IntroductionHuman activities are significantly altering the marine soundscape. Seismic exploration generates high-intensity sounds that propagate over large spatial and temporal scales and can adversely affect cetaceans, which rely on sound for communication, foraging, navigation, and survival.MethodsThis study investigates the acoustic responses of pantropical spotted dolphins (Stenella attenuata) and spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) to seismic airgun noise in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean between 2017 and 2026. The effects of seismic prospection activity noise on the acoustic parameters of both species were assessed using permutation tests, Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA), and a Random Forest Algorithm (RFA).ResultsClassification accuracy within the RFA increased during active seismic conditions due to a reduction in acoustic parameter variance, a trend mirrored by clearer PCoA cluster segregation for echolocation clicks. Whistles and click trains analysed under active and inactive airgun conditions revealed species-specific response patterns. S. attenuata reduced whistle frequency parameters and duration, narrowing its overall bandwidth, whereas S. longirostris increased whistle duration. Conversely, for click trains, both species exhibited a significant reduction in inter-click intervals alongside a narrower distributional range of click peak frequency values.DiscussionThese findings indicate that exposure to seismic noise elicits complex, multi-parametric adjustments that alter signal features. Beyond documenting these patterns, this study demonstrates that machine learning frameworks are effective tools for diagnosing shifts in cetacean acoustic profiles under anthropogenic disturbance. Recognising that distinct parameters within whistles and clicks respond differently under acoustic pressure is necessary for ensuring the accuracy of acoustic monitoring used during mitigation frameworks. Incorporating these variations into regulatory guidelines prevents automated detection errors, improving the management and protection of marine species within industrialised soundscapes.