Prey response to predation risk under chronic road noise

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Alyssa Giordano, Biology, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA, Louis Hunninck, Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL and Michael Sheriff, Biology Department, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Dartmouth, MA

Background/Question/Methods
Anthropogenic noise has dramatically increased over the past decades with potentially significant impacts to wildlife and their community interactions. Road noise can affect prey’s ability to perceive predation risk, altering their phenotypic responses which can be critical to survival. There is yet to be a study that examines how chronic exposure to road noise alters prey longer-term responses to predation risk. Using giving-up densities (GUDs) paired with camera traps, we examined the concurrent influence of chronic road noise and predation risk on free-living small mammal foraging and vigilance.
Results/Conclusions
We found that small mammals significantly reduced food intake when exposed to predation risk, however, concurrent exposure to road noise eliminated this effect; small mammals increased food intake when exposed to road noise and risk compared to risk alone. Furthermore, road noise altered the foraging performance and vigilance of small mammals in risky situations. This is one of the first studies to concurrently examine the effects of road noise and predation risk on free-living prey. It shows the complex responses of prey exposed to chronic noise conditions as they attempt to gain reliable information about predation risk and respond appropriately. We highlight the potential consequences road noise may have on the survival of prey as it interferes with their appropriate risk responses.