Terrestrial Megafauna Response to Drone Noise Levels in Ex Situ Areas
Drone use has significantly grown in recent years, and there is a knowledge gap on how the noise produced by these systems may affect animals. We investigated how 18 species of megafauna reacted to drone sound pressure levels at different frequencies. The sound pressure level on the low frequency ge...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-10-01
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| Series: | Drones |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/6/11/333 |
| _version_ | 1797468568368971776 |
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| author | Geison Pires Mesquita Margarita Mulero-Pázmány Serge A. Wich José Domingo Rodríguez-Teijeiro |
| author_facet | Geison Pires Mesquita Margarita Mulero-Pázmány Serge A. Wich José Domingo Rodríguez-Teijeiro |
| author_sort | Geison Pires Mesquita |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Drone use has significantly grown in recent years, and there is a knowledge gap on how the noise produced by these systems may affect animals. We investigated how 18 species of megafauna reacted to drone sound pressure levels at different frequencies. The sound pressure level on the low frequency generated by the drone did not change the studied species’ behavior, except for the Asian elephant. All other studied species showed higher noise sensitivity at medium and high frequencies. The Asian elephant was the most sensitive species to drone noise, mainly at low frequencies. Felines supported the highest sound pressure level before showing behavioral reactions. Our results suggest that drone sound pressure levels in different frequencies cause behavioral changes that differ among species, which is relevant to assessing drone disturbances in ex situ environments. The findings presented here can help to reduce drone impact for target species and serve as an experimental study for future drone use guidelines. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:08:17Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5565e2c7c542473fa57768afa8e33d06 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2504-446X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:08:17Z |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Drones |
| spelling | doaj.art-5565e2c7c542473fa57768afa8e33d062023-11-24T04:22:01ZengMDPI AGDrones2504-446X2022-10-0161133310.3390/drones6110333Terrestrial Megafauna Response to Drone Noise Levels in Ex Situ AreasGeison Pires Mesquita0Margarita Mulero-Pázmány1Serge A. Wich2José Domingo Rodríguez-Teijeiro3Institute Baguaçu of Biodiversity Research (IBPBio), São Luís 65050849, MA, BrazilDepartment of Animal Biology, University of Málaga, 29071 Málaga, SpainSchool of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UKDepartment of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, SpainDrone use has significantly grown in recent years, and there is a knowledge gap on how the noise produced by these systems may affect animals. We investigated how 18 species of megafauna reacted to drone sound pressure levels at different frequencies. The sound pressure level on the low frequency generated by the drone did not change the studied species’ behavior, except for the Asian elephant. All other studied species showed higher noise sensitivity at medium and high frequencies. The Asian elephant was the most sensitive species to drone noise, mainly at low frequencies. Felines supported the highest sound pressure level before showing behavioral reactions. Our results suggest that drone sound pressure levels in different frequencies cause behavioral changes that differ among species, which is relevant to assessing drone disturbances in ex situ environments. The findings presented here can help to reduce drone impact for target species and serve as an experimental study for future drone use guidelines.https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/6/11/333large mammalsauditory sensitivitybehaviordronessound pressure levelsfrequency |
| spellingShingle | Geison Pires Mesquita Margarita Mulero-Pázmány Serge A. Wich José Domingo Rodríguez-Teijeiro Terrestrial Megafauna Response to Drone Noise Levels in Ex Situ Areas Drones large mammals auditory sensitivity behavior drones sound pressure levels frequency |
| title | Terrestrial Megafauna Response to Drone Noise Levels in Ex Situ Areas |
| title_full | Terrestrial Megafauna Response to Drone Noise Levels in Ex Situ Areas |
| title_fullStr | Terrestrial Megafauna Response to Drone Noise Levels in Ex Situ Areas |
| title_full_unstemmed | Terrestrial Megafauna Response to Drone Noise Levels in Ex Situ Areas |
| title_short | Terrestrial Megafauna Response to Drone Noise Levels in Ex Situ Areas |
| title_sort | terrestrial megafauna response to drone noise levels in ex situ areas |
| topic | large mammals auditory sensitivity behavior drones sound pressure levels frequency |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2504-446X/6/11/333 |
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