TY - JOUR

T1 - Gas compressor noise does not influence tree swallow nestling condition or immune response

AU - MacLeod, Kirsty

AU - Naugle, Lane

AU - Brittingham, Margaret

AU - Avery, Julian

N1 - Pennsylvania State University. Grant Number: PEN04702 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Grant Number: 1019213

PY - 2022/9

Y1 - 2022/9

N2 - Anthropogenic noise pollution, such as that derived from traffic and industrial machinery, has been identified as an urgent conservation priority as it is often louder and more prevalent than natural acoustic stimuli, and can act as a stressor on wildlife. Research in avian systems has shown that anthropogenic noise can affect physiology and reproductive success of adult birds – but effects on juvenile birds have been less-studied despite their being potentially more vulnerable during the nestling period. What studies have been done have shown remarkable variability in juvenile response to anthropogenic noise, suggesting that effects are highly context- and species-specific. Here, we investigate the effects of gas compressor noise, an increasingly prevalent and biologically relevant noise stressor produced during natural gas production, on juvenile tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Gas compressors generate considerable sound pressure as they work to pressurize gas pipelines for downstream distribution. We predicted that exposure to increased noise during incubation and the nestling period would result in smaller chicks in poorer body condition and with a dampened immune response. Surprisingly, we found no evidence for any of these predictions, providing further evidence that noise effects on juvenile birds is highly variable, and we explore ways in which individual birds may compensate for the effects of disturbance at the nest.

AB - Anthropogenic noise pollution, such as that derived from traffic and industrial machinery, has been identified as an urgent conservation priority as it is often louder and more prevalent than natural acoustic stimuli, and can act as a stressor on wildlife. Research in avian systems has shown that anthropogenic noise can affect physiology and reproductive success of adult birds – but effects on juvenile birds have been less-studied despite their being potentially more vulnerable during the nestling period. What studies have been done have shown remarkable variability in juvenile response to anthropogenic noise, suggesting that effects are highly context- and species-specific. Here, we investigate the effects of gas compressor noise, an increasingly prevalent and biologically relevant noise stressor produced during natural gas production, on juvenile tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor). Gas compressors generate considerable sound pressure as they work to pressurize gas pipelines for downstream distribution. We predicted that exposure to increased noise during incubation and the nestling period would result in smaller chicks in poorer body condition and with a dampened immune response. Surprisingly, we found no evidence for any of these predictions, providing further evidence that noise effects on juvenile birds is highly variable, and we explore ways in which individual birds may compensate for the effects of disturbance at the nest.

KW - Tachycineta bicolor

KW - anthropogenic noise

KW - disturbance effects

KW - environmental change

KW - gas compressor

KW - immune response

KW - nestling period

KW - noise pollution

KW - tree swallow

U2 - /10.1111/jzo.12997

DO - /10.1111/jzo.12997

M3 - Article

VL - 318

SP - 1

EP - 9

JO - Journal of Zoology

JF - Journal of Zoology

SN - 0952-8369

IS - 1

ER -