1
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Kok ACM, Berkhout BW, Carlson NV, Evans NP, Khan N, Potvin DA, Radford AN, Sebire M, Shafiei Sabet S, Shannon G, Wascher CAF. How chronic anthropogenic noise can affect wildlife communities. Front Ecol Evol 2023. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1130075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is a major pollutant in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Since the industrial revolution, human activities have become increasingly noisy, leading to both acute and chronic disturbance of a wide variety of animals. Chronic noise exposure can affect animals over their lifespan, leading to changes in species interactions and likely altering communities. However, the community-level impacts of chronic noise are not well-understood, which impairs our ability for effective mitigation. In this review, we address the effects of chronic noise exposure on communities and explore possible mechanisms underlying these effects. The limited studies on this topic suggest that noise can affect communities by changing the behavior and/or physiology of species in a community, which results in direct or knock-on consequences for other species in the ecosystem. Major knowledge gaps remain due to the logistically complex and financially expensive nature of the long-term studies needed to address these questions. By identifying these gaps and suggesting approaches to answer them, we provide a road map toward mitigating the effects of a noisy world.
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2
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Snell CL, Reudink MW, Otter KA. Hard of hearing: the effect of distance and experimental noise on mountain chickadee song transmission. BIOACOUSTICS 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2023.2172080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- C. L. Snell
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada
| | - M. W. Reudink
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops, BC, Canada
| | - K. A. Otter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC, Canada
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3
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MacLeod KJ, Naugle L, Brittingham MC, Avery JD. Gas compressor noise does not influence tree swallow nestling condition or immune response. J Zool (1987) 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12997] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- K. J. MacLeod
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management Penn State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
- School of Natural Sciences Bangor University Bangor Gwynedd UK
| | - L. Naugle
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management Penn State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
- Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Harrisburg Pennsylvania USA
| | - M. C. Brittingham
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management Penn State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
| | - J. D. Avery
- Department of Ecosystem Science and Management Penn State University University Park Pennsylvania USA
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4
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Liu Q, Gelok E, Fontein K, Slabbekoorn H, Riebel K. An experimental test of chronic traffic noise exposure on parental behaviour and reproduction in zebra finches. Biol Open 2022; 11:274974. [PMID: 35388881 PMCID: PMC9002793 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic traffic noise is increasingly recognised as a potential hazard to wildlife. Several songbird species have been shown to breed poorly in traffic noise exposed habitats. However, identifying whether noise is causal in this requires experimental approaches. We tested whether experimental exposure to chronic traffic noise affected parental behaviour and reproductive success in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). In a counterbalanced repeated-measures design, breeding pairs were exposed to continuous playback of one of two types of highway noise previously shown to be either neutral (control) or aversive. Parental nest attendance positively correlated with feeding effort and was higher for the aversive than the control sound and this effect was more pronounced for parents attending larger broods. However, neither noise condition affected offspring number, growth or body mass. The absence of an effect held when we combined our data with data from two other comparable studies into a meta-analysis. We discuss whether the increased nest attendance could be a compensatory strategy that alleviated detrimental noise effects on the chicks, and whether it could be caused by impaired parent-offspring or within-pair communication. Future work should test these hypotheses and investigate potential long-term costs of increased parental engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanxiao Liu
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Esther Gelok
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Kiki Fontein
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Slabbekoorn
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Katharina Riebel
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 BE, The Netherlands
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5
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Dharmasiri ME, Barber CA, Horn AG. Nestling European Starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris) adjust their begging calls in noise. BIOACOUSTICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2021.2008495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Colleen A. Barber
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - Andrew G. Horn
- Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
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6
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Vieira M, Beauchaud M, Amorim MCP, Fonseca PJ. Boat noise affects meagre (Argyrosomus regius) hearing and vocal behaviour. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 172:112824. [PMID: 34391007 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic noise has increased in last decades imposing new constraints on aquatic animals' acoustic communication. Meagre (Argyrosomus regius) produce loud choruses during the breeding season, likely facilitating aggregations and mating, and are thus amenable to being impacted by anthropogenic noise. We assessed the impact of boat noise on this species acoustic communication by: evaluating possible masking effects of boat noise on hearing using Auditory Evoked Potentials (AEP) and inspecting changes in chorus sound levels from free ranging fish upon boat passages. Our results point to a significant masking effect of anthropogenic noise since we observed a reduction of ca. 20 dB on the ability to discriminate conspecific calls when exposed to boat noise. Furthermore, we verified a reduction in chorus energy during ferryboat passages, a behavioural effect that might ultimately impact spawning. This study is one of few addressing the effects of boat noise by combining different methodologies both in the lab and with free ranging animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Vieira
- Departamento de Biologia Animal and cE3c_Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal; MARE_Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA, Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal, and Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Marilyn Beauchaud
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle; (ENES/CRNL, CNRS UMR 5292, Inserm UMR S 1028) Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Jean-Monnet de Lyon/Saint-Etienne, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - M Clara P Amorim
- MARE_Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA, Instituto Universitário, Lisbon, Portugal, and Departamento de Biologia Animal, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paulo J Fonseca
- Departamento de Biologia Animal and cE3c_Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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7
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Bernat-Ponce E, Gil-Delgado JA, López-Iborra GM. Recreational noise pollution of traditional festivals reduces the juvenile productivity of an avian urban bioindicator. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 286:117247. [PMID: 33984779 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Noise is a pollutant of emergent concern for ecologists and conservation biologists. Recreational noise pollution, especially unpredictable and intermittent sounds, and its effects on wildlife and biodiversity have been poorly studied. Researchers have paid very little attention to the effect of noisy traditional festivals (fireworks and powder-guns). This study aimed to explore the effect of these recreational activities on the juvenile productivity of an urban avian bioindicator: the house sparrow. We studied five pairs of localities in the Valencia Region (E Spain) with noisy traditional festivals. Each pair was composed of one locality with festivals during the breeding season and the closest similar locality, but with festivals outside the reproductive period (controls). Both locality types were sampled twice each spring (May-June of 2019 and 2020). Sampling dates were selected as 15 and 30 days after noisy festivals ended, while the control localities were sampled 1 day after the census of their correspondent town pair with noisy breeding season festivals. The ratio of the juveniles/adults detected during surveys in the influence area of festivals (100-m buffer around the parades route) was used as a house sparrow breeding success proxy. Data were analysed using GLMM: year (2019/2020), festivals season (breeding/non-breeding), survey (15/30 days), and their interactions were included as fixed factors. Pair of localities and locality nested within the pair were random factors. In 2019, juvenile productivity was lower in the towns with noisy traditional festivals during the breeding season than in the control towns. The 2020 festivals were cancelled due to COVID-19. In spring 2020, house sparrow juvenile productivity was the same in both town groups. Lockdown did not increase this species' juvenile productivity in the control localities in 2020 versus 2019.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar Bernat-Ponce
- Department of Microbiology and Ecology / Terrestrial Vertebrates Ecology, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, C/ Catedrático José Beltrán, 2, 46980, Paterna, Spain.
| | - José A Gil-Delgado
- Department of Microbiology and Ecology / Terrestrial Vertebrates Ecology, Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology, University of Valencia, C/ Catedrático José Beltrán, 2, 46980, Paterna, Spain.
| | - Germán M López-Iborra
- Departamento de Ecología/IMEM Ramon Margalef, Universidad de Alicante, Apdo. Correos 99, 03080, Alicante, Spain.
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8
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Pandit MM, Eapen J, Pineda-Sabillon G, Caulfield ME, Moreno A, Wilhelm J, Ruyle JE, Bridge ES, Proppe DS. Anthropogenic noise alters parental behavior and nestling developmental patterns, but not fledging condition. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is a ubiquitous feature of the American landscape, and is a known stressor for many bird species, leading to negative effects in behavior, physiology, reproduction, and ultimately fitness. While a number of studies have examined how anthropogenic noise affects avian fitness, there are few that simultaneously examine how anthropogenic noise impacts the relationship between parental care behavior and nestling fitness. We conducted Brownian noise playbacks for 6 h a day during the nesting cycle on Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) nest boxes to investigate if experimentally elevated noise affected parental care behavior, nestling body conditions, and nestling stress indices. We documented nest attendance by adult females using radio frequency identification (RFID), and we assessed nestling stress by measuring baseline corticosterone levels and telomere lengths. Based on the RFID data collected during individual brood cycles, adult bluebirds exposed to noise had significantly higher feeding rates earlier in the brood cycle than adults in the control group, but reduced feeding rates later in the cycle. Nestlings exposed to noise had higher body conditions than the control nestlings at 11 days of age, but conditions equalized between treatments by day 14. We found no differences in nestling baseline corticosterone levels or nestling telomere lengths between the two treatment groups. Our results revealed that noise altered adult behavior, which corresponded with altered nestling body condition. However, the absence of indicators of longer-term effects of noise on offspring suggests adult behavior may have been a short-term response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meelyn Mayank Pandit
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - James Eapen
- Biology Department, Calvin University, SE, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | | | - Margaret E Caulfield
- Biology Department, Calvin University, SE, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
- MSU College of Human Medicine, Grand Rapids Research Center, The Department of Translational Neuroscience, NW, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Alexander Moreno
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Advanced Radar Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Jay Wilhelm
- Russ College of Engineering and Technology, Ohio University, Stocker Center, Athens, OH, USA
| | - Jessica E Ruyle
- School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Advanced Radar Research Center, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Eli S Bridge
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
- Oklahoma Biological Survey, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA
| | - Darren S Proppe
- Biology Department, Calvin University, SE, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
- Wild Basin Creative Research Center, Austin, TX, USA
- School of Natural Sciences, St. Edwards University, Austin, TX, USA
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9
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Dale C, Reudink M, Ratcliffe L, McKellar A. Effects of urbanization and nest-box design on reproduction vary by species in three cavity-nesting passerines in the Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. CAN J ZOOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2020-0028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Artificial nest boxes provide an important resource for secondary cavity-nesting passerines, whose populations may be limited by the availability of nesting sites. However, previous studies have demonstrated that the design and placement of boxes may affect the reproductive success of the birds that use them. In this study, we asked whether the habitat surrounding a nest box or the type of box influenced reproduction in three cavity-nesting passerines. We studied Western Bluebirds (Sialia mexicana Swainson, 1832), Mountain Bluebirds (Sialia currucoides (Bechstein, 1798)), and Tree Swallows (Tachycineta bicolor (Vieillot, 1808)) breeding in artificial nest boxes at sites across 70 km of the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. Sites varied in their degree of urbanization, from relatively undisturbed ranchland, to cultivated vineyards, to frequently disturbed “suburban” habitat, and boxes varied in type of entrance (slot or hole). Western Bluebirds nested earlier in vineyards, and Tree Swallows produced significantly fewer fledglings in suburban habitat. In addition, Tree Swallows nested earlier and produced more fledglings in slot boxes. Our results suggest that conservation actions for cavity-nesting passerines may depend on the target species, which in turn should dictate the appropriate box type and habitat when erecting or replacing nest boxes.
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Affiliation(s)
- C.A. Dale
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - M.W. Reudink
- Department of Biological Sciences, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8, Canada
| | - L.M. Ratcliffe
- Department of Biology, Queen’s University, 116 Barrie Street, Kingston, ON K7L 3N6, Canada
| | - A.E. McKellar
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 115 Perimeter Road, Saskatoon, SK, S7N 0X4, Canada
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10
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Sánchez-González K, Aguirre-Obando OA, Ríos-Chelén AA. Urbanization levels are associated with the start of the dawn chorus in vermilion flycatchers in Colombia. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2020.1837963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katherin Sánchez-González
- Escuela de Investigación en Biomatemáticas, Universidad del Quindío, Carrera 15, Calle 12 Norte, Armenia, Colombia
| | - Oscar A. Aguirre-Obando
- Escuela de Investigación en Biomatemáticas, Universidad del Quindío, Carrera 15, Calle 12 Norte, Armenia, Colombia
| | - Alejandro A. Ríos-Chelén
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Carretera Tlaxcala-Puebla km 1.5, C.P. 90070, Tlaxcala, México
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11
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Kuehne LM, Olden JD. Military Flights Threaten the Wilderness Soundscapes of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. NORTHWEST SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.3955/046.094.0208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lauren M. Kuehne
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Box 355020, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
| | - Julian D. Olden
- School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, Box 355020, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195
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12
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Sensory pollutants alter bird phenology and fitness across a continent. Nature 2020; 587:605-609. [PMID: 33177710 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2903-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Expansion of anthropogenic noise and night lighting across our planet1,2 is of increasing conservation concern3-6. Despite growing knowledge of physiological and behavioural responses to these stimuli from single-species and local-scale studies, whether these pollutants affect fitness is less clear, as is how and why species vary in their sensitivity to these anthropic stressors. Here we leverage a large citizen science dataset paired with high-resolution noise and light data from across the contiguous United States to assess how these stimuli affect reproductive success in 142 bird species. We find responses to both sensory pollutants linked to the functional traits and habitat affiliations of species. For example, overall nest success was negatively correlated with noise among birds in closed environments. Species-specific changes in reproductive timing and hatching success in response to noise exposure were explained by vocalization frequency, nesting location and diet. Additionally, increased light-gathering ability of species' eyes was associated with stronger advancements in reproductive timing in response to light exposure, potentially creating phenological mismatches7. Unexpectedly, better light-gathering ability was linked to reduced clutch failure and increased overall nest success in response to light exposure, raising important questions about how responses to sensory pollutants counteract or exacerbate responses to other aspects of global change, such as climate warming. These findings demonstrate that anthropogenic noise and light can substantially affect breeding bird phenology and fitness, and underscore the need to consider sensory pollutants alongside traditional dimensions of the environment that typically inform biodiversity conservation.
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13
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Anthropogenic noise reduces male reproductive investment in an acoustically signaling insect. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02868-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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14
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Phillips ME, Chio G, Hall CL, ter Hofstede HM, Howard DR. Seismic noise influences brood size dynamics in a subterranean insect with biparental care. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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15
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Evans JC, Dall SRX, Kight CR. Effects of ambient noise on zebra finch vigilance and foraging efficiency. PLoS One 2019; 13:e0209471. [PMID: 30596692 PMCID: PMC6312262 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0209471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ambient noise can affect the availability of acoustic information to animals, altering both foraging and vigilance behaviour. Using captive zebra finches Taeniopygia guttata, we examined the effect of ambient broadband noise on foraging decisions. Birds were given a choice between foraging in a quiet area where conspecific calls could be heard or a noisy area where these calls would be masked. Birds foraging in noisy areas spent a significantly more time vigilant than those in quiet areas, resulting in less efficient foraging. Despite this there was no significant difference in the amount of time spent in the two noise regimes. However there did appear a preference for initially choosing quiet patches during individuals’ second trial. These results emphasise how masking noise can influence the foraging and anti-predation behaviour of animals, which is particularly relevant as anthropogenic noise becomes increasingly prevalent in the natural world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian C. Evans
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Sasha R. X. Dall
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, United Kingdom
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16
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Zollinger SA, Dorado-Correa A, Goymann W, Forstmeier W, Knief U, BastidasUrrutia AM, Brumm H. Traffic noise exposure depresses plasma corticosterone and delays offspring growth in breeding zebra finches. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz056. [PMID: 31620292 PMCID: PMC6788579 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The impact of human activity on the acoustic environment is overwhelming, with anthropogenic noise reaching even remote areas of the planet. The World Health Organization has identified noise pollution as one of the leading environmental health risks in humans, and it has been linked to a myriad of short- and long-term health effects in exposed individuals. However, less is known about the health effects of anthropogenic noise exposure on animals. We investigated long- and short-term effects of traffic noise on zebra finches breeding in small communal aviaries, using a repeated measures design. Birds bred in both noise and no-noise conditions, and we measured baseline plasma glucocorticoid levels before, during and after breeding. In addition, we assayed immune function, measured reproductive success and offspring growth and compared rates of extra-pair paternity of breeding adults. Breeding birds had significantly lower baseline plasma corticosterone levels when exposed to traffic noise than when they were not exposed to noise playback. In addition, the nestlings reared during noise exposure were lighter than nestlings of the same parents when breeding in control conditions. Our results suggest that traffic noise poses a more severe hurdle to birds at more vulnerable stages of their life history, such as during reproductive events and ontogeny. While chronic exposure to traffic noise in our birds did not, by itself, prove to be a sufficient stressor to cause acute effects on health or reproductive success in exposed individuals, it did result in disruptions to normal glucocorticoid profiles and delayed offspring growth. However, animals living in urban habitats are exposed to a multitude of anthropogenic disturbances, and it is likely that even species that appear to be thriving in noisy environments may suffer cumulative effects of these multiple disturbances that may together impact their fitness in urban environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue Anne Zollinger
- Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, John Dalton East, Chester Street, Manchester M1 5GD, UK
- Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, EberhardGwinnerStrasse 1, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
- Corresponding author: Department of Natural Sciences, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester M1 5GD, UK.
| | - Adriana Dorado-Correa
- Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, EberhardGwinnerStrasse 1, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Goymann
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, EberhardGwinnerStrasse 1, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Forstmeier
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, EberhardGwinnerStrasse 1, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Ulrich Knief
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, EberhardGwinnerStrasse 1, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
- Division of Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biology, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Grosshaderner Strasse 2, 82152 PlaneggMartinsried, Germany
| | - Ana María BastidasUrrutia
- Biodiversity and Global Change Lab, Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Technical University of Munich, HansCarlvonCarlowitzPlatz 2, 85354 Freising, Germany
| | - Henrik Brumm
- Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, EberhardGwinnerStrasse 1, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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17
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Regan T, McClure CJW, Belthoff JR. Assessing patterns of barn owl Tyto alba occupancy from call broadcast surveys. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2018. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tempe Regan
- T. Regan (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8198-8716) and J. R. Belthoff, Dep
| | | | - James R. Belthoff
- T. Regan (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8198-8716) and J. R. Belthoff, Dep
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18
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Mulholland TI, Ferraro DM, Boland KC, Ivey KN, Le ML, LaRiccia CA, Vigianelli JM, Francis CD. Effects of Experimental Anthropogenic Noise Exposure on the Reproductive Success of Secondary Cavity Nesting Birds. Integr Comp Biol 2018; 58:967-976. [PMID: 29945170 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icy079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Artificial nest boxes are critical nesting sites for secondary cavity-nesting birds; however, they are often placed near roadways and in urban areas that experience noise pollution and other human-caused stressors. Recent correlative studies document both negative and positive influences of noise pollution on reproductive success. Additionally, observational studies have not determined which stage of the breeding process is most vulnerable to noise pollution-settlement, incubation, and/or provisioning. Here, we controlled for possible effects from non-random settlement and eliminated potential effects of roadways, such as collisions and chemical and light pollution, by experimentally introducing traffic noise into nest boxes after clutch initiation in two secondary-cavity nesting bird species. We found no evidence for an influence of noise on clutch size, brood size, number of fledglings, or overall nest success in western bluebirds (Sialia mexicana). In contrast, we found that ash-throated flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) nests exposed to noise had lower reproductive success than quiet nests due to higher rates of abandonment at the incubation stage. Our results match recent research demonstrating that ash-throated flycatchers avoid energy-sector noise in their nest placement and, when they do nest in noise, experience stress hormone dysregulation and fitness costs. The lack of a response among western bluebirds differs from reported declines in reproductive success due to exposure to energy-sector noise; however, the absence of a response matches the response seen in other species using an in-box noise playback experiment. These results suggest that in-box noise exposure experiments may be appropriate for assessing noise impacts at the nest, and through some pathways (e.g., direct effects of noise on nestlings), but do not capture other ways in which noise can negatively affect birds during the breeding season that may ultimately cause declines in fitness. Additionally, although manipulative experiments that examine the influence of a single anthropogenic stressor on a single life stage can help reveal causal pathways, urban and other human-dominated environments are characterized by many stressors and future studies should seek to understand how noise interacts with other stressors to impact birds and other wildlife. Finally, in light of mounting evidence demonstrating declines in reproductive success due to noise, our results suggest that nest box placement near roads may be counterproductive to efforts to bolster population densities of some species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tracy I Mulholland
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Danielle M Ferraro
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Kelley C Boland
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Kathleen N Ivey
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - My-Lan Le
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Carl A LaRiccia
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - John M Vigianelli
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Clinton D Francis
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
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19
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Injaian AS, Poon LY, Patricelli GL. Effects of experimental anthropogenic noise on avian settlement patterns and reproductive success. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Allison S Injaian
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Lauren Y Poon
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Gail L Patricelli
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
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20
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Injaian AS, Taff CC, Patricelli GL. Experimental anthropogenic noise impacts avian parental behaviour, nestling growth and nestling oxidative stress. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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21
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Chronic anthropogenic noise disrupts glucocorticoid signaling and has multiple effects on fitness in an avian community. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2018; 115:E648-E657. [PMID: 29311304 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1709200115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is a pervasive pollutant that decreases environmental quality by disrupting a suite of behaviors vital to perception and communication. However, even within populations of noise-sensitive species, individuals still select breeding sites located within areas exposed to high noise levels, with largely unknown physiological and fitness consequences. We use a study system in the natural gas fields of northern New Mexico to test the prediction that exposure to noise causes glucocorticoid-signaling dysfunction and decreases fitness in a community of secondary cavity-nesting birds. In accordance with these predictions, and across all species, we find strong support for noise exposure decreasing baseline corticosterone in adults and nestlings and, conversely, increasing acute stressor-induced corticosterone in nestlings. We also document fitness consequences with increased noise in the form of reduced hatching success in the western bluebird (Sialia mexicana), the species most likely to nest in noisiest environments. Nestlings of all three species exhibited accelerated growth of both feathers and body size at intermediate noise amplitudes compared with lower or higher amplitudes. Our results are consistent with recent experimental laboratory studies and show that noise functions as a chronic, inescapable stressor. Anthropogenic noise likely impairs environmental risk perception by species relying on acoustic cues and ultimately leads to impacts on fitness. Our work, when taken together with recent efforts to document noise across the landscape, implies potential widespread, noise-induced chronic stress coupled with reduced fitness for many species reliant on acoustic cues.
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22
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Gill SA, Grabarczyk EE, Baker KM, Naghshineh K, Vonhof MJ. Decomposing an urban soundscape to reveal patterns and drivers of variation in anthropogenic noise. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 599-600:1191-1201. [PMID: 28514837 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Revised: 04/24/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Continuous and intermittent noise may have different effects on humans and wildlife, therefore distinguishing temporal patterns of noise and their drivers is important for policy regarding both public health and wildlife management. We visualized patterns and explored land-use drivers of continuous and high-amplitude intermittent sound pressure levels (SPLs) on an urban campus in Michigan, U.S.A. To visualize patterns of SPLs, we introduce decibel duration curves (DDCs), which show the cumulative frequency distribution of SPLs and aid in the interpretation of statistical SPLs (Ln values) that reflect continuous versus intermittent sounds. DDCs and Ln values reveal that our 24 recording locations varied in the intensity of both continuous and intermittent noise, with intermittent high-amplitude sound events in particular contributing to variability in SPLs over the study site. Time of day influenced both continuous and intermittent SPLs, as locations relatively close to manmade structures (buildings, roads and parking lots) experienced higher SPLs as the day progressed. Continuous SPLs increased with decreasing distance to manmade structures, whereas intermittent SPLs increased with decreasing distance to roads and increasing distance to buildings. Thus, different land-use factors influenced patterns of continuous and intermittent noise, which suggests that different policy and strategies may be needed to ameliorate their effects on the public and wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon A Gill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5410, United States.
| | - Erin E Grabarczyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5410, United States
| | - Kathleen M Baker
- Department of Geography, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5424, United States; W.E. Upjohn Center for the Study of Geographical Change, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5424, United States
| | - Koorosh Naghshineh
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5343, United States
| | - Maarten J Vonhof
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5410, United States; Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI 49008-5419, United States
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23
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Francis CD, Newman P, Taff BD, White C, Monz CA, Levenhagen M, Petrelli AR, Abbott LC, Newton J, Burson S, Cooper CB, Fristrup KM, McClure CJW, Mennitt D, Giamellaro M, Barber JR. Acoustic environments matter: Synergistic benefits to humans and ecological communities. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 2017; 203:245-254. [PMID: 28783021 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2017.07.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 07/15/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Protected areas are critical locations worldwide for biodiversity preservation and offer important opportunities for increasingly urbanized humans to experience nature. However, biodiversity preservation and visitor access are often at odds and creative solutions are needed to safeguard protected area natural resources in the face of high visitor use. Managing human impacts to natural soundscapes could serve as a powerful tool for resolving these conflicting objectives. Here, we review emerging research that demonstrates that the acoustic environment is critical to wildlife and that sounds shape the quality of nature-based experiences for humans. Human-made noise is known to affect animal behavior, distributions and reproductive success, and the organization of ecological communities. Additionally, new research suggests that interactions with nature, including natural sounds, confer benefits to human welfare termed psychological ecosystem services. In areas influenced by noise, elevated human-made noise not only limits the variety and abundance of organisms accessible to outdoor recreationists, but also impairs their capacity to perceive the wildlife that remains. Thus soundscape changes can degrade, and potentially limit the benefits derived from experiences with nature via indirect and direct mechanisms. We discuss the effects of noise on wildlife and visitors through the concept of listening area and demonstrate how the perceptual worlds of both birds and humans are reduced by noise. Finally, we discuss how management of soundscapes in protected areas may be an innovative solution to safeguarding both and recommend several key questions and research directions to stimulate new research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton D Francis
- Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo CA, USA.
| | - Peter Newman
- Recreation, Park and Tourism Management, Pennsylvania State University, State College PA, USA
| | - B Derrick Taff
- Recreation, Park and Tourism Management, Pennsylvania State University, State College PA, USA
| | - Crow White
- Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo CA, USA
| | - Christopher A Monz
- Quinney College of Natural Resources, Utah State University, Logan UT, USA
| | | | - Alissa R Petrelli
- Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo CA, USA
| | - Lauren C Abbott
- Recreation, Park and Tourism Management, Pennsylvania State University, State College PA, USA
| | - Jennifer Newton
- Recreation, Park and Tourism Management, Pennsylvania State University, State College PA, USA; Grand Teton National Park, Moose WY, USA
| | | | - Caren B Cooper
- North Carolina State University and North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, Raleigh NC, USA
| | - Kurt M Fristrup
- National Park Service Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division, Fort Collins CO, USA
| | | | - Daniel Mennitt
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Colorado State University, 1373 Campus Delivery, Fort Collins, CO 80525, USA
| | | | - Jesse R Barber
- Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise ID, USA.
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24
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Petrelli AR, Levenhagen MJ, Wardle R, Barber JR, Francis CD. First to Flush: The Effects of Ambient Noise on Songbird Flight Initiation Distances and Implications for Human Experiences with Nature. Front Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2017.00067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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25
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Kleist NJ, Guralnick RP, Cruz A, Francis CD. Sound settlement: noise surpasses land cover in explaining breeding habitat selection of secondary cavity-nesting birds. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2017; 27:260-273. [PMID: 28052511 DOI: 10.1002/eap.1437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Birds breeding in heterogeneous landscapes select nest sites by cueing in on a variety of factors from landscape features and social information to the presence of natural enemies. We focus on determining the relative impact of anthropogenic noise on nest site occupancy, compared to amount of forest cover, which is known to strongly influence the selection process. We examine chronic, industrial noise from natural gas wells directly measured at the nest box as well as site-averaged noise, using a well-established field experimental system in northwestern New Mexico. We hypothesized that high levels of noise, both at the nest site and in the environment, would decrease nest box occupancy. We set up nest boxes using a geospatially paired control and experimental site design and analyzed four years of occupancy data from four secondary cavity-nesting birds common to the Colorado Plateau. We found different effects of noise and landscape features depending on species, with strong effects of noise observed in breeding habitat selection of Myiarchus cinerascens, the Ash-throated Flycatcher, and Sialia currucoides, the Mountain Bluebird. In contrast, the amount of forest cover less frequently explained habitat selection for those species or had a smaller standardized effect than the acoustic environment. Although forest cover characterization and management is commonly employed by natural resource managers, our results show that characterizing and managing the acoustic environment should be an important tool in protected area management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan J Kleist
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA
| | - Robert P Guralnick
- University of Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida at Gainesville, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Alexander Cruz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado, 80309, USA
| | - Clinton D Francis
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, 93407, USA
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26
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Negative impact of urban habitat on immunity in the great tit Parus major. Oecologia 2016; 182:1053-1062. [PMID: 27646717 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-016-3730-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2016] [Accepted: 09/09/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Urban habitats are described as having an overall negative influence on many fitness-related traits in several bird species, but a vital function such as immunity remains poorly studied. The immune response is strongly linked to individual condition, which partly depends on resource availability and the parasitic context that often differ between urban and natural habitats. A difference between the immunity of populations dwelling in urban areas and populations from more natural habitats can, therefore, be hypothesized. We conducted a 2-year experimental study on great tits (Parus major) in urban and forest areas. We stimulated the constitutive immunity of nestlings and assessed both the inflammatory response by measuring the plasma levels of haptoglobin, an inflammatory marker, and its activation cost through the loss of body mass. In addition, we checked the nestlings for ectoparasites and assessed haemosporidian prevalence in adults. Nestlings from urban sites produced relatively less haptoglobin and lost more body mass than those from forest sites, which suggests that the activation of constitutive immunity is more costly for birds living in urban sites than for those living in the forest. We detected no ectoparasite in birds in both habitats. However, urban adults showed lower haemosporidian prevalence than forest ones, suggesting a reduced exposure to these parasites and their vectors in towns. Overall, our study provides evidence for an immune difference between urban and forest populations. Because immunity is crucial for organism fitness, it is of prime interest to identify causes and processes at the origin of this difference.
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27
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Schepers MJ, Proppe DS. Song playback increases songbird density near low to moderate use roads. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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28
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Dominoni DM, Greif S, Nemeth E, Brumm H. Airport noise predicts song timing of European birds. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:6151-9. [PMID: 27648232 PMCID: PMC5016638 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Revised: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is of increasing concern to biologists and medical scientists. Its detrimental effects on human health have been well studied, with the high noise levels from air traffic being of particular concern. However, less is known about the effects of airport noise pollution on signal masking in wild animals. Here, we report a relationship between aircraft noise and two major features of the singing behavior of birds. We found that five of ten songbird species began singing significantly earlier in the morning in the vicinity of a major European airport than their conspecifics at a quieter control site. As birds at both sites started singing before the onset of air traffic in the morning, this suggests that the birds in the vicinity of the airport advanced their activity to gain more time for unimpaired singing before the massive plane noise set in. In addition, we found that during the day, chaffinches avoided singing during airplane takeoffs, but only when the noise exceeded a certain threshold, further suggesting that the massive noise caused by the airport can impair acoustic communication in birds. Overall, our study indicates that birds may be adjusting their mating signals and time budgets in response to aircraft noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide M Dominoni
- Department of Animal Ecology Netherlands Institute of Ecology Wageningen 6708 PB The Netherlands; Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
| | - Stefan Greif
- Sensory Ecology Group Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen 82319 Germany
| | - Erwin Nemeth
- Communication and Social Behaviour Group Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen 82319 Germany; Bird Life Austria Vienna 1070 Austria
| | - Henrik Brumm
- Sensory Ecology Group Max Planck Institute for Ornithology Seewiesen 82319 Germany
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29
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Halfwerk W, Both C, Slabbekoorn H. Noise affects nest-box choice of 2 competing songbird species, but not their reproduction. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
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30
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Proppe DS, McMillan N, Congdon JV, Sturdy CB. Mitigating road impacts on animals through learning principles. Anim Cogn 2016; 20:19-31. [PMID: 27154629 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-016-0989-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 03/17/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Roads are a nearly ubiquitous feature of the developed world, but their presence does not come without consequences. Many mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians suffer high rates of mortality through collision with motor vehicles, while other species treat roads as barriers that reduce gene flow between populations. Road effects extend beyond the pavement, where traffic noise is altering communities of songbirds, insects, and some mammals. Traditional methods of mitigation along roads include the creation of quieter pavement and tires and the construction of physical barriers to reduce sound transmission and movement. While effective, these forms of mitigation are costly and time-consuming. One alternative is the use of learning principles to create or extinguish aversive behaviors in animals living near roads. Classical and operant conditioning are well-documented techniques for altering behavior in response to novel cues and signals. Behavioral ecologists have used conditioning techniques to mitigate human-wildlife conflict challenges, alter predator-prey interactions, and facilitate reintroduction efforts. Yet, these principles have rarely been applied in the context of roads. We suggest that the field of road ecology is ripe with opportunity for experimentation with learning principles. We present tangible ways that learning techniques could be utilized to mitigate negative roadside behaviors, address the importance of evaluating fitness within these contexts, and evaluate the longevity of learned behaviors. This review serves as an invitation for empirical studies that test the effectiveness of learning paradigms as a mitigation tool in the context of roads.
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Affiliation(s)
- D S Proppe
- Department of Biology, Calvin College, 3201 Burton St SE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49546, USA.
| | - N McMillan
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - J V Congdon
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - C B Sturdy
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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31
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Martin SB, Popper AN. Short- and long-term monitoring of underwater sound levels in the Hudson River (New York, USA). THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 139:1886. [PMID: 27106335 DOI: 10.1121/1.4944876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing body of research on natural and man-made sounds that create aquatic soundscapes. Less is known about the soundscapes of shallow waters, such as in harbors, rivers, and lakes. Knowledge of soundscapes is needed as a baseline against which to determine the changes in noise levels resulting from human activities. To provide baseline data for the Hudson River at the site of the Tappan Zee Bridge, 12 acoustic data loggers were deployed for a 24-h period at ranges of 0-3000 m from the bridge, and four of the data loggers were re-deployed for three months of continuous recording. Results demonstrate that this region of the river is relatively quiet compared to open ocean conditions and other large river systems. Moreover, the soundscape had temporal and spatial diversity. The temporal patterns of underwater noise from the bridge change with the cadence of human activity. Bridge noise (e.g., road traffic) was only detected within 300 m; farther from the bridge, boating activity increased sound levels during the day, and especially on the weekend. Results also suggest that recording near the river bottom produced lower pseudo-noise levels than previous studies that recorded in the river water column.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Bruce Martin
- JASCO Applied Sciences, 32 Troop Avenue, Suite 202, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia B3B 1Z1, Canada
| | - Arthur N Popper
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland 20742, USA
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32
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Swaddle JP, Moseley DL, Hinders MK, Smith EP. A sonic net excludes birds from an airfield: implications for reducing bird strike and crop losses. ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS : A PUBLICATION OF THE ECOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2016; 26:339-345. [PMID: 27209777 DOI: 10.1890/15-0829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Collisions between birds and aircraft cause billions of dollars of damages annually to civil, commercial, and military aviation. Yet technology to reduce bird strike is not generally effective, especially over longer time periods. Previous information from our lab indicated that filling an area with acoustic noise, which masks important communication channels for birds, can displace European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) from food sources. Here we deployed a spatially controlled noise (termed a "sonic net"), designed to overlap with the frequency range of bird vocalizations, at an airfield. By conducting point counts, we monitored the presence of birds for four weeks before deployment of our sonic net, and for four weeks during deployment. We found an 82% reduction in bird presence in the sonic net area compared with change in the reference areas. This effect was as strong in the fourth week of exposure as in the first week. We also calculated the potential costs avoided resulting from this exclusion. We propose that spatially controlled acoustic manipulations that mask auditory communication for birds may be an effective long term and fairly benign way of excluding problem birds from areas of socioeconomic importance, such as airfields, agricultural sites, and commercial properties.
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33
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Solan M, Hauton C, Godbold JA, Wood CL, Leighton TG, White P. Anthropogenic sources of underwater sound can modify how sediment-dwelling invertebrates mediate ecosystem properties. Sci Rep 2016; 6:20540. [PMID: 26847483 PMCID: PMC4742813 DOI: 10.1038/srep20540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Coastal and shelf environments support high levels of biodiversity that are vital in mediating ecosystem processes, but they are also subject to noise associated with mounting levels of offshore human activity. This has the potential to alter the way in which species interact with their environment, compromising the mediation of important ecosystem properties. Here, we show that exposure to underwater broadband sound fields that resemble offshore shipping and construction activity can alter sediment-dwelling invertebrate contributions to fluid and particle transport--key processes in mediating benthic nutrient cycling. Despite high levels of intra-specific variability in physiological response, we find that changes in the behaviour of some functionally important species can be dependent on the class of broadband sound (continuous or impulsive). Our study provides evidence that exposing coastal environments to anthropogenic sound fields is likely to have much wider ecosystem consequences than are presently acknowledged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Solan
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH
| | - Chris Hauton
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH
| | - Jasmin A Godbold
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH.,Centre for Biological Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Southampton, Highfield Campus, Southampton, SO17 1BJ
| | - Christina L Wood
- Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre, Southampton, University of Southampton, Waterfront Campus, European Way, Southampton, SO14 3ZH
| | - Timothy G Leighton
- Institute of Sound &Vibration Research, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ
| | - Paul White
- Institute of Sound &Vibration Research, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, Southampton, SO17 1BJ
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34
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Leonard ML, Horn AG, Oswald KN, McIntyre E. Effect of ambient noise on parent–offspring interactions in tree swallows. Anim Behav 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.07.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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35
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Potvin DA, MacDougall-Shackleton SA. Traffic noise affects embryo mortality and nestling growth rates in captive zebra finches. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 323:722-730. [DOI: 10.1002/jez.1965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Revised: 07/16/2015] [Accepted: 08/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dominique A. Potvin
- Advanced Facility for Avian Research; University of Western Ontario; London Canada
- Department of Psychology; University of Western Ontario; London Canada
| | - Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton
- Advanced Facility for Avian Research; University of Western Ontario; London Canada
- Department of Psychology; University of Western Ontario; London Canada
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36
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Pettinga D, Kennedy J, Proppe DS. Common urban birds continue to perceive predator calls that are overlapped by road noise. Urban Ecosyst 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-015-0498-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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37
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Kight CR, Swaddle JP. Eastern Bluebirds Alter their Song in Response to Anthropogenic Changes in the Acoustic Environment. Integr Comp Biol 2015; 55:418-31. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icv070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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38
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Shannon G, McKenna MF, Angeloni LM, Crooks KR, Fristrup KM, Brown E, Warner KA, Nelson MD, White C, Briggs J, McFarland S, Wittemyer G. A synthesis of two decades of research documenting the effects of noise on wildlife. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2015; 91:982-1005. [DOI: 10.1111/brv.12207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 392] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2014] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Graeme Shannon
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Megan F. McKenna
- Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division; National Park Service; Fort Collins CO 80525 U.S.A
| | - Lisa M. Angeloni
- Department of Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Kevin R. Crooks
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Kurt M. Fristrup
- Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division; National Park Service; Fort Collins CO 80525 U.S.A
| | - Emma Brown
- Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division; National Park Service; Fort Collins CO 80525 U.S.A
| | - Katy A. Warner
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Misty D. Nelson
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Cecilia White
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Jessica Briggs
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - Scott McFarland
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
| | - George Wittemyer
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology; Colorado State University; Fort Collins CO 80523 U.S.A
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Rosa P, Swider CR, Leston L, Koper N. Disentangling effects of noise from presence of anthropogenic infrastructure: Design and testing of system for large-scale playback experiments. WILDLIFE SOC B 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Rosa
- Natural Resources Institute; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg MB R3T 2M6 Canada
| | - Colin R. Swider
- Natural Resources Institute; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg MB R3T 2M6 Canada
| | - Lionel Leston
- Natural Resources Institute; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg MB R3T 2M6 Canada
| | - Nicola Koper
- Natural Resources Institute; University of Manitoba; Winnipeg MB R3T 2M6 Canada
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Anthropogenic noise is associated with changes in acoustic but not visual signals in red-winged blackbirds. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-015-1928-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Mahjoub G, Hinders MK, Swaddle JP. Using a “sonic net” to deter pest bird species: Excluding European starlings from food sources by disrupting their acoustic communication. WILDLIFE SOC B 2015. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ghazi Mahjoub
- Biology Department, College of William and Mary; Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies; P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg VA 23187 USA
| | - Mark K. Hinders
- Nondestructive Evaluation Lab, Department of Applied Science; College of William and Mary; P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg VA 23187 USA
| | - John P. Swaddle
- Biology Department; College of William and Mary, Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies; P.O. Box 8795, Williamsburg VA 23187 USA
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Meillere A, Brischoux F, Angelier F. Impact of chronic noise exposure on antipredator behavior: an experiment in breeding house sparrows. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Radford AN, Kerridge E, Simpson SD. Acoustic communication in a noisy world: can fish compete with anthropogenic noise? Behav Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/aru029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 153] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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McIntyre E, Leonard ML, Horn AG. Ambient noise and parental communication of predation risk in tree swallows, Tachycineta bicolor. Anim Behav 2014. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2013.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Morley EL, Jones G, Radford AN. The importance of invertebrates when considering the impacts of anthropogenic noise. Proc Biol Sci 2013; 281:20132683. [PMID: 24335986 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2013.2683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is now recognized as a major global pollutant. Rapidly burgeoning research has identified impacts on individual behaviour and physiology through to community disruption. To date, however, there has been an almost exclusive focus on vertebrates. Not only does their central role in food webs and in fulfilling ecosystem services make imperative our understanding of how invertebrates are impacted by all aspects of environmental change, but also many of their inherent characteristics provide opportunities to overcome common issues with the current anthropogenic noise literature. Here, we begin by explaining why invertebrates are likely to be affected by anthropogenic noise, briefly reviewing their capacity for hearing and providing evidence that they are capable of evolutionary adaptation and behavioural plasticity in response to natural noise sources. We then discuss the importance of quantifying accurately and fully both auditory ability and noise content, emphasizing considerations of direct relevance to how invertebrates detect sounds. We showcase how studying invertebrates can help with the behavioural bias in the literature, the difficulties in drawing strong, ecologically valid conclusions and the need for studies on fitness impacts. Finally, we suggest avenues of future research using invertebrates that would advance our understanding of the impact of anthropogenic noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Morley
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, , Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, , 1265 Military Trail, Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada , M1C 1A4
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Proppe D, Byers K, Sturdy C, St. Clair C. Physical condition of Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) in relation to road disturbance. CAN J ZOOL 2013. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2013-0081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Roads and their associated low-frequency noise have been linked with a reduction in abundance and density for many songbird species. However, a handful of species remain equally abundant in roadside habitats and nondisturbed areas. Abundance is a valuable baseline indicator of a species’ ability to adapt to habitats altered by roads, but does not directly ascertain whether health is affected in these species. Here we examine whether Black-capped Chickadees (Poecile atricapillus (L., 1766)), a species that remains abundant near roads, exhibit higher levels of chronic stress or reduced physical condition when residing near roads. Neither hematological measures of chronic stress, nor any of our measures of physical condition, differed significantly between Black-capped Chickadees inhabiting areas near or far from roads. Our results suggest that health and physical condition, like abundance, are not significantly affected by roads in the Black-capped Chickadee. This species may be an ideal model for understanding how some songbird species adapt to roads and the noise that they produce.
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Affiliation(s)
- D.S. Proppe
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - K.A. Byers
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - C.B. Sturdy
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - C.C. St. Clair
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
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Strasser EH, Heath JA. Reproductive failure of a human-tolerant species, the American kestrel, is associated with stress and human disturbance. J Appl Ecol 2013. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.12103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 138] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Erin H. Strasser
- Department of Biological Science and Raptor Research Center; Boise State University; 1910 University Drive; Boise; ID; 83725; USA
| | - Julie A. Heath
- Department of Biological Science and Raptor Research Center; Boise State University; 1910 University Drive; Boise; ID; 83725; USA
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