Signals and noise in the octavolateralis systems: What is the impact of human activities on fish sensory function?

Abstract

The octavolateralis systems of fishes include the vestibular, auditory, lateral line and electrosensory systems. They are united by common developmental and neuro-computational features, including hair cell sensors and computations based on cross-neuron analyses of differential hair cell stimulation patterns. These systems also all use both spectral and temporal filters to separate signals from each other and from noise, and the distributed senses (lateral line and electroreception) add spatial filters as well. Like all sensory systems, these sensors must provide the animal with guidance for adaptive behavior within a sensory scene composed of multiple stimuli and varying levels of ambient noise, including that created by human activities. In the extreme, anthropogenic activities impact the octavolateralis systems by destroying or degrading the habitats that provide ecological resources and sensory inputs. At slightly lesser levels of effect, anthropogenic pollutants can be damaging to fish tissues, with sensory organs often the most vulnerable. The exposed sensory cells of the lateral line and electrosensory systems are especially sensitive to aquatic pollution. At still lesser levels of impact, anthropogenic activities can act as both acute and chronic stressors, activating hormonal changes that may affect behavioral and sensory function. Finally, human activities are now a nearly ubiquitous presence in aquatic habitats, often with no obvious effects on the animals exposed to them. Ship noise, indigenous and industrial fishing techniques, and all the ancillary noises of human civilization form a major part of the soundscape of fishes. How fish use these new sources of information about their habitat is a new and burgeoning field of study.

Social Plasticity in the Fish Brain: Neuroscientific and Ethological Aspects

“…Further, fishes are becoming valuable models to study impacts of anthropogenic noise, pollution, and climate change on sensory and brain function (Ashur et al, 2017;Braun, 2015;Fisher and Oleksiak, 2007;Lai et al, 2017), with important consequences for management and conservation. Sensory cues play an integral role in the daily lives and survival of marine and freshwater organisms, including influences on homing, settlement, predator detection and evasion, foraging, conspecific social interactions, and reproductive interactions.…”

“…Sound pollution (anthropogenic noise) disrupts both the octavolateralis systems of fishes (which include the vestibular, auditory, lateral line and electrosensory systems) and the sonic environment that provide ecological and ethological cues for fish behavior (review in Braun, 2015). These impacts on systems which show critical social plasticity are beginning to be understood, and studying these in diverse fish species have important ecological and economic consequences, particularly in identifying how fishes may or may not be able to adapt to a changing world.…”

Integrating techniques: a review of the effects of anthropogenic noise on freshwater fish

“…Boat noise overlaps within the most sensitive hearing range of cyprinids in Lake Traunsee, thus possibly masking sounds present in their natural habitat and impairing signal detection (Amoser et al 2004). Braun (2015) argues that although there is increasing concern and documentation of noise pollution on fish, research should include data on how measures of stress affect sensory system function, again furthering the need for integration. When determining the impacts of anthropogenic influences, it is important to describe the background noise level first (Codarin et al 2009).…”

Sensory System Responses to Human-Induced Environmental Change

“…The level of noise in the sea has been linked to the global economy (Frisk, 2012), whereby shipping constitutes 90% of the method of trade between different countries, and it is certain to continue to increase as the ocean becomes more industrialized. Many excellent reviews exist on the effects of aquatic noise on marine mammals, bony fishes and invertebrates (Nowacek et al, 2007;Weilgart, 2007;Popper and Hastings, 2009;Slabbekoorn et al, 2010;Hawkins and Popper, 2014;Hawkins et al, 2014a,b;Radford et al, 2014;Whitfield and Becker, 2014;Braun, 2015;Peng et al, 2015;Williams et al, 2015;Zakon, 2015;de Soto, 2016;de Soto and Kight, 2016;Gomez et al, 2016;Kunc et al, 2016;Juanes et al, 2017), so the following information represents only a short synopsis.…”