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Anthropogenic noise has been shown to alter the transmission environment and distort acoustic signals, prompting vocalizing species to use compensatory mechanisms. Through a meta-analysis we investigated the relative importance of biological and contextual factors predisposing species to shift their singing/calling frequencies in response to anthropogenic noise. We gathered data from 36 studies, synthesizing information on more than 160 experiments and 60 bird and anuran species. To estimate the breadth of frequency shift, we calculated a standardized effect size using Hedges' g. We fitted a multilevel linear mixed-effect model on g as the dependent variable weighted by its inverse variance, with typical frequency, body mass, experimental condition, and noise source type as independent terms. Our results reveal broader shifts in smaller bird species when compared with bigger species, an effect that was emphasized in the low-frequency component of the song spectrum. Birds increased their dominant frequencies when confronted to anthropogenic noise, whereas anurans were less prone to such shifts. Human-altered acoustic environments can be considered a novel selective force impelling change to the communication patterns of many vocalizing species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Studies that investigate the space-filling heterogeneity of biological structures in plant communities remain scarce. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between newly developed photographic measures of structural heterogeneity in digital images and plant species composition in the context of a long-term grassland experiment. Methods We tested a close-range photographic protocol using measures of structural heterogeneity in gray-tone images, namely mean information gain (MIG) and spatial anisotropy, to assess differences in the compositional (species richness) and functional characteristics (plant height and flowering) of 78 managed grassland communities. We also implemented a random placement model of community assembly to explore the links between our measures of structural complexity and the geometric pattern of plant communities. Important Findings MIG and spatial anisotropy correlated with the growth and species richness of grassland communities. Simulations showed that structural heterogeneity in gray-tone digital images is a function of the size distribution and orientation pattern of plant modules. This easy, fast and non-destructive methodological approach could eventually serve to monitor the diversity and integrity of various ecosystems at different resolutions across space and time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author focuses on the impact of anthropogenic noise masking on fish behaviors and their acoustic signals by commenting on Roca et al. meta-analysis. Topics discussed include investigation of masking effect magnitude on receivers, an importance of comparability and reliability of methodologies; and the use of plasticity for finding genetic evolution.