Noise pollution could cause stress to and disrupt the fauna of Antarctica, according to a study by Udelar and UPF

Noise pollution generated by human activity in certain areas of Antarctica could be having a negative effect on the well-being of the area’s fauna, according to a study by the University of the Republic of Uruguay (Udelar) and Pompeu Fabra University (UPF). The study notes that the noise generated by humans could be a significant stressor for the fauna of Antarctica and warns that the negative consequences have been underestimated so far, compared to those caused by other human activities in this part of the planet.

Increasing human activity in the Antarctic, including scientific and logistical operations, has raised concerns about the incidence of human-generated noise on Antarctic ecosystems. The study by Udelar and UPF, published in a recent article in the journal Ecological Informatics (Science Direct), analyses the impact of noise caused by an energy generator on Antarctic Specially Protected Area (ASPA) no. 150 on Ardley Island. 

The study focuses specifically on examining whether the noise caused by the power generator, located 2 km from Ardley Island, can be heard from the protected area, inhabited by multiple animal species. The island is an important breeding ground for seabirds (penguins, petrels, terns and skuas). It is also visited by marine mammals (different species of seal, Antarctic sea lions, elephant seals...), which go there to feed or moult.

The results of the research have corroborated that the sound made by the generator is clearly perceptible from the ASPA, but subsequent research will have to corroborate the specific effects that this could be having on the behaviour of the different animal species living there.

One of the study researchers is Martín Rocamora, a member of the Music Technology research group (MTG) of the UPF Department of Engineering, as well as being linked to the Institute of Electrical Engineering of the Udelar Faculty of Engineering. The other co-authors of the article are from the Uruguayan university and include Lucía Ziegler as principal investigator (Laboratory of Functional Ecoacoustics of the Department of Ecology and Environmental Management of the Eastern Region University Centre, Udelar, Maldonado); and Maximiliano Anzibar Fialho (Institute of Physics of the Faculty of Sciences, Udelar).

Noise caused by humans can affect animals’ communication and social interaction, which is dependent on acoustic signals

The researchers explain that acoustic signals are fundamental for the communication and social interaction of various species and that previous research had already found that noise made by humans is a major environmental stressor for animals. However, until now most studies on the subject had focused on marine ecosystems, while the present one focuses on the effects of noise pollution on terrestrial species.

To this end, the researchers recorded the sounds of certain areas of Ardley Island during the summers of 2022 and 2023. The island is located very close to the Fildes peninsula, one of the most populated areas of Antarctica due to the fact that several bases of different countries are located there.

For this specific study, two of the recording devices of the extensive network of sensors available to the research team were used. One is on the Fildes peninsula, 300 m from the generator that caused the noise; and the other, on Ardley Island itself, 2 km southeast of the aforementioned sound source. Each device was programmed to record five minutes of audio per hour.

It was thus possible to determine the specific acoustic characteristics of the power generator and the differences with respect to other noise sources such as land vehicles, ships and aircraft. The relationship of the recorded sound with the wind speed and direction at any moment was also analysed.

The research has led to the conclusion that the soundscape of Ardley Island is altered by the presence of the power generator, a source of nearby noise, which may affect the fauna of this protected area. In this regard, Martín Rocamora (UPF) explains: “Animals typically respond to noise exposure by altering their usual behaviour, including changes in the type and frequency of vocalization and efficiency in foraging and responding to predators. They may also develop hearing loss or increased levels of the stress hormone”. Regarding the incidence of the wind, the study establishes that it is the main barrier to sound reaching the island.

Improve the management plans for Antarctica’s protected areas to reduce noise pollution

The researchers warn of the need to increase awareness of the impact of noise pollution on Antarctic ecosystems and to introduce improvements to this end in the management plans of the ASPAs. Therefore, they consider there is a need to introduce acoustic monitoring strategies in environmental monitoring programmes and to implement measures to mitigate the impact of human noise in the region.

Reference article:

Maximiliano Anzibar Fialho, Martín Rocamora, Lucía Ziegler. Detection of anthropogenic noise pollution as a possible chronic stressor in Antarctic Specially Protected Area N°150, Ardley Island. Ecological Informatics, Volume 87, 2025. 103117, ISSN 1574-9541. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2025.103117