Disruptive effects of brief radiofrequency noise exposure on migratory bat navigation.

Abstract

How anthropogenic electromagnetic noise can affect living systems is a poorly understood impact of an increasingly urbanized natural environment, especially when occurring in a sublethal manner. In this study, we investigated impacts of weak-broadband radiofrequency (RF) fields on animal behavior. We exposed migratory soprano pipistrelle bats (<i>Pipistrellus pygmaeus</i>) to 0.01- to 300-megahertz RF fields and then tested their orientation later in the night. Whereas control bats oriented normally, bats exposed to RF noise exhibited random departure flight orientation, suggesting disruptive effects lasting beyond immediate exposure. These findings suggest that electromagnetic pollution has the potential to have a greater effect on animal behavior than previously assumed.