December 4, 2025Open Access

Ice-generated sound and its potential masking effects on bearded seal vocalizations in the western Canadian Arctic

FFFábio FrazãoDalhousie University SIStephen J. InsleyWildlife Conservation Society Canada

Key Points

Bearded seal vocal activity declines as acoustic masking from ice sound increases, suggesting impacts on communication.
Results reveal a relationship between listening space reduction, ambient sound exposure, and vocalization patterns.
Using passive acoustic data and listening space reduction metrics, the study assesses vocal masking in ice-covered areas.
The findings highlight potential behavioural adjustments due to increased ice-generated sound levels affecting seal communication.

Abstract

Quantifying acoustic masking due to noise sources is an important part of marine mammal conservation. This study examines the relative masking of bearded seal vocalizations by ice-generated sounds, using passive acoustic data collected from the western Canadian Arctic. Broadband ice sound events and bearded seal calls were extracted from acoustic recordings, and masking potential was estimated using the listening space reduction (LSR) metric, based on the bearded seal audiogram and propagation loss in an ice-covered environment. Results indicate that bearded seal vocal activity decreased with increasing LSR and ambient sound exposure levels, suggesting a potential behavioural adjustment to elevated ice sound levels that warrants further investigation.

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