Light and noise pollution interact to disrupt interspecific interactions

Feb 8, 2017Ecology

Light and noise pollution together disturb interactions between different species

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Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

Increased light intensity significantly reduced midge abundance at low noise levels.

Frog abundance was not significantly correlated with urbanization, light, noise, or temperature.
Frog-biting midges were sensitive to both light and noise pollution.
At high noise intensity, there were no midges present regardless of light levels.
Field experiments confirmed the effects of light and noise on midge attraction to their frog hosts.
Light and noise pollution disrupt the host-parasite interaction between midges and túngara frogs.

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Studies on the consequences of urbanization often examine the effects of light, noise, and heat pollution independently on isolated species providing a limited understanding of how these combined stressors affect species interactions. Here, we investigate how these factors interact to affect parasitic frog-biting midges (Corethrella spp.) and their túngara frog (Engystomops pustulosus) hosts. A survey of túngara frog calling sites revealed that frog abundance was not significantly correlated with urbanization, light, noise, or temperature. In contrast, frog-biting midges were sensitive to light pollution and noise pollution. Increased light intensity significantly reduced midge abundance at low noise levels. At high noise intensity, there were no midges regardless of light level. Two field experiments controlling light and noise levels to examine attraction of the midges to their host and their feeding behavior confirmed the causality of these field patterns. These findings demonstrate that both light and noise pollution disrupt this host-parasite interaction and highlight the importance of considering interactions among species and types of pollutants to accurately assess the impacts of urbanization on ecological communities.

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Light and noise pollution interact to disrupt interspecific interactions

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