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Show The effects that increased noise levels would have on wildlife in these areas, including domestic animals, are virtually unknown. 43 it is reasonable to assume that birds and animals that rely upon their auditory systems for courtship and mating behavior, prey location, predator detection, homing, etc., would be more threatened by increased noise than would species that depend upon other senses. However, because of the complex interrelationships that exist among all the organisms in an ecosystem, interference with one species might well affect the other species. Studies have shown that rats, mice, and guinea pigs can successfully adapt to noise but that damaging effects can occur if the noise application occurs in conjunction with natural situations of stress such as pregnancy. 43 Studies have also indicated that intense sound triggers an avoidance response in most organisms. This suggests that during construction periods most affected wildlife species would be temporarily displaced by the intense noise levels produced. Sustained operational noise levels would not be expected to be high and would usually be much lower than the 80- 85 decibel range considered harmful to the hearing of man. ^ However, since the hearing of many species of wildlife is more acute than man's, detrimental effect could occur. It would be expected that most species of birds and animals would successfully adapt to the sounds of the Bonneville Unit in all areas except those immediately adjacent to features and that most adverse noise impacts would be temporary ( confined to the construction period). The Bonneville Unit would indirectly produce unnatural stresses on certain populations of wildlife,, Recreational use of Unit roads would lead to greater hunting pressures on game populations and interference with the behavioral patterns of those species that are particularly sensitive to the presence of humans. These impacts would be most prominent in the previously semi- remote locations along the 359 |