RESULTS OF STUDIES OF BELUGA WHALES, DELPHINAPTERUS LEUCAS, IN THE WATERS OF THE SOLOVETSKY ARCHIPELAGO AND ASSESSMENT OF SOUNDSCAPES OF THEIR HABITATS IN SUMMER 2024

  • R. A. Belikov Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • V. V. Krasnova Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • A. V. Shatravin Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences; Prokhorov Institute of General Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • E. M. Panova Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • A. D. Chernetsky Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • E. A. Belikova Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • N. V. Kryukova Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences; Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • M. M. Taganova Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences
  • A. V. Gebruk Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences
DOI 10.29006/1564-2291.JOR-2025.53(1).5
Keywords beluga whale, Delphinapterus leucas, White Sea, Solovetsky reproductive aggregation, construction noise, pile driving, shipping noise, soundscapes, anthropogenic impact

Abstract

Planned construction of a technological berth in Solovetsky village became a reason of a complex study in summer 2024 of the White Sea beluga whales in waters of Solovetskiy Archipelago including documentation of beluga habitat soundscapes in Solovetsky Bay. The study of the Solovetsky summer reproductive aggregation of belugas revealed the general similarity of its structure and functioning in summer 2024 with that in previous years of research. The Solovetsky reproductive aggregation is a critical habitat and a high-density area of belugas. Due to uncontrolled ecotourism and increased marine traffic, beluga aggregation appeared under intensive anthropogenic pressure. Ship-based surveys and passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) confirmed the occurrence of belugas in the Solovetskiy Bay. Its northern part is currently considered as the main area of potential impact of underwater construction noise on belugas during pile-driving operations. The soundscapes in Solovetskiy and Blagopolychiya Bays are highly noisy. The near-shore marine traffic is likely a main contributor to acoustic pollution in these areas. The lack of data on the use by belugas of water areas outside the reproductive aggregation, along with high probability of a long-range propagation of pile-driving noise, requires further studies to minimize the negative impact of construction on belugas.

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Published
2025-03-25
Issue
Vol 53 No 1 (2025): Journal of Oceanological Research
Section
Ecology of seas and oceans

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