Michelle Fournet

Michelle Fournet

Assistant Professor
Assistant Professor, Marine Bioacoustics
Phone: (603) 862-4834
Office: Dept of Biological Sciences, Spaulding Hall Rm 250, Durham, NH 03824
Websites:
Pronouns: She/her/hers

Dr. Michelle Fournet is an acoustic ecologist who uses sound to investigate the interactions between marine organisms and human activities. This includes:<br><br> - Investigating how marine organisms use sound to facilitate vital life functions (animal communication);<br> - Investigating the potential impact of anthropogenic noise and climate change on marine species and environments (anthropogenic impacts), and<br> - investigating how sound can be used as an indicator of ecosystem health (acoustic indicators). <br><br>The overarching goal of the Marine Bioacoustics and Behavior Lab (Sea BABEL) is to use bioacoustics as a tool to further conservation and to assess species’ resilience to changing oceans. Much of Dr. Fournet’s work focuses on Arctic and sub-Arctic marine mammals including cetaceans and pinnipeds; she also studies the acoustics of sub-tropical fishes.<br> <br>Students that are interested in joining Sea BABEL are encouraged to look through Dr. Fournet’s lab website before reaching out to her directly by email.

Courses Taught

  • BIOL 795W: Independent Investigations
  • BIOL 999: Doctoral Dissertation Research
  • BIOL/MEFB 828/795: Marine Bioacoustics
  • MEFB 503: Introduction to Marine Biology
  • MEFB 675: Marine Mammalogy
  • MEFB 799H: MEFB Honors Senior Thesis

Education

  • Ph.D., Wildlife Biology, Oregon State University

Research Interests

  • Acoustics
  • Animal behavior
  • Animal Communication
  • Climate Change - Impacts
  • Human Dimensions of Climate Change
  • Marine and Ocean Sciences
  • Marine Biology
  • Marine Resources Conservation
  • Ocean Acoustics

Selected Publications

  • Laute, A., Glarou, M., Dodds, F., Gomez Røsand, S. C., Grove, T. J., Stoller, A., . . . Fournet, M. E. H. (2023). Underwater sound of three unoccupied aerial vehicles at varying
    altitudes and horizontal distances. The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America, 153(6), 3419. doi:10.1121/10.0019805

  • Fournet, M. E. H., Stabenau, E., Madhusudhana, S., & Rice, A. N. (2022). Altered acoustic community structure indicates delayed recovery following ecosystem perturbations. ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE, 274. doi:10.1016/j.ecss.2022.107948

  • Fournet, M. E. H., Silvestri, M., Clark, C. W., Klinck, H., & Rice, A. N. (2021). Limited vocal compensation for elevated ambient noise in bearded seals: implications for an industrializing Arctic Ocean. PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, 288(1945). doi:10.1098/rspb.2020.2712

  • Fournet, M. E. H., Stabenau, E., & Rice, A. N. (2019). Relationship between salinity and sonic fish advertisement behavior in a managed sub-tropical estuary: Making the case for an acoustic indicator species. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS, 106. doi:10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.105531

  • Haver, S. M., Fournet, M. E. H., Dziak, R. P., Gabriele, C., Gedamke, J., Hatch, L. T., . . . Van Parijs, S. M. (2019). Comparing the Underwater Soundscapes of Four US National Parks and Marine Sanctuaries. FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE, 6. doi:10.3389/fmars.2019.00500

  • Fournet, M. E. H., Matthews, L. P., Gabriele, C. M., Haver, S., Mellinger, D. K., & Klinck, H. (2018). Humpback whales Megaptera novaeangliae alter calling behavior in response to natural sounds and vessel noise. MARINE ECOLOGY PROGRESS SERIES, 607, 251-268. doi:10.3354/meps12784

  • Fournet, M. E. H., Gabriele, C. M., Culp, D. C., Sharpe, F., Mellinger, D. K., & Klinck, H. (2018). Some things never change: multi-decadal stability in humpback whale calling repertoire on Southeast Alaskan foraging grounds. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, 8. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-31527-x

  • Fournet, M. E. H., Matthews, L. P., Gabriele, C. M., Mellinger, D. K., & Klinck, H. (2018). Source levels of foraging humpback whale calls. JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, 143(2), EL105-EL111. doi:10.1121/1.5023599

  • Fournet, M. E., Szabo, A., & Mellinger, D. K. (2015). Repertoire and classification of non-song calls in Southeast Alaskan humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, 137(1), 1-10. doi:10.1121/1.4904504

View All