2016/09/15 by Dylan Gomes, Rachel A. Page, Inga Geipel +3 · 2 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Environmental Science · Psychology · Neuroscience · #Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior #Bat Biology and Ecology Studies #Marine animal studies overview #Predation #Human echolocation #Sensory system #Noise (video) #Masking (illustration) #Perception #Sensory cue #Ecology #Communication #Biology #Computer science #Psychology #Neuroscience #Artificial intelligence
paper · doi:10.1126/science.aaf7934
openalex publication_date 2016/09/15 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
Anthropogenic noise can interfere with environmental information processing and thereby reduce survival and reproduction. Receivers of signals and cues in particular depend on perceptual strategies to adjust to noisy conditions. We found that predators that hunt using prey sounds can reduce the negative impact of noise by making use of prey cues conveyed through additional sensory systems. In the presence of masking noise, but not in its absence, frog-eating bats preferred and were faster in attacking a robotic frog emitting multiple sensory cues. The behavioral changes induced by masking noise were accompanied by an increase in active localization through echolocation. Our findings help to reveal how animals can adapt to anthropogenic noise and have implications for the role of sensory ecology in driving species interactions.