1
|
Quiles P, Barrientos R. Interspecific interactions disrupted by roads. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1121-1139. [PMID: 38303408 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Roads have pervasive impacts on wildlife, including habitat loss and fragmentation, road mortality, habitat pollution and increased human use of habitats surrounding them. However, the effects of roads on interspecific interactions are less understood. Here we provide a synthesis of the existing literature on how species interactions may be disrupted by roads, identify knowledge gaps, and suggest avenues for future research and conservation management. We conducted a systematic search using the Web of Science database for each species interaction (predation, competition, mutualism, parasitism, commensalism and amensalism). These searches yielded 2144 articles, of which 195 were relevant to our topic. Most of these studies focused on predation (50%) or competition (24%), and less frequently on mutualism (17%) or, parasitism (9%). We found no studies on commensalism or amensalism. Studies were biased towards mammals from high-income countries, with most conducted in the USA (34%) or Canada (18%). Our literature review identified several patterns. First, roads disrupt predator-prey relationships, usually with negative impacts on prey populations. Second, new disturbed habitats created in road corridors often benefit more competitive species, such as invasive species, although some native or endangered species can also thrive there. Third, roads degrade mutualistic interactions like seed dispersal and pollination. Fourth, roads can increase parasitism rates, although the intensity of the alteration is species specific. To reduce the negative impacts of roads on interspecific interactions, we suggest the following management actions: (i) verges should be as wide and heterogenous as possible, as this increases microhabitat diversity, thus enhancing ecosystem services like pollination and seed dispersal; (ii) combining different mowing regimes can increase the complexity of the habitat corridor, enabling it to act as a habitat for more species; (iii) the use of de-icing salts should be gradually reduced and replaced with less harmful products or maintenance practices; (iv) wildlife passes should be implemented in groups to reduce animal concentrations inside them; (v) periodic removal of carcasses from the road to reduce the use of this resource by wildlife; and (vi) implementation of traffic-calming schemes could enhance interspecific interactions like pollination and avoid disruption of predator-prey relationships.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Quiles
- Road Ecology Lab, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, C/ José Antonio Novais 12, E-28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rafael Barrientos
- Road Ecology Lab, Department of Biodiversity, Ecology and Evolution, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, C/ José Antonio Novais 12, E-28040, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Goodale E, Magrath RD. Species diversity and interspecific information flow. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:999-1014. [PMID: 38279871 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024]
Abstract
Interspecific information flow is known to affect individual fitness, population dynamics and community assembly, but there has been less study of how species diversity affects information flow and thereby ecosystem functioning and services. We address this question by first examining differences among species in the sensitivity, accuracy, transmissibility, detectability and value of the cues and signals they produce, and in how they receive, store and use information derived from heterospecifics. We then review how interspecific information flow occurs in communities, involving a diversity of species and sensory modes, and how this flow can affect ecosystem-level functions, such as decomposition, seed dispersal or algae removal on coral reefs. We highlight evidence that some keystone species are particularly critical as a source of information used by eavesdroppers, and so have a disproportionate effect on information flow. Such keystone species include community informants producing signals, particularly about predation risk, that influence other species' landscapes of fear, and aggregation initiators creating cues or signals about resources. We suggest that the presence of keystone species means that there will likely be a positive relationship in many communities between species diversity and information through a 'sampling effect', in which larger pools of species are more likely to include the keystone species by chance. We then consider whether the number and relative abundance of species, irrespective of the presence of keystone species, matter to interspecific information flow; on this issue, the theory is less developed, and the evidence scant and indirect. Higher diversity could increase the quantity or quality of information that is used by eavesdroppers because redundancy increases the reliability of information or because the species provide complementary information. Alternatively, there could be a lack of a relationship between species diversity and information if there is widespread information parasitism where users are not sources, or if information sourced from heterospecifics is of lower value than that gained personally or sourced from conspecifics. Recent research suggests that species diversity does have information-modulated community and ecosystem consequences, especially in birds, such as the diversity of species at feeders increasing resource exploitation, or the number of imitated species increasing responses to vocal mimics. A first step for future research includes comprehensive observations of information flow among different taxa and habitats. Then studies should investigate whether species diversity influences the cumulative quality or quantity of information at the community level, and consequently ecosystem-level processes. An applied objective is to conserve species in part for their value as sources of information for other species, including for humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eben Goodale
- Department of Health and Environmental Science, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, 215123, China
| | - Robert D Magrath
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2600, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhou Y, Radford AN, Magrath RD. Noise constrains heterospecific eavesdropping more than conspecific reception of alarm calls. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20230410. [PMID: 38228188 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Many vertebrates eavesdrop on alarm calls of other species, as well as responding to their own species' calls, but eavesdropping on heterospecific alarm calls might be harder than conspecific reception when environmental conditions make perception or recognition of calls difficult. This could occur because individuals lack hearing specializations for heterospecific calls, have less familiarity with them, or require more details of call structure to identify calls they have learned to recognize. We used a field playback experiment to provide a direct test of whether noise, as an environmental perceptual challenge, reduces response to heterospecific compared to conspecific alarm calls. We broadcast superb fairy-wren (Malurus cyaneus) and white-browed scrubwren (Sericornis frontalis) flee alarm calls to each species with or without simultaneous broadcast of ambient noise. Using two species allows isolation of the challenge of heterospecific eavesdropping independently of any effect of call structure on acoustic masking. As predicted, birds were less likely to flee to heterospecific than conspecific alarm calls during noise. We conclude that eavesdropping was harder in noise, which means that noise could disrupt information on danger in natural eavesdropping webs and so compromise survival. This is particularly significant in a world with increasing anthropogenic noise.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- You Zhou
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Andrew N Radford
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Robert D Magrath
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Blackburn G, Ashton BJ, Thornton A, Woodiss-Field S, Ridley AR. Cognition mediates response to anthropogenic noise in wild Western Australian magpies (Gmynorhina tibicen dorsalis). GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:6912-6930. [PMID: 37846601 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is a pollutant of growing concern, with wide-ranging effects on taxa across ecosystems. Until recently, studies investigating the effects of anthropogenic noise on animals focused primarily on population-level consequences, rather than individual-level impacts. Individual variation in response to anthropogenic noise may result from extrinsic or intrinsic factors. One such intrinsic factor, cognitive performance, varies between individuals and is hypothesised to aid behavioural response to novel stressors. Here, we combine cognitive testing, behavioural focals and playback experiments to investigate how anthropogenic noise affects the behaviour and anti-predator response of Western Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen dorsalis), and to determine whether this response is linked to cognitive performance. We found a significant population-level effect of anthropogenic noise on the foraging effort, foraging efficiency, vigilance, vocalisation rate and anti-predator response of magpies, with birds decreasing their foraging, vocalisation behaviours and anti-predator response, and increasing vigilance when loud anthropogenic noise was present. We also found that individuals varied in their response to playbacks depending on their cognitive performance, with individuals that performed better in an associative learning task maintaining their anti-predator response when an alarm call was played in anthropogenic noise. Our results add to the growing body of literature documenting the adverse effects of anthropogenic noise on wildlife and provide the first evidence for an association between individual cognitive performance and behavioural responses to anthropogenic noise.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Grace Blackburn
- Centre of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Benjamin J Ashton
- Centre of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Sarah Woodiss-Field
- Centre of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Amanda R Ridley
- Centre of Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Turner CR, Spike M, Magrath RD. The evolution of eavesdropping on heterospecific alarm calls: Relevance, reliability, and personal information. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10272. [PMID: 37449019 PMCID: PMC10337016 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Interceptive eavesdropping on the alarm calls of heterospecifics provides crucial information about predators. Previous research suggests predator discrimination, call relevance, reliability, and reception explain when eavesdropping will evolve. However, there has been no quantitative analysis to scrutinize these principles, or how they interact. We develop a mathematical framework that formalizes the study of the key principles thought to select for eavesdropping. Interceptive eavesdropping appears to be greatly affected by the threat faced by caller and eavesdropper, as well as presence of informational noise affecting the detection of calls and predators. Accordingly, our model uses signal detection theory to examine when selection will favor alarm calling by a sender species and fleeing by an eavesdropping receiver species. We find eavesdropping is most strongly selected when (1) the receiver faces substantial threats, (2) species are ecologically similar, (3) senders often correctly discriminate threats, (4) receivers often correctly perceive calls, and (5) the receiver's personal discrimination of threats is poor. Furthermore, we find (6) that very high predation levels can select against eavesdropping because prey cannot continuously flee and must conserve energy. Reliability of heterospecific calls for identifying threats is thought to be important in selecting for eavesdropping. Consequently, we formally define reliability, showing its connection to specificity and sensitivity, clarifying how these quantities can be measured. We find that high call relevance, due to similar vulnerability to predators between species, strongly favors eavesdropping. This is because senders trade-off false alarms and missed predator detections in a way that is also favorable for the eavesdropper, by producing less of the costlier error. Unexpectedly, highly relevant calls increase the total number of combined errors and so have lower reliability. Expectedly, when noise greatly affects personally gathered cues to threats, but not heterospecific calls or detection of predators, eavesdropping is favored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cameron Rouse Turner
- Computational Cognitive Science Lab, Department of Computer SciencePrinceton UniversityPrincetonNew JerseyUSA
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of BiologyAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| | - Matt Spike
- Centre for Language Evolution, School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language SciencesThe University of EdinburghEdinburghUK
| | - Robert D. Magrath
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of BiologyAustralian National UniversityCanberraAustralian Capital TerritoryAustralia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Anthropogenic noise impairs cooperation in bottlenose dolphins. Curr Biol 2023; 33:749-754.e4. [PMID: 36638798 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.12.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the impact of human disturbance on wildlife populations is of societal importance,1 with anthropogenic noise known to impact a range of taxa, including mammals,2 birds,3 fish,4 and invertebrates.5 While animals are known to use acoustic and other behavioral mechanisms to compensate for increasing noise at the individual level, our understanding of how noise impacts social animals working together remains limited. Here, we investigated the effect of noise on coordination between two bottlenose dolphins performing a cooperative task. We previously demonstrated that the dolphin dyad can use whistles to coordinate their behavior, working together with extreme precision.6 By equipping each dolphin with a sound-and-movement recording tag (DTAG-37) and exposing them to increasing levels of anthropogenic noise, we show that both dolphins nearly doubled their whistle durations and increased whistle amplitude in response to increasing noise. While these acoustic compensatory mechanisms are the same as those frequently used by wild cetaceans,8,9,10,11,12,13 they were insufficient to overcome the effect of noise on behavioral coordination. Indeed, cooperative task success decreased in the presence of noise, dropping from 85% during ambient noise control trials to 62.5% during the highest noise exposure. This is the first study to demonstrate in any non-human species that noise impairs communication between conspecifics performing a cooperative task. Cooperation facilitates vital functions across many taxa and our findings highlight the need to account for the impact of disturbance on functionally important group tasks in wild animal populations.
Collapse
|
7
|
Ratnayake CP, Zhou Y, Dawson Pell FSE, Potvin DA, Radford AN, Magrath RD. Visual obstruction, but not moderate traffic noise, increases reliance on heterospecific alarm calls. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Animals rely on both personal and social information about danger to minimize risk, yet environmental conditions constrain information. Both visual obstructions and background noise can reduce detectability of predators, which may increase reliance on social information, such as from alarm calls. Furthermore, a combination of visual and auditory constraints might greatly increase reliance on social information, because the loss of information from one source cannot be compensated by the other. Testing these possibilities requires manipulating personal information while broadcasting alarm calls. We therefore experimentally tested the effects of a visual barrier, traffic noise, and their combination on the response of Australian magpies, Cracticus tibicen, to heterospecific alarm calls. The barrier blocked only visual cues, while playback of moderate traffic noise could mask subtle acoustic cues of danger, such as of a predator’s movement, but not the alarm-call playback. We predicted that response to alarm calls would increase with either visual or acoustic constraint, and that there would be a disproportionate response when both were present. As predicted, individuals responded more strongly to alarm calls when there was a visual barrier. However, moderate traffic noise did not affect responses, and the effect of the visual barrier was not greater during traffic-noise playback. We conclude that a reduction of personal, visual information led to a greater reliance on social information from alarm calls, confirming indirect evidence from other species. The absence of a traffic-noise effect could be because in Australian magpies hearing subtle cues is less important than vision in detecting predators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chaminda P Ratnayake
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, 46 Sullivan’s Creek Road, Australian National University, Canberra 2600, Australia
| | - You Zhou
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, 46 Sullivan’s Creek Road, Australian National University, Canberra 2600, Australia
| | - Francesca S E Dawson Pell
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, 46 Sullivan’s Creek Road, Australian National University, Canberra 2600, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Dominique A Potvin
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, 46 Sullivan’s Creek Road, Australian National University, Canberra 2600, Australia
| | - Andrew N Radford
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Robert D Magrath
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, 46 Sullivan’s Creek Road, Australian National University, Canberra 2600, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Waterman JM, Mai M. Eavesdropping of an African ground squirrel on the heterospecific alarm calls of a noisy ground‐nesting bird. Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jane M. Waterman
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
- Department of Zoology and Entomology Mammal Research Institute University of Pretoria Hatfield South Africa
| | - Monica Mai
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Manitoba Winnipeg MB Canada
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Arbon JJ, Kern JM, Morris-Drake A, Radford AN. Context-dependent contributions to sentinel behaviour: audience, satiation and danger effects. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
|
10
|
Eastcott E, Kern JM, Morris-Drake A, Radford AN. Intrapopulation variation in the behavioral responses of dwarf mongooses to anthropogenic noise. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is an increasingly widespread pollutant, with a rapidly burgeoning literature demonstrating impacts on humans and other animals. However, most studies have simply considered if there is an effect of noise, examining the overall cohort response. Although substantial evidence exists for intraspecific variation in responses to other anthropogenic disturbances, this possibility has received relatively little experimental attention with respect to noise. Here, we used field-based playbacks with dwarf mongooses (Helogale parvula) to test how traffic noise affects vigilance behavior and to examine potential variation between individuals of different age class, sex, and dominance status. Foragers exhibited a stronger immediate reaction and increased their subsequent vigilance (both that on the ground and as a sentinel) in response to traffic-noise playback compared with ambient-sound playback. Traffic-noise playback also resulted in sentinels conducting longer bouts and being more likely to change post height or location than in ambient-sound playback. Moreover, there was evidence of variation in noise responses with respect to age class and dominance status but not sex. In traffic noise, foraging pups were more likely to flee and were slower to resume foraging than adults; they also tended to increase their vigilance more than adults. Dominants were more likely than subordinates to move post during sentinel bouts conducted in traffic-noise trials. Our findings suggest that the vigilance–foraging trade-off is affected by traffic noise but that individuals differ in how they respond. Future work should, therefore, consider intrapopulation response variation to understand fully the population-wide effects of this global pollutant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emma Eastcott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Julie M Kern
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Amy Morris-Drake
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Andrew N Radford
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Dominoni D, Smit JAH, Visser ME, Halfwerk W. Multisensory pollution: Artificial light at night and anthropogenic noise have interactive effects on activity patterns of great tits (Parus major). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 256:113314. [PMID: 31761596 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Urbanisation is increasing globally at a rapid pace. Consequently, wild species face novel environmental stressors associated with urban sprawl, such as artificial light at night and noise. These stressors have pervasive effects on the behaviour and physiology of many species. Most studies have singled out the impact of just one of these stressors, while in the real world they are likely to co-occur both temporally and spatially, and we thus lack a clear understanding of the combined effect of anthropogenic stressors on wild species. Here, we experimentally exposed captive male great tits (Parus major) to artificial light at night and 24 h noise in a fully factorial experiment. We then measured the effect of both these stressors on their own and their combination on the amount and timing of activity patterns. We found that both light and noise affected activity patterns when presented alone, but in opposite ways: light increased activity, particularly at night, while noise reduced it, particularly during the day. When the two stressors were combined, we found a synergistic effect on the total activity and the nighttime activity, but an antagonistic effect on daytime activity. The significant interaction between noise and light treatment also differed among forest and city birds. Indeed, we detected a significant interactive effect on light and noise on daytime, nighttime, dusktime and offset of activity of urban birds, but not of forest birds. These results suggest that both artificial light at night and anthropogenic noise can drive changes in activity patterns, but that the specific impacts depend on the habitat of origin. Furthermore, our results demonstrate that co-occurring exposure to noise and light can lead to a stronger impact at night than predicted from the additive effects and thus that multisensory pollution may be a considerable threat for wildlife.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Dominoni
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands; Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Judith A H Smit
- Department of Ecological Science, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Science, VU University, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Shannon G, McKenna MF, Wilson-Henjum GE, Angeloni LM, Crooks KR, Wittemyer G. Vocal characteristics of prairie dog alarm calls across an urban noise gradient. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Increasing anthropogenic noise is having a global impact on wildlife, particularly due to the masking of crucial acoustical communication. However, there have been few studies examining the impacts of noise exposure on communication in free-ranging terrestrial mammals. We studied alarm calls of black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) across an urban gradient to explore vocal adjustment relative to different levels of noise exposure. There was no change in the frequency 5%, peak frequency, or duration of the alarm calls across the noise gradient. However, the minimum frequency—a commonly used, yet potentially compromised metric—did indeed show a positive relationship with noise exposure. We suspect this is a result of masking of observable call properties by noise, rather than behavioral adjustment. In addition, the proximity of conspecifics and the distance to the perceived threat (observer) did affect the frequency 5% of alarm calls. These results reveal that prairie dogs do not appear to be adjusting their alarm calls in noisy environments but likely do in relation to their social context and the proximity of a predatory threat. Anthropogenic noise can elicit a range of behavioral and physiological responses across taxa, but elucidating the specific mechanisms driving these responses can be challenging, particularly as these are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Our research sheds light on how prairie dogs appear to respond to noise as a source of increased risk, rather than as a distraction or through acoustical masking as shown in other commonly studied species (e.g., fish, songbirds, marine mammals).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Graeme Shannon
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Megan F McKenna
- Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division, National Park Service, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Grete E Wilson-Henjum
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Lisa M Angeloni
- Department of Biology, Biology Building, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Kevin R Crooks
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Natural sounds alter California ground squirrel, Otospermophilus beecheyi, foraging, vigilance and movement behaviours. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
|
14
|
Morris-Drake A, Christensen C, Kern JM, Radford AN. Experimental field evidence that out-group threats influence within-group behavior. Behav Ecol 2019; 30:1425-1435. [PMID: 31579132 PMCID: PMC6765380 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In social species, conspecific outsiders present various threats to groups and their members. These out-group threats are predicted to affect subsequent within-group interactions (e.g., affiliation and aggression) and individual behavior (e.g., foraging and vigilance decisions). However, experimental investigations of such consequences are rare, especially in natural conditions. We used field-based call playbacks and fecal presentations on habituated wild dwarf mongooses (Helogale parvula)-a cooperatively breeding, territorial species-to examine postinteraction responses to the simulated threat of a rival group. Dwarf mongooses invested more in grooming of groupmates, foraged closer together, and more regularly acted as sentinels (a raised guard) after encountering indicators of rival-group presence compared to control conditions. These behavioral changes likely arise from greater anxiety and, in the case of increased vigilance, the need to seek additional information about the threat. The influence of an out-group threat lasted at least 1 h but individuals of different dominance status and sex responded similarly, potentially because all group members suffer costs if a contest with rivals is lost. Our results provide field-based experimental evidence from wild animals that out-group threats can influence within-group behavior and decision making, and suggest the need for greater consideration of the lasting impacts of social conflict.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amy Morris-Drake
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | | | - Julie M Kern
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Andrew N Radford
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Wilson-Henjum GE, Job JR, McKenna MF, Shannon G, Wittemyer G. Alarm call modification by prairie dogs in the presence of juveniles. J ETHOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10164-018-0582-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
|
16
|
Zhou Y, Radford AN, Magrath RD. Why does noise reduce response to alarm calls? Experimental assessment of masking, distraction and greater vigilance in wild birds. Funct Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- You Zhou
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| | | | - Robert D. Magrath
- Division of Ecology & Evolution, Research School of Biology Australian National University Canberra ACT Australia
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Geipel I, Smeekes MJ, Halfwerk W, Page RA. Noise as an informational cue for decision-making: the sound of rain delays bat emergence. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.192005. [PMID: 30665972 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.192005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/11/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Background noise can have strong negative consequences for animals, reducing individual fitness by masking communication signals, impeding prey detection and increasing predation risk. While the negative impacts of noise across taxa have been well documented, the use of noise as an informational cue, providing animals with reliable information on environmental conditions, has been less well studied. In the tropical rainforest, downpours can be intense and frequent. Strong rainfall may impede efficient orientation and foraging for bats that need echolocation to both navigate and detect prey, and can result in higher flight costs due to increased metabolic rates. Using playback experiments at natural roosts, we tested whether two bat species, differing in their hunting strategies and foraging habitats, use rain noise as a cue to delay emergence from their roosts. We found that both species significantly delayed their emergence time during rain noise playbacks versus silence and ambient noise controls. We conclude that bats can use background noise, here the acoustic component of rainfall, as a reliable informational cue to make informed decisions, in this case about whether to initiate foraging trips or remain in the shelter of their roosts. Our findings suggest that environmental background noise can sometimes be beneficial to animals, in particular in situations where other sensory cues may be absent.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Inga Geipel
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Panama .,Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, 14193 Berlin, Germany
| | - Marcus J Smeekes
- Forest and Nature Management, Van Hall Larenstein, 6882 CT Velp, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rachel A Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Panama
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Loock DJE, Williams ST, Emslie KW, Matthews WS, Swanepoel LH. High carnivore population density highlights the conservation value of industrialised sites. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16575. [PMID: 30410114 PMCID: PMC6224568 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34936-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Accepted: 10/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
As the environment becomes increasingly altered by human development, the importance of understanding the ways in which wildlife interact with modified landscapes is becoming clear. Areas such as industrial sites are sometimes presumed to have little conservation value, but many of these sites have areas of less disturbed habitats around their core infrastructure, which could provide ideal conditions to support some species, such as mesocarnivores. We conducted the first assessments of the density of serval (Leptailurus serval) at the Secunda Synfuels Operations plant, South Africa, using camera trap surveys analysed within a spatially explicit capture recapture framework. We show that servals occurred at densities of 76.20-101.21 animals per 100 km², which are higher than previously recorded densities for this species, presumably due to high abundance of prey and the absence of persecution and/or competitor species. Our findings highlight the significant conservation potential of industrialised sites, and we suggest that such sites could help contribute towards meeting conservation goals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daan J E Loock
- Centre for Sustainable Agriculture, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, 205 Nelson Mandela Drive, Park West, Bloemfontein, 930, South Africa.
| | - Samual T Williams
- Department of Zoology, School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa.
- Department of Anthropology, Durham University, Durham, DH1 3LE, United Kingdom.
- Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and Education (IGDORE), Hoedspruit, 1380, South Africa.
| | - Kevin W Emslie
- Department of Zoology, School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa
| | - Wayne S Matthews
- Department of Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture & Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa, P.O. Box 392, Pretoria, 0003, South Africa
| | - Lourens H Swanepoel
- Department of Zoology, School of Mathematical & Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, 0950, South Africa.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Senzaki M, Kadoya T, Francis CD, Ishiyama N, Nakamura F. Suffering in receivers: Negative effects of noise persist regardless of experience in female anurans. Funct Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Senzaki
- Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem StudiesNational Institute for Environmental Studies Tsukuba Japan
| | - Taku Kadoya
- Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem StudiesNational Institute for Environmental Studies Tsukuba Japan
| | - Clinton D. Francis
- Department of Biological SciencesCalifornia Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo California
| | - Nobuo Ishiyama
- Graduate School of AgricultureHokkaido University Sapporo Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|