您现在的位置是:半岛新闻网 > 资讯
Animals are becoming nocturnal in order to avoid humans
半岛新闻网2024-09-22 01:23:27【资讯】7人已围观
简介Animals that live near human activity are becoming nocturnal just to avoid us, and the implications
Animals that live near human activity are becoming nocturnal just to avoid us, and the implications for ecosystems around the world could be huge.
A team of researchers conducted a meta-analysis which included data about 62 species across six continents and found an overwhelming trend: To avoid encountering humans, animals are becoming nocturnal at the expense of their biologically predetermined schedules.
SEE ALSO:Viral Videos May Endanger Cute AnimalsOf the species studied that typically split their activity equally between day and night, more than 80 percent of those living near humans increased their nighttime activity. The new results were published in the journal Sciencethis week.
"Catastrophic losses in wildlife populations and habitats as a result of human activity are well documented, but the subtler ways in which we affect animal behavior are more difficult to detect and quantify," lead author of the study Kaitlyn Gaynor said in a statement.
European beaver in the city center of a big town in France.Credit: Lauren geslinRather than spend their days doing tasks relevant to survival, like foraging or hunting, these animals are sleeping.
By forcing their entire day to fit into the night, these diurnal species are restricting their diets, exposing themselves to new predators, and diminishing their ability to hunt.
And while you might expect this change in places where humans are hunting these creatures, increased nighttime activity is found no matter what the humans nearby are up to.
The analysis found evidence that animals alter their daily routines even when humans are doing something seemingly non-threatening, like hiking, near them.
It’s not rare for animals to switch things up so they can avoid potential hazards, but because humans are so widespread, there may be implications for the long-term survival of these species because of their shifting cycles.
"Animal activity patterns reflect millions of years of adaptation—it’s hard to believe we can simply squeeze nature into the dark half of each day and expect it to function and thrive," co-author Justin Brashares in a statement.
But it’s not all bad news. Animals that are able to adapt to a human presence likely have coexistence figured out, at least to some degree.
Credit: Lauren GeslinIn fact, it's even possible that these animals may be using us in some way.
“Some animals may choose to associate more closely with humans in order to avoid predators that are more sensitive to human presence,” Clinton Epps, a wildlife researcher from Oregon State University who had no role in the study, explained via email. “This pattern is known as human shielding.”
So while these new findings are groundbreaking, they aren't exhaustive.
“This study is not intended to address every complexity but rather to identify broad patterns in animal responses to human activities,” Epps added.
But the research does pose many questions that will be important for future experiments.
For example, when did the switch to nocturnality occur? Which species are negatively impacted the most? What species benefits from this move the most? The answer to seamless human and animal coexistence might lie within these future results.
Featured Video For You
Meet the tardigrade...the world's most 'indestructible' animal
TopicsAnimals
很赞哦!(68379)
相关文章
- 20 Places to Eat Dumplings and Noodles for Lunar New Year
- 原计划5天报名时间 短短1个半小时就招满
- Uber and Lyft are technically illegal in Philadelphia as of today
- Sony deals: Best Sony headphone and speaker deals
- 夜间献血模式“上线”
- 一季度GDP增速5.3%!农村居民人均可支配收入6596元→
- Amazon spring sale 2024: 45+ headphones and speaker deals
- Girl hit with e
- “笋货”上市采购旺!清远西牛麻竹笋迎秋季尝鲜热
- First images of Virgin Galactic’s successful space plane test flight
热门文章
站长推荐
Nvidia GeForce Now Ultimate vs. New Graphics Card
Mimic Kyrgios serves up fresh dig at rival Nadal
Donald Trump’s campaign got caught lying about Aaron Borders. That’s not even the most awkward part.
Glassdoor is tying real names to anonymous profiles without consent
The Measurers
Sarfaraz Ahmed and wife welcome a baby girl
Mimic Kyrgios serves up fresh dig at rival Nadal
Anker Soundcore headphone deal: Get 50% off at Amazon