The blue gasings stopped singing. What does ocean silence tell us?
In a quiet, invisible to us world under the surface of the ocean, sounds are like a pulse of life. However, blue pages – the greatest creatures on earth – are singing less and less from year to year. This is a warning signal that must not be ignored.
Six years of research off the coast of California revealed a disturbing trend. Heat waves and growing noise generated by people suppress the natural tongue of the ocean.
Underwater microphones, called hydrophones, placed deep at the sea bottom, record the richness of the sounds of sea life. – When you really start listening to the ocean, you realize how many voices make up this amazing sound landscape – says Jarrod Santora from the American National Ocean and Atmosphere Agency.
However, in recent years something disturbing has been registered: the voices of the blue chilling began to disappear. Scientists from Monterey Bay Aquarium for six years analyzed thousands of hours of recordings and noticed a drastic, almost 40 % decrease in the songs of these majestic animals.
They fell silent because … they are hungry
Climate change is to blame. Waves of sea heat, such as the powerful phenomenon of “The Blob” from 2013–2016, led to the collapse of the population of Kryl, i.e. basic food for many whales. Without food, they have no strength to sing or reproduce.
Instead of singing, whales devote all the energy to searching for food. In the warm years of their calls, they practically disappear from the recordings.
Global silence
The phenomenon is not limited to California. Similar silence was also recorded in the waters off the coast of New Zealand, where in 2016-2018 scientists monitored blue voices. As the ocean temperature increased, the intensity of the mating songs of these great mammals and the number of signals indicating their feeding fell.
– When the whales stop, it is a sign that the whole ecosystem loses balance – warns Dawn Barlow maritime biologist.
The disappearing voice of the ocean
Oceans absorb over 90 percent of the heat generated by climate change. Along with their heating, the frequency and strength of the heat waves, which disturb the entire sea food chain. Along with this, the sound of the ocean itself is also changing.
The ability to migrate to migration for thousands of kilometers and their longevity make them guardians of the ocean state. When their voice quiet, it’s not just a biological curiosity – it’s a call for help. As scientists emphasize, it can be an irreversible turning point.
– We must learn to listen to the ocean. Literally – calls Barlow. – This is the only way to understand the scale of changes and counteract them in advance – he adds.
