The impact of seismic air gun exposure on the haemolymph physiology and nutritional condition of spiny lobster, Jasus edwardsii.
There is a critical knowledge gap regarding the impacts of seismic air gun signals on the physiology of adult crustaceans. We conducted four controlled field experiments to examine the impact of seismic acoustic signals on spiny lobster, Jasus edwardsii. Seismic air gun exposure suppressed total haemocyte count (THC) for up to 120days post-exposure, suggesting a chronic negative impact of immune competency. THC levels after 365days post-exposure, were elevated two fold, potentially indicating an immune response to infection. Haemolymph refractive index was reduced after 120days post exposure in one experiment, suggesting a chronic impairment of nutritional condition. There was no effect of air gun exposure on 24 haemolymph biochemical parameters, hepatopancreas index or survival. Collectively these results indicate that the biochemical haematological homeostasis of J. edwardsii is reasonably resilient to seismic acoustic signals, however, air gun exposure may negatively influence the lobster's nutritional condition and immunological capacity.
['Fitzgibbon|Quinn P|QP|', 'Day|Ryan D|RD|', 'McCauley|Robert D|RD|', 'Simon|Cedric J|CJ|', 'Semmens|Jayson M|JM|']
D000162:Acoustics D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena D000818:Animals D017753:Ecosystem D004777:Environment D004798:Enzymes D006434:Hemocytes D006458:Hemolymph D043143:Hepatopancreas D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration D009622:Noise D033521:Palinuridae D012031:Refractometry
Crustaceans Total haemocyte count Aquatic noise Invertebrates Marine noise pollution Seismic surveys Southern rock lobster