Behavioral shifts with urbanization may facilitate biological invasion of a widespread lizard

Understanding how novel environmental conditions presented by urbanization affect the ecology and behavior of species is an important component of global change biology. Behavior is the first way in which organisms respond to novel conditions. We investigated differences in habitat use, movement, and social behavior of invasive adult male Cuban brown anoles (Anolis sagrei) in natural and urban areas in Miami, FL. We observed that urban lizards used broader perches and frequented more artificial human-made substrates (e.g. walls) than lizards in a natural forest habitat. Extensive behavioral observations (ca. 1200 min) revealed that urban A. sagrei also performed more dewlap displays, changed perches less, and jumped less. Our analysis of the structural environment revealed that urban areas are more open – in other words, have higher visibility at typical lizard perch heights, and have fewer and broader perches than natural areas. An increase in openness may explain why we observed a greater than two-fold increase in the frequency of dewlap displaying – the primary mechanism of visual communication in anoles. Similarly, less perch changes and fewer jumps – a form of locomotion frequently used in perch-perch movement when perches are close – is likely driven by a three-fold decrease in tree density. Understanding how behavior and ecology differ in urban vs. natural ecosystems provides insight into how species persist in urban landscapes, and how such behavioral shifts might facilitate biological invasions.