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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Road traffic noise modifies behaviour of a keystone species
Animal Behaviour, Volume 94, Year 2014
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Description
Prey species have to balance their foraging and vigilance behaviour in order to maximize nutritional and energetic intake while avoiding predation. Anthropogenic noise, a ubiquitous form of human disturbance, has the potential to influence antipredator behaviour through its effects on predator detection and perceived risk. Noise might increase perceived risk as predicted by the risk disturbance hypothesis, reduce risk by providing protection from disturbance-sensitive predators, or have no effect on antipredator behaviour if animals are tolerant of nonlethal forms of human disturbance. Road traffic is a pervasive source of anthropogenic noise, but few studies have experimentally isolated the effects of road noise on behaviour. Using systematic playback experiments, we investigated the influence of traffic noise on foraging and vigilance in a keystone species in North American prairie systems, the prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus. Exposure to road traffic noise significantly lowered aboveground activity, reduced foraging and increased vigilance, as predicted by the risk disturbance hypothesis. These effects were prevalent irrespective of temperature, a strong influence on such behaviours, and they were consistent across the 3-month study period, providing no evidence of habituation. Our results provide the first experimental investigation of the potential costs of this ubiquitous disturbance in a free-ranging mammal, demonstrating that road noise can alter key survival behaviours of this ecologically pivotal species. These findings highlight that the presence of animals in a location is no guarantee of population and ecological integrity, while also underlining the potential synergistic impacts of noise on a species that has already experienced severe declines across its historic range due to human disturbance. Globally, roadways have profound impacts on biodiversity, and quantifying the behavioural and fitness costs associated with different forms of disturbance such as noise is crucial for mitigation. © 2014 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
Authors & Co-Authors
Shannon, Graeme
United States, Fort Collins
Colorado State University
Wittemyer, George
United States, Fort Collins
Colorado State University
Fristrup, Kurt M.
United States, Washington, D.c.
National Park Service
Crooks, Kevin R.
United States, Fort Collins
Colorado State University
Statistics
Citations: 116
Authors: 4
Affiliations: 2
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.06.004
ISSN:
00033472
Study Design
Cross Sectional Study