Data from: Climatic and economic fluctuations revealed by decadal ocean soundscapes
Data files
Abstract
Decadal variations of ocean soundscapes are intricately linked to large-scale climatic and economic fluctuations. This study draws on over 15 years of acoustic recordings at six sites within the Southern California Bight, investigating interannual, seasonal, and diel variations. By examining acoustic energy from fin and blue whales and ambient sound from ships and wind, we identified changes in the soundscape over time and space. This study reveals that sound levels associated with both biological and non-biological sound sources varied seasonally and correlated with large-scale climatic patterns and long-term oceanographic fluctuations. Baleen whale sound levels before, during, and after a marine heatwave were assessed; sound levels decreased in southern sites and increased in northern sites adjacent to the California Current, underscoring the potential for range shifts and habitat compression during warm years for these species. Ship-generated sound levels at high-traffic sites reflected economic events such as recessions, labor shortages and negotiations, and changes to port activities. Marine soundscapes offer an approach to assess the ocean's condition amid ongoing climatic and economic fluctuations.
Vanessa M. ZoBell, Natalie Posdaljian, Kieran L. Lenssen, Sean M. Wiggins, John A. Hildebrand, Simone Baumann-Pickering, Kaitlin E. Frasier
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
Dataset DOI: 10.5061/dryad.nzs7h450t
Description of the data and file structure
This dataset supports the study of long-term changes in biological and non-biological sound levels in the Southern California Bight. The data includes daily median sound levels associated with fin whales, blue whales, ships, and wind are included at 6 study sites. The unit of sound pressure level (SPL) is dB re 1 μPa2.
Files and variables
File: siteN.csv
Description: Daily median sound pressure levels for fin whales, blue whales, ship noise, and wind at Site N. Nominal site location and depth can be found within the manuscript (Table 1). NaN values indicate days with no data.
Variables
- site: site name
- year: Year of SPL measurement
- month: Month of SPL measurement
- day: Day of SPL measurement
- Fin: Fin whale associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Blue: Blue whale-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Ship: Ship-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Wind: Wind associated daily median sound pressure level.
File: siteSN.csv
Description: Daily median sound pressure levels for fin whales, blue whales, ship noise, and wind at Site SN. Nominal site location and depth can be found within the manuscript (Table 1). NaN values indicate days with no data.
Variables
- site: site name
- year: Year of SPL measurement
- month: Month of SPL measurement
- day: Day of SPL measurement
- Fin: Fin whale associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Blue: Blue whale-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Ship: Ship-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Wind: Wind associated daily median sound pressure level.
File: siteC.csv
Description: Daily median sound pressure levels for fin whales, blue whales, ship noise, and wind at Site C. Nominal site location and depth can be found within the manuscript (Table 1). NaN values indicate days with no data.
Variables
- site: site name
- site: site name
- year: Year of SPL measurement
- month: Month of SPL measurement
- day: Day of SPL measurement
- Fin: Fin whale associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Blue: Blue whale-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Ship: Ship-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Wind: Wind associated daily median sound pressure level.
File: siteE.csv
Description: Daily median sound pressure levels for fin whales, blue whales, ship noise, and wind at Site E. Nominal site location and depth can be found within the manuscript (Table 1). NaN values indicate days with no data.
Variables
site: site name
- year: Year of SPL measurement
- month: Month of SPL measurement
- day: Day of SPL measurement
- Fin: Fin whale associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Blue: Blue whale-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Ship: Ship-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Wind: Wind associated daily median sound pressure level.
File: siteH.csv
Description: Daily median sound pressure levels for fin whales, blue whales, ship noise, and wind at Site H. Nominal site location and depth can be found within the manuscript (Table 1). NaN values indicate days with no data.
Variables
site: site name
- year: Year of SPL measurement
- month: Month of SPL measurement
- day: Day of SPL measurement
- Fin: Fin whale associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Blue: Blue whale-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Ship: Ship-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Wind: Wind associated daily median sound pressure level.
File: siteB.csv
Description: Daily median sound pressure levels for fin whales, blue whales, ship noise, and wind at Site B. Nominal site location and depth can be found within the manuscript (Table 1). NaN values indicate days with no data.
Variables
- site: site name
- year: Year of SPL measurement
- month: Month of SPL measurement
- day: Day of SPL measurement
- Fin: Fin whale associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Blue: Blue whale-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Ship: Ship-associated daily median sound pressure level.
- Wind: Wind associated daily median sound pressure level.