Bioacoustics Quotes

“Biologists have long speculated about the reasons that animals in general, and marine animals in particular, make noise. One is communication; whales are said to communicate between members of a school. Another is defense, attempting to scare away attackers. Another is location, as in the echo-ranging of porpoises. Another is sexual attraction; most fish are noisy only within a male sex. A final reason must be that it must be pleasurable for a marine animal to make noise, just as in the humming of a tune by a human being.”
― Robert J. Urick, Ambient Noise in the Sea

“When seas of state 1 or higher are noted, when traffic or industrial noise is apparent, or when other low frequency sound sources such as shifting bottoms, tidal currents, or noisy animals are encountered, sound reception in all, but the "deafest", fishes is probably impaired - the degree of such impairment being directly dependent upon the noise-level attained.

-- Arthur A. Myrbery, Jr.”
― John L. Fletcher, Effects of Noise on Wildlife