Sonic Patterns I: The Noise - Soundscape Ecology: Principles, Patterns, Methods and Applications - page 182

usually lives in open rural landscapes, has been found in commercial areas rich with
fruit trees planted for ornamental purposes. It seems that areas with a moderate
level of urbanization have the maximum level of diversity. Although a direct
relationship between bird diversity and soundscape diversity is not clearly
demonstrated, nevertheless there is good evidence that biophonies increase with
the increase of landscape complexity where such complexity is strictly related to
human land use. Decrease of the level of noise probably would have a beneficial
effect on a permanent urban settlement of wild populations of birds.
6.27 Perspectives in Noise Research
Anthropogenic activity represents one of the most influential sources of noise with
wind, water, and animals. This process is pervasive and is in continuous expansion
in terms of diversity and intensity, and the resulting noise masks many other natural
sounds during daytimes and with the seasons. In fact, anthropogenic noise is louder,
more frequent, and locally more common than the other natural sources of noise.
Although the majority of research on noise has been conducted in terrestrial
systems, noise intrusion is important also in aquatic systems and in particular
along coasts and also in the open oceans.
Noise, extensively discussed in this chapter, is a complex subject whose effects
extend from gene to landscapes (Fig. 6.21 ). In a recent review Kight and Swaddle
( 2011 ) have focused on eight categories of human systems that are potentially
exposed to noise effects: the neuroendocrine system, the reproduction and develop-
ment systems, metabolism, cardiovascular health, cognition and sleep, audition and
cochlear morphology, the immune system, and DNA integrity and genes.
Anthropogenic noise creates a diverse and complex impact on wildlife,
influencing multiple biological processes in either direct or indirect ways.
For instance, animal behavior and reproduction are important processes in which
noise can determine significant changes and shifts in several living traits.
Fig. 6.21 Noise interacts at different scales with all life systems