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Noise pollution filters bird communities based on vocal frequency.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND: Human-generated noise pollution now permeates natural habitats worldwide, presenting evolutionarily novel acoustic conditions unprecedented to most landscapes. These acoustics not only harm humans, but threaten wildlife, and especially birds, via changes to species densities, foraging behavior, reproductive success, and predator-prey interactions. Explanations for negative effects of noise on birds include disruption of acoustic communication through energetic masking, potentially forcing species that rely upon acoustic communication to abandon otherwise suitable areas. However, this hypothesis has not been adequately tested because confounding stimuli often co-vary with noise and are difficult to separate from noise exposure. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using a natural experiment that controls for confounding stimuli, we evaluate whether species vocal features or urban-tolerance classifications explain their responses to noise measured through habitat use. Two data sets representing nesting and abundance responses reveal that noise filters bird communities nonrandomly. Signal duration and urban tolerance failed to explain species-specific responses, but birds with low-frequency signals that are more susceptible to masking from noise avoided noisy areas and birds with higher frequency vocalizations remained. Signal frequency was also negatively correlated with body mass, suggesting that larger birds may be more sensitive to noise due to the link between body size and vocal frequency. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings suggest that acoustic masking by noise may be a strong selective force shaping the ecology of birds worldwide. Larger birds with lower frequency signals may be excluded from noisy areas, whereas smaller species persist via transmission of higher frequency signals. We discuss our findings as they relate to interspecific relationships among body size, vocal amplitude and frequency and suggest that they are immediately relevant to the global problem of increases in noise by providing critical insight as to which species traits influence tolerance of these novel acoustics.

SUBMITTER: Francis CD

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3212537 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Noise pollution filters bird communities based on vocal frequency.

Francis Clinton D CD Ortega Catherine P CP Cruz Alexander A

PloS one 20111109 11

<h4>Background</h4>Human-generated noise pollution now permeates natural habitats worldwide, presenting evolutionarily novel acoustic conditions unprecedented to most landscapes. These acoustics not only harm humans, but threaten wildlife, and especially birds, via changes to species densities, foraging behavior, reproductive success, and predator-prey interactions. Explanations for negative effects of noise on birds include disruption of acoustic communication through energetic masking, potenti ...[more]

PMID: 22096517

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Project description:In this study, it is aimed to determine and map the noise pollution levels in Safranbolu District Center, especially in the regions where motor vehicle and/or pedestrian traffic is intense. Forty-seven measurement points were selected for noise level measurements at the district center. Measurements were conducted at morning (8 a.m.-10 a.m.), lunchtime (12 p.m.-2 p.m.) and evening (6 p.m.-8 p.m.) hours of weekdays and weekends throughout the seasons of summer 2017 and winter 2018. The summer season weekdays noise level ranges from 41.3 to 71.2 dBA in the morning period, 40 to 71.2 dBA in the noon period and 40.6 to 73.1 dBA in the evening. The summer season weekend noise level ranges from 45.3 to 69.1 dBA in the morning period, 44.7 to 71.4 dBA in the noon period and 41.6 to 70.9 dBA in the evening. The result showed that the level of summer season weekday and weekend noise pollution in the morning, noon and evening is close to each other. In addition, the winter season weekdays noise level ranges from 32.3 to 68.5 dBA in the morning period, 30.8 to 73.3 dBA in the noon period and 37.4 to 72.9 dBA in the evening. The winter season weekend noise level ranges from 37.2 to 65.8 dBA in the morning period, 40 to 71.3 dBA in the noon period and 40.5 to 69.7 dBA in the evening. The result showed that the level of winter season weekdays and weekend noise pollution in the noon is generally higher than morning and evening. The obtained data are compared with the limit values specified in the Environmental Hazard Assessment and Management Regulation. The hazardous noise level, which is considered as the threshold for causing physiological problems on humans, was determined to be exceeded at many locations. This situation may cause significant negative consequences on human health, quality of life and tourism sector. Obtained data were processed, and noise pollution levels for the city of Safranbolu were mapped using a geostatistical analysis software. In total, 16 noise pollution maps were drawn for different situations (e.g., weekdays, weekend, daytime, noon, night, summer season, winter season, etc.). Obtained noise level results demonstrate that the overall quality of the acoustic environment in our study area was medium level, which means that exposure to these levels over a long period can affect human health and quality of life. Finally, the results of a survey conducted as a part of this study were given, and possible measures and suggestions to reduce these noise levels in the district down to the desired limit values were discussed.Supplementary informationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10668-021-01303-5.

Dataset Information

Noise pollution filters bird communities based on vocal frequency.

Publications

Noise pollution filters bird communities based on vocal frequency.

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