Continuous and intermittent noise has a negative impact on reproductive success and early life survival in marine fish

• Anthropogenic underwater noise is a global pollutant of increasing concern and its effect on marine organisms is largely unknown. Importantly, direct assessments of fitness consequences are lacking especially in fish. The effect of noise pattern with continuous or intermittent noise are poorly understood and the few existing studies investigating the effect highlight contradictory responses in fish. Working in aquaria, we experimentally tested the impact of broadband noise exposure (similar frequency range as anthropogenic boat noise; added either continuously or intermittently) on the behaviour and reproductive success, assessed by the number of obtained eggs, of the common goby (Pomatoschistus microps), a vocal fish with exclusive paternal care.  The continuous noise treatment had the most detrimental effect by reducing spawning probability and females took longer to spawn under continuous noise. Males exposed to continuous noise got significantly fewer egg clutches (4 compared to 11 and 15 in the intermittent noise and silence treatments).  Clutch area did not differ among treatments but clutches in the intermittent and continuous noise treatment had significantly more eggs per cm2. In addition, eggs in the control tanks hatched earlier than in the intermittent and noisy treatments. Larvae reared in continuous noise treatment were larger and had a smaller yolk-sac at hatching than larvae in the intermittent noise treatment and the control. Taken together, we show that noise, particularly a continuous noise exposure, negatively affects reproductive success and early life survival in fish larvae.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Ekologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Ecology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Etologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Behavioural Sciences Biology (hsv//eng)

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Evolutionsbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Evolutionary Biology (hsv//eng)

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Lärarutbildning och pedagogisk yrkesverksamhet

Teacher Education and Education Work

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