Common Sole Larvae Survive High Levels of Pile-Driving Sound in Controlled Exposure Experiments

In view of the rapid extension of offshore wind farms, there is an urgent need to improve our knowledge on possible adverse effects of underwater sound generated by pile-driving. Mortality and injuries have been observed in fish exposed to loud impulse sounds, but knowledge on the sound levels at which (sub-)lethal effects occur is limited for juvenile and adult fish, and virtually non-existent for fish eggs and larvae. A device was developed in which fish larvae can be exposed to underwater sound. It consists of a rigid-walled cylindrical chamber driven by an electro-dynamical sound projector. Samples of up to 100 larvae can be exposed simultaneously to a homogeneously distributed sound pressure and particle velocity field. Recorded pile-driving sounds could be reproduced accurately in the frequency range between 50 and 1000 Hz, at zero to peak pressure levels up to 210 dB re 1µPa2 (zero to peak pressures up to 32 kPa) and single pulse sound exposure levels up to 186 dB re 1µPa2s. The device was used to examine lethal effects of sound exposure in common sole (Solea solea) larvae. Different developmental stages were exposed to various levels and durations of pile-driving sound. The highest cumulative sound exposure level applied was 206 dB re 1µPa2s, which corresponds to 100 strikes at a distance of 100 m from a typical North Sea pile-driving site. The results showed no statistically significant differences in mortality between exposure and control groups at sound exposure levels which were well above the US interim criteria for non-auditory tissue damage in fish. Although our findings cannot be extrapolated to fish larvae in general, as interspecific differences in vulnerability to sound exposure may occur, they do indicate that previous assumptions and criteria may need to be revised

Chapter 19 Noise pollution and its impact on human health and the environment

This chapter deals with (1) the basic theory of sound propagation; (2) an overview of noise pollution problem in view of policy and standards by the World Health Organization, the United States, and the European Union; (3) noise exposure sources from aircraft, road traffic and railways, in-vehicle, work, and construction sites, and occupations, and households; (4) the noise pollution impact on human health and the biological environment; (5) modeling of regional noise-affected habitats in protected and unprotected land areas and the marine environment; (6) noise control measures and sustainability in view of sustainable building design, noise mapping, and control measures such as barriers and berms along roadsides, acoustic building materials, roadway vehicle noise source control, road surface, and pavement materials; and (7) environmental noise pollution management measures and their impact on human health

Fish Intelligence, Sentience and Ethics

Fish are one of the most highly utilised vertebrate taxa by humans; they are harvested from wild stocks as part of global fishing industries, grown under intensive aquaculture conditions, are the most common pet and are widely used for scientific research. But fish are seldom afforded the same level of compassion or welfare as warm-blooded vertebrates. Part of the problem is the large gap between people’s perception of fish intelligence and the scientific reality. This is an important issue because public perception guides government policy. The perception of an animal’s intelligence often drives our decision whether or not to include them in our moral circle. From a welfare perspective, most researchers would suggest that if an animal is sentient, then it can most likely suffer and should therefore be offered some form of formal protection. There has been a debate about fish welfare for decades which centres on the question of whether they are sentient or conscious. The implications for affording the same level of protection to fish as other vertebrates are great, not least because of fishing-related industries. Here, I review the current state of knowledge of fish cognition starting with their sensory perception and moving on to cognition. The review reveals that fish perception and cognitive abilities often match or exceed other vertebrates. A review of the evidence for pain perception strongly suggests that fish experience pain in a manner similar to the rest of the vertebrates. Although scientists cannot provide a definitive answer on the level of consciousness for any nonhuman vertebrate, the extensive evidence of fish behavioural and cognitive sophistication and pain perception suggests that best practice would be to lend fish the same level of protection as any other vertebrate

Life in a bubble:the role of the labyrinth organ in determining territory, mating and aggressive behaviours in Anabantoid fishes

The Anabantoids are a group of approximately 137 species of obligatory air-breathing freshwater fishes found in Africa and Southern Asia. All Anabantoids have a pair of suprabranchial chambers that each house an air-breathing organ known as the labyrinth apparatus: a complex bony structure lined with thin, highly vascularised respiratory epithelium. The labyrinth apparatus allows Anabantoids to extract oxygen from air, and is a morpho-physiological innovation that has had a dramatic influence on the behaviour of these fishes. Air-breathing influences a wide range of anabantoid behaviours, including territorial displays, courtship, and breeding and parental care, and also equips these fishes to persist in hypoxic and polluted water. These traits also make Anabantoids successful invaders of novel habitats, a global problem compounded by their popularity in the aquarium trade. By reviewing the functionality and evolution of air breathing in Anabantoids, this study aims to examine the role of the labyrinth apparatus in modulating behaviour within this group. The Anabantoids are a fascinating group and have often been cited as a model organism due to the stereotypical and easily identifiable behaviours that they adopt during social interactions. They also provide a unique opportunity to further our understanding about how fishes adapt their behaviour in response to an extreme environment, whilst limited by their own physiological constraints

Die Protestantische Ethik und der Geist des Kapitalismus. Werk-Wirkung-Kritik

The following paper deals with „the Protestant Ethics and the Spirit of Capitalism (PE) which is one of the most famous books of the sociologist and cultural historian Max Weber. The main theses will be analyzed, since the work is of unchanged relevance. To understand Weber‘s view, the PE will be related to its epistemological and methodical program. In addition, the focus will be on the question of the link between individual action and social structure. Therefore, the theory of Berger/Luckmann about the social construction of reality will be part of the paper to get a better understanding of those interdependent aspects. Finally, a critical view about the PE and its reception in contemporary cultural theories will be given

Rezension: Nation - Volk - Rasse

Rezension des Werkes ";;Nation - Volk - Rasse. Radikaler Nationalismus im Deutschen Kaiserreich 1890 - 1914, Göttingen 2007";

Uganda im Krieg

Untersuchung des Bürgerkrieges in Uganda zwischen 1981-1986 und der Einfluss alter gesellschaftlicher Bruchlinien auf den Verlauf und die Intensität des Konfliktes, sowie als Hemmfaktor für die Etablierung eines nationalen Bewusstseins

Rezension: Nation - Volk - Rasse

Rezension des Werkes ";;Nation - Volk - Rasse. Radikaler Nationalismus im Deutschen Kaiserreich 1890 - 1914, Göttingen 2007";

Alkoholkultur im Wandel der Zeit

Untersuchung des Alkoholkonsums im 19. Jahrhunderts im deutschsprachigen Raum. Aufgezeigt werden Veränderungen des Trinkverhaltens bzw. dessen Wahrnehmung und der Einfluss unterschiedlicher Mäßigkeits- und Abstinenzvereine auf eben diese