Journal article
Impacts of traffic noise and traffic volume on birds of roadside habitats
KM Parris, A Schneider
Ecology and Society | Published : 2009
Abstract
Roadside habitats are important for a range of taxa including plants, insects, mammals, and birds, particularly in developed countries in which large expanses of native vegetation have been cleared for agriculture or urban development. Although roadside vegetation may provide suitable habitat for many species, resident animals can be exposed to high levels of traffic noise, visual disturbance from passing vehicles, and the risk of collision with cars and trucks. Traffic noise can reduce the distance over which acoustic signals such as song can be detected, an effect known as acoustic interference or masking. Studies from the northern hemisphere show that the singing behavior of birds changes..
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Funding Acknowledgements
We are grateful to VicRoads, the City of Casey, the City of Frankston, and the Mornington Peninsula Shire for data on traffic volumes, and to Michael McCarthy for assistance with data analysis. We thank Andrew Bennett, Henrik Brumm, and Murray Littlejohn for discussions, and Michael McCarthy for comments on the manuscript. This research was approved by the Deakin University Animal Welfare Committee, and supported by an ARC Discovery Grant to K. M. P., the Baker Foundation, and the Applied Environmental Decision Analysis research hub. This hub is funded by the Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities (CERF) programme, an Australian Government initiative that promotes world class, public-good research.