advertentieRijkswaterstaat, together with Sweco, Geonius, and Sovon Bird Research Netherlands, has conducted research on the disturbance of breeding birds by traffic. The scientific article was recently published in the renowned journal Landscape Ecology. Based on the published results, a new assessment method is being developed that we expect to implement later this year.
Reason for the Research
The current assessment method for the disturbance of breeding birds by traffic dates back to the 1990s (Reijnen and Foppen). Since then, much knowledge has been gained about the disturbance of birds, extensive monitoring data has been collected, and statistical analysis techniques have improved. To properly assess the effects of infrastructure projects, it is important that we apply this new knowledge.
Research Approach
The research team analyzed over 30 years of breeding bird data collected by Sovon. The research included approximately 150,000 territories of nearly 140 different species of breeding birds near highways across the Netherlands. The research is the result of long-term collaboration, preceded by extensive literature analysis.
Research Results
The research showed that disturbance of breeding birds can often occur up to about 650 m from a highway. The results confirm earlier studies on effect distances, but by analyzing this extensive dataset, many more species could be assessed. This allowed for much greater certainty that this effect applies to a wide variety of species.
It was also found that the disturbance distance is strongly correlated with traffic intensity: the busier the road, the greater the disturbance effect. The developed formula to quantify this relationship forms the basis for the refined assessment method. It is important to note that the disturbance is not only a result of noise but also of movement, lighting, and similar factors. These factors cannot be separated.
Importance for Nature Management
As the manager of the Dutch main road network and large nature areas, we keep the impact on nature as small as possible. The research contributes to better ecological assessments and practical, substantiated choices within infrastructure projects.
Research Team
The article was written by René van Dijk (Geonius, formerly employed by Sweco), Ruud Foppen, and Paul van Els (Sovon Bird Research Netherlands), Toine Morel, and Karen Zwerver (Rijkswaterstaat) and was published in Landscape Ecology . Geonius is an interdisciplinary engineering and consultancy firm. Sovon has been systematically collecting data on Dutch birds for decades and collaborates with Rijkswaterstaat for this type of research due to this expertise.