UMass field research
A field study examining whether traffic noise from highways affects how wild mice respond to predator cues — measured through behavioral observation and stress hormone analysis.
Experimental design
The study used a 2×2 factorial design across four pre-established field grids in nearby forests: near-highway with predator sound, near-highway without, far-from-highway with, and far-from-highway without. This setup allowed the team to separate the effects of traffic noise alone, predator cues alone, and the combination of both.
What I did each day
- •Arrived at the field grids at 6 AM to begin trap checks
- •Worked with non-lethal Sherman-style traps baited with peanut butter and lined with cotton, designed to collect fecal samples for downstream stress hormone analysis without harming the mice
- •When a mouse was captured: recorded weight, body size, sex, age class, and whether the mouse had been previously tagged; new individuals were ear-tagged for future identification
- •Placed each captured mouse in an observation box for 10 minutes while video-recording behavior, then released the mouse at the capture site
- •Recorded all field data on paper data sheets; behavioral video was transferred to a computer for later review
Predator sound playback
Speakers mounted in trees across the experimental grids broadcast predator vocalizations on the predator-treatment sites. The playback schedule and species selection were managed by the lab.
The question we were asking
Does chronic exposure to traffic noise change how wild mice respond to natural predator cues? If traffic noise masks or numbs the antipredator response, that has real implications for wildlife living near roads — populations may be more vulnerable to predation, or may waste energy on stress responses that no longer track real threats.
Techniques used
- Mark-recapture trapping with non-lethal Sherman-style traps
- Live animal handling and ear-tagging
- Morphometric measurement (weight, body size, sex, age class)
- Non-invasive fecal sample collection for stress hormone analysis
- Behavioral observation and video recording
- Field data collection and documentation