Increased amplitude and duration of acoustic stimuli enhance distraction

Chan, Alvin Aaden Yim-Hol; Stahlman, W. David; Garlick, Dennis; Fast, Cynthia D.; Blumstein, Daniel T.; Blaisdell, Aaron P.

doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2010.09.025

Cited by 65 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Dudok van Heel [65] first suggested that a lack of attention (e.g., due to focus elsewhere during to prey capture attempts) could lead to cetacean strandings. More recently, theoretical groundwork by Dukas [66] on the diversion of attention in general has been followed by empirical results in Caribbean hermit crabs ( Coenobita clypeatus ) [67],[68], three-spined sticklebacks ( Gasterosteus aculeatus ) [69] and possibly also greater mouse-eared bats ( Myotis myotis ) [70], demonstrating that disturbance from human activity can be distracting to an animal. The resulting redirection of part of an individuals' limited focus to the noise or disturbance then leaves it less able to detect prey, predators or potentially also the presence of nets.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Causes of a Harbour Porpoise Mass Stranding in Danish Waters in 2005

et al. 2013

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An unprecedented 85 harbour porpoises stranded freshly dead along approximately 100 km of Danish coastline from 7–15 April, 2005. This total is considerably above the mean weekly stranding rate for the whole of Denmark, both for any time of year, 1.23 animals/week (ranging from 0 to 20 during 2003–2008, excluding April 2005), and specifically in April, 0.65 animals/week (0 to 4, same period). Bycatch was established as the cause of death for most of the individuals through typical indications of fisheries interactions, including net markings in the skin and around the flippers, and loss of tail flukes. Local fishermen confirmed unusually large porpoise bycatch in nets set for lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus) and the strandings were attributed to an early lumpfish season. However, lumpfish catches for 2005 were not unusual in terms of season onset, peak or total catch, when compared to 2003–2008. Consequently, human activity was combined with environmental factors and the variation in Danish fisheries landings (determined through a principal component analysis) in a two-part statistical model to assess the correlation of these factors with both the presence of fresh strandings and the numbers of strandings on the Danish west coast. The final statistical model (which was forward selected using Akaike information criterion; AIC) indicated that naval presence is correlated with higher rates of porpoise strandings, particularly in combination with certain fisheries, although it is not correlated with the actual presence of strandings. Military vessels from various countries were confirmed in the area from the 7th April, en route to the largest naval exercise in Danish waters to date (Loyal Mariner 2005, 11–28 April). Although sonar usage cannot be confirmed, it is likely that ships were testing various equipment prior to the main exercise. Thus naval activity cannot be ruled out as a possible contributing factor.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Causes of a Harbour Porpoise Mass Stranding in Danish Waters in 2005

et al. 2013

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“…For example, it is possible that distraction from noise contributes to the observed changes in territorial behavior, and may work in concert with masking to further obscure the information contained within a signal (Chan et al 2010). Although there is little information on this topic, a recent study on Brazilian free-tailed bats (Tadarida brasiliensis) in RCHMA showed how these animals, which vocalize above 24 kHz, shift aspects of their echolocation call in response to low-frequency compressor noise (Bunkley et al 2015), which has very little acoustic energy above 20 kHz and should not result in energetic masking of echolocation signals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anthropogenic noise weakens territorial response to intruder's songs

et al. 2016

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Abstract. Noise pollution degrades natural acoustic conditions, potentially interfering with bird communication. However, exactly how noise impacts the ability of the signal receiver to detect and discriminate vocalizations from conspecifics remains understudied in field settings. We performed a natural experiment to determine the effect of noise pollution on the territory-defense behaviors of two emberizid sparrows exposed to carefully constructed playbacks of conspecific intruder songs. Although all birds reacted to the playbacks, response latency increased with noise levels. This suggests that noise interferes with signal reception and may indicate impaired signal discrimination. We place these results in the context of a receiver's "listening area" and the significant impact of noise pollution on this receiver-centric perceptual acoustic range. This work informs conservation efforts and provides a much needed fieldbased examination of the disruptive impact of noise pollution on behaviors directly related to reproduction and fitness.

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“…Indeed, some nonresponsive cardinals were well within probable hearing range (2 m) of the speaker. Cognitive distraction is the monopoly of an individual's attention by one stimulus over others [14], and has been implicated or experimentally demonstrated in the inhibition of communication [15,16]. Cardinals reliably use information regarding predation risk encoded in parid alarm calls to adjust their anti-predator decision-making [17], and rapid responses (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When the birds go unheard: highway noise disrupts information transfer between bird species

Grade

Sieving

2016

Biol. Lett.

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Highway infrastructure and accompanying vehicle noise is associated with decreased wildlife populations in adjacent habitats. Noise masking of animal communication is an oft-cited potential mechanism underlying species loss in sound-polluted habitats. This study documents the disruption of between-species information transfer by anthropogenic noise. Titmice and chickadees broadcast specific calls to alert kin of predator threats, and sympatric vertebrates eavesdrop on these alarm calls to avoid predators. We tested if tufted titmouse alarm call eavesdropping by northern cardinals is disrupted by road noise. We broadcast recorded alarm calls to cardinals in natural areas near and far from highways. Cardinals reliably produced predator avoidance responses in quiet trials, but all birds in noisy areas failed to respond, demonstrating that highway noise is loud enough to disrupt this type of survival-related information via masking or cognitive distraction. Birds in family Paridae are abundant, highly social and vocal residents of woodlands across the Holarctic whose alarm calls are used by many species to mediate predation risks. Our work suggests that communication network disruption is likely to be widespread, and could help explain the pattern of reduced biodiversity near roadways.

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Increased amplitude and duration of acoustic stimuli enhance distraction

Cited by 65 publications

References 31 publications

Possible Causes of a Harbour Porpoise Mass Stranding in Danish Waters in 2005

Possible Causes of a Harbour Porpoise Mass Stranding in Danish Waters in 2005

Anthropogenic noise weakens territorial response to intruder's songs

When the birds go unheard: highway noise disrupts information transfer between bird species

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