Data from: Anuran call properties as reliable indicators of environmental suitability for reproduction

The onset of animal breeding activity is often accompanied by auditory
signals, typically produced by males, that indicate reproductive status to
potential mates and competitors. Here, using male anuran advertisement
calls as a case study, we present the novel hypothesis that
characteristics of ectotherm auditory signals that are modulated by
temperature may also serve as bioclimatic indicators of the suitability of
proximal abiotic conditions for reproduction. According to this
hypothesis, thermal constraints on signal characteristics, such as call
rate and duration, may facilitate tracking of environmental conditions by
females. Through integrative analysis of empirical ecological studies, we
demonstrate how variation in call properties may influence female
reproductive physiology and behavior. We then outline how this proposed
mechanism may enable environmental tracking and phenological shifts with
climate change, provide guidelines for experimentally testing this
hypothesis, and discuss applications of findings from this research to
conservation management for species of concern.