No Energetic Cost Of Anthropogenic Disturbance In A Songbird

Main Category: Veterinary
Also Included In: Biology / Biochemistry
Article Date: 03 Dec 2008 - 6:00 PST

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As human populations continue to expand into wild habitat, associated human activities are of growing concern for wildlife survival. We placed tiny (0.5g) transmitters on small breeding migratory birds to continuously and instantaneously monitor heart rate and associated energy expenditure in response to experimental human disturbances.

We show no negative physiological response to any of the simulated disturbances whether it was a four-hour chase, repeated one-hour or nighttime disturbances performed by our team.

Our findings suggest that small birds are capable of quickly assessing and adapting to intermittent disturbances in their environment.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

Proceedings B is the Royal Society's flagship biological research journal, dedicated to the rapid publication and broad dissemination of high-quality research papers, reviews and comment and reply papers. The scope of journal is diverse and is especially strong in organismal biology.

Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences