The Impact of Urban Noise on the Behavior of Two Mouse Species Belonging to the Genus &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;Apodemus&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;

Agnieszka Pieniążek,Robert A Meronka,Paweł M Boguszewski

doi:10.4236/nr.2017.82004

Abstract

Traffic noise was tested as a stress factor in an open-field study of urban and non-urban populations of two species belonging to the genus Apodemus: the striped field mouse and the yellow-necked mouse. The striped field mouse has inhabited green areas in cities for years, whereas the yellow-necked mouse was first observed in such areas relatively recently. Behavioral reactions to noise in the urban population of striped field mice were the same as the reactions observed in the non-urban population of the species. As for the yellow-necked mouse, behavior in response to noise in the non-urban population differed from that observed in the urban population. We see such differences as being related to the fact that striped field mice, which have inhabited urban areas for many generations, form a stable population in urban areas, and specific individuals are adapted to urban conditions. Yellow-necked mice, in turn, form no stable urban population and the individuals found in cities are most probably migrants, not adapted to urban conditions, which is the reason why their reaction to noise differs from the typical response.

Highlights

Present-day cities are inhabited by a wide array of animal species
Traffic noise was tested as a stress factor in an open-field study of urban and non-urban populations of two species belonging to the genus Apodemus: the striped field mouse and the yellow-necked mouse
The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of traffic noise, as a typical stress factor in the urban environment, on the behavior of small rodents that inhabit green areas in cities

Summary

Introduction

Present-day cities are inhabited by a wide array of animal species. Characterized by milder climate conditions than non-urban environments, cities are warmer than the surrounding areas and have smaller diurnal and seasonal temperature variations [1]. Urban patches inhabited by animals are often small in size, fragmented, and separated by barriers that limit migration possibilities [4]. Traffic noise, which is a typical characteristic of cities, acts as a powerful disturbance factor [6]. Characterized by constant high intensity, such noise is present throughout the daytime and often during the night. Noise with such parameters is believed to act as a major stress factor [7]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion