Influence of natural and anthropogenic sound sources on the soundscape of the Cananéia estuary, southeastern Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this study is to characterize the background noise and abiotic and anthropogenic sound sources in the sector with greater anthropogenic use of the Cananéia estuary. The results show that the relative amplitude of background noise decreased with the increase of frequency range, and was higher with greater number of vessels, wind speed and during flood tide. Weekends and vacation periods were shown to be important dates during which background noise increased in the region. The influence of the tide and the wind speed on the relative amplitude was dependent on the frequency range analyzed. Therefore, both abiotic and anthropogenic sound sources were observed to be important factors regarding an increase in background noise in Cananéia. The importance of the continuity of vessel regulation in the region and of future studies that identify whether such noises alter parameters from the sound repertoire of the cetacean species in the region.

Keywords: Bioacoustics; Guiana dolphin; Noise pollution; Soundscape maps; Underwater noise; Wind speed.