Sensory Polluted Soundscapes: Understanding the Impacts on Soniferous Fauna

Urban noise and artificial lights can disrupt how wild animals communicate and use habitat, but their combined effects are poorly understood. Using passive acoustic monitoring, this thesis shows how traffic noise and artificial lights affect soundscapes and interfere with animal behaviour. The research examined the effects of these pollutants on koalas, bird communities, and natural acoustic landscapes in south-east Queensland. Experimental “phantom roads” revealed that traffic noise reduced calling activity and altered species composition, while artificial light alone had little effect. The findings highlight that protecting quiet and dark places is critical for preserving animal behaviour and biodiversity.