Document Detail


Underwater hearing sensitivity of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) for narrow noise bands between 0.2 and 80 kHz.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  19603905     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The underwater hearing sensitivities of two 1.5-year-old female harbor seals were quantified in a quiet pool built specifically for acoustic research, by using a behavioral psychoacoustic technique. The animals were trained to respond when they detected an acoustic signal and not to respond when they did not ("go/no-go" response). Fourteen narrowband noise signals (1/3-octave bands but with some energy in adjacent bands), at 1/3-octave center frequencies of 0.2-80 kHz, and of 900 ms duration, were tested. Thresholds at each frequency were measured using the up-down staircase method and defined as the stimulus level resulting in a 50% detection rate. Between 0.5 and 40 kHz, the thresholds corresponded to a 1/3-octave band noise level of approximately 60 dB re 1 microPa (SD+/-3.0 dB). At lower frequencies, the thresholds increased to 66 dB re 1 microPa and at 80 kHz the thresholds rose to 114 dB re 1 microPa. The 1/3-octave noise band thresholds of the two seals did not differ from each other, or from the narrowband frequency-modulated tone thresholds at the same frequencies obtained a few months before for the same animals. These hearing threshold values can be used to calculate detection ranges of underwater calls and anthropogenic noises by harbor seals.
Authors:
Ronald A Kastelein; Paul Wensveen; Lean Hoek; John M Terhune
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America     Volume:  126     ISSN:  1520-8524     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Acoust. Soc. Am.     Publication Date:  2009 Jul 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2009-07-16     Completed Date:  2009-09-28     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  7503051     Medline TA:  J Acoust Soc Am     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  476-83     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Sea Mammal Research Company (SEAMARCO), Harderwijk, The Netherlands. researchteam@zonnet.nl
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Acoustic Stimulation
Animals
Auditory Threshold*
Female
Hearing*
Neuropsychological Tests
Phoca*
Psychoacoustics
Water*
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
7732-18-5/Water

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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