EDMONTON – You might think they'd be skittish, but mice and other small mammals are not bothered by industrial activity taking place near their homes, a new University of Alberta study has found.
The study, conducted by PhD student Julia Shonfield in the Department of Biological Sciences, examined populations of deer mice and red-backed voles in northeast Alberta's boreal forest.
Researchers trapped, marked and released small mammals, then recaptured them later on to test the effects noise disturbance had on their populations.
It determined that, although noise related to energy sector projects has been increasing in the boreal forest, it is unlikely to affect the rodents' population dynamics or behaviours.
The study is helping scientists understand the effects of industry on wildlife, Shonfield said.
"Infrastructure and sensory stimuli from energy sector operations in the boreal forest can have negative effects for some species and neutral or positive effects for other species," she said.
"This research is important because small mammals form an important part of ecosystems. They are prey to a large variety of predators and they serve an important function as seed and spore dispersers."
Researchers say the study opens up future investigations, such as measuring how human disturbance affects predator-prey dynamics.
