Anthropogenic noise can mask acoustic communication, potentially driving rapid sensory and behavioral adaptation. Insects such as grasshoppers, which rely on tympanal hearing and tonal calling songs for mate attraction, are an underexplored model for studying how animals adapt to human-altered soundscapes. This study examines whether Omocestus viridulus populations inhabiting urbanised grasslands in and around Glasgow, UK, exhibit differences in tympanal resonance and calling song structure compared to rural populations. Existing city-scale noise map data (EU Environmental Noise Directive) were used to quantify local soundscape exposure. Tympanal membrane mechanics were measured using laser Doppler vibrometry to determine resonance frequency and bandwidth (Q-factor), while high-resolution imaging characterised tympanal surface area and thickness. Male calling songs were recorded in the field and analysed for dominant frequency and bandwidth shifts. Preliminary results show urban populations have narrower tympanal resonance curves and slightly higher song frequencies, suggesting concurrent auditory and signalling adjustments to anthropogenic noise. These results demonstrate that even small, temperate insects can rapidly modify their sensory systems and communication strategies in response to human-driven environmental change, revealing overlooked resilience pathways—and vulnerabilities—of biodiversity in a globally urbanising world.
Keenan et al. (Wed,) studied this question.