Journal article
Pro-Environmental Beach Driving is Uncommon and Ineffective in Reducing Disturbance to Beach-Dwelling Birds
Environmental Management, Vol.53(5), pp.999-1004
2014
Abstract
Vehicles on beaches cause numerous deleterious effects to coastal wildlife. These impacts may, hypothetically, be lessened if drivers act to reduce disturbance. Since it is unknown to what extent such behavior occurs, and whether it can reduce disturbance, we quantified the behavior of drivers who encountered birds on open-coast, sandy beaches in eastern Australia and the consequent bird responses. Drivers of commercial tourist buses never slowed or altered course ("evaded birds") to avoid disturbing birds; conversely, 34 % of drivers of private cars did evade birds. Drivers of vehicles with fishing rod holders tended (P = 0.09) to evade birds more frequently than non-fishing vehicles. Evasion, when it occurred, was modest, and did not significantly decrease the intensity of bird response or the probability of escapes on the wing. Voluntary behavioral adjustments to alleviate impacts on wildlife may be unworkable, suggesting that other solutions (e.g., beach closures) might be the only effective and feasible way to reduce disturbance to birds on ocean beaches
Details
- Title
- Pro-Environmental Beach Driving is Uncommon and Ineffective in Reducing Disturbance to Beach-Dwelling Birds
- Authors
- Michael A Weston (Author) - Deakin UniversityThomas Schlacher (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and EngineeringDavid Lynn (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
- Publication details
- Environmental Management, Vol.53(5), pp.999-1004
- Publisher
- Springer New York LLC
- Date published
- 2014
- DOI
- 10.1007/s00267-014-0256-4
- ISSN
- 0364-152X
- Organisation Unit
- School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99448990702621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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