Flora and fauna: how nonhuman species interact with natural and man-made EMF at ecosystem levels and public policy recommendations

Abstract

Category: Environmental Health Tags: electromagnetic fields, radiofrequency, wildlife, ecosystem impacts, public policy, 5G, behavioral disruption DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2025.1693873 URL: frontiersin.org Overview Over the past six decades, ambient exposures from nonionizing electromagnetic fields (EMF) between 0 and 300 GHz, especially in the radiofrequency (RF) range (30 kHz to 3 GHz), have increased significantly. Successive technological advances have layered new sources of EMF exposure with different characteristics into the environment, resulting in continuous, low-intensity, biologically active exposures that now affect both human and nonhuman species. Findings - Next-generation wireless technologies (5G, 6G) employ higher frequencies (>3.5 GHz) and a broader range of simultaneous exposures, creating pervasive, artificial forms of energetic pollution. - Deployment of numerous low earth orbit satellites has made global RF-EMF exposure essentially ubiquitous, erasing the rural-urban divide in exposure intensity. - Nonhuman species are especially sensitive to electromagnetic fields for crucial activities such as orientation, migration, mating, food location, and territorial behaviors. Many species have evolved refined electro/magneto-receptors attuned to natural geomagnetic fields. - Current EMF exposures, even at very low intensities, are capable of disrupting critical biological functions of flora and fauna. All existing exposure standards consider only human health, disregarding the unique sensitivities of other species. Conclusion Policy recommendations for wildlife protection include: - Treating "airspace as habitat" and respecting the natural electromagnetic environment - Enforcing existing environmental protection laws - Implementing mitigation measures such as frequency re-allocation, hardware/network redesign, and creation of EMF-free zones during migration and breeding seasons - Reconsidering competitive economic models that promote unchecked technological deployment This research highlights the pervasive risk that EMF poses to nonhuman species and the urgent need for policy reform to safeguard ecosystem health.

AI evidence extraction

Main findings

The article states that ambient nonionizing EMF exposures (0–300 GHz), particularly RF, have increased over decades and are now pervasive due to technologies including 5G/6G and low earth orbit satellites. It asserts that current low-intensity EMF exposures are capable of disrupting critical biological functions in flora and fauna and argues that existing exposure standards focus on human health and do not account for nonhuman sensitivities; it proposes policy and mitigation measures to protect wildlife and ecosystems.

Outcomes measured

• behavioral disruption (orientation, migration, mating, food location, territorial behaviors)
• ecosystem impacts
• wildlife protection/public policy recommendations

Limitations

• No specific study design details, methods, or included evidence base are described in the provided abstract.
• No quantitative exposure metrics (e.g., field strengths, SAR) are provided.
• No species-specific data, sample sizes, or effect estimates are reported in the provided abstract.

Suggested hubs

• 5g-policy (0.86)
  Discusses 5G/6G deployment, higher frequencies, and policy/mitigation recommendations.

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    "study_type": "review",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "RF",
        "source": "other",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": null
    },
    "population": "Nonhuman species (flora and fauna) at ecosystem levels",
    "sample_size": null,
    "outcomes": [
        "behavioral disruption (orientation, migration, mating, food location, territorial behaviors)",
        "ecosystem impacts",
        "wildlife protection/public policy recommendations"
    ],
    "main_findings": "The article states that ambient nonionizing EMF exposures (0–300 GHz), particularly RF, have increased over decades and are now pervasive due to technologies including 5G/6G and low earth orbit satellites. It asserts that current low-intensity EMF exposures are capable of disrupting critical biological functions in flora and fauna and argues that existing exposure standards focus on human health and do not account for nonhuman sensitivities; it proposes policy and mitigation measures to protect wildlife and ecosystems.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "No specific study design details, methods, or included evidence base are described in the provided abstract.",
        "No quantitative exposure metrics (e.g., field strengths, SAR) are provided.",
        "No species-specific data, sample sizes, or effect estimates are reported in the provided abstract."
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "insufficient",
    "confidence": 0.66000000000000003108624468950438313186168670654296875,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "electromagnetic fields",
        "radiofrequency",
        "wildlife",
        "flora",
        "fauna",
        "ecosystem impacts",
        "public policy",
        "5G",
        "6G",
        "low earth orbit satellites",
        "behavioral disruption",
        "migration",
        "orientation"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": [
        {
            "slug": "5g-policy",
            "weight": 0.85999999999999998667732370449812151491641998291015625,
            "reason": "Discusses 5G/6G deployment, higher frequencies, and policy/mitigation recommendations."
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}

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