Effects of experimental chronic traffic noise exposure on adult and nestling corticosterone levels, and nestling body condition in a free-living bird

Abstract

Transportation noise affects urbanized, rural, and otherwise unaltered habitats. Given expanding transportation networks, alterations in the acoustic landscapes experienced by animals are likely to be pervasive and persistent (i.e. chronic). It is important to understand if chronic noise exposure alters behavior and physiology in free-living animals, as it may result in long-lasting impacts, such as reduced reproductive success. Here, we experimentally tested the effects of chronic traffic noise on baseline and stress-induced corticosterone (the primary avian glucocorticoid), parental feeding behavior, and fitness proxies in breeding tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Our results show that chronic traffic noise is related to altered corticosterone in both adult female and nestling tree swallows, suggesting that noise may be a stressor in both groups. In adult females, our results suggest that traffic noise is related to a limited ability to respond to subsequent acute stressors (i.e. reduced stress-induced corticosterone levels after handling). Further, our results show no evidence of habituation to noise during the breeding season, as the negative relationship between traffic noise and adult female stress-induced corticosterone became stronger over time. In nestlings, we found a positive relationship between traffic noise exposure and baseline corticosterone. Finally, we found a negative relationship between traffic noise and nestling body condition, despite no detectable effects of noise on nestling provisioning (e.g. parental feeding rate, or insect bolus size/composition). These results highlight the potential long-term consequences of chronic noise exposure, as increased baseline corticosterone and reduced nestling body condition in noise-exposed areas may have negative, population-level consequences.

Long-term noise pollution affects seedling recruitment and community composition, with negative effects persisting after removal

“…In our study system, Peromyscus mice are known to remove seeds at higher rates on noisy sites [13], which may also discourage scrub jays from caching seeds near noisy wellpads. Additionally, episodic memory of the inability to communicate with conspecifics [1,43,44], inability to eavesdrop and prey upon nests of other species [6], or altered glucocorticoid levels [19,45] due to elevated perceived risk that is associated with hampered acoustic surveillance for threats [46][47][48][49] could increase the long-term avoidance of noise. Understanding to what degree episodic-like memory may contribute to patterns of habitat use and ecological interactions is an intriguing avenue for future research.…”

Zebra finches show spatial avoidance of near but not far distance traffic noise

“…Reduced breeding performance near roads could also arise if these territories are of lower quality because of chemical pollution, the presence and movement of cars and different vegetation (Reijnen et al, 1996;Summers et al, 2011;Jack et al, 2015), and/or if these territories are more likely to be occupied by lower quality individuals (e.g. first time breeders) unable to secure better quality territories further away from roads (Injaian et al, 2018c). Moreover, noise does not always reduce bird abundance: Francis et al (2009) investigated noise impact on community composition at gas well exploitation sites and found that noisy sites had fewer predator species than quiet sites, but that the total number of birds did not differ between sites.…”

Influence of growing up in the city or near an airport on the physiological stress of tree sparrow nestlings (Passer montanus)

“…Regarding noise pollution specifically, results are also contrasting. Studies using nestling birds (incapable of avoiding noise sources) as focal individuals have found that experimental exposure to traffic noise can lead to both increases and decreases of baseline CORT levels (Injaian et al 2018b(Injaian et al , 2019Crino et al 2013;Flores et al 2019) and no effects at all (Meillère et al 2015a, b;Angelier et al 2016). Most correlational studies reported no influence of noise exposure on CORT (Crino et al 2011;Casasole et al 2017).…”