Anthropogenic noise increases fish mortality by predation.

Stephen D Simpson,Andrew N Radford,Douglas P Chivers,Sophie L Nedelec,Mark I Mccormick,Mark G Meekan,Maud C O Ferrari

doi:10.1038/ncomms10544

Abstract

Noise-generating human activities affect hearing, communication and movement in terrestrial and aquatic animals, but direct evidence for impacts on survival is rare. We examined effects of motorboat noise on post-settlement survival and physiology of a prey fish species and its performance when exposed to predators. Both playback of motorboat noise and direct disturbance by motorboats elevated metabolic rate in Ambon damselfish (Pomacentrus amboinensis), which when stressed by motorboat noise responded less often and less rapidly to simulated predatory strikes. Prey were captured more readily by their natural predator (dusky dottyback, Pseudochromis fuscus) during exposure to motorboat noise compared with ambient conditions, and more than twice as many prey were consumed by the predator in field experiments when motorboats were passing. Our study suggests that a common source of noise in the marine environment has the potential to impact fish demography, highlighting the need to include anthropogenic noise in management plans.

Highlights

Noise-generating human activities affect hearing, communication and movement in terrestrial and aquatic animals, but direct evidence for impacts on survival is rare
We examine the effect of motorboat noise on predator– prey dynamics and survivorship using a model coral reef system that lends itself to manipulation, observation and replication: the Ambon damselfish Pomacentrus amboinensis and its predator, the dusky dottyback Pseudochromis fuscus
We tested the impact of motorboat noise on the post-settlement survival, physiology and performance of P. amboinensis when exposed to the predator P. fuscus, providing a direct assessment of the fitness consequences of anthropogenic noise

Summary

Introduction

Noise-generating human activities affect hearing, communication and movement in terrestrial and aquatic animals, but direct evidence for impacts on survival is rare. We tested the impact of motorboat noise on the post-settlement survival, physiology and performance of P. amboinensis when exposed to the predator P. fuscus, providing a direct assessment of the fitness consequences of anthropogenic noise. We found that both motorboat noise and direct disturbance by motorboats elevated stress and reduced anti-predator responses, more than doubling mortality by predation

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Conclusion