Road traffic noise could be affecting bird breeding in nearly half of Israel’s open space, including just under a quarter of its environmentally protected areas, according to a new study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.

Researchers reached these conclusions by developing what they say is the first wildlife-oriented soundscape map.

Analyzing scientific literature and spatial data, they combined birds’ behavioral responses to traffic noise with the distances at which the birds were disturbed, different traffic volumes, and a variety of habitats across Israel.

The latter, covering 18,903 square kilometers (7,300 square miles), ranged from orchards, dense shrubland, and planted pine forests to fields, grasslands, and wetlands. All monitored habitats were level with a road.

“Exposure to noise pollution is known to disrupt fundamental survival behaviors, including foraging, predator avoidance, and parental care,” said the research, published Sunday in People and Nature. “However, until now, conservationists lacked a tool to quantify exactly how much land is ‘lost’ to these behavioral shifts.”

One of the researchers, Yael Lehnardt, said, “The fact that nearly half of our non-urban environments are losing their appeal to nesting birds should be a wakeup call for authorities. The........

© The Times of Israel