Chronic anthropogenic noise disrupts glucocorticoid signaling and has multiple effects on fitness in an avian community

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 (), 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.

Suffering in receivers: Negative effects of noise persist regardless of experience in female anurans

“…This response is also similar to the fleeing response of aestivating juvenile reed frogs Hyperolius nitidulus to the crackling sound of fire in open savanna (Grafe, Dobler, & Linsenmair, ). A second possibility is that individuals may experience reduced performance in response to predator attacks in noisy environments (Chan et al., ; Simpson et al., ) and many animals certainly behave as though they are at greater risk of predation through changes in vigilance in noisy environments (Morris‐Drake, Bracken, Kern, & Radford, ; Shannon, Crooks, Wittemyer, Fristrup, & Angeloni, ; Ware, McClure, Carlisle, & Barber, ), which may also explain stress‐hormone dysfunction due to noise (Kleist, Guralnick, Cruz, Lowry, & Francis, ). However, it is important to recognize that predators also avoid noisy areas (Francis et al., ) and experience reductions in hunting success due to noise (Mason, McClure, & Barber, ; Senzaki et al., ).…”

Surviving in the city: higher apparent survival for urban birds but worse condition on noisy territories

“…A recent study links exposure to noise with decreased baseline corticosterone in nestlings and female birds and increased acute stressor‐induced corticosterone in nestlings, which suggests chronic stress (Kleist et al. ). In addition, high levels of anthropogenic noise tend to result in increased vigilance and less time foraging for food, which could also lower body condition (Ware et al.…”

How to disarm an evolutionary trap

“…Association with novel man‐made objects (bottles: Gwynne & Rentz, ; fish aggregating devices: Hallier & Gaertner, ), human food supplies or crops (wood product piles: Hedin et al, ; fish farms: Kloskowski, ), or even humans themselves (poachers: Sánchez‐Mercado et al, ) should be looked upon with suspicion if traps are a potential explanation for declines (Figure ). A failure to respond to changes likely to impact survival can also be symptomatic of a trap (e.g., climate change: Santangeli et al, ; noise pollution: Kleist et al, ).…”

“…Industrial noise pollution does not deter settlement but induces stress and reduces fecundity in songbirds (Kleist, Guralnick, Cruz, Lowry, & Francis, 2018).…”