Back to search

PETROMAKS2-Stort program petroleum

Underwater Noise DIAPHONIA, Diagnostic framework to assess and predict the impact of underwater noise on marine species

Alternative title: Underwater Noise DIAPHONIA, Diagnostisk rammeverk for å vurdere og forutsi virkningen av undervannsstøy på marine arter

Awarded: NOK 4.0 mill.

The marine environment is affected by noise pollution from human activity. However, it is very difficult to conduct clinical and pathological analyses on living organisms in the marine environment so the extent of effects noise pollution has on marine fauna remains uncertain. DIAPHONIA is bringing together scientists from diverse backgrounds, to assess the various impacts of underwater noise on marine organisms across the food web, including invertebrates and commercially-important species, with a focus on European basins. We are working on developing tissue markers, incorporating molecular, metabolomic and microscopic techniques, to identify functional and morphological changes in the acoustic pathways of marine animals exposed to noise. In 2023/2024, we conducted experiments on the relationship between the behavioural and physiological effects of short-term noise exposure in commercially important fish from different European ocean basins. And in 2024/2025, we are conducting experiments on the long-term relationships, targeting the effects of noise on the development of reproductive organs. All information and data obtained will be shared with stakeholders and policy makers and summarised in guidelines for future research efforts.

It is demonstrated that the marine environment is affected by noise pollution from human activity. The difficulty of conducting clinical and pathological analyses on living organisms in the marine environment and the wide diversity of sources of noise pollution determine a great uncertainty in the nature and extent of effects noise pollution has on marine fauna. Despite the growing literature on these themes, there are still relevant gaps, and a lack of multidisciplinarity in investigations of acute and long-term exposures, considering both single animals and populations. DIAPHONIA will bring together scientists from diverse backgrounds, to assess the various impacts of underwater noise on marine organisms of the food web, including invertebrates and commercial species, and focusing on European basins. WP1 will develop a possible diagnostic fingerprinting composed of several tissue markers incorporating molecular, metabolomic and microscopic techniques to identify functional and morphological changes in the acoustic pathways of invertebrates, fishes and marine mammals. WP2 will explore the relationship between behavioural and cellular/molecular/organ effects of both short and long-term noise exposure in fish from different European ocean basins. WP3 will gain insight into the morpho-functionality of the peripheral hearing apparatus in marine mammals and its role in defining the animal's acoustic sensitivity, by developing standardised workflow for wave propagation in the associated tissues. All Information and data obtained will be discussed with relevant stakeholders and policy makers, to adapt to a multidisciplinary and evidenced-based approach to the existing guidance. They will also be summarised in guidelines harmonising future research efforts towards novel approaches as predictive models and organoids.

Funding scheme:

PETROMAKS2-Stort program petroleum