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Experimental recreationist noise alters behavior and space use of wildlife

2024; Elsevier BV; Volume: 34; Issue: 13 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.cub.2024.05.030

1879-0445

Katherine A. Zeller, Mark A. Ditmer, John R. Squires, William L. Rice, James M. Wilder, Don DeLong, Ashley N. Egan, N. E. Pennington, Chris Wang, Jacinta Plucinski, Jesse R. Barber,

Marine animal studies overview

Providing outdoor recreational opportunities to people and protecting wildlife are dual goals of many land managers. However, recreation is associated with negative effects on wildlife, ranging from increased stress hormones 1 Piñeiro A. Barja I. Silván G. Illera J.C. Piñeiro A. Barja I. Silván G. Illera J.C. Effects of tourist pressure and reproduction on physiological stress response in wildcats: management implications for species conservation. Wildl. Res. 2012; 39: 532-539https://doi.org/10.1071/WR10218 Crossref Scopus (57) Google Scholar ,2 Creel S. Fox J.E. Hardy A. Sands J. Garrott B. Peterson R.O. Snowmobile activity and glucocorticoid stress responses in wolves and elk. Conserv. Biol. 2002; 16: 809-814https://doi.org/10.1046/j.1523-1739.2002.00554.x Crossref Scopus (336) Google Scholar to shifts in habitat use 3 Stankowich T. Ungulate flight responses to human disturbance: a review and meta-analysis. Biol. Conserv. 2008; 141: 2159-2173https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2008.06.026 Crossref Scopus (406) Google Scholar ,4 Taylor A.R. Knight R.L. Wildlife responses to recreation and associated visitor perceptions. Ecol. Appl. 2003; 13: 951-963https://doi.org/10.1890/1051-0761(2003)13[951:WRTRAA]2.0.CO;2 Crossref Scopus (261) Google Scholar ,5 George S.L. Crooks K.R. Recreation and large mammal activity in an urban nature reserve. Biol. Conserv. 2006; 133: 107-117https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2006.05.024 Crossref Scopus (196) Google Scholar to lowered reproductive success. 6 Phillips G.E. Alldredge A.W. Reproductive success of elk following disturbance by humans during calving season. J. Wildl. Manage. 2000; 64: 521-530https://doi.org/10.2307/3803250 Crossref Scopus (87) Google Scholar ,7 Müllner A. Eduard Linsenmair K. Wikelski M. Exposure to ecotourism reduces survival and affects stress response in hoatzin chicks (Opisthocomus hoazin). Biol. Conserv. 2004; 118: 549-558https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2003.10.003 Crossref Scopus (254) Google Scholar Noise from recreational activities can be far reaching and have similar negative effects on wildlife, yet the impacts of these auditory encounters are less studied and are often unobservable. We designed a field-based experiment to both isolate and quantify the effects of recreation noise on several mammal species and test the effects of different recreation types and group sizes. Animals entering our sampling arrays triggered cameras to record video and broadcast recreation noise from speakers ∼20 m away. Our design allowed us to observe and classify behaviors of wildlife as they were exposed to acoustic stimuli. We found wildlife were 3.1–4.7 times more likely to flee and were vigilant for 2.2–3.0 times longer upon hearing recreation noise compared with controls (natural sounds and no noise). Wildlife abundance at our sampling arrays was 1.5 times lower the week following recreation noise deployments. Noise from larger groups of vocal hikers and mountain bikers caused the highest probability of fleeing (6–8 times more likely to flee). Elk were the most sensitive species to recreation noise, and large carnivores were the least sensitive. Our findings indicate that recreation noise alone caused anti-predator responses in wildlife, and as outdoor recreation continues to increase in popularity and geographic extent, 8 Outdoor Foundation2022 Outdoor participation trends report. 2023 Google Scholar ,9 White E. Bowker J.M. Askew A.E. Langner L.L. Arnold J.R. English D.B.K. Federal outdoor recreation trends: effects on economic opportunities. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, 2016https://doi.org/10.2737/PNW-GTR-945 Crossref Google Scholar noise from recreation may result in degraded or indirect wildlife habitat loss.