Exposure to traffic noise can impact multiple insect fitness components

Abstract

Noise pollution is a significant environmental stressor that affects organisms physiology and behavior. Due to its wide occurrence and range of component frequencies, traffic noise is a major culprit in this context. Although well-studied in vertebrate systems, the effects of traffic noise on invertebrates remain relatively less explored. This study uses Drosophila melanogaster as a model system to examine the impact of traffic noise on insects. Exposure to traffic noise reduced fecundity in both freshly mated and pre-mated flies, with a more pronounced effect in the former. Additionally, traffic noise increased mating latency but did not affect mating duration. The impact on locomotor activity was sex-specific: while the females remained unaffected, the male flies showed reduced activity regardless of their mating status. Desiccation resistance remained unaffected in both sexes. These findings indicate that traffic noise can decrease fitness in Drosophila melanogaster, which aligns with some (but not all) previous observations on other insect species. The long-term ecological implications of such noise include potential disruptions in insect-mediated ecosystem services, which can threaten the overall ecological balance. Summary StatementTraffic noise impairs fruit-flys fecundity, extends mating latency, and reduces male locomotor activity, suggesting that such noise can potentially reduce fitness and risk insect-driven ecosystem services.