https://doi.org/10.82144/09649a09 https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/567 Andy Read Duke University Primary contact aread@duke.edu http://moray.ml.duke.edu/faculty/read/ OBIS-SEAMAP Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University

A328 LSRC building Durham NC 27708 US

seamap-contact@duke.edu https://seamap.env.duke.edu OBIS-SEAMAP Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University

A328 LSRC building Durham NC 27708 US

seamap-contact@duke.edu https://seamap.env.duke.edu distributor Andy Read Duke University Primary contact aread@duke.edu http://moray.ml.duke.edu/faculty/read/ owner 2025-07-31 eng Original provider: Duke University Marine Laboratory Dataset credits: Duke University Marine Laboratory Abstract: Traditional marine mammal monitoring techniques, such as visual surveys, are not feasible under certain conditions, such as poor weather, darkness, and conflicts with other human activities. In such cases, alternative monitoring tools are required. We used autonomous acoustic recorders, designed by Cornell University, to monitor bottlenose dolphin (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) use of two ranges in Pamlico Sound, North Carolina, in which the United States Marine Corps conducts military training exercises. We deployed multiple units in the shallow waters of both ranges for more than a year. The recorders were programmed to sample at 12 kHz with a 12 kHz anti-aliasing filter. They were set on a duty cycle and of every hour, they recorded for either 10 or 30 consecutive minutes (bins of time referred to as “observation periods”). We analyzed the acoustic recordings using Raven 1.2.1 (Cornell Lab of Ornithology). We noted the presence or absence of dolphin whistles and clicks in each observation period to determine daily and seasonal patterns of dolphin occurrence in the two ranges. Vocalizing dolphins occurred frequently in both ranges throughout the year, with peaks of activity in June in both ranges and peaks in October, November, and December in one range. Vocalizing dolphins were detected more frequently in the late night and early morning hours than in the middle of the day and early night. We believe that such autonomous acoustic monitoring systems hold great promise for the management and mitigation of potentially adverse human activities on marine mammals. Marine Biology Passive acoustic detection bottlenose dolphin; passive acoustic monitoring; seasonal patterns; diel patterns; military ranges N/A Observation dates and times are in GMT. Observations represent presence of whistles during a given duration observation period, either 10 or 30 minutes. Number of observations is the number of observation periods with whistles present. Number of animals is unknown and should not be inferred: a single individual may be represented by multiple observations and likewise a single observation period may include recordings from multiple individuals. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC-BY-NC) 4.0 License. https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/567 Oceans -76.47345 -76.42838 35.23334 35.04782 2005-03-22 2006-05-17 Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS). species Tursiops truncatus Common bottlenose dolphin The objective of this work was to address limitations of visual surveys in restricted ranges by conducting year-round monitoring of the presence of bottlenose dolphins in the Brant Island Shoal Bombing Target (BT-9) and the Piney Island Bombing Range (BT-11) using a passive acoustic monitoring system that could function during periods of darkness, poor weather, and on occasions when the ranges were in use. notPlanned Andy Read Duke University Primary contact aread@duke.edu http://moray.ml.duke.edu/faculty/read/ NA NA NA Andy Read owner NA zd_567 2025-07-31T14:33:09-04:00 dataset Read, A. 2011. Duke Cherry Point PopUps 2005-2006 Bottlenose dolphin whistle presence. Version 1.0.0. Dataset published in OBIS-SEAMAP. https://doi.org/10.82144/09649a09. OBIS-SEAMAP Dataset Page UTF-8 Interactive map https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/567 FGDC Metadata UTF-8 XML https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/567/fgdc EML Metadata UTF-8 XML https://seamap.env.duke.edu/dataset/567/eml OBIS-SEAMAP zd_567 zd_567 Read, R., L. Williams, K. Urian, D. Waples and T. Boynton. 2007. Acoustic monitoring of bottlenose dolphin use of the Brant Island Shoal Bombing Target (BT-9) and the Piney Island Bombing Range (BT-11). Final Report to Environmental Affairs Division, U.S. Marine Corps, MCAS Cherry Point.