Underwater Sound as a Tool for Management of Invasive Carp
Invasive carp, including Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (Bighead Carp), Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Silver Carp), Ctenopharyngodon idella (Grass Carp), and Mylopharyngodon piceus (Black Carp), continue to threaten aquatic ecosystems throughout the Mississippi River Basin and beyond. Invasive carp are sensitive to underwater sound and exhibit behavioral responses (e.g., avoidance or attraction) that can be leveraged for management, containment, removal, and early detection. Employing acoustic stimuli to manipulate carp movement offers a non-chemical and non-structural approach for invasive species control.
In collaboration with partners from federal and state natural resource agencies, this project brings together laboratory experiments, mesocosm studies, and field evaluations to:
- Identify effective deterrent and attractant sounds
- Characterize behavioral responses to underwater sounds
- Evaluate habituation and long-term responses to repeated exposures
- Translate findings to real-world applications including deterrent arrays and herding strategies
Invasive carp populations expand rapidly, outcompeting native fish and disrupting ecological function. Incorporating behavioral manipulation via sound could:
- Strengthen deterrence of invasive carp at barriers and movement bottlenecks (e.g., locks and dams)
- Aggregate invasive carp improve efficiency of targeted harvest
- Support early detection in invasion fronts
- Enable integrated strategies alongside other pest management tools
Illustration of a river showing how underwater sound may be used to influence movement of invasive carp. An underwater speaker near a dam represents deterrence by directing fish away from a structure. Additional submerged speakers illustrate herding fish toward a harvest area and attracting fish to a specific location. Arrows and sound waves indicate directional movement responses. The figure also shows integration with management tools including barriers, harvest gear, and monitoring equipment.
Return to Fisheries and Invasive Species
Return to Invasive Species Ecology
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Use and Evaluation of Stimuli for Herding Bigheaded Carps to Increase their Capture Efficiency
Development and Evaluation of Novel Capture Gears for Bigheaded Carps
Chemical Attractant Investigations to Increase Aggregation and Harvest for the Control of Invasive Carp
Assessment of newly developed acoustic stimuli for manipulating movement of bigheaded carps
Evaluation of a broadband sound as a deterrent for bigheaded carps at the Emiquon Preserve (Lewistown, Illinois)
Bioacoustic manipulation of invasive Bigheaded carp
Invasive carp, including Hypophthalmichthys nobilis (Bighead Carp), Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (Silver Carp), Ctenopharyngodon idella (Grass Carp), and Mylopharyngodon piceus (Black Carp), continue to threaten aquatic ecosystems throughout the Mississippi River Basin and beyond. Invasive carp are sensitive to underwater sound and exhibit behavioral responses (e.g., avoidance or attraction) that can be leveraged for management, containment, removal, and early detection. Employing acoustic stimuli to manipulate carp movement offers a non-chemical and non-structural approach for invasive species control.
In collaboration with partners from federal and state natural resource agencies, this project brings together laboratory experiments, mesocosm studies, and field evaluations to:
- Identify effective deterrent and attractant sounds
- Characterize behavioral responses to underwater sounds
- Evaluate habituation and long-term responses to repeated exposures
- Translate findings to real-world applications including deterrent arrays and herding strategies
Invasive carp populations expand rapidly, outcompeting native fish and disrupting ecological function. Incorporating behavioral manipulation via sound could:
- Strengthen deterrence of invasive carp at barriers and movement bottlenecks (e.g., locks and dams)
- Aggregate invasive carp improve efficiency of targeted harvest
- Support early detection in invasion fronts
- Enable integrated strategies alongside other pest management tools
Illustration of a river showing how underwater sound may be used to influence movement of invasive carp. An underwater speaker near a dam represents deterrence by directing fish away from a structure. Additional submerged speakers illustrate herding fish toward a harvest area and attracting fish to a specific location. Arrows and sound waves indicate directional movement responses. The figure also shows integration with management tools including barriers, harvest gear, and monitoring equipment.
Return to Fisheries and Invasive Species
Return to Invasive Species Ecology
Below are other science projects associated with this project.
Use and Evaluation of Stimuli for Herding Bigheaded Carps to Increase their Capture Efficiency
Development and Evaluation of Novel Capture Gears for Bigheaded Carps
Chemical Attractant Investigations to Increase Aggregation and Harvest for the Control of Invasive Carp
Assessment of newly developed acoustic stimuli for manipulating movement of bigheaded carps
Evaluation of a broadband sound as a deterrent for bigheaded carps at the Emiquon Preserve (Lewistown, Illinois)