Effect distances of road traffic noise on wildlife behaviour: A soundscape mapping approach using bird habitat selection

Abstract Road traffic noise is a pervasive environmental pollutant that negatively affects wildlife globally. Despite growing research, quantifying the spatial extent of noise impacts remains underdeveloped. Soundscape mapping from social sciences and engineering literature offers a useful yet rarely implemented tool to depict noise impact distances and quantify effects on wildlife. Here, we addressed this gap by synthesizing data from studies that quantified the effects of road traffic noise on various wildlife behaviours. We then created the first wildlife‐oriented soundscape map focusing on the most studied behaviour—bird breeding habitat selection. We mapped the modelled distances of noise impacts for the state of Israel while incorporating traffic volume data and habitat types. Based on our analysis, 43% of Israeli non‐urban areas are predicted to be negatively affected by road traffic noise, higher than in comparable studies. Worse still, 23% of Israel's protected areas are exposed to hazardous noise. We further highlight differences in impact distances across habitat types and protection levels. Notably, densely vegetated habitats experience higher exposure distances than open habitats in low traffic but not in high traffic. Our findings underscore the importance of incorporating behaviour‐based indicators into large‐scale noise impact assessments. We advocate expanding our approach to encompass additional behavioural responses, noise sources, regions and taxa to eventually develop comprehensive, data‐driven impact maps. Our framework provides a scalable tool to quantify the impacts of noise pollution and support both fundamental research and the development of conservation strategies to mitigate its ecological effects. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.