Hearing Research in Cetaceans

Whales, dolphins and porpoises are important barometers of the health of marine ecosystems. Sound production and underwater hearing are of primary importance to these acoustically specialized animals. Hearing is considered the primary sensory modality of cetaceans and enables their vital life functions. However, anthropogenic noise pollution is increasingly a critical environmental stressor for cetaceans. Attempts to manage human activities and mitigate the adverse effects of anthropogenic noise on aquatic animals are escalating.

To determine the effects of noise on marine mammals, it is vital to understand how well they hear and their hearing adaptation capacity. There are more than 90 cetacean species all over the world. However, audiograms of only 13 species have been investigated. Auditory adaptation in cetacean is also less addressed. We wish to organize a research topic of hearing research in cetaceans to summarize the recent advance in cetacean hearing (including audiogram and auditory adaptation) and the impact of anthropogenic noise.

The Research Topic will include (but is not limited to) the following areas, including both fundamental research to practical applications:
• Audiogram of marine mammals
• Auditory adaptation in cetacean
• Anthropogenic noise impact on the hearing of cetacean
• Advance in the method of hearing research

Keywords: cetaceans, audiogram, auditory adaptation, noise impact

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.