A new study has revealed for the first time that noise can affect the development of bird offsprings, even if their parents are not exposed to it.
Previous studies have already shown that both chicks and their parents, when exposed to noise, experience negative consequences.
However, a new study has revealed for the first time that noise can affect the development of chicks, even if their parents are not exposed to it.
A research team from Deakin University in Australia and the Doñana Biological Station in Spain, led by Drs. Aliza Meyer and Mylene Mariette, used the incubation of bird eggs under controlled conditions to study the effects of noise on the development of chicks. They used the sounds of traffic and the singing of local birds to create various conditions.
The results of the study showed that chicks whose eggs were exposed to noise before hatching grew more slowly and showed more serious signs of cell damage than those whose eggs were incubated under birdsong conditions. These negative effects continued after hatching in already adult birds.
Interestingly, the negative effects of noise exposure persisted even after the cessation of this exposure. Adult birds that were exposed to noise in childhood produced half as many offspring as those who were not exposed to noise.
Although the exact mechanism by which noise affects the development of chicks is still unclear, other studies also point to the direct effects of sounds on physiology. This highlights the need to reduce noise pollution in order to preserve biodiversity and wildlife.
The researchers are calling for measures such as using quieter vehicles, creating green areas along roads as noise barriers and avoiding the use of noisy tools in urban parks and gardens, phys.org reports.
Alex Shishlo for Rough&Polished
