Smart Whale Sounds: Monitoring Cetaceans in Ireland Region
Ireland
Overview
The 'Smart Whale Sounds' initiative, as outlined in this white paper, demonstrates the application of AI in advancing our understanding and monitoring of underwater soundscapes within areas of biological importance for cetaceans (porpoise, dolphins, and whales) and potential MPAs in Irish waters.
By leveraging ARBIMON's principles, we recorded the marine soundscape in an endeavor to enhance our understanding these sounds' intricate nuances. This intensive study of the marine soundscape was pivotal in distinguishing periods of increased activity and thus, determining species-specific call types.
Partners
ORCA Ireland
Funded by Huawei Ireland, Huawei Europe, and the Huawei Tech4All program
Objectives
Real-time Monitoring: To achieve continuous and real-time monitoring of marine soundscapes and cetacean sounds, particularly in a proposed Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), to gather timely insights into their behaviors, communication patterns, and presence.
Noise Pollution Analysis: To identify and quantify the extent of human-induced noise pollution in MPAs and its impact on cetacean species.
Data-Driven Conservation: To provide robust, actionable data to policymakers and conservationists, aiding in the formulation of evidence-based strategies for marine conservation.
Public Engagement: To raise awareness about the importance of underwater soundscapes and the threats they face, thereby fostering a global community of ocean advocates.
Aims:
Real-time Data Collection of marine soundscapes and cetacean vocalizations.
Develop multi-species automated classification and detection system using Al.
Create a real-time alert system through the Observers App for passing ships.
Implementation
Deployment of Acoustic Sensors: High-sensitivity underwater hydrophones were deployed in a biodiversity “hotspot” and a potential MPA off the south coast of Ireland to capture the rich diversity of marine sounds.
Data Collection and Pre-processing: The hydrophones continuously relayed data to a cloud-based storage solutions, ensuring a steady stream of sound recordings. Preprocessing algorithms are then applied to clean and segment the data, making it ready for analysis.
AI Integration: Leveraging a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), the initiative has designed an AI model specifically trained to recognize and classify cetacean sounds amidst the cacophony of marine noise.
Feedback Loop: Continuous learning is at the core of the project. As more data is gathered, the AI model is retrained, enhancing its accuracy and reliability.
Trained a CNN to identify the most commonly detected vocalizations within the soundscape & the utilization of pattern matching was crucial, as it allowed the system to identify recurring sound motifs, linking them to specific dolphin activities or behaviors.
Impact
Impact:
High Accuracy Levels: The Smart Whale Sounds Initiative proudly achieved a 98% accuracy rate in identifying specific cetacean sounds, particularly those of delphinids, setting a new benchmark in marine bio-acoustic studies.
Noise Pollution Impacts: Regions within the soundscape of this proposed MPAs suffering from chronic noise pollution from passing ship noise were identified and the impact of noise pollution on delphinid communication was determined, providing invaluable insight to marine conservationists and policymakers.
Global Collaboration: The initiative has fostered collaborations with national and international marine research bodies, tech companies, and conservationists, creating a global network dedicated to marine acoustic research.
Public Outreach: Through conference presentations, workshops, online webinars, and interactive online platforms, the initiative has reached thousands of individuals, educating them about the importance of marine soundscapes and the role they can play in their conservation.
Current Challenges in Monitoring
Underwater Soundscapes
1. Spatial and Temporal Complexity: Factors such as water depth, salinity, temperature, and seafloor composition can affect how sound propagates. Seasonal migrations, breeding patterns, and human activities can also introduce temporal fluctuations in acoustic data
2. Data Volume: Continuous monitoring generates vast amounts of acoustic data. Managing, storing, and analyzing this data requires significant computational power and specialized software.
Signal Differentiation: With numerous biotic and abiotic sounds in marine environments, distinguishing specific signals of interest, like cetacean vocalizations, from background noise or other species is a non-trivial task.
Equipment and Maintenance: Deploying and maintaining underwater acoustic sensors, especially in challenging environments like deep-sea habitats, can be both technically demanding and expensive.
Anthropogenic Noise Overlap: Human-generated noise, from sources like shipping or offshore construction, can overlap with biologically relevant frequencies, masking crucial signals or rendering data collection in certain areas nearly impossible.
Standardization: There's a pressing need for standardized protocols in acoustic data collection and analysis, given the array of equipment and methodologies currently in use.
Legal and Ethical Concerns: Acoustic monitoring may intersect with issues of privacy and sovereignty, especially when conducted in transboundary regions or areas with geopolitical sensitivities.
Advantages of Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM):
Continuous Monitoring: PAM can provide 24/7 data collection, making it possible to capture cetacean activities across different times of the day and seasons.
Spatial Coverage: Advanced PAM systems with arrays of hydrophones can cover vast areas, allowing for monitoring of cetacean populations over extended ranges.
Species Identification: Specific vocal patterns and frequencies can be attributed to particular cetacean species, aiding in species-specific monitoring and population assessments.
Any significant alteration in the presence or patterns of these acoustic signatures can serve as early warning signs of ecosystem disruption.
Monitoring these soundscapes aids in understanding the acoustic behavior and distribution of keystone species, species that have a disproportionately large effect on their habitats
Physiological and Behavioral Impacts of Noise Pollution on Cetaceans
Auditory Damage: Prolonged exposure to intense sounds or sudden extremely loud noises can reduce their auditory sensitivity, which is critical for activities like echolocation.
Stress Responses: Chronic noise exposure can induce physiological stress responses in cetaceans, evidenced by elevated stress hormone level, compromising their immune function and overall health.
Altered Vocalizations: Cetaceans might change their vocalization patterns in response to noise pollution. Such changes can hamper effective communication.
Displacement and Avoidance: Noise pollution can drive cetaceans away from critical habitats, like feeding or breeding grounds.
Masking of Essential Sounds: High levels of noise can mask important environmental cues or conspecific calls, making it challenging for cetaceans to detect prey, avoid predators, or communicate with peers.
