Dataset Information

Noise Source and Individual Physiology Mediate Effectiveness of Bird Songs Adjusted to Anthropogenic Noise.

ABSTRACT: Anthropogenic noise is a pervasive pollutant altering behaviour of wildlife that communicates acoustically. Some species adjust vocalisations to compensate for noise. However, we know little about whether signal adjustments improve communication in noise, the extent to which effectiveness of adjustments varies with noise source, or how individual variation in physiology varies with response capacity. We played noise-adjusted and unadjusted songs to wild Passerculus sandwichensis (Savannah Sparrows) after measurements of adrenocortical responsiveness of individuals. Playbacks using songs adjusted to noisy environments were effective in restoring appropriate conspecific territorial aggression behaviours in some altered acoustic environments. Surprisingly, however, levels of adrenocortical responsiveness that reduced communication errors at some types of infrastructure were correlated with increased errors at others. Song adjustments that were effective in communicating for individuals with lower adrenocortical responsiveness at pumpjacks were not effective at screwpumps and vice versa. Our results demonstrate that vocal adjustments can sometimes allow birds to compensate for disruptions in communication caused by anthropogenic noise, but that physiological variation among receivers may alter effectiveness of these adjustments. Thus mitigation strategies to minimize anthropogenic noise must account for both acoustic and physiological impacts of infrastructure.

SUBMITTER: Curry CM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5834586 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Noise Source and Individual Physiology Mediate Effectiveness of Bird Songs Adjusted to Anthropogenic Noise.

Curry Claire M CM Des Brisay Paulson G PG Rosa Patricia P Koper Nicola N

Scientific reports 20180302 1

Anthropogenic noise is a pervasive pollutant altering behaviour of wildlife that communicates acoustically. Some species adjust vocalisations to compensate for noise. However, we know little about whether signal adjustments improve communication in noise, the extent to which effectiveness of adjustments varies with noise source, or how individual variation in physiology varies with response capacity. We played noise-adjusted and unadjusted songs to wild Passerculus sandwichensis (Savannah Sparro ...[more]

PMID: 29500452

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Project description:Anthropogenic noise is a widespread and growing form of sensory pollution associated with the expansion of human infrastructure. One specific source of constant and intense noise is that produced by compressors used for the extraction and transportation of natural gas. Terrestrial arthropods play a central role in many ecosystems, and given that numerous species rely upon airborne sounds and substrate-borne vibrations in their life histories, we predicted that increased background sound levels or the presence of compressor noise would influence their distributions. In the second largest natural gas field in the United States (San Juan Basin, New Mexico, USA), we assessed differences in the abundances of terrestrial arthropod families and community structure as a function of compressor noise and background sound level. Using pitfall traps, we simultaneously sampled five sites adjacent to well pads that possessed operating compressors, and five alternate, quieter well pad sites that lacked compressors, but were otherwise similar. We found a negative association between sites with compressor noise or higher levels of background sound and the abundance of five arthropod families and one genus, a positive relationship between loud sites and the abundance of one family, and no relationship between noise level or compressor presence and abundance for six families and two genera. Despite these changes, we found no evidence of community turnover as a function of background sound level or site type (compressor and noncompressor). Our results indicate that anthropogenic noise differentially affects the abundances of some arthropod families. These preliminary findings point to a need to determine the direct and indirect mechanisms driving these observed responses. Given the diverse and important ecological functions provided by arthropods, changes in abundances could have ecological implications. Therefore, we recommend the consideration of arthropods in the environmental assessment of noise-producing infrastructure.

Dataset Information

Noise Source and Individual Physiology Mediate Effectiveness of Bird Songs Adjusted to Anthropogenic Noise.

Publications

Noise Source and Individual Physiology Mediate Effectiveness of Bird Songs Adjusted to Anthropogenic Noise.

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