Workshop report: methods to examine behavioral and physiological responses of sea turtles to sound

Additional research is needed to determine the frequencies, sound pressure levels, and exposure durations that may impact the physiology (stress) and behavior of sea turtles (Nelms et al. 2016, Popper et al. 2014). While several studies (Harms et al. 2003, Hoopes et al. 2000, Hunt et al. 2016a, 2016b, 2019, Innis et al. 2007) have examined physiological responses of sea turtles to stressful events (e.g., incidental or directed capture in fishing nets, cold stunning, handling, transport), to our knowledge, no studies have examined physiological (stress) responses of sea turtles to sound. To date, few studies have examined the behavioral responses of sea turtles to sound; however, several of these studies indicate that sea turtles respond behaviorally (diving or changing swim direction/speed) and/or physiologically (behaviors indicating stress or temporary hearing loss) to low-frequency acoustic stimuli (DeRuiter and Larbi Doukara 2012, McCauley et al. 2000, Moein et al. 1994).