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

SUBMITTER: Francis CD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3212537 | biostudies-literature | 2011

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature