Abstract
Anuran populations are recognized as sensitive bioindicators of environmental change, especially in rapidly developing landscapes or those undergoing hydrologic changes. We studied twenty-six years of FrogWatch survey data collected across multiple routes in Southwest Florida to evaluate long-term shifts in anuran community dynamics over time in the face of urban development. Using multiple variables within the FrogWatch dataset, including calling frequency and intensity, and pairing these with changes in GIS-based land-use classifications: vegetation, impervious surface, and open water, we examined changes over time in native and non-native anuran species between 2000 and 2025. Results show that native anuran diversity and occurrence declined continuously over time as urban development increased. In contrast, non-native anurans showed significant increases in the number of sites where they were recorded, with call intensity indicating greater activity and presence across disturbed habitats. These changes point to a community-level response to habitat alteration, fragmentation, and hydrological changes associated with urban development. Our results suggest that long-term development in South Florida is promoting the spread of non-native species while limiting habitat suitable for native anurans. Long-term monitoring data are important for detecting environmental change over time, particularly for conservation planning in rapidly urbanizing landscapes, and citizen-science programs can be used to develop these long-term data collection efforts.
