Dr Andrew Radford: Research into Anthropogenic Noise
Reader in Behavioural Ecology
Tel: +44 117 394 1197
Email: andy.radford at bristol.ac.uk
RESEARCH
Scientists and policy makers are becoming increasingly aware of how human impacts such as fishing, pollution and global warming are damaging the aquatic environment, but are only just beginning to understand the extent to which noise pollution might also affect aquatic animals. Existing research on marine mammals has illustrated the potential adverse effects of noise pollution on communication and the use of acoustic cues, through masking and auditory damage, as well as a concern that noise can cause stress in these animals. However, only relatively recently has research interest turned to the potential effects on a wide range of other aquatic animals such as fish and invertebrates, which form integral parts of this ecosystem.
Our research examines the effects of noise on communication, auditory damage and stress, but also behaviour such as foraging, social interactions and reproduction. We are combining lab-based and in situ experimental work (examining the effects of noise pollution on physiology, development and behaviour), with acoustic modelling and predictive population modelling, to estimate the likely future impacts of noise pollution in the aquatic environment.
We are studying a range of marine and freshwater fish species as well as some of the invertebrates that form a key part of important aquatic ecosystems.
Full details coming soon.
FUNDING SOURCES
We are extremely grateful to the following for funding:
RECENT PUBLICATIONS
Simpson, S.D., Purser, J. & Radford, A.N. (2014) Anthropogenic noise compromises anti-predator behaviour in European eels. Global Change Biology. Online early. Download PDF | Planet Earth, NERC | Smithsonian Magazine
Morley, E.L., Jones, G. & Radford, A.N. (2014) The importance of invertebrates when considering the impacts of anthropogenic noise. Proceedings of the Royal Society, Series B. 281: 20132683. Download PDF1 (main paper) | Download PDF2 (supplementary material)
Nedelec, S.L., Radford, A.N., Simpson, S.D., Nedelec, B., Lecchini, D. & Mills, S.C. (2014) Anthropogenic noise playback impairs embryonic development and increases mortality in a marine invertebrate. Scientific Reports. 4: 5891. Download PDF
Radford, A.N., Kerridge, E. & Simpson, S.D. (2014) Acoustic communication in a noisy world: can fish compete with anthropogenic noise? Behavioral Ecology. Online early. Download PDF
Radford, A.N. & Simpson, S.D. (2014) Response to comments on how fish might adjust their acoustic communication in anthropogenic noise. Behavioral Ecology. Online early.
Voellmy, I.K., Purser, J., Simpson, S.D. & Radford, A.N. (2014) Increased noise levels have different impacts on the anti-predator behaviour of two sympatric fish species. PLoS ONE 9: e102946. Download PDF
Read, J., Jones, G. & Radford, A.N. (2014) Fitness costs as well as benefits are important when considering responses to anthropogenic noise. Behavioral Ecology 25: 4-7. Download PDF
Voellmy, I.K., Purser, J., Flynn, D., Kennedy, P., Simpson, S.D. & Radford, A.N. (2014) Acoustic noise reduces foraging success via different mechanisms in two sympatric fish species. Animal Behaviour 89: 191–198. Download PDF | Planet Earth, NERC
Wale, M.A., Simpson, S.D. & Radford, A.N. (2013) Size-dependent physiological responses of shore crabs to single and repeated playback of ship noise. Biology Letters 9: 20121103. Download PDF 1 (main paper) | Download PDF 2 (supplementary material)
Bruintjes, R. & Radford, A.N. (2013) Context-dependent impacts of anthropogenic noise on individual and social behaviour in a cooperatively breeding fish. Animal Behaviour 85: 1343-1349. Download PDF
Wale, M.A., Simpson, S.D. & Radford, A.N. (2013) Noise negatively affects foraging and antipredator behaviour in shore crabs. Animal Behaviour 86: 111–118. Download PDF
Holles, S., Simpson, S.D., Radford, A.N., Berten, L. & Lecchini, D. (2013) Boat noise disrupts orientation behaviour in a coral reef fish. Marine Ecology Progress Series 485: 295–300. Download PDF
Radford, A.N., Morley, E.L. & Jones, G. (2012) The effects of noise on biodiversity. Defra Report NO0235. View report.
Simpson, S.D., Radford, A.N., Tickle, E.J., Meekan, M.G. & Jeffs, A.G. (2011) Adaptive avoidance of reef noise. PLoS One 6: e16625. Download PDF.
Purser, J. & Radford, A.N. (2011) Acoustic noise induces attention shifts and reduces foraging performance in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). PLoS One 6: e17478. Download PDF.
