Low-Frequency Sound and Marine Mammals -- Copyright -- Preface -- Acknowledgments -- Contents -- Executive Summary -- LIMITATIONS OF CURRENT KNOWLEDGE -- CHANGES PROPOSED IN REGULATORY STRUCTURE -- RECOMMENDED RESEARCH -- 1 A Review of Current Knowledge -- CHANGES IN OCEAN SOUNDS AND POTENTIAL EFFECTS ON MARINE MAMMALS -- EVALUATING NOISE INTERFERENCE -- Transmission Loss of Sound in the Ocean -- Ambient Noise Level of the Sea -- Acoustic Characteristics of Marine Mammal Hearing Organs -- THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL RESEARCH -- ORIGINS AND DRAWBACKS OF THE "120-DB CRITERION" -- REFERENCES -- 2 Regulatory Barriers and Possible Alternatives -- THE MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT AND ITS INTERPRETATION -- HARASSMENT OF MARINE MAMMALS -- PERMITTING IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH ACTIVITY -- Scientific Research Permits -- Small Incidental Take (SIT) Authorizations -- MAGNITUDE OF POTENTIAL NOISE POLLUTION FROM OCEANIC ACOUSTIC STUDIES -- PROPOSED CHANGES IN THE REGULATORY STRUCTURE -- Using a New Mechanism to Regulate Scientific "Takes" -- Utilization of the IACUC System -- Streamlining Existing Regulations -- SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDED CHANGES -- REFERENCES -- 3 Topics for Future Research -- BEHAVIOR OF MARINE MAMMALS IN THE WILD -- Natural, Ecologically Important Signals -- Habituation to Repeated Human-made Sounds -- Differential Responses of Migrating Whales to Various Human-made Sounds -- Responses of Deep-diving Marine Mammals to Low-frequency Sounds -- STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF THE AUDITORY SYSTEM -- Basic Studies of Audiometry -- Measurements on Ensnared or Beached Marine Mammals -- Replication of Data -- Temporary Threshold Shift -- Basic Studies of the Anatomy and Physiology of the Auditory System -- EFFECTS OF LOW-FREQUENCY SOUNDS ON THE FOOD CHAIN -- DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF MEASUREMENT TECHNIQUES -- Tag Development.

Integrated Undersea Surveillance System (IUSS) -- SWAT Team for Studying Hearing by Ensnared or Beached Animals -- Warning Signals -- REFERENCES -- Appendix A Comparison of Sound-Pressure Reference Levels in Air and Water -- References -- Appendix B An Introduction to Marine Mammals -- CETACEA: WHALES, DOLPHINS, PORPOISES -- THE CARNIVORA: PINNIPEDS, SEA OTTERS, POLAR BEARS -- Pinnipedia -- Sea Otters -- Polar Bears -- THE SIRENIA: MANATEES AND DUGONGS (SEA COWS) -- REFERENCES -- Appendix C Comparison of Yearly Sound Energy from Oceanographic Research and Supertankers.