The European DeuteroNoise project: impact of anthropogenic noise on marine invertebrate deuterostomes

Underwater noise is considered an emergent pollutant negatively affecting marine fauna; however, its effects on marine invertebrates are almost unknown. In the frame of the project DeuteroNoise, financed by JPI Oceans, we tested the effects of anthropogenic underwater noise on the behavioral performances and physiology of Deuterostome species. Experimental designs for noise exposure in the laboratory were performed inside tanks and directed toward each species studied. For all species, the playback experiments were performed inside water tanks using an underwater speaker connected to an amplifier and a computer. The animals were exposed to pink noise (higher intensities at 63-125 Hz) at different intensities. Behavioral and physiological responses varied among species depending on the anatomy of their sensitive system and the studied response (e.g. movement, development, heartbeat).