Pile Driving and the Acoustic Soundscape of the Persian Gulf: A Review of Anthropogenic Underwater Noise and Its Environmental Implications

Shafiei Sabet, Saeed; Amini Fard, Marziyeh; Samandar, Zahra; Alizadeh Lademakhi, Fatemeh

Pile Driving and the Acoustic Soundscape of the Persian Gulf: A Review of Anthropogenic Underwater Noise and Its Environmental Implications

Articles in Press

Authors

Saeed Shafiei Sabet ¹

Marziyeh Amini Fard ²

Zahra Samandar ²

Fatemeh Alizadeh Lademakhi ²

¹ Fisheries Department, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan

² Fisheries Department, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Guilan, Sowmeh Sara, Iran, P.O.Box 1144

Abstract

Human activities in marine areas-particularly pile-driving operations and other industrial processes associated with the construction and operation of refineries-generate intense underwater sound sources that can exert significant impacts on marine habitats and aquatic species. The Persian Gulf, as a geographically and economically critical region for Iran,

has not yet been subjected to a comprehensive soundscape assessment, and adequate information on the intensity and distribution of these acoustic sources in the country’s aquatic environments is lacking. This review article aims to introduce pile driving as a major anthropogenic sound source in the Persian Gulf and to examine its potential implications for the sustainability of marine ecosystems. The study underscores the importance of conducting systematic soundscape investigations in Iranian waters, especially in the Persian Gulf. Insufficient knowledge of anthropogenic acoustic profiles may hinder effective management and conservation of sensitive aquatic species. Ultimately, the paper emphasizes the urgent need for field-based surveys, frequency-domain acoustic analyses, and environmental impact assessments to inform the development of more effective conservation policies for this marine region.

Keywords

Persian Gulf

Pile driving

Habitat

Conservation policies

Aquatic animals

Subjects