29th April 2025 (12 Topics)
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Urban Spiders Building Soundproof Webs
Context
In response to rising urban noise pollution, a study found that funnel-weaving spiders (Agelenopsis pennsylvanica) adapt by building webs that filter out disruptive vibrations, helping them detect prey more accurately. This highlights how even small urban wildlife species are behaviorally adjusting to environmental stress caused by human activity.
Key-findings of the Study
- Researchers studied a funnel-weaving spider species found across North America: Agelenopsis pennsylvanica.
- These spiders don’t build sticky orb webs. Instead, they create funnel-shaped, non-sticky webs and hide inside.
- They detect prey when it lands on the web by sensing vibrations and then quickly jump out to attack.
- The researchers collected two sets of spiders:
- One from a noisy urban area
- One from a quiet rural area
- In the lab, they exposed both sets to loud and quiet white noise and allowed them to spin webs. Then they tested how well the webs transmitted vibrations that might signal prey.
- Key Discovery:
- City spiders built webs that filtered out a wide range of noisy vibrations — much like how soundproofing works.
- Rural spiders built webs that amplified important vibrations in their quieter surroundings.
Fact Box: Noise Pollution
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