Quantitative Evaluation of Behavior of Marine Mammals: Behavioral Response toAcoustic Disturbance

摘要

The student, Amy Samuels, is being supported to develop systematic observationalprotocols and quantitative methods for analyzing the behavior of cetaceans in order to provide quantitative baseline profiles of normal behavior and to identify reliable indicators of disturbance response. Research dedicated to identifying predictable patterns of normal behavior is essential for the design of robust disturbance experiments. During 1993-94, Samuels participated in 2 research cruises that were dedicated to study behavioral responses of sperm whales to disturbance in the form of acoustic playback. Samuels was responsible for developing an observational protocol to document systematically the non-vocal behavior of whales during undisturbed baseline conditions and during experimental sound playback conditions. Samuels' protocol represents the first use of quantitative behavioral sampling techniques in sperm whale research. A focal-animal sampling scheme was developed to focus on details of behavior of a whale targeted for playback (identifiable by tag or by distinctive physical features). A scan sampling scheme was developed to document more broadly the behavior of other whales in the vicinity. Behavioral parameters include at-surface duration, dive time, group size and cohesion, direction of travel, speed of travel, and details of behavior while at the surface. The protocol includes supplementation of visual observations by regularly-scheduled video samples of the focal whale's behavior; procedures for analysis of baseline vs. playback video clips are being devised.