Sensory pollutants alter bird phenology and fitness across a continent

Masayuki Senzaki, Jesse R. Barber, Jennifer N. Phillips, Neil H. Carter, Caren B. Cooper, Mark A. Ditmer, Kurt M. Fristrup, Christopher J. W. McClure, Daniel J. Mennitt, Luke P. Tyrrell, Jelena Vukomanovic, Ashley A. Wilson and Clinton D. Francis ()
Additional contact information
Masayuki Senzaki: California Polytechnic State University
Jesse R. Barber: Boise State University
Jennifer N. Phillips: California Polytechnic State University
Neil H. Carter: University of Michigan
Caren B. Cooper: North Carolina State University
Mark A. Ditmer: University of Michigan
Kurt M. Fristrup: National Park Service Natural Sounds and Night Skies Division
Christopher J. W. McClure: Boise State University
Daniel J. Mennitt: Exponent
Luke P. Tyrrell: State University of New York Plattsburgh
Jelena Vukomanovic: North Carolina State University
Ashley A. Wilson: California Polytechnic State University
Clinton D. Francis: California Polytechnic State University

Nature, 2020, vol. 587, issue 7835, 605-609

Abstract: Abstract Expansion of anthropogenic noise and night lighting across our planet1,2 is of increasing conservation concern3–6. Despite growing knowledge of physiological and behavioural responses to these stimuli from single-species and local-scale studies, whether these pollutants affect fitness is less clear, as is how and why species vary in their sensitivity to these anthropic stressors. Here we leverage a large citizen science dataset paired with high-resolution noise and light data from across the contiguous United States to assess how these stimuli affect reproductive success in 142 bird species. We find responses to both sensory pollutants linked to the functional traits and habitat affiliations of species. For example, overall nest success was negatively correlated with noise among birds in closed environments. Species-specific changes in reproductive timing and hatching success in response to noise exposure were explained by vocalization frequency, nesting location and diet. Additionally, increased light-gathering ability of species’ eyes was associated with stronger advancements in reproductive timing in response to light exposure, potentially creating phenological mismatches7. Unexpectedly, better light-gathering ability was linked to reduced clutch failure and increased overall nest success in response to light exposure, raising important questions about how responses to sensory pollutants counteract or exacerbate responses to other aspects of global change, such as climate warming. These findings demonstrate that anthropogenic noise and light can substantially affect breeding bird phenology and fitness, and underscore the need to consider sensory pollutants alongside traditional dimensions of the environment that typically inform biodiversity conservation.

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2903-7

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