1
|
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
|
2
|
Martin M, Gridley T, Elwen S, Charrier I. Inter-site variability in the Cape fur seal's behavioural response to boat noise exposure. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 196:115589. [PMID: 37776738 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Abstract
The impact of man-made noise on wildlife is recognised as a major global concern affecting many taxa in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, with the degree of impact varying among individuals or species. Understanding the factors inducing intra-species differences in response to noise is essential for the development of adapted and effective mitigation measures. This study compares the behavioural response of Cape fur seals to boat noise exposures at two study sites showing differences in their level of exposure to anthropogenic activities, and individual composition. Increased vigilance was found for Lambert's Bay seals exposed to high noise level (70-80 dB) compared to those tested at Cape Town harbour. Comparisons with a similar study performed in Namibia were made. Intrinsic factors such as individuals' age-class, sex or arousal state as well as extrinsic factors such as the ambient noise and the nature/extent of human-seal interactions were suggested to induce such variation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Martin
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, CNRS, 91400 Saclay, France; Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa.
| | - Tess Gridley
- Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Simon Elwen
- Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, Muizenberg, Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Isabelle Charrier
- Université Paris-Saclay, Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay, CNRS, 91400 Saclay, France
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Duarte RHL, de Oliveira Passos MF, Beirão MV, Midamegbe A, Young RJ, de Azevedo CS. Noise interfere on feeding behaviour but not on food preference of saffron finches (Sicalis flaveola). Behav Processes 2023; 206:104844. [PMID: 36773856 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 12/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Noise pollution exerts negative well-being effects on animals, especially for captive individuals. A decrease in feeding, reproduction, attention, and an increase in stress are examples of negative effects of noise pollution on animals. Noise pollution can also negatively impact animals' lives by decreasing the efficiency of food choice: attention decrease can cause animals choose the least profitable food, which can affect their fitness. The aims of this study were to analyse the effects of noise on feeding behaviour and food preference of saffron finches. Foraging tests were performed under background sound pressure levels and under a noisy condition. The behaviours exhibited by the birds during the tests were recorded using focal sampling with instantaneous recording of behaviour every 10 s. Results showed that finches consumed more the higher energetic food, and that noise pollution did not impact food consumption by the birds. Noise changed the number of visits on the feeders, and increased the expression of the 'lower the head' and vigilance behaviours during feeding. These findings could be important for wild and captive animals because an increase in vigilance and in changes in foraging behaviour could ultimately impact their fitness. Thus, mitigation measures should be taken in relation to noise impact on wildlife, this is especially the case for captive animals, which have no chance to avoid noisy environments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marina Vale Beirão
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, Evolução e Meio Ambiente, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Afiwa Midamegbe
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Lara RA, Breitzler L, Lau IH, Gordillo-Martinez F, Chen F, Fonseca PJ, Bass AH, Vasconcelos RO. Noise-induced hearing loss correlates with inner ear hair cell decrease in larval zebrafish. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:274643. [PMID: 35258623 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 02/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise can be hazardous for the auditory system and wellbeing of animals, including humans. However, very limited information is known on how this global environmental pollutant affects auditory function and inner ear sensory receptors in early ontogeny. The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a valuable model in hearing research, including to investigate developmental processes of the vertebrate inner ear. We tested the effects of chronic exposure to white noise in larval zebrafish on inner ear saccular sensitivity and morphology at 3 and 5 days post fertilization (dpf), as well as on auditory-evoked swimming responses using the prepulse inhibition paradigm (PPI) at 5 dpf. Noise-exposed larvae showed significant increase in microphonic potential thresholds at low frequencies, 100 and 200 Hz, while PPI revealed a hypersensitisation effect and similar threshold shift at 200 Hz. Auditory sensitivity changes were accompanied by a decrease in saccular hair cell number and epithelium area. In aggregate, the results reveal noise-induced effects on inner ear structure-function in a larval fish paralleled by a decrease in auditory-evoked sensorimotor responses. More broadly, this study highlights the importance of investigating the impact of environmental noise on early development of sensory and behavioural responsiveness to acoustic stimuli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rafael A Lara
- Institute of Science and Environment, University of Saint Joseph, Macao S.A.R., China.,Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain
| | - Lukas Breitzler
- Institute of Science and Environment, University of Saint Joseph, Macao S.A.R., China
| | - Ieng Hou Lau
- Institute of Science and Environment, University of Saint Joseph, Macao S.A.R., China
| | | | - Fangyi Chen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, South University of Science and Technology of China, Guangdong, China
| | - Paulo J Fonseca
- Departamento de Biologia Animal and cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Andrew H Bass
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, NY, USA
| | - Raquel O Vasconcelos
- Institute of Science and Environment, University of Saint Joseph, Macao S.A.R., China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Grunst ML, Grunst AS, Pinxten R, Eens M. Little parental response to anthropogenic noise in an urban songbird, but evidence for individual differences in sensitivity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 769:144554. [PMID: 33477051 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144554] [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: 11/05/2020] [Revised: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/13/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise exposure has well-documented behavioral, physiological and fitness effects on organisms. However, whether different noise regimes evoke distinct responses has rarely been investigated, despite implications for tailoring noise mitigation policies. Urban animals might display low responsiveness to certain anthropogenic noise regimes, especially consistent noise (e.g. freeway noise), but might remain more sensitive to more diverse noise regimes. Additionally, whether individuals differ in noise sensitivity is a rarely explored issue, which is important to fully understand organismal responses to noise. To address these knowledge gaps, we used a field experiment to measure how urban great tits (Parus major) altered parental behaviors in response to two noise regimes: consistent freeway noise, and a diverse anthropogenic noise regime that incorporated variability in noise type and temporal occurrence. We also evaluated whether sex, age, or a well-described personality trait, novel environment exploration behavior, were associated with responses to noise, although our power to assess individual differences in responses was somewhat limited. We found no evidence for mean population-level changes in nestling provisioning behaviors during either noise treatment. However, despite this overall canalization of behavior, there was evidence for individual differences in noise sensitivity, particularly during the diverse noise treatment. Females and birds that explored a novel environment more rapidly (fast explorers) reduced nestling provisioning rate more relative to baseline levels than males and slow explorers during the diverse urban noise, but not during the consistent freeway noise. Furthermore, first year breeders and fast explorers displayed larger increases in latency to return to the nest box relative to baseline conditions during the diverse noise only. Results suggest that urban animal populations might become overall tolerant to anthropogenic noise, but that certain individuals within these populations nonetheless remain sensitive to certain types of noise exposure. CAPSULE: In an urban songbird, we found no population-level changes in nestling provisioning behavior during noise exposure, but did find evidence for individual differences in noise sensitivity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa L Grunst
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Andrea S Grunst
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Rianne Pinxten
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; Faculty of Social Sciences, Didactica Research group, University of Antwerp, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Marcel Eens
- Department of Biology, Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, University of Antwerp, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Passos MFDO, Beirão MV, Midamegbe A, Duarte RHL, Young RJ, de Azevedo CS. Impacts of noise pollution on the agonistic interactions of the saffron finch (Sicalis flaveola Linnaeus, 1766). Behav Processes 2020; 180:104222. [PMID: 32828808 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Impacts of noise pollution are recognized as a source of stress for animals and as a form of environmental degradation. Behavioural changes associated with noise, such as reduction of reproductive success, reduction in feeding behaviour, increase in vigilance behaviours and inability to detect environment acoustic signals, are observed. The aim of the present study was to evaluate how noise influences aggressive behaviour of the saffron finch (Sicalis flaveola). We conducted tests of territoriality-aggressiveness against conspecifics. Seven individuals were tested, with six tests per individual being conducted in two treatments (traffic pollution and ambient noise), totalling 84 tests. The noise treatment significantly altered the agonistic interactions of the saffron finches, with territorial males exhibiting less aggressive behaviours towards intruders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Fortes de Oliveira Passos
- Departamento de Evolução, Biodiversidade e Meio Ambiente, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Cep: 35400-000, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - Marina Vale Beirão
- Departamento de Evolução, Biodiversidade e Meio Ambiente, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Cep: 35400-000, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| | - Afiwa Midamegbe
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais. Avenida Dom José Gaspar, 500, Coração Eucarístico. Cep: 30535-901, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Renan Henriques Lage Duarte
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Minas Gerais. Avenida Dom José Gaspar, 500, Coração Eucarístico. Cep: 30535-901, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
| | - Robert John Young
- University of Salford Manchester, Peel Building - Room G51, Salford, M5 4WT, United Kingdom.
| | - Cristiano Schetini de Azevedo
- Departamento de Evolução, Biodiversidade e Meio Ambiente, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, s/n, Bauxita, Cep: 35400-000, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Low-Frequency Noise and Its Main Effects on Human Health—A Review of the Literature between 2016 and 2019. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app10155205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
This paper summarizes the presently available knowledge about the association between low-frequency noise and its effects on health. A database was constructed with a total of 142 articles published between 2016 and 2019 regarding low-frequency noise exposure and its effects on health. A total of 39 articles were analysed in depth. The articles were divided into categories according to the effects on human health addressed. Regarding the emitting source, there was a greater number of articles addressing issues related to sources of environmental noise and noise from wind turbines. As for the effects generated on human health, there was a greater number of articles referring to the effects on sleep disorders, discomfort, sensitivity to and irritability from noise, annoyance, hearing loss, and cardiovascular diseases, and these effects are analysed in more detail in the present article.
Collapse
|
8
|
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
|
9
|
Anderson NC, Thomovsky SA, Lucas JR, Kushiro-Banker T, Radcliffe JS, Stewart KR, Lay DC. Auditory brainstem responses in weaning pigs and three ages of sows. Transl Anim Sci 2019; 3:1416-1422. [PMID: 32704906 PMCID: PMC7200588 DOI: 10.1093/tas/txz123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Piglet crushing is a devastating welfare concern on swine farms; however, some sows appear unresponsive to a piglet’s call. Sow hearing ability is rarely considered despite the extensive body of research performed on crushing. In this study, pigs of four age groups (weaning, n = 7; gilts, n = 5; 2nd and 3rd parity, n = 5; 5th parity and up, n = 5) were anesthetized and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were performed to measure if pig hearing diminishes with age in a mechanically ventilated barn. Before testing, pigs were placed in a sound dampening box. ABRs were performed on animals using 1,000 clicks at two decibel (dB) levels: 90 and 127 dB sound pressure level. Latencies and amplitudes of waves I–V were measured and interpeak latencies for waves I–III, III–V, and I–V were calculated. Five pigs (three 2nd and 3rd parity, and two 5th parity and above) had no detectable waves at either decibel. Sows in 2nd and 3rd parities had very few distinguishable waves, with only wave I and II present in two sows. Amplitudes of waves I and V increased with increased dB (P < 0.001). Increasing dB decreased the latency of each of the recorded waves (P < 0.01). The vast majority of commercial swine are raised in noisy barn environments; it is possible that these environments directly affect the ability for pigs to hear and normal hearing development in this population of animals. Hearing has a significant effect on swine welfare as hearing is integral to successful animal handing and during moments of animal-to-animal communication. Hearing is a considerable welfare issue on farms and ways to decrease pig hearing loss should be considered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jeffrey R Lucas
- Department of Biology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
| | | | | | - Kara R Stewart
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN
| | - Donald C Lay
- Livestock Behavior Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, West Lafayette, IN
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Edwards KL, Edes AN, Brown JL. Stress, Well-Being and Reproductive Success. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1200:91-162. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-23633-5_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
|