The Changing Arctic Soundscape and Possible Impacts to Arctic Cod Spawning Activity
摘要
Environmental conditions in the Arctic Ocean have dramatically changed in recent decades, with the Arctic warming four times faster than the global average, causing reductions in sea ice and an increased navigational season. These changes have modified the marine soundscape and could significantly impair communication in soniferous species in the area. Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) are the most abundant forage fish in the Arctic Ocean and produce a “grunt” sound during spawning. These “grunts” may be used to coordinate Arctic cod spawning activities, which ultimately could be altered by changing Arctic soundscapes. In addition, increased sound levels in the Arctic Ocean could displace individuals and mask acoustic cues while spawning. To understand the changing winter marine soundscape, the Arctic soundscape was analyzed and compared between 2014 and 2024 in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada, using an icListen HF underwater hydrophone maintained by Ocean Networks Canada. Significant differences to the marine soundscape were observed with sound pressure levels (rms and peak) increasing between February 2014 and 2024. These results indicate rapid changes in the Arctic soundscape have likely occurred and raise concerns about potential disruptions to Arctic cod spawning behavior.