals (mean 0.07 sec; CV 71%). The frequency spectra of these were variable and often multimodal, with peak frequencies ranging between 2 and 22 kHz (mean 11 kHz, CV 59%). Clicks received at low amplitude (produced by distant whales, presumably foraging at depth) had more consistent interclick intervals (mean 0.40 sec, CV 12.5%), generally unimodal frequency spectra with a mean peak frequency of 24 kHz (CV 7%) and 3 dB bandwidth of 4 kHz. Echolocation interclick intervals may reflect the approximate search distance of an animal, in this case 300 m, comparable to that found for sperm whales. The relationship between click frequency and the size of object being investigated, suggests that 24 kHz would be optimal for an object of approximately 6 cm or more, consistent with the size range of their squid prey.     

Preference of a revolving target to a stationary one by the big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus

Utilizing a three-ramp platform, we studied the detection of a revolving and a stationary target in the presence of background clutter by trained Eptesicus fuscus. During the test, the mean amplitude of echo from either target was always larger than that of the background echoes at the bat-to-target distance of 30, 70 and 100 cm. The amplitude of the echo reflected back from a revolving target was modulated between a maximum and a minimum value. An electric motor was used to revolve a target. The frequency contents of the motor noise were mostly below 1 kHz. While the total percent response of approaching either target is always more than 90% at every bat-to-target distance tested, the bats approach a revolving target more frequently than a stationary one. Echolocation pulses emitted by the bats during the test were recorded and analyzed. The bats shortened their pulse durations and interpulse intervals and lowered the frequency contents as they entered into the crawling phase from the searching phase. Potential interference of background echoes and ambient noise with the performance of the bats is discussed. The preference of a revolving target to a stationary one by the bats is perhaps due to the fact that a revolving target has a higher releasing value than a stationary one does.     

Measuring fish length and assessing behaviour in a high‐biodiversity reach of the Upper Yangtze River using an acoustic camera and echo sounder

In the past decade improved acoustic hard‐ and software have enabled estimations of abundance and distribution patterns of aquatic organism, including non‐intrusive monitoring of fish migrations and behaviour. In this study, a high frequency acoustic camera (DIDSON‐LR, 1.2 MHz, 0.7 MHz) and a portable split‐beam scientific echo sounder (Simrad EY60, 200 kHz) collected acoustic data on 192 and 157 individuals within 24 hr (19–20 April 2011) in the Mituo reach of the Yangtze River, China. Mean fish length estimated from the acoustic camera data was 18.7 ± 5.6 cm, with an average swimming speed of 0.19 ± 0.13 m s^?1. The mean fish target strength (TS) produced by the echo sounder was ?43.8 ± 4.4 dB, which corresponded to 5.7–119.9 cm fish length when converted by three different TS‐length equations. Average swimming speed was 0.11 ± 0.06 m s^?1 from the echo sounder. Compared with the actual fish catch by the three layers of drift gill net in the survey area, the target length indicated by DIDSON was more accurate than the EY60 results, which were highly affected by the choice of TS length equations. It was determined that the two devices used synchronously could estimate fish length effectively to investigate their behaviour and distribution.     

200 kHz Commercial Sonar Systems Generate Lower Frequency Side Lobes Audible to Some Marine Mammals

The spectral properties of pulses transmitted by three commercially available 200 kHz echo sounders were measured to assess the possibility that marine mammals might hear sound energy below the center (carrier) frequency that may be generated by transmitting short rectangular pulses. All three sounders were found to generate sound at frequencies below the center frequency and within the hearing range of some marine mammals, e.g. killer whales, false killer whales, beluga whales, Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, harbor porpoises, and others. The frequencies of these sub-harmonic sounds ranged from 90 to 130 kHz. These sounds were likely detectable by the animals over distances up to several hundred meters but were well below potentially harmful levels. The sounds generated by the sounders could potentially affect the behavior of marine mammals within fairly close proximity to the sources and therefore the exclusion of echo sounders from environmental impact analysis based solely on the center frequency output in relation to the range of marine mammal hearing should be reconsidered.     

CHANGES IN CLICK SOURCE LEVELS WITH DISTANCE TO TARGETS: STUDIES OF FREE-RANGING WHITE-BEAKED DOLPHINS LAGENORHYNCHUS ALBIROSTRIS AND CAPTIVE HARBOUR PORPOISES PHOCOENA PHOCOENA

ABSTRACT

Probably all odontocetes use echolocation for spatial orientation and detection of prey. We used a four hydrophone “Y” array to record the high frequency clicks from free-ranging White-beaked Dolphins Lagenorhynchus albirostris and captive Harbour Porpoises Phocoena phocoena. From the recordings we calculated distances to the animals and source levels of the clicks. The recordings from White-beaked Dolphins were made in Iceland and those from Harbour Porpoises at Fjord & Baelt, Kerteminde, Denmark during prey capture. We used stringent criteria to determine which clicks could be defined as being on the acoustic axis. Two dolphin and nine porpoise click series could be used to track individual animals, which presumably focused on the array hydrophones or a fish right in front of the array. The apparent source levels of clicks in the individual tracks increased with range. One individual White-beaked Dolphin and three Harbour Porpoises regulate their output signal level to nearly compensate for one-way transmission loss while approaching a target. The other dolphin regulated the output differently. For most of the recordings the sound level at the target remains nearly constant and the echo level at the animal increases as it closes on the target.     

Gastric ulceration caused by genetically identified Anisakis simplex sensu stricto in a harbor porpoise from the Western Pacific stock

The genus Anisakis is a well-known group of nematodes that parasitize cetaceans as the final host and cause mucosal damage to their stomach. However, little has been done to precisely identify the nematodes recovered from the final hosts, especially in the Western Pacific, because of taxonomic confusion about the discrimination of sibling species and the difficulties of obtaining specimens from cetaceans. We describe the results of genetic identification and histopathological observations of specimens recovered from an ulcerated lesion and stomach contents in the forestomach of a female harbor porpoise accidentally caught by a set net fishery in Usujiri, southern Hokkaido, Japan. All the specimens arbitrarily collected from the lesion and stomach contents were identified as Anisakis simplex sensu stricto according to their ITS rDNA sequences. The size of the ulcer was approximately 6.3 mm in diameter and it was infected with 119 individual nematodes, mostly consisting of L3 and L4 stage larvae (95.0%). Histological sections were characterized by a locally extensive ulcer with the parasites penetrating into the muscularis externa that caused a thickening of the surrounding mucosa.     

Evoked potentials of the auditory cortex of the porpoise,Phocoena phocoena

Summary Evoked potential (EP) recordings in the auditory cortex of the porpoise,Phocoena phocoena, were used to obtain data characterizing the auditory perception of this dolphin. The frequency threshold curves showed that the lowest EP thresholds were within 120–130 kHz. An additional sensitivity peak was observed between 20 and 30 kHz. The minimal EP threshold to noise burst was 3·10^–4–10^/s-3 Pa. The threshold for response to modulations in sound intensity was below 0.5 dB and about 0.1% for frequency modulations. Special attention was paid to the dependence of the auditory cortex EP on the temporal parameters of the acoustic stimuli: sound burst duration, rise time, and repetition rate. The data indicate that the porpoise auditory cortex is adapted to detect ultrasonic, brief, fast rising, and closely spaced sounds like echolocating clicks.Abbreviation EP evoked potential     

The range of high LET effects from 125I decays

Track structure techniques are applied to calculate energy depositions in cylindrical targets 20 A in diameter (simulating the DNA duplex) containing, or near, 125I decays. Two problems are examined: (1) The possible effects of incorporated versus nonincorporated 125I are evaluated; (2) the extent of the radiological damage along the DNA is described and discussed for individual decays taking place in the DNA. The results of three different calculations are presented: (1) The distribution of the total energy deposited in the target per decay: Here it is shown that the 125I decays deposit considerably more energy than 5-MeV alpha particles when the decay occurs on the central axis of the cylinder. When the decay occurs at 40 A from the axis, the energy depositions are small and infrequent, showing that the iodine decay must occur within this distance to produce a high LET-like effect. (2) The distribution of average energy depositions around a curved cylinder simulating the DNA duplex encircling the nucleosome: There is a rapid decrease in the energy deposited in elements (of size resembling a base pair) away from the location of the decay. At approximately 17 A (approximately 5 bp) from the decay the mean energy deposited in an element is reduced by a factor of 10. (3) The energy deposited in individual elements of the cylinder is presented for single decays: The smooth decrease in average energy depositions with distance from the decay ((2) above) is not reflected in individual decays.