Roads and traffic alter the physical environment of species and ecological communities. They also change their acoustic environment through the introduction of noise, both during construction and when a road is open to traffic. Road‐construction noise, such as that produced during earthworks, pile driving and road surfacing, can be of high intensity but usually of limited duration. In contrast, road‐traffic noise is often persistent over time – busy highways can carry substantial traffic for many hours per day, day after day and year after year. Road noise has a number of ecological impacts on wildlife living in nearby habitats.

    Road noise may be stressful for animals.

    Road noise makes it harder for animals to hear each other, their predators and their prey.

    Road noise may cause temporary or permanent hearing loss in animals.

    High levels of road‐construction noise may cause other injuries to animals in aquatic habitats.

    Animals and their acoustic environment may need protection from road noise.

    Mitigation of road noise to protect animals and their acoustic environment should be considered prior to road construction.

    There is an urgent need for more research into the various effects of road noise on animals and their ecological communities.

    Road noise has a variety of ecological impacts, including effects on the physiology, behaviour, communication, reproduction and survival of animals that live in or move through the noise‐affected areas. While further research is required to better understand the ecological consequences of introducing road‐construction and road‐traffic noise to a given habitat, measures to mitigate the known impacts of road noise on wildlife should be implemented as part of new road projects. Further research will also help to improve the effectiveness of measures to protect animals and their acoustic environment from road noise.


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    Title :

    Ecological Impacts of Road Noise and Options for Mitigation


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2015-04-01


    Size :

    8 pages




    Type of media :

    Article/Chapter (Book)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English