Changes in call properties of Boana pulchella (Anura, Hylidae) in response to different noise conditions

GRENAT, PABLO R.; FERRERO, MARÍA DE LOS ÁNGELES; BARAQUET, MARIANA; POLLO, FAVIO E.; OTERO, MANUEL A.; SALINAS, ZULMA A.; SALAS, NANCY E.; MARTINO, ADOLFO L.

Current Zoology

Oxford University Press

Año: 2023

1674-5507

The increasing expansion of urban areas leads to the emergence of newnoisy environments that can affect animal communication. Calls play a crucialrole in the mating displays of anurans, and the negative impact ofanthropogenic noise-induced auditory masking has been reported in severalspecies. We investigated the acoustic variation in 96 males (n=971 calls) ofthe treefrog Boana pulchella acrossacoustically undisturbed sites (AUS) and different noise conditions, associatedwith urban areas (URBAN) and roads (ROAD), in Central Argentina. We analyzedthe effect of anthropogenic noise conditions on six temporal (call duration,intercall interval, first and second note duration, internote interval, callrate) and three spectral (dominant frequency of first and second note,frequency difference between them) call properties. The effects of temperature andsize on acoustical variables were controlled. We observed differences in allcall attributes among the noise conditions, except for intercall interval. Malesexposed to URBAN and ROAD exhibited significant changes in call duration,dominant frequency of the second note, and frequency difference between them.URBAN males had longest internote interval, while ROAD individuals displayedincreased first and second note duration and call rates. Interestingly, ROADmales exhibited immediate changes in call rate in direct response to passingheavy vehicles. Our study emphasizes the impact of anthropogenic noise on theacoustic characteristics of B. pulchellacalls. Understanding how animals adapt to noisy environments is crucial inmitigating the adverse effects of urbanization on their communication systems.Future investigations should explore whether the observed call adjustments areeffective in avoiding or mitigating the negative consequences of anthropogenicnoise on reproductive success