Impacts of acoustic competition between invasive Cuban treefrogs and native treefrogs in southern Florida

Abstract

The natural acoustic environment has undergone substantial changes over the past century due to human activities, creating novel soundscapes. Much research has focused on the impacts of anthropogenic noise on acoustic communication, including noise from transportation, construction, energy development and defense. The impact of acoustic invasive species has been largely overlooked in bioacoustic studies on the behavioral and ecological consequences of noise. We conducted a passive monitoring experiment and a playback experiment to quantify the impact of invasive Cuban treefrog (Osteopilus septentrionalis) acoustic signals on the acoustic environment and on native treefrog acoustic behavior. Preliminary results suggest that the chorusing behavior of the invasive Cuban treefrog altered the ambient soundscape and affected the acoustic behavior of native treefrogs. Collectively, these results suggest that acoustic invasive species are important yet rarely considered sources of noise that can have ecological consequences at scales ranging from the individual to the ecosystem.