Effects of Hurricane Charley on fish chorusing

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Acoustics
• Ichthyology
• Oceanography

Background:

• Extreme weather events like hurricanes can significantly impact marine ecosystems and animal behavior.
• Understanding fish acoustic communication is crucial for assessing their reproductive success and environmental responses.
• Autonomous underwater acoustic dataloggers provide continuous monitoring capabilities in remote marine environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document the acoustic recordings of fish courtship and spawning behavior before, during, and after Hurricane Charley.
• To assess the impact of a category 4 hurricane on the calling behavior of spawning fish.
• To investigate the resilience of fish acoustic communication to extreme weather events.

Main Methods:

• Deployment of an autonomous underwater acoustic datalogger in Charlotte Harbor, Florida.
• Continuous acoustic recording for 9 days prior to, during, and 3 days after Hurricane Charley's passage.
• Analysis of sound production levels and duration associated with fish spawning choruses.

Main Results:

• Nightly chorusing events of spawning fish were not inhibited by the hurricane's passage.
• Sound levels produced by spawning fish were higher on the night of and 3 days after the hurricane compared to pre-storm recordings.
• The duration of sound production by spawning fish also increased post-hurricane.

Conclusions:

• Spawning fish exhibit resilience in their acoustic calling behavior despite the passage of a major hurricane.
• Increased sound production post-hurricane may indicate compensatory spawning activity or altered environmental conditions.
• Acoustic monitoring is a valuable tool for studying fish behavior in response to extreme environmental disturbances.