239 DecemberJanuary 20121 DRAFT Formatted: Don't suppress line numbers Formatted: Section start: New column 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Science Plan 8 International Quiet Ocean Experiment 239 DecemberJanuary 20121 DRAFT 9 Table of Contents 10 11 1. Executive Summary 4 12 13 2. Introduction and overview 5 14 2.1 Purpose of the document, 5 15 2.2 Rationale for an IQOE, 6 16 2.3 Background, 7 17 2.4 Defining the Questions, 11 18 2.5 IQOE Objectives, 12 19 2.6 Anticipated benefits, 13 20 2.7 Activities, 15 21 22 3. Theme 1: Ocean Soundscapes 17 23 3.1 Characterization of Soundscapes, 17 24 3.2 Ambient Sound and the Components of Soundscapes, 21 25 3.3 Modeling Soundscapes (Sources and Propagation), 27 26 27 4. Theme 2: Defining the effects of sound on marine organisms 31 28 4.1 Introduction, 31 29 4.2 Acoustic Environments, 32 30 4.3 Unplanned or Semi-planned Experiments, 34 31 4.4 Research Approach, 39 32 4.5 Summary, 44 33 34 5. Theme 3: Observing sound in the ocean 45 35 5.1 Introduction, 45 36 5.2 Acoustic Observation Networks, 45 37 5.3 Acoustics and Global and Regional Ocean Observing Systems, 46 38 5.4 Integration Within Existing Systems, 47 39 5.5 New Systems Designed for IQOE, 48 40 5.6 Extracting useful scientific information from data collected for regulations, 49 41 5.7 Data collection (including standardization), quality control, analysis, reporting, 42 management, and accessibility, 50 43 5.8 Biological Observing Systems, 51 44 5.9 Synthesis and modeling: physical, biological, and acoustic, 52 45 5.10 Recommendations, 53 46 47 6. Theme 4: Industry and regulation 56 48 6.1 Introduction, 56 49 6.2 Risk Frameworks, 58 50 6.3 Routine Sound Monitoring, 61 51 6.4 Research Priorities for Regulators and Industry, 62 52 6.5 Finding Novel Solutions, 66 53 6.6 Key Recommendations, 66 54 6.7 Engaging Industry and Other Stakeholders, 66 55 56 7. Implementation 69 57 7.1 Project Structure, 69 58 7.2 Operating Approach, 70 59 7.3 Governance, 70 60 7.4 Project Management, 71 61 7.5 Communication, 72 239 DecemberJanuary 20121 DRAFT 62 7.6 Education and Capacity Building, 72 63 7.7 Relationship with other organizations, programs and activities, 73 64 7.8 Work Streams and Workshops, 74 65 7.9 Funding, 75 66 67 References 81 68 Appendix I 86 69 Appendix II 87 239 DecemberJanuary 20121 DRAFT 70 1 71 1 72 Executive Summary 73 74 Executive summary 75 76 The International Quiet Ocean Experiment (IQOE) will create an international global 77 program of research, observation, and modeling to better characterize ocean sound 78 fields and to promote understanding of the effects of sound on marine life. The effect 79 of anthropogenic sound on marine life is a large gap in our current knowledge; the 80 resulting scientific uncertainty is leading to the implementation of precautionary 81 legislation with potentially large economic consequences. 82 83 A central feature of the IQOE will be an International Year of Ocean Acoustics 84 (IYOA), which will focus the participating scientific, industrial, environmental, and 85 naval communities on the goal of an intense period of scientific activity, coordinated 86 across regions to create a global program. The IYOA will raise awareness of the 87 effects of sound in the ocean within the participating communities and in the broader 88 public realm. 89 90 The IQOE will address 5 key questions: 91 92 1. What are the current levels and distribution of anthropogenic sound in the ocean? 93 2. What are the trends in anthropogenic sound levels across the global ocean? 94 3. What are the effects of anthropogenic sound on important marine animal 95 populations? 96 4. What was the global ocean soundscape before humans arrived? 97 5. What are the potential future effects of sound on marine life? 98 99 The IQOE has been motivated by evidence of increasing sound levels from human 100 activities. Considerable evidence exists that the human contribution to ocean sound 101 has increased during the past few decades and that anthropogenic sound has 102 become the dominant component of marine sound in some regions. Anthropogenic 103 sound levels are likely to be directly correlated with the increasing industrialization of 104 the ocean, thus making the measurement of ocean sound fields an important tool for 105 assessing industrial presence in the ocean. 106 107 Sound is an important factor in the lives of many marine organisms and increasing 108 theory and observations suggest that human-generated sound in the ocean could be 109 approaching levels at which negative effects on marine life may be occurring. Certain 110 species already show symptoms of the effects of sound. Although some of these 111 effects are acute and rare, chronic sub-lethal effects may be more prevalent, but are 112 difficult to measure. 113 114 The IQOE will mobilize the participating communities to investigate sound in the 115 ocean in a way that will be useful for mitigation and for management of sound 116 sources. The IQOE will (1) ensure that the measurement of the sound field becomes 117 an integrated part of global ocean observations; (2) develop a global approach to 1 The contributors to the Science Plan and their roles are given in Appendix II. 4 IQOE Science Plan 239 DecemberJanuary 20121 DRAFT 118 investigating ocean sound, including a community-based approach to research; (3) 119 support innovation in ocean observing systems; (4) support data management and 120 the development of data standards; (5) develop acoustic models; (6) support the 121 planning and implementation of regional experiments; and (7) ensure constructive 122 engagement with industry and the public. 123 To achieve these goals, the IQOE will be implemented across four themes: 124 125 1. The Ocean Soundscapes theme will describe ocean soundscapes from regional to 126 global scales. This theme will include the identification of sound sources, the 127 modeling of acoustic propagation, and the validation of these models using ocean 128 observation systems. This theme will be the main focus of efforts to measure trends 129 in ocean sound and to define sound budgets within regions. It will also investigate 130 soundscape diversity and examine the concept that the conservation of soundscapes 131 may be an appropriate objective for the integrated management of the marine 132 environment. 133 134 2. The Effects of sound on marine organisms theme will plan and carry out 135 experiments. This may include experiments to quiet regions and to observe the 136 responses of marine organisms. This theme will include the use of planned 137 experiments as well as opportunistic studies using post-hoc statistical modeling to 138 test for effects. This theme is the main vehicle through which the biological 139 significance of sound will be assessed and, where possible, this will be focused on 140 measuring dose-response relationships so that assessments of the effects of sound 141 can be predictive, with special emphasis on the Population Consequences of 142 Acoustic Disturbance (PCAD) approach. Much of this theme will rely upon the use of 143 a small set of representative species. 144 145 3. The Observing sound in the ocean theme will be the primary focus for addition of 146 sound measurements to existing and future observing systems and will encourage 147 technical innovation. This theme will develop data standards—where these do not 148 exist—and will promote observation of the key biological and physical variables. 149 Much of the synthesis, data management, and acoustic modeling needed by the 150 IQOE will be managed from within this theme. 151 152 4. The Industry and Regulation theme will develop the methodology for “noise” 153 monitoring within regulatory regimes. This theme will examine the operational 154 management of sound in the ocean through risk analysis by, among other 155 approaches, defining appropriate thresholds for disturbance and damage to marine 156 life. It will also help regulators to measure compliance, and industry to maintain its 157 activities, by providing innovative solutions to barriers presented by regulation. The 158 theme will organize and establish the communications strategy for the IQOE. 159 160 Each of these four themes will be important in preparations for the IYOA. 161 162 The IQOE will be implemented under the governance of the Scientific Committee on 163 Oceanic Research (SCOR) and the Partnership for Observation of the Global 164 Oceans (POGO). The project will be managed by a Steering Committee that will be 165 supported by a secretariat. Two standing committees, the Scientific Committee and 166 the Data Management and Communication Committee, will be tasked with ensuring 167 the themes are implemented and, under these, temporary ad hoc working groups will 168 be established to plan and implement particular activities. The Steering Committee 169 will be responsible for international planning and coordination of contributing national 170 activities funded from national sources. The IQOE will plan a series of workshops in 5 IQOE Science Plan 239 DecemberJanuary 20121 DRAFT 171 its first two years, which will lay the foundation for IQOE implementation. Particular 172 emphasis in the early years of the project will be given to characterizing global trends 173 in ocean sound, gaining access to existing long time series of ocean sound, 174 specifying standards for observations and experimentation, designing a data 175 management system, and planning for the IYOA. 176 177 178 We will write this section after the other sections of the report have been reviewed by the 179 OSM participants. 6 IQOE Science Plan 239 DecemberJanuary 20121 DRAFT 180 2 181 182 Introduction and overview 183 184 2.1 Purpose of the document Formatted: Heading 2, Justified 185 Underwater sound is important for many marine organisms.