When ambient noise impairs parent-offspring communication. (May 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lucass, Carsten; Eens, Marcel; Müller, Wendt
• Is Part Of: Environmental pollution. Volume 212(2016)
• Page Start: 592
• Page End: 597
• Publication Date: 2016-05
• Subjects: Blue tit -- Chick development -- Highway noise -- Missed detections -- Provisioning; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Environmental aspects -- Periodicals; Environmental Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Aspect de l'environnement -- Périodiques; Pollution -- Effets physiologiques -- Périodiques; Pollution; Pollution -- Environmental aspects; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 363.73
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.03.015
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-7491

Abstract

Abstract: Ambient noise has increased in extent, duration and intensity with significant implications for species' lives. Birds especially, because they heavily rely on vocal communication, are highly sensitive towards noise pollution. Noise can impair the quality of a territory or hamper the transmission of vocal signals such as song. The latter has significant fitness consequences as it may erode partner preferences in the context of mate choice. Additional fitness costs may arise if noise masks communication between soliciting offspring and providing parents during the period of parental care. Here, we experimentally manipulated the acoustic environment of blue tit ( Cyanistes caeruleus ) families within their nest boxes with playbacks of previously recorded highway noise and investigated the consequences on parent-offspring communication. We hypothesized that noise interferes with the acoustic cues of parental arrival and vocal components of offspring begging. As such we expected an increase in the frequency of missed detections, when nestlings fail to respond to the returning parent, and a decrease in parental provisioning rates. Parents significantly reduced their rate of provisioning in noisy conditions compared to a control treatment. This reduction is likely to be the consequence of a parental misinterpretation of the offspring hunger level, as we found that nestlings fail to respond to the returning parent more frequently in the presence of noise. Noise also potentially masks vocal begging components, again contributing to parental underestimation of offspring requirements. Either way, it appears that noise impaired parent-offspring communication is likely to reduce reproductive success. Highlights: Noise is likely to impact on acoustic communication. We tested whether played back highway noise impairs parent-offspring communication. Nestlings fail to respond to providing parents more often in noisy conditions. Consequently, parents underestimate begging and lower their provisioning. This is likely to reduce reproductive success. Abstract : We show that parent-offspring communication during parental care is impaired in noisy environments, leading to decreased parental provisioning, and therefore probably impinging on reproductive success.