Anthropogenic noise and climate change are both significant threats to the world’s ecosystems and species, causing a range of negative physiological and behavioural impacts. Research exploring the impacts of anthropogenic noise has focused on this threat in isolation, despite it often occurring in conjunction with other stressors. In this thesis, I first report the results of a field-based playback experiment used to explore the combined effects of an elevated predation threat and road noise on vigilance and foraging behaviour in dwarf mongooses (Helogale parvula). Whilst we found that both the threat of predation and road noise led to an equivalent increase in vigilance behaviour and a subsequent decrease in foraging behaviour, we did not find an additional effect when individuals were exposed to the combination of these stressors. Whilst there has been much research exploring the causes of climate change and how species will be affected by different climatic conditions, we know relatively little about its potential effects on animal behaviour. The second part of my thesis therefore reports on the use of long-term data to investigate the effect of rainfall and temperature on agonistic and sentinel behaviour. Our results showed that there was less agonistic behaviour when there was less rainfall in the non-breeding season, but no significant effect of rainfall in the breeding season. However, in both seasons there was significantly more sentinel behaviour seen in periods of lower rainfall. Temperature was not found to have a significant effect on agonistic or sentinel behaviour in either season. Results from both studies highlight the threats faced by wildlife from anthropogenic noise and a changing climate. They also demonstrate the need for further research in these areas on a range of species to give us a more comprehensive idea of how species will be impacted in an ever-changing world.
A changing world: how anthropogenic noise and climate impact dwarf mongoose (Helogale parvula) behaviour
Westover, L. (Author). 3 Oct 2023
Student thesis: Master's Thesis › Master of Science by Research (MScR)