We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Influence of Environmental Pollution on Animal Behavior
Summary
This review examined how environmental pollutants -- including air pollution, heavy metals, and plastics -- alter animal behavior by acting as physiological stressors, disrupting normal behavioral patterns governed by internal and external stimuli.
Summary Animals, like humans, act according to physiological patterns of behavior that change in response to various internal and external stimuli. Environmental pollutants represent “negative” stimuli and stressors. Air pollution is among pollution sources that pose the greatest threat to the environment and all living organisms. Exposure to pollutants causes behavioral changes in animals and disruption of organ functions and structures, which are often identical to those of humans working or living under the same conditions as animals (e.g., on a farm or in a city). Aside from a shorter life span and possible premature death, there are some diseases which commonly occur as a result of the exposure. Symptoms indicative of a disease or irritation, such as coughing, lameness, diarrhea, eye discharge and the like, cause the animal to make movements (actions) that are not part of their normal physiological routine and are considered behavioral changes. Behavioral changes are the earliest indicator that the animal is suffering from physical or mental disorders that can negatively affect its health and, in the case of livestock, production results. Various animal species serve as indicators of pollution, and domestic animals, including farm animals, can also serve this purpose. Behavioral changes resulting from exposure to various pollutants include disorientation, problems interacting with humans and other animals, reproductive problems, respiratory, digestive symptoms, etc. This review compiled data from a number of studies on changes in animal behavior after short or long exposure to various environmental pollutants. The focus was on the effects of air pollutants on animals, which are of particular importance to humans as they share living or working space with the animals or breed them for economic interest.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Environmental Pollution and Animal Behavior: A Forerunner to Promote Health and Well Being
This review discusses how changes in animal behavior serve as early warning indicators of environmental pollution toxicity, arguing that behavioral monitoring of wildlife often detects environmental contamination—including microplastics—before measurable health effects appear in human populations.
Discussing Behavioural Ecotoxicology in the Light of Some Environmentally Available Anthropogenic Contaminants and their Influence on Behavioural Alterations in Animals
This review paper summarizes research showing that common pollutants like pesticides, heavy metals, plastics, and pharmaceuticals can change how animals behave by affecting their nervous systems. Scientists study these behavioral changes in animals because they help us understand how these same pollutants might harm brain function in humans. This research is important because it gives us early warning signs about which environmental chemicals could be damaging our health.
Overview of microplastic pollution and its influence on the health of organisms
This review summarizes microplastic pollution across marine, freshwater, and soil environments and its effects on organisms ranging from plankton to mammals. Microplastics disrupt feeding behavior, trigger oxidative stress, alter gut bacteria, and impair reproduction in exposed species. The authors note that microplastics also enter the human body through food, water, and air, posing potential health risks that require further research.
Animal exposure to microplastics and health effects: A review
Researchers reviewed how microplastic exposure affects animals across terrestrial and aquatic environments, finding that species suffer physical harm, chemical contamination from pollutants that stick to plastic surfaces, inflammation, and behavioral changes. Because microplastics accumulate up the food chain, the review warns that animals entering the human food supply may carry these particles into our bodies.
Frontiers in quantifying wildlife behavioural responses to chemical pollution
Researchers investigated how chemical pollution affects wildlife behavior, arguing that conventional study approaches are insufficient and calling for new frontiers in quantifying behavioral responses to contaminants in free-living animal populations.