It's well-known that human activity is changing the surface and temperature of the planet. But new research shows it is also changing the sound of the Earth's oceans and seas. Scientists say the changes in the sounds of our oceans, seas， and other waterways make a difference to many marine(海洋的)animals-from very small shrimp(虾) to huge whales.
Sound travels very far underwater. Sounds help fish and other marine animals survive(生存). They use sounds to communicate with each other. Sounds also help some marine animals find food and avoid their hunters is making it harder for these animals to hear each other. The noise is coming from shipping traffic, motorized (有引擎的) fishing ships, underwater oil and gas exploration (石油和天外气勘探)and other noisy human activities.
Experts at NOAA (美国国家海洋和天气管理局)say that effects of noise on marine animals are not well understood However, some studies show that noise may cause hearing problems in marine animals. The stress from human noise might also affect the animals' immune system(免疫系统).
"Imagine having to raise your kids in a place that's noisy all the time, said Joe Roman, a marine scientist. It comes as no surprise that many marine animals are showing higher levels of stress because of noise. "
Scientists say when people think of the threats(威胁) that are facing the ocean, we often think of climate(气候)change plastics and overfishing. But noise pollution is another important thing we need to consider.
Noise pollution may be easier to deal with than other ocean threats. People can turn down or turn off sound with little effort. It's not like plastics or climate change, which are much harder to undo(消除).
