In the final instalment of our summer science series, we bring you two stories from the ocean. First we have a story on marine noise pollution from Victoria University of Wellington Centre for Science in Society student, Xanthe Smith. Then, we have an episode on pāua from RNZ podcast Voices, presented by Kadambari Raghukumar.
Short-beaked common dolphins. Photo: Terry C. Greene / Department of Conservation (CC BY 4.0)
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Sounds under the sea
Beneath the ocean surface, you might expect to find quiet. Instead, you’d hear a symphony of dolphin clicks and whistles, the snap-crackle-pop of shrimp, and grunting fish. You’d also hear the loud thrum of boat engines – an unnatural addition to the sea’s soundscape.
These human-produced noises are causing problems for our ocean-dwelling neighbours – a phenomenon called noise pollution.
In this story, Xanthe takes us underwater to learn about the impacts noisy boats and machinery are having on animals like dolphins. She speaks to Dr Deanna Clement from the Cawthron Institute and Dr Matt Pine, a marine scientist specialising in acoustics and vibration.
The Ika Rere electric ferry docked at the Seaview Marina in Lower Hutt. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
Xanthe also takes a trip aboard Wellington’s new electric ferry, and chats to skipper Mark McCormack. Compared to conventional vessels powered by fossil fuels, the electric ferry is much quieter. Could switching to electric help undersea animals?
Thank you to Dr Deanna Clement, Dr Matt Pine and Mark McCormack. This episode was produced by Xanthe Smith. Sound credits: Outboard motor, Tom Kieckhefer (CC BY-NC 4.0); harbour comparison, NC State University; New Zealand bigeye grunts, Craig Radford University of Auckland; snapping shrimp, Paul Perkins, NUWC Engineering; sea urchin/kina, Craig Radford University of Auckland (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0); common dolphin, Tom Kieckhefer (CC BY-NC 4.0); humpback whales, Tom Kieckhefer (CC BY-NC 4.0).
To learn more:
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Alison Ballance listens to the underwater songs of Weddell seals in this episode of the award-winning series Voices from Antarctica
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Matt was interviewed for this 2021 piece on the need for controls on underwater noise
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Deanna featured in a recent episode of the Voices podcast
Passion for pāua
Dr Norman Ragg Photo: RNZ
Dr Norman Ragg from the Cawthron Institute tunes into the beat of pāua, a taonga shellfish species with a long evolutionary history. He’s developed a special heart monitor to observe pāua’s stress receptors and figure out how they might cope with rising ocean temperatures.
Norman speaks to Kadambari Raghukumar from the Voices podcast about his career in shellfish physiology and his 25 years making New Zealand his home.
To learn more:
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See the Voices page for this episode here
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Listen to more episodes of the Voices podcast
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In this 2018 episode of Our Changing World, Alison meets NIWA scientists designing ‘safe houses’ for baby pāua
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In 2022, Claire met some scientists researching the impact of warming seas on another shellfish: cockles.
