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Brink KJ, Kim SK, Sommerfeld JH, Amazeen PG, Stergiou N, Likens AD. Pink noise promotes sooner state transitions during bimanual coordination. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2400687121. [PMID: 39042677 PMCID: PMC11294992 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2400687121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The seemingly straightforward task of tying one's shoes requires a sophisticated interplay of joints, muscles, and neural pathways, posing a formidable challenge for researchers studying the intricacies of coordination. A widely accepted framework for measuring coordinated behavior is the Haken-Kelso-Bunz (HKB) model. However, a significant limitation of this model is its lack of accounting for the diverse variability structures inherent in the coordinated systems it frequently models. Variability is a pervasive phenomenon across various biological and physical systems, and it changes in healthy adults, older adults, and pathological populations. Here, we show, both empirically and with simulations, that manipulating the variability in coordinated movements significantly impacts the ability to change coordination patterns-a fundamental feature of the HKB model. Our results demonstrate that synchronized bimanual coordination, mirroring a state of healthy variability, instigates earlier transitions of coordinated movements compared to other variability conditions. This suggests a heightened adaptability when movements possess a healthy variability. We anticipate our study to show the necessity of adapting the HKB model to encompass variability, particularly in predictive applications such as neuroimaging, cognition, skill development, biomechanics, and beyond.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kolby J. Brink
- Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE68182
| | - Seung Kyeom Kim
- Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE68182
| | - Joel H. Sommerfeld
- Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE68182
| | | | - Nikolaos Stergiou
- Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE68182
- Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki57001, Greece
| | - Aaron D. Likens
- Department of Biomechanics, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, NE68182
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2
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Templeton CN, O’Connor A, Strack S, Meraz F, Herranen K. Traffic noise inhibits inhibitory control in wild-caught songbirds. iScience 2023; 26:106650. [PMID: 37168571 PMCID: PMC10165181 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is ubiquitous across environments and can have negative effects on animals, ranging from physiology to community structure. Recent work with captive-bred zebra finches demonstrated that traffic noise also affects cognitive performance. We examined whether these results extend to animals that have experienced noise in the wild. We collected black-capped chickadees from areas frequently exposed to road traffic noise and tested them on a detour reaching task, a commonly used measure of inhibitory control. Those chickadees exposed to traffic noise playback had much lower performance on the task than control birds, indicating that noise negatively impacts inhibitory control. These data corroborate previous findings in lab-reared zebra finches. Furthermore, these results suggest that prior experience with traffic noise is not sufficient for animals to habituate to noise and overcome its negative effects on cognitive performance. Instead, noise-induced cognitive effects might have broad impacts on animal species living in noise-polluted habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amber O’Connor
- Department of Biology, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR 97116, USA
| | - Sarah Strack
- Department of Biology, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR 97116, USA
| | - Franco Meraz
- Department of Biology, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR 97116, USA
| | - Katri Herranen
- Department of Biology, Pacific University, Forest Grove, OR 97116, USA
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3
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Goller B, Baumhardt P, Dominguez-Villegas E, Katzner T, Fernández-Juricic E, Lucas JR. Selecting auditory alerting stimuli for eagles on the basis of auditory evoked potentials. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 10:coac059. [PMID: 36134144 PMCID: PMC9486983 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coac059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Development of wind energy facilities results in interactions between wildlife and wind turbines. Raptors, including bald and golden eagles, are among the species known to incur mortality from these interactions. Several alerting technologies have been proposed to mitigate this mortality by increasing eagle avoidance of wind energy facilities. However, there has been little attempt to match signals used as alerting stimuli with the sensory capabilities of target species like eagles. One potential approach to tuning signals is to use sensory physiology to determine what stimuli the target eagle species are sensitive to even in the presence of background noise, thereby allowing the development of a maximally stimulating signal. To this end, we measured auditory evoked potentials of bald and golden eagles to determine what types of sounds eagles can process well, especially in noisy conditions. We found that golden eagles are significantly worse than bald eagles at processing rapid frequency changes in sounds, but also that noise effects on hearing in both species are minimal in response to rapidly changing sounds. Our findings therefore suggest that sounds of intermediate complexity may be ideal both for targeting bald and golden eagle hearing and for ensuring high stimulation in noisy field conditions. These results suggest that the sensory physiology of target species is likely an important consideration when selecting auditory alerting sounds and may provide important insight into what sounds have a reasonable probability of success in field applications under variable conditions and background noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Goller
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Patrice Baumhardt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | | | - Todd Katzner
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest & Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 230 N Collins Rd., Boise, ID 83702, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey R Lucas
- Corresponding author: Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA. Tel: 765-494-8112.
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4
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Brewer DE, Fudickar AM. A preliminary comparison of a songbird’s song repertoire size and other song measures between an urban and a rural site. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8602. [PMID: 35222968 PMCID: PMC8848481 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Characteristics of birdsong, especially minimum frequency, have been shown to vary for some species between urban and rural populations and along urban–rural gradients. However, few urban–rural comparisons of song complexity—and none that we know of based on the number of distinct song types in repertoires—have occurred. Given the potential ability of song repertoire size to indicate bird condition, we primarily sought to determine if number of distinct song types displayed by Song Sparrows (Melospiza melodia) varied between an urban and a rural site. We determined song repertoire size of 24 individuals; 12 were at an urban (‘human‐dominated’) site and 12 were at a rural (‘agricultural’) site. Then, we compared song repertoire size, note rate, and peak frequency between these sites. Song repertoire size and note rate did not vary between our human‐dominated and agricultural sites. Peak frequency was greater at the agricultural site. Our finding that peak frequency was higher at the agricultural site compared to the human‐dominated site, contrary to many previous findings pertaining to frequency shifts in songbirds, warrants further investigation. Results of our pilot study suggest that song complexity may be less affected by anthropogenic factors in Song Sparrows than are frequency characteristics. Additional study, however, will be required to identify particular causal factors related to the trends that we report and to replicate, ideally via multiple urban–rural pairings, so that broader generalization is possible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin E. Brewer
- Environmental Resilience Institute Indiana University Bloomington Indiana USA
| | - Adam M. Fudickar
- Environmental Resilience Institute Indiana University Bloomington Indiana USA
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5
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Heinen‐Kay JL, Kay AD, Zuk M. How urbanization affects sexual communication. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:17625-17650. [PMID: 35003629 PMCID: PMC8717295 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Urbanization is rapidly altering landscapes worldwide, changing environmental conditions, and creating novel selection pressures for many organisms. Local environmental conditions affect the expression and evolution of sexual signals and mating behaviors; changes in such traits have important evolutionary consequences because of their effect on reproduction. In this review, we synthesize research investigating how sexual communication is affected by the environmental changes associated with urbanization-including pollution from noise, light, and heavy metals, habitat fragmentation, impervious surfaces, urban heat islands, and changes in resources and predation. Urbanization often has negative effects on sexual communication through signal masking, altering condition-dependent signal expression, and weakening female preferences. Though there are documented instances of seemingly adaptive shifts in trait expression, the ultimate impact on fitness is rarely tested. The field of urban evolution is still relatively young, and most work has tested whether differences occur in response to various aspects of urbanization. There is limited information available about whether these responses represent phenotypic plasticity or genetic changes, and the extent to which observed shifts in sexual communication affect reproductive fitness. Our understanding of how sexual selection operates in novel, urbanized environments would be bolstered by more studies that perform common garden studies and reciprocal transplants, and that simultaneously evaluate multiple environmental factors to tease out causal drivers of observed phenotypic shifts. Urbanization provides a unique testing ground for evolutionary biologists to study the interplay between ecology and sexual selection, and we suggest that more researchers take advantage of these natural experiments. Furthermore, understanding how sexual communication and mating systems differ between cities and rural areas can offer insights on how to mitigate negative, and accentuate positive, consequences of urban expansion on the biota, and provide new opportunities to underscore the relevance of evolutionary biology in the Anthropocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justa L. Heinen‐Kay
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulUSA
| | - Adam D. Kay
- Biology DepartmentUniversity of St. ThomasSt. PaulUSA
| | - Marlene Zuk
- Department of Ecology, Evolution & BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulUSA
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6
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Deoniziak K, Osiejuk TS. Seasonality and social factors, but not noise pollution, influence the song characteristics of two leaf warbler species. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0257074. [PMID: 34473797 PMCID: PMC8412285 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0257074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Changes in the acoustic signalling of animals occupying urban ecosystems is often associated with the masking effects of noise pollution, but the way in which they respond to noise pollution is not straightforward. An increasing number of studies indicate that responses can be case specific, and some species have been found to respond differently to high levels of natural versus anthropogenic noise, as well as different levels of the latter. While the perception of noise between species may vary with its source, amplitude and temporal features, some species may possess broader environmental tolerance to noise pollution, as they use higher frequency vocalizations that are less masked by low-frequency urban noise. In this study, we explored the song variation of two closely related leaf warblers, the Common Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita and the Willow Warbler Phylloscopus trochilus, inhabiting urban green spaces and nonurban forests. The main goal of our study was to evaluate the impact of moderate levels of noise pollution on the songs of species which use higher frequency vocalizations and large frequency bandwidth. Previous studies found that the Common Chiffchaff modified their song in response to intense noise pollution, while no such data is available for the Willow Warbler. However, the majority of urban green spaces, which serve as wildlife hot spots in urban environments are usually polluted with moderate noise levels, which may not mask the acoustic signals of species that communicate with higher frequency. We analysed the spectral and temporal song parameters of both warblers and described the ambient noise present in males’ territories. Additionally, we looked at the social and seasonal aspects of bird song, since there is more than just noise in urban ecosystems which may affect acoustic communication. We found no evidence for noise-related bird song divergence in either species, however, we showed that social factors, time of day and season influence certain Common Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler song characteristics. Lack of noise-related bird song divergence may be due to the relatively low variation in its amplitude or other noise features present within the song frequency range of the studied species. Similar results have previously been shown for a few songbird species inhabiting urban ecosystems. Although in many cases such results remain in the shadow of the positive ones, they all contribute to a better understanding of animal communication in urban ecosystems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Deoniziak
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
- Laboratory of Insect Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bialystok, Białystok, Poland
- * E-mail:
| | - Tomasz S. Osiejuk
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań, Poland
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7
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Montenegro C, Service WD, Scully EN, Mischler SK, Sahu PK, Benowicz TJ, Fox KVR, Sturdy CB. The impact of anthropogenic noise on individual identification via female song in Black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus). Sci Rep 2021; 11:17530. [PMID: 34475418 PMCID: PMC8413438 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96504-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
When anthropogenic noise occurs simultaneously with an acoustic signal or cue, it can be difficult for an animal to interpret the information encoded within vocalizations. However, limited research has focused on how anthropogenic noise affects the identification of acoustic communication signals. In songbirds, research has also shown that black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) will shift the pitch and change the frequency at which they sing in the presence of anthropogenic, and experimental noise. Black-capped chickadees produce several vocalizations; their fee-bee song is used for mate attraction and territorial defence, and contains information about dominance hierarchy and native geographic location. Previously, we demonstrated that black-capped chickadees can discriminate between individual female chickadees via their fee-bee songs. Here we used an operant discrimination go/no-go paradigm to discern whether the ability to discriminate between individual female chickadees by their song would be impacted by differing levels of anthropogenic noise. Following discrimination training, two levels of anthropogenic noise (low: 40 dB SPL; high: 75 dB SPL) were played with stimuli to determine how anthropogenic noise would impact discrimination. Results showed that even with low-level noise (40 dB SPL) performance decreased and high-level (75 dB SPL) noise was increasingly detrimental to discrimination. We learned that perception of fee-bee songs does change in the presence of anthropogenic noise such that birds take significantly longer to learn to discriminate between females, but birds were able to generalize responding after learning the discrimination. These results add to the growing literature underscoring the impact of human-made noise on avian wildlife, specifically the impact on perception of auditory signals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - William D Service
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Erin N Scully
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | | | - Prateek K Sahu
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Thomas J Benowicz
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Katelyn V R Fox
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Christopher B Sturdy
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. .,University of Alberta, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
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8
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Brumm H, Goymann W, Derégnaucourt S, Geberzahn N, Zollinger SA. Traffic noise disrupts vocal development and suppresses immune function. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/20/eabe2405. [PMID: 33980481 PMCID: PMC8115921 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe2405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Noise pollution has been linked to learning and language deficits in children, but the causal mechanisms connecting noise to cognitive deficiencies remain unclear because experimental models are lacking. Here, we investigated the effects of noise on birdsong learning, the primary animal model for vocal learning and speech development in humans. We found that traffic noise exposure retarded vocal development and led to learning inaccuracies. In addition, noise suppressed immune function during the sensitive learning period, indicating that it is a potent stressor for birds, which is likely to compromise their cognitive functions. Our results provide important insights into the consequences of noise pollution and pave the way for future studies using birdsong as an experimental model for the investigation of noise-induced learning impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Brumm
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Seewiesen, Germany.
| | - Wolfgang Goymann
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | | | - Nicole Geberzahn
- University Paris Nanterre, Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement, Nanterre, France
| | - Sue Anne Zollinger
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Seewiesen, Germany
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9
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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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10
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Liu Y, Zollinger SA, Brumm H. Chronic exposure to urban noise during the vocal learning period does not lead to increased song frequencies in zebra finches. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02942-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
It has often been observed that birds sing at a higher pitch in cities and other areas that are polluted with intense low-frequency noise. How this pattern arises remains unclear though. One prevailing idea is that songbirds adjust song frequencies to environmental noise profiles through developmental plasticity via vocal learning. However, the conclusions of previous studies testing this hypothesis are inconsistent. Here we report the findings from two song learning experiments with zebra finches (Taenopygia guttata), in which we exposed young birds to anthropogenic noise during their sensitive vocal learning period. Unlike previous studies that addressed this issue, we did not use constant synthetic noise but natural urban noise with its typical amplitude fluctuations that was broadcast at realistic sound levels. We found that noise-exposed males in neither experiment developed higher pitched songs compared to control males. This suggests that the natural fluctuations between higher and lower noise levels in cities may allow young birds to exploit relatively quiet moments to hear their tutors and themselves, permitting them to make accurate copies of even low-frequency song elements.
Significance statement
If animals are to persist in urban habitats, they often must adjust their behavior to the altered conditions. Birds in cities are often observed to sing at a higher pitch, but we are largely ignorant of how this phenomenon arises. We investigated whether low-frequency traffic noise interferes with the song learning of birds so that they develop higher pitched songs. Accordingly, we played back natural traffic noise from urban bird habitats to young birds during their learning period and then analyzed their adult songs. We found that birds that learned their songs in noise did not sing at higher frequencies compared to control males that learned their song with no noise exposure. Our results show that typical traffic noise in cities may not be sufficient to interfere with vocal learning in a way that birds develop higher-pitched songs.
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11
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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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12
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Apol CA, Valentine EC, Proppe DS. Ambient noise decreases detectability of songbird vocalizations in passive acoustic recordings in a consistent pattern across species, frequency, and analysis method. BIOACOUSTICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2019.1605310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Chad A. Apol
- Biology Department, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | | | - Darren S. Proppe
- Biology Department, Calvin College, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
- Au Sable Institute, Mancelona, MI, USA
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13
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Phillips JN, Katti M. Anthropogenic noise affects winter song structure of a long-distance migrant, Gambel’s white-crowned sparrow. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juaa003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractMany animals learn to produce acoustic signals that are used to attract mates and defend territories. The structure of these signals can be influenced by external features of the environment, including the anthropogenic soundscape. In many sedentary species, habitat features and soundscape appears to influence the cultural evolution of songs, often with tradeoffs for better transmission over sexually selected song structure. However, none have investigated whether noise on the wintering grounds affects song structure, which for long-distance migrants may result in an acoustic ‘mismatch’ when returning to a breeding ground. This study investigates urban noise effects on song structure in a long-distance migrant, Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii, on the wintering grounds in the Fresno Clovis Metropolitan Area and in outlying non-urban areas. Songs and background noise levels were recorded concurrently, and song measurements of frequency and duration were examined differences across noise levels and habitats . We found that the buzz and trill decrease in bandwidth in the presence of noise. The length of the whistle and buzz portion of the song also tends to decreases with noise in urban habitats. This trend toward short, pure tones in noisy areas may transmit better in noisy urban winter habitats, but may not be adaptive on quieter breeding grounds. We suggest that future studies should consider whether winter auditory feedback and song learning environments have consequences for song crystallization and breeding success for long-distance migrants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer N Phillips
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Madhusudan Katti
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University, Jordan Hall Addition 5223, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
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14
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Hennigar B, Ethier JP, Wilson DR. Experimental traffic noise attracts birds during the breeding season. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Understanding how anthropogenic disturbance affects animal behavior is challenging because observational studies often involve co-occurring disturbances (e.g., noise, lighting, and roadways), and laboratory experiments often lack ecological validity. During the 2016 and 2017 avian breeding seasons, we investigated the effects of anthropogenic noise and light on the singing and spatial behavior of wild birds by independently manipulating the presence of each type of disturbance at 89 sites in an otherwise undisturbed boreal forest in Labrador, Canada. Each treatment was surrounded by an eight-channel microphone array that recorded and localized avian vocalizations throughout the manipulation. We analyzed the effects of noise and light on the timing of the first vocalizations of each species at each array during the dawn chorus, and on the proximity of the vocalizing birds to the disturbance when those songs were produced. We analyzed all species combined, and then conducted separate analyses for the six most common species: boreal chickadee, dark-eyed junco, ruby-crowned kinglet, Swainson’s thrush, white-throated sparrow, and yellow-rumped warbler. When all species were analyzed together, we found that traffic noise attracted vocalizing birds. There was some evidence that light repelled birds, but this evidence was inconsistent. In our species-specific analyses, yellow-rumped warbler sang earlier in response to noise; Swainson’s thrush was attracted to noise and the combination of noise and light but repelled by light alone. Our study provides some of the first experimental evidence of the independent and combined effects of traffic noise and light on the vocal and spatial behavior of wild birds and suggests that breeding birds may be attracted to noisy roads where they could be exposed to additional forms of disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bronwen Hennigar
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - Jeffrey P Ethier
- Cognitive and Behavioural Ecology Program, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
| | - David R Wilson
- Department of Psychology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
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15
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Moll RJ, Cepek JD, Lorch PD, Dennis PM, Tans E, Robison T, Millspaugh JJ, Montgomery RA. What does urbanization actually mean? A framework for urban metrics in wildlife research. J Appl Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.13358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Remington J. Moll
- Department of Fisheries and WildlifeMichigan State University East Lansing Michigan
| | | | | | - Patricia M. Dennis
- Conservation and ScienceCleveland Metroparks Zoo Cleveland Ohio
- Department of Veterinary Preventive MedicineThe Ohio State University Columbus Ohio
| | - Eric Tans
- Collections Management DivisionMichigan State University Libraries East Lansing Michigan
| | | | - Joshua J. Millspaugh
- Wildlife Biology ProgramW.A. Franke College of Forestry and ConservationUniversity of Montana Missoula Montana
| | - Robert A. Montgomery
- Department of Fisheries and WildlifeMichigan State University East Lansing Michigan
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Łopucki R, Klich D, Ścibior A, Gołębiowska D. Hormonal adjustments to urban conditions: stress hormone levels in urban and rural populations of Apodemus agrarius. Urban Ecosyst 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-019-0832-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
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17
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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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Campbell KA, Proppe DS, Congdon JV, Scully EN, Miscler SK, Sturdy CB. The effects of anthropogenic noise on feeding behaviour in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus). Behav Processes 2018; 158:53-58. [PMID: 30439475 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2018.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2018] [Revised: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise has been shown to impact animal behaviour. Most studies investigating anthropogenic noise, and the detrimental effect it has on behaviour, have been conducted in the field, where a myriad of covariates can make interpretation challenging. In this experiment, we studied the effects of an approximation of anthropogenic noise, simulated with brown noise, on the feeding behaviour of wild-caught black-capped chickadees in a laboratory setting. We measured the amount of time spent eating while subjects heard either conspecific calls, brown noise, or a combination of calls and brown noise. We found that subjects fed more in the silence following playback than during the playback itself for all types of stimuli, suggesting that chickadees may shift their feeding behaviour to avoid feeding during periods of noise. The ability to adapt to changing environments (e.g., varying noise levels) may allow species to thrive in the presence of anthropogenic noise. Our findings outline a laboratory-based method that could be adopted and adapted to examine a variety avian species and of types anthropogenic noise.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Erin N Scully
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Christopher B Sturdy
- Department of Psychology, University of Alberta, Canada; Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Canada.
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Moseley DL, Derryberry GE, Phillips JN, Danner JE, Danner RM, Luther DA, Derryberry EP. Acoustic adaptation to city noise through vocal learning by a songbird. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:20181356. [PMID: 30305435 PMCID: PMC6191693 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.1356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise imposes novel selection pressures, especially on species that communicate acoustically. Many animals-including insects, frogs, whales and birds-produce sounds at higher frequencies in areas with low-frequency noise pollution. Although there is support for animals changing their vocalizations in real time in response to noise (i.e. immediate flexibility), other evolutionary mechanisms for animals that learn their vocalizations remain largely unexplored. We hypothesize that cultural selection for signal structures less masked by noise is a mechanism of acoustic adaptation to anthropogenic noise. We test this hypothesis by presenting nestling white-crowned sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophyrs) with less-masked (higher-frequency) and more-masked (lower-frequency) tutor songs either during playback of anthropogenic noise (noise-tutored treatment) or at a different time from noise playback (control treatment). As predicted, we find that noise-tutored males learn less-masked songs significantly more often, whereas control males show no copying preference, providing strong experimental support for cultural selection in response to anthropogenic noise. Further, noise-tutored males reproduce songs at higher frequencies than their tutor, indicating a distinct mechanism to increase signal transmission in a noisy environment. Notably, noise-tutored males achieve lower performance songs than their tutors, suggesting potential costs in a sexual selection framework.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dana Lynn Moseley
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
- Department of Biology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Institution, National Zoological Park, PO Box 37012-MRC 5503, Washington, DC 20013-7012, USA
| | | | - Jennifer Nicole Phillips
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, California Polytechnic State University, 1 Grand Avenue, San Luis Obispo, CA 93407, USA
| | - Julie Elizabeth Danner
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Raymond Michael Danner
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, NC 28403, USA
| | - David Andrew Luther
- Department of Biology, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA 22030, USA
- Smithsonian Mason School of Conservation, 1500 Remount Road, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Elizabeth Perrault Derryberry
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1610, USA
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20
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Dorado-Correa AM, Zollinger SA, Heidinger B, Brumm H. Timing matters: traffic noise accelerates telomere loss rate differently across developmental stages. Front Zool 2018; 15:29. [PMID: 30181761 PMCID: PMC6112141 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-018-0275-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Noise pollution is one of the leading environmental health risks for humans, linked to a myriad of stress-related health problems. Yet little is known about the long-term effects of noise on the health and fitness of wildlife. We experimentally investigated the direct and cross-generational effects of traffic noise on telomeres; a measure of cellular ageing that is predictive of disease and longevity in humans and other organisms. We exposed zebra finches (Taenopygia guttata) to three different treatment groups: 1) parents were exposed to traffic noise before and during breeding, together with their nestling young, 2) fledged juveniles but not their parents were exposed to traffic noise, and 3) control group birds were never exposed to traffic noise. Results Although there was no significant effect of traffic noise exposure at early (pre-fledging) stages of offspring telomere length or loss rate, traffic noise exposure accelerated telomere loss in older (post-fledging) juveniles. Conclusions The age-dependent differences found in this study in telomere loss could occur if parents buffer younger offspring against the detrimental effects of noise exposure and/or if younger offspring are less sensitive to noise exposure. Telomere length during early life has been shown to be positively related to lifespan and the observed noise-induced increase of telomere attrition rate could reduce the fitness of the affected birds and potentially alter the population dynamics of birds in noise polluted areas. Our data highlight the need to consider the developmental stage of an organism to better understand the ecological consequences of anthropogenic change.
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Affiliation(s)
- A M Dorado-Correa
- 1Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 11, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - S A Zollinger
- 1Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 11, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - B Heidinger
- 2North Dakota State University, Stevens Hall 225, Dept 2715, PO Box 6050, Fargo, ND 58108-6050 USA
| | - H Brumm
- 1Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Str. 11, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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HILL SD, ARYAL A, PAWLEY MDM, JI W. So much for the city: Urban-rural song variation in a widespread Asiatic songbird. Integr Zool 2018; 13:194-205. [DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Samuel D. HILL
- Human-Wildlife Interactions Research Group, Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences; Massey University; Auckland New Zealand
| | - Achyut ARYAL
- Human-Wildlife Interactions Research Group, Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences; Massey University; Auckland New Zealand
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science; University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
- Department of Forestry and Resource Management; Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology; Rotorua New Zealand
| | - Matthew D. M. PAWLEY
- Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences; Massey University; Auckland New Zealand
| | - Weihong JI
- Human-Wildlife Interactions Research Group, Institute of Natural and Mathematical Sciences; Massey University; Auckland New Zealand
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22
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Zollinger SA, Slater PJB, Nemeth E, Brumm H. Higher songs of city birds may not be an individual response to noise. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 284:rspb.2017.0602. [PMID: 28794216 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2017.0602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been observed in many songbird species that populations in noisy urban areas sing with a higher minimum frequency than do matched populations in quieter, less developed areas. However, why and how this divergence occurs is not yet understood. We experimentally tested whether chronic noise exposure during vocal learning results in songs with higher minimum frequencies in great tits (Parus major), the first species for which a correlation between anthropogenic noise and song frequency was observed. We also tested vocal plasticity of adult great tits in response to changing background noise levels by measuring song frequency and amplitude as we changed noise conditions. We show that noise exposure during ontogeny did not result in songs with higher minimum frequencies. In addition, we found that adult birds did not make any frequency or song usage adjustments when their background noise conditions were changed after song crystallization. These results challenge the common view of vocal adjustments by city birds, as they suggest that either noise itself is not the causal force driving the divergence of song frequency between urban and forest populations, or that noise induces population-wide changes over a time scale of several generations rather than causing changes in individual behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sue Anne Zollinger
- Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Peter J B Slater
- School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, UK
| | - Erwin Nemeth
- Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany.,BirdLife Austria, 1070 Vienna, Austria
| | - Henrik Brumm
- Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319 Seewiesen, Germany
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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: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [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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