101
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Gomes DG, Goerlitz HR. Individual differences show that only some bats can cope with noise-induced masking and distraction. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10551. [PMID: 33384901 PMCID: PMC7751433 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is a widespread pollutant that has received considerable recent attention. While alarming effects on wildlife have been documented, we have limited understanding of the perceptual mechanisms of noise disturbance, which are required to understand potential mitigation measures. Likewise, individual differences in response to noise (especially via perceptual mechanisms) are likely widespread, but lacking in empirical data. Here we use the echolocating bat Phyllostomus discolor, a trained discrimination task, and experimental noise playback to explicitly test perceptual mechanisms of noise disturbance. We demonstrate high individual variability in response to noise treatments and evidence for multiple perceptual mechanisms. Additionally, we highlight that only some individuals were able to cope with noise, while others were not. We tested for changes in echolocation call duration, amplitude, and peak frequency as possible ways of coping with noise. Although all bats strongly increased call amplitude and showed additional minor changes in call duration and frequency, these changes could not explain the differences in coping and non-coping individuals. Our understanding of noise disturbance needs to become more mechanistic and individualistic as research knowledge is transformed into policy changes and conservation action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan G.E. Gomes
- Max Plank Institute for Ornithology, Acoustic and Functional Ecology, Seewiesen, Germany
- Department of Biological Sciences, Boise State University, Boise, ID, United States of America
| | - Holger R. Goerlitz
- Max Plank Institute for Ornithology, Acoustic and Functional Ecology, Seewiesen, Germany
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102
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Liu Y, Zollinger SA, Brumm H. Chronic exposure to urban noise during the vocal learning period does not lead to increased song frequencies in zebra finches. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02942-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
It has often been observed that birds sing at a higher pitch in cities and other areas that are polluted with intense low-frequency noise. How this pattern arises remains unclear though. One prevailing idea is that songbirds adjust song frequencies to environmental noise profiles through developmental plasticity via vocal learning. However, the conclusions of previous studies testing this hypothesis are inconsistent. Here we report the findings from two song learning experiments with zebra finches (Taenopygia guttata), in which we exposed young birds to anthropogenic noise during their sensitive vocal learning period. Unlike previous studies that addressed this issue, we did not use constant synthetic noise but natural urban noise with its typical amplitude fluctuations that was broadcast at realistic sound levels. We found that noise-exposed males in neither experiment developed higher pitched songs compared to control males. This suggests that the natural fluctuations between higher and lower noise levels in cities may allow young birds to exploit relatively quiet moments to hear their tutors and themselves, permitting them to make accurate copies of even low-frequency song elements.
Significance statement
If animals are to persist in urban habitats, they often must adjust their behavior to the altered conditions. Birds in cities are often observed to sing at a higher pitch, but we are largely ignorant of how this phenomenon arises. We investigated whether low-frequency traffic noise interferes with the song learning of birds so that they develop higher pitched songs. Accordingly, we played back natural traffic noise from urban bird habitats to young birds during their learning period and then analyzed their adult songs. We found that birds that learned their songs in noise did not sing at higher frequencies compared to control males that learned their song with no noise exposure. Our results show that typical traffic noise in cities may not be sufficient to interfere with vocal learning in a way that birds develop higher-pitched songs.
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103
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Sánchez-González K, Aguirre-Obando OA, Ríos-Chelén AA. Urbanization levels are associated with the start of the dawn chorus in vermilion flycatchers in Colombia. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2020.1837963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Katherin Sánchez-González
- Escuela de Investigación en Biomatemáticas, Universidad del Quindío, Carrera 15, Calle 12 Norte, Armenia, Colombia
| | - Oscar A. Aguirre-Obando
- Escuela de Investigación en Biomatemáticas, Universidad del Quindío, Carrera 15, Calle 12 Norte, Armenia, Colombia
| | - Alejandro A. Ríos-Chelén
- Centro Tlaxcala de Biología de la Conducta, Universidad Autónoma de Tlaxcala, Carretera Tlaxcala-Puebla km 1.5, C.P. 90070, Tlaxcala, México
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104
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Ramalho DF, Aguiar LMS. Bats on the Road — A Review of the Impacts of Roads and Highways on Bats. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2020.22.2.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel F. Ramalho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro s/n, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Ludmilla M. S. Aguiar
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro s/n, Asa Norte, 70910-900, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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105
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Kelligrew C, Tian S, Weiss M, Williams DM, Blumstein DT. The effect of white noise on behavioral and flight responses of blue-tailed skinks. Curr Zool 2020; 67:125-126. [PMID: 33654496 PMCID: PMC7901765 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoaa046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Connor Kelligrew
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1606, USA
| | - Sarah Tian
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1606, USA
| | - Marcus Weiss
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1606, USA
| | - Dana M Williams
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1606, USA
| | - Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095-1606, USA
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106
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Hernani Lineros LM, Chimènes A, Maille A, Dingess K, Rumiz DI, Adret P. Response of Bolivian gray titi monkeys ( Plecturocebus donacophilus) to an anthropogenic noise gradient: behavioral and hormonal correlates. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10417. [PMID: 33240684 PMCID: PMC7682439 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Worldwide urban expansion and deforestation have caused a rapid decline of non-human primates in recent decades. Yet, little is known to what extent these animals can tolerate anthropogenic noise arising from roadway traffic and human presence in their habitat. We studied six family groups of titis residing at increasing distances from a busy highway, in a park promoting ecotourism near Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. We mapped group movements, sampled the titis’ behavior, collected fecal samples from each study group and conducted experiments in which we used a mannequin simulating a human intrusion in their home range. We hypothesized that groups of titi monkeys exposed to higher levels of anthropogenic noise and human presence would react weakly to the mannequin and show higher concentrations of fecal cortisol compared with groups in least perturbed areas. Sound pressure measurements and systematic monitoring of soundscape inside the titis’ home ranges confirmed the presence of a noise gradient, best characterized by the root-mean-square (RMS) and median amplitude (M) acoustic indices; importantly, both anthropogenic noise and human presence co-varied. Study groups resided in small, overlapping home ranges and they spent most of their time resting and preferentially used the lower forest stratum for traveling and the higher levels for foraging. Focal sampling analysis revealed that the time spent moving by adult pairs was inversely correlated with noise, the behavioral change occurring within a gradient of minimum sound pressures ranging from 44 dB(A) to 52 dB(A). Validated enzyme-immunoassays of fecal samples however detected surprisingly low cortisol concentrations, unrelated to the changes observed in the RMS and M indices. Finally, titis’ response to the mannequin varied according to our expectation, with alarm calling being greater in distant groups relative to highway. Our study thus indicates reduced alarm calling through habituation to human presence and suggests a titis’ resilience to anthropogenic noise with little evidence of physiological stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucero M Hernani Lineros
- Zoología Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.,Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Amélie Chimènes
- Unité Eco-anthropologie UMR 7206, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Audrey Maille
- Unité Eco-anthropologie UMR 7206, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - Damián I Rumiz
- Zoología Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.,Fundación Simón I. Patiño, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
| | - Patrice Adret
- Zoología Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
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107
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Méndez C, Barrantes G, Sandoval L. The effect of noise variation over time and between populations on the fine spectrotemporal characteristics of different vocalization types. Behav Processes 2020; 182:104282. [PMID: 33217514 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2020.104282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Noise affects the recognition of acoustic signals by masking information. To compensate for increased noise, individuals often increase the minimum frequency of their vocalization to reduce noise interference. Our goal was to analyze the effect of noise on the characteristics of different bird vocalizations, through a comparative study of vocalizations on the same bird species. We analyzed the effects of noise variation on the fine spectrotemporal characteristics of calls, songs, and duets of White-eared Ground-sparrows (Melozone leucotis) across three populations over a three-year period. We recorded vocalizations and noise levels simultaneously from 41 territories between 2012 and 2014. We measured the duration, minimum, maximum, and maximum amplitude frequency, and counted the number of songs elements for each vocalization recorded. As we predicted, noise influences the minimum frequency of song, but did not have an effect on the fine spectrotemporal characteristics for calls and duets. We did, however, find that low and high frequency of calls and duets increased with noise-population-year interaction. Our results suggest that differences in noise values at each population were inadequate to observe changes in vocalization characteristics. In conclusion, evaluating responses to different noise levels on different vocalization types for the same species expands our understanding of the flexibility of birds to adjust vocalizations in response to anthropogenic noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Méndez
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Montes de Oca, Costa Rica
| | - Gilbert Barrantes
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Montes de Oca, Costa Rica
| | - Luis Sandoval
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Montes de Oca, Costa Rica.
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108
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Coss DA, Hunter KL, Taylor RC. Silence is sexy: soundscape complexity alters mate choice in túngara frogs. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Many animals acoustically communicate in large aggregations, producing biotic soundscapes. In turn, these natural soundscapes can influence the efficacy of animal communication, yet little is known about how variation in soundscape interferes with animals that communicate acoustically. We quantified this variation by analyzing natural soundscapes with the mid-frequency cover index and by measuring the frequency ranges and call rates of the most common acoustically communicating species. We then tested female mate choice in the túngara frog (Physalaemus pustulosus) in varying types of background chorus noise. We broadcast two natural túngara frog calls as a stimulus and altered the densities (duty cycles) of natural calls from conspecifics and heterospecifics to form the different types of chorus noise. During both conspecific and heterospecific chorus noise treatments, females demonstrated similar preferences for advertisement calls at low and mid noise densities but failed to express a preference in the presence of high noise density. Our data also suggest that nights with high densities of chorus noise from conspecifics and heterospecifics are common in some breeding ponds, and on nights with high noise density, the soundscape plays an important role diminishing the accuracy of female decision-making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek A Coss
- Department of Biology, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD, USA
| | | | - Ryan C Taylor
- Department of Biology, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD, USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panama
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109
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Reichard DG, Atwell JW, Pandit MM, Cardoso GC, Price TD, Ketterson ED. Urban birdsongs: higher minimum song frequency of an urban colonist persists in a common garden experiment. Anim Behav 2020; 170:33-41. [PMID: 33208979 DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Environmental changes caused by urbanization and noise pollution can have profound effects on acoustic communication. Many organisms use higher sound frequencies in urban environments with low-frequency noise, but the developmental and evolutionary mechanisms underlying these shifts are generally unknown. We used a common garden experiment to ask whether changes in minimum song frequency observed 30 years after a songbird colonized an urban environment are a consequence of behavioural flexibility. We captured male juvenile dark-eyed juncos, Junco hyemalis thurberi, from two populations (urban and mountain) soon after they reached independence (aged 25-40 days), raised them in identical indoor aviaries and studied their songs at an age of 3 years. We found that the large population difference in minimum frequency observed in the field persisted undiminished in the common garden despite the absence of noise. We also found some song sharing between the common garden and natal field populations, indicating that early song memorization before capture could contribute to the persistent song differences in adulthood. These results are the first to show that frequency shifts in urban birdsong are maintained in the absence of noise by genetic evolution and/or early life experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin G Reichard
- Department of Zoology, Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, OH, U.S.A.,Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, U.S.A
| | | | - Meelyn M Pandit
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, U.S.A.,Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, U.S.A
| | - Gonçalo C Cardoso
- CIBIO-InBIO, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Trevor D Price
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, U.S.A
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110
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Velilla E, Polajnar J, Virant‐Doberlet M, Commandeur D, Simon R, Cornelissen JHC, Ellers J, Halfwerk W. Variation in plant leaf traits affects transmission and detectability of herbivore vibrational cues. Ecol Evol 2020; 10:12277-12289. [PMID: 33209287 PMCID: PMC7663069 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Many insects use plant-borne vibrations to obtain important information about their environment, such as where to find a mate or a prey, or when to avoid a predator. Plant species can differ in the way they vibrate, possibly affecting the reliability of information, and ultimately the decisions that are made by animals based on this information. We examined whether the production, transmission, and possible perception of plant-borne vibrational cues is affected by variation in leaf traits. We recorded vibrations of 69 Spodoptera exigua caterpillars foraging on four plant species that differed widely in their leaf traits (cabbage, beetroot, sunflower, and corn). We carried out a transmission and an airborne noise absorption experiment to assess whether leaf traits influence amplitude and frequency characteristics, and background noise levels of vibrational chewing cues. Our results reveal that species-specific leaf traits can influence transmission and potentially perception of herbivore-induced chewing vibrations. Experimentally-induced vibrations attenuated stronger on plants with thicker leaves. Amplitude and frequency characteristics of chewing vibrations measured near a chewing caterpillar were, however, not affected by leaf traits. Furthermore, we found a significant effect of leaf area, water content and leaf thickness-important plant traits against herbivory, on the vibrations induced by airborne noise. On larger leaves higher amplitude vibrations were induced, whereas on thicker leaves containing more water airborne noise induced higher peak frequencies. Our findings indicate that variation in leaf traits can be important for the transmission and possibly detection of vibrational cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Estefania Velilla
- Department of Ecological ScienceVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | | | | | - Daniel Commandeur
- Department of Ecological ScienceVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Ralph Simon
- Department of Ecological ScienceVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | | | - Jacintha Ellers
- Department of Ecological ScienceVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological ScienceVrije Universiteit AmsterdamAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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111
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Abstract
Anthropogenic noise has no legacy effects on bird song
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
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112
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Muñoz MI, Goutte S, Ellers J, Halfwerk W. Environmental and morphological constraints interact to drive the evolution of communication signals in frogs. J Evol Biol 2020; 33:1749-1757. [PMID: 33047401 PMCID: PMC7756787 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Animals show a rich diversity of signals and displays. Among the many selective forces driving the evolution of communication signals, one widely recognized factor is the structure of the environment where animals communicate. In particular, animals communicating by sounds often emit acoustic signals from specific locations, such as high up in the air, from the ground or in the water. The properties of these different display sites may impose different constraints on sound production, and therefore drive signal evolution. Here, we used comparative phylogenetic analyses to assess the relationship between calling site (aquatic versus nonaquatic), body size and call dominant frequency of 160 frog species from the families Ranidae, Leptodactylidae and Hylidae. We found that the frequency of frogs calling from the water was lower than that of species calling outside of the water, a trend that was consistent across the three families studied. Furthermore, phylogenetic path analysis revealed that call site had both direct and indirect effects on call frequency. Indirect effects were mediated by call site influencing male body size, which in turn was negatively associated with call frequency. Our results suggest that properties of display sites can drive signal evolution, most likely not only through morphological constraints imposed on the sound production mechanism, but also through changes in body size, highlighting the relevance of the interplay between morphological adaptation and signal evolution. Changes in display site may therefore have important evolutionary consequences, as it may influence sexual selection processes and ultimately may even promote speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matías I Muñoz
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | | | - Jacintha Ellers
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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113
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Diel and Seasonal Variations of Vocal Behavior of the Neotropical White-Tipped Dove (Leptotila verreauxi). DIVERSITY-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/d12100402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Current knowledge regarding the vocal behavior in tropical non-passerines is very limited. Here, we employed passive acoustic monitoring to study the vocal activity of the white-tipped dove (Leptotila verreauxi) at three sites over a year in the Brazilian Pantanal. The diel pattern of vocal activity showed a bimodal pattern, with significantly higher vocal activity after sunrise than during the other hours of the day, in agreement with prior studies on this species and other members of Columbidae. The species was vocally active throughout the year, but vocal activity was maximum during May-June and lowest during January-February. Relative air humidity was positively associated with vocal activity, which may be related to the improvement of sound transmission under more humid conditions, but it could also be related to foraging efficiency due to a higher availability of invertebrates on wetter days. Vocal activity was not related to the mean air temperature or daily rainfall. Acoustic monitoring proved to be a useful tool for monitoring this shy forest species, for which a minimum number of three monitoring days was needed to detect a reliable vocal activity rate. Future studies should evaluate its use for monitoring other species of doves and pigeons that are secretive or threatened.
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114
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Finch D, Schofield H, Mathews F. Traffic noise playback reduces the activity and feeding behaviour of free-living bats. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 263:114405. [PMID: 32320902 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Revised: 03/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Increasing levels of road noise are creating new anthropogenic soundscapes that may affect wildlife globally. Bats, which form about a third of all mammal species, are sensitive bioindicators, and may be particularly vulnerable because of their dependency on echolocation. Here we present the first controlled field experiment with free-living bats. Using a Before-After-Control-Impact phantom road experimental design, we examine the impacts of traffic noise on their activity and feeding behaviour. Disentangling the impacts of traffic noise from other co-varying exposures such as habitat quality, the experiment demonstrates a significant negative effect on the activity of each of the five, ecologically different, species (genus for Myotis spp.) examined. This suggests that the results are widely applicable. The negative effects are largely attributable to noise in the sonic spectrum, which elicited aversive responses in all bat species tested,whereas responses to ultrasoundwere restricted to a single species. Our findings demonstrate that traffic noise can affect bat activity at least 20m away from the noise source. For Pipistrellus pipistrellus and Pipistrellus pygmaeus, feeding behaviour, as well as overall activity, was negatively affected. Ecological Impact Assessments are therfore needed wherever there are significant increases in traffic flow, and not just when new roads are built. Further research is required to identify effective mitigation strategies, to delineate the zone of influence of road noise, and to assess whether there is any habituation over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Domhnall Finch
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QG, UK
| | - Henry Schofield
- Vincent Wildlife Trust, Bronsil Courtyard, Eastnor, Ledbury, Herefordshire, HR8 1EP, UK
| | - Fiona Mathews
- School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer, Brighton, BN1 9QG, UK.
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115
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Tanner JC, Bee MA. Species Recognition Is Constrained by Chorus Noise, but Not Inconsistency in Signal Production, in Cope’s Gray Treefrog (Hyla chrysoscelis). Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2020.00256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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116
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Leaf vibrations produced by chewing provide a consistent acoustic target for plant recognition of herbivores. Oecologia 2020; 194:1-13. [DOI: 10.1007/s00442-020-04672-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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117
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Kok ACM, van Kolfshoten L, Campbell JA, von Benda-Beckmann AM, Miller PJO, Slabbekoorn H, Visser F. Diving apart together: call propagation in diving long-finned pilot whales. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb207878. [PMID: 32321748 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.207878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Group-living animals must communicate to stay in contact. In long-finned pilot whales, there is a trade-off between the benefits of foraging individually at depth and the formation of tight social groups at the surface. Using theoretical modelling and empirical data of tagged pairs within a group, we examined the potential of pilot whale social calls to reach dispersed group members during foraging periods. Both theoretical predictions and empirical data of tag pairs showed a potential for communication between diving and non-diving group members over separation distances up to 385 m (empirical) and 1800 m (theoretical). These distances match or exceed pilot whale dive depths recorded across populations. Call characteristics and environmental characteristics were analysed to investigate determinants of call detectability. Longer calls with a higher sound pressure level (SPL) that were received in a quieter environment were more often detected than their shorter, lower SPL counterparts within a noisier environment. In a noisier environment, calls were louder and had a lower peak frequency, indicating mechanisms for coping with varying conditions. However, the vulnerability of pilot whales to anthropogenic noise is still of concern as the ability to cope with increasing background noise may be limited. Our study shows that combining propagation modelling and actual tag recordings provides new insights into the communicative potential for social calls in orientation and reunion with group members for deep-diving pilot whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annebelle C M Kok
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Lisette van Kolfshoten
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - James A Campbell
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Patrick J O Miller
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, UK
| | - Hans Slabbekoorn
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9505, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Fleur Visser
- Department of Freshwater and Marine Ecology, IBED, University of Amsterdam, P.O. Box 94240, 1090 GE Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Coastal Systems, NIOZ and Utrecht University, P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, The Netherlands
- Kelp Marine Research, 1624 CJ Hoorn, The Netherlands
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118
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Tegtman NT, Magrath RD. Discriminating between similar alarm calls of contrasting function. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2020; 375:20190474. [PMID: 32420849 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In a pioneering study of signal design, Marler (Marler 1955 Nature 176, 6-8. (doi:10.1038/176006a0); Marler 1957 Behaviour 11, 13-37. (doi:10.1163/156853956X00066)) argued that the contrasting acoustic design of hawk (seet) and mobbing alarm calls of European passerines reflected their contrasting function. Hawk alarms were high-frequency tones, warning conspecifics to flee but making localization difficult for predators, while mobbing calls were broadband and harsh, allowing easy localization and approach. Contrasting signal features are also consistent with signal detection theory. Discriminating these calls quickly is critical for survival, because hawk alarms require immediate escape. These signals should therefore be selected to be easy to discriminate, reducing the trade-off between immediate fleeing to hawk alarms and unnecessary fleeing to mobbing alarms. Despite these expectations, hawk and mobbing alarm calls of superb fairy-wrens, Malurus cyaneus, are surprisingly similar, raising the question of discriminability without contextual cues. We synthesized these calls on computer, made intermediates and used playbacks to test whether calls can be discriminated acoustically, and if so by what features. We found that birds used multiple acoustic features when discriminating calls, allowing fast discrimination despite overlap in individual parameters. We speculate that the similarity of fairy-wren alarm calls could enhance detectability of both signals, while multiple subtle acoustic differences reduce a trade-off with discriminability. This article is part of the theme issue 'Signal detection theory in recognition systems: from evolving models to experimental tests'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie T Tegtman
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
| | - Robert D Magrath
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra 2601, Australia
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119
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Gone with the wind: Is signal timing in a neotropical katydid an adaptive response to variation in wind-induced vibratory noise? Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02842-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Abstract
Wind, a major source of environmental noise, forces invertebrates that communicate with plant-borne vibrations to adjust their signaling when communicating in windy conditions. However, the strategies that animals use to reduce the impact of wind noise on communication are not well studied. We investigated the effects of wind on the production of tremulatory signals in the neotropical katydid Copiphora brevirostris. First, we recorded katydid signaling activity and natural wind variation in the field. Additionally, we exposed katydid couples during their most active signaling time period to artificial wind of different levels, and we recorded the number of tremulations produced by the males. We found that wind levels are at their lowest between 2:00 and 5:00 in the morning, which coincides with peak signaling period for male katydids. Furthermore, we found that males produce significantly fewer tremulations when exposed to wind rather than acoustic noise or silence. Wind velocity significantly affected the number of tremulations produced during the wind treatment, with fewer tremulations produced with higher wind velocities. Our results show that katydids can time their vibratory signaling both in the short- and long-term to favorable sensory conditions, either through behavioral flexibility in response to short-term fluctuations in wind or as a result of an evolutionary process in response to predictable periods of low-wind conditions.
Significance statement
Animal communication can be hampered by noise across all sensory modalities. Most research on the effects of noise and the strategies to cope with it has focused on animals that use airborne sounds to communicate. However, although hundreds of thousands of invertebrates communicate with vibrational signals, we know very little about how noise affects this form of communication. For animals that rely on substrate-borne vibrations, wind represents the major source of environmental noise. Wind velocity levels can be predictable at a long-term scale (hours) but rather unpredictable at a short time scale (seconds). Both scales of variation are important for communication. Using a combination of field observations and lab experiments, we investigated the strategies used by a neotropical katydid Copiphora brevirostris to cope with vibrational noise induced by wind. Our results demonstrate that C. brevirostris times its signals at the long- and short-term range. Katydids signaled more at the times at night when wind velocity was lowest. Moreover, when exposed to wind gusts during their peak time of activity, katydids signaled more during the wind-free gaps.
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120
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Tanner JC, Bee MA. Inconsistent sexual signaling degrades optimal mating decisions in animals. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:eaax3957. [PMID: 32440536 PMCID: PMC7228747 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax3957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Like political stump speeches and product advertisements, animal signals are highly repetitive and function to persuade receivers to adopt behaviors benefiting the signaler. And like potential constituents and consumers, receivers assess signals to inform their behavioral decisions. However, inconsistency in sexual signals is widespread and potentially injects uncertainty into mating decisions. Here, we show that females fail to make optimal mating decisions based on assessments of signal quality due to inconsistency in signal production. Natural levels of inconsistency markedly reduced female preference expression for a nonarbitrary signal of male quality. Inconsistency reshaped preferences even more profoundly than the better-known impediment of ambient noise. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of how inconsistent messaging degrades optimal decision-making in animals, with implications for understanding signal evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessie C. Tanner
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
| | - Mark A. Bee
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, MN, USA
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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121
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Legett HD, Madden RP, Aihara I, Bernal XE. Traffic noise differentially impacts call types in a Japanese treefrog (
Buergeria japonica
). Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Henry D. Legett
- Department of Biological Sciences Purdue University West Lafayette IN USA
| | - Ryan P. Madden
- Department of Biological Sciences Purdue University West Lafayette IN USA
| | - Ikkyu Aihara
- Graduate School of Systems and Information Engineering University of Tsukuba Tsukuba Japan
| | - Ximena E. Bernal
- Department of Biological Sciences Purdue University West Lafayette IN USA
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Balboa Panama
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122
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Matthews LP, Fournet MEH, Gabriele C, Klinck H, Parks SE. Acoustically advertising male harbour seals in southeast Alaska do not make biologically relevant acoustic adjustments in the presence of vessel noise. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20190795. [PMID: 32264795 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aquatically breeding harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) males use underwater vocalizations during the breeding season to establish underwater territories, defend territories against intruder males, and possibly to attract females. Vessel noise overlaps in frequency with these vocalizations and could negatively impact breeding success by limiting communication space. In this study, we investigated whether harbour seals employed anti-masking strategies to maintain communication in the presence of vessel noise in Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska. Harbour seals in this location did not sufficiently adjust source levels or acoustic parameters of vocalizations to compensate for acoustic masking. Instead, for every 1 dB increase in ambient noise, signal excess decreased by 0.84 dB, indicating a reduction in communication space when vessels passed. We suggest that harbour seals may already be acoustically advertising at or near a biologically maximal sound level and therefore lack the ability to increase call amplitude to adjust to changes in their acoustic environment. This may have significant implications for this aquatically breeding pinniped, particularly for populations in high noise regions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Michelle E H Fournet
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Christine Gabriele
- Humpback Whale Monitoring Program, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, PO Box 140, Gustavus, AK 99826, USA
| | - Holger Klinck
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Susan E Parks
- Biology Department, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244, USA
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123
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Pomberger T, Löschner J, Hage SR. Compensatory mechanisms affect sensorimotor integration during ongoing vocal motor acts in marmoset monkeys. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 52:3531-3544. [PMID: 32170972 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Revised: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Any transmission of vocal signals faces the challenge of acoustic interferences such as heavy rain, wind, animal or urban sounds. Consequently, several mechanisms and strategies have evolved to optimize signal-to-noise ratio. Examples to increase detectability are the Lombard effect, an involuntary rise in call amplitude in response to masking ambient noise, which is often associated with other vocal changes such as call frequency and duration, as well as the animals' capability of limiting calling to periods where noise perturbation is absent. Previous studies revealed vocal flexibility and various audio-vocal integration mechanisms in marmoset monkeys. Using acoustic perturbation triggered by vocal behaviour, we investigated whether marmosets are capable of exhibiting changes in call structure when perturbing noise starts after call onset or whether such effects only occur if noise perturbation starts prior to call onset. We show that marmosets are capable of rapidly modulating call amplitude and frequency in response to such noise perturbation. Vocalizations swiftly increased call frequency after noise onset indicating a rapid effect of perturbing noise on vocal motor production. Call amplitudes were also affected. Interestingly, however, the marmosets did not exhibit the Lombard effect as previously reported but decreased call intensity in response to noise. Our findings indicate that marmosets possess a general avoidance strategy to call in the presence of ambient noise and suggest that these animals are capable of counteracting a previously thought involuntary audio-vocal mechanism, the Lombard effect. These findings will pave the way to investigate the underlying audio-vocal integration mechanisms explaining these behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Pomberger
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Graduate School of Neural & Behavioural Sciences - International Max Planck Research School, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Julia Löschner
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Steffen R Hage
- Neurobiology of Vocal Communication, Werner Reichardt Centre for Integrative Neuroscience, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Hearing Research Center, University of Tübingen, Medical Center, Tübingen, Germany
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124
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Akçay Ç, Porsuk YK, Avşar A, Çabuk D, Bilgin CC. Song overlapping, noise, and territorial aggression in great tits. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Communication often happens in noisy environments where interference from the ambient noise and other signalers may reduce the effectiveness of signals which may lead to more conflict between interacting individuals. Signalers may also evolve behaviors to interfere with signals of opponents, for example, by temporally overlapping them with their own, such as the song overlapping behavior that is seen in some songbirds during aggressive interactions. Song overlapping has been proposed to be a signal of aggressive intent, but few studies directly examined the association between song overlapping and aggressive behaviors of the sender. In the present paper, we examined whether song overlapping and ambient noise are associated positively with aggressive behaviors. We carried out simulated territorial intrusions in a population of great tits (Parus major) living in an urban–rural gradient to assess signaling and aggressive behaviors. Song overlapping was associated negatively with aggressive behaviors males displayed against a simulated intruder. This result is inconsistent with the hypothesis that song overlapping is an aggressive signal in this species. Ambient noise levels were associated positively with aggressive behaviors but did not correlate with song rate, song duration, or song overlapping. Great tits in noisy urban habitats may display higher levels of aggressive behaviors due to either interference of noise in aggressive communication or another indirect effect of noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Çağlar Akçay
- Department of Psychology, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Caddesi, Sarıyer, Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Y Kağan Porsuk
- Department of Psychology, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Caddesi, Sarıyer, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Alican Avşar
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Üniversiteler, Dumlupınar Blv. No:1, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Dilan Çabuk
- Department of Psychology, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Caddesi, Sarıyer, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - C Can Bilgin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Üniversiteler, Dumlupınar Blv. No:1, Ankara, Turkey
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125
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Phillips ME, Chio G, Hall CL, ter Hofstede HM, Howard DR. Seismic noise influences brood size dynamics in a subterranean insect with biparental care. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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126
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Legett HD, Aihara I, Bernal XE. Signal Synchrony and Alternation Among Neighbor Males in a Japanese Stream Breeding Treefrog, Buergeria japonica. CURRENT HERPETOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.5358/hsj.39.80] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Henry D. Legett
- 1Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, 915 W State St, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Ikkyu Aihara
- 2Graduate School of Systems and Information Engineering, University of Tsukuba, Tenoudai 1–1–1, Tsuk
| | - Ximena E. Bernal
- 1Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, 915 W State St, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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127
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Eastcott E, Kern JM, Morris-Drake A, Radford AN. Intrapopulation variation in the behavioral responses of dwarf mongooses to anthropogenic noise. Behav Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/araa011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is an increasingly widespread pollutant, with a rapidly burgeoning literature demonstrating impacts on humans and other animals. However, most studies have simply considered if there is an effect of noise, examining the overall cohort response. Although substantial evidence exists for intraspecific variation in responses to other anthropogenic disturbances, this possibility has received relatively little experimental attention with respect to noise. Here, we used field-based playbacks with dwarf mongooses (Helogale parvula) to test how traffic noise affects vigilance behavior and to examine potential variation between individuals of different age class, sex, and dominance status. Foragers exhibited a stronger immediate reaction and increased their subsequent vigilance (both that on the ground and as a sentinel) in response to traffic-noise playback compared with ambient-sound playback. Traffic-noise playback also resulted in sentinels conducting longer bouts and being more likely to change post height or location than in ambient-sound playback. Moreover, there was evidence of variation in noise responses with respect to age class and dominance status but not sex. In traffic noise, foraging pups were more likely to flee and were slower to resume foraging than adults; they also tended to increase their vigilance more than adults. Dominants were more likely than subordinates to move post during sentinel bouts conducted in traffic-noise trials. Our findings suggest that the vigilance–foraging trade-off is affected by traffic noise but that individuals differ in how they respond. Future work should, therefore, consider intrapopulation response variation to understand fully the population-wide effects of this global pollutant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma Eastcott
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Julie M Kern
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Amy Morris-Drake
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Andrew N Radford
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
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128
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Sathyan R, Couldridge V. The effect of anthropogenic noise and weather conditions on male calls in the bladder grasshopper Bullacris unicolor. BIOACOUSTICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2019.1703818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rekha Sathyan
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
| | - Vanessa Couldridge
- Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville, South Africa
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129
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Amorim MCP, Fonseca PJ, Mathevon N, Beauchaud M. Assessment of fighting ability in the vocal cichlid Metriaclima zebra in face of incongruent audiovisual information. Biol Open 2019; 8:8/12/bio043356. [PMID: 31852657 PMCID: PMC6955207 DOI: 10.1242/bio.043356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Information transfer between individuals typically depends on multiple sensory channels. Yet, how multi-sensory inputs shape adaptive behavioural decisions remains largely unexplored. We tested the relative importance of audio and visual sensory modalities in opponent size assessment in the vocal cichlid fish, Metriaclima zebra, by playing back mismatched agonistic sounds mimicking larger or smaller opponents during fights of size-matched males. Trials consisted in three 5-min periods: PRE (visual), PBK (acoustic+visual) and POST (visual). During PBK agonistic sounds of smaller (high frequency or low amplitude) or larger (low frequency or high amplitude) males were played back interactively. As a control, we used white noise and silence. We show that sound frequency but not amplitude affects aggression, indicating that spectral cues reliably signal fighting ability. In addition, males reacted to the contrasting audio-visual information by giving prevalence to the sensory channel signalling a larger opponent. Our results suggest that fish can compare the relevance of information provided by different sensory inputs to make behavioural decisions during fights, which ultimately contributes to their individual fitness. These findings have implications for our understanding of the role of multi-sensory inputs in shaping behavioural output during conflicts in vertebrates. Summary: Cichlid fish rely on the sensory channel indicating higher risk when facing incongruent visual and acoustic information during opponent assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Clara P Amorim
- MARE-Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA-Instituto Universitário, 1149-041 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Paulo J Fonseca
- Departamento de Biologia Animal and cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nicolas Mathevon
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle ENES/CRNL, University of Lyon/Saint-Etienne, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM UMR_S 1028, 42023 Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Marilyn Beauchaud
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle ENES/CRNL, University of Lyon/Saint-Etienne, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM UMR_S 1028, 42023 Saint-Etienne, France
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130
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Modeling active sensing reveals echo detection even in large groups of bats. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:26662-26668. [PMID: 31822613 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1821722116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Active sensing animals perceive their surroundings by emitting probes of energy and analyzing how the environment modulates these probes. However, the probes of conspecifics can jam active sensing, which should cause problems for groups of active sensing animals. This problem was termed the cocktail party nightmare for echolocating bats: as bats listen for the faint returning echoes of their loud calls, these echoes will be masked by the loud calls of other close-by bats. Despite this problem, many bats echolocate in groups and roost socially. Here, we present a biologically parametrized framework to quantify echo detection in groups. Incorporating properties of echolocation, psychoacoustics, acoustics, and group flight, we quantify how well bats flying in groups can detect each other despite jamming. A focal bat in the center of a group can detect neighbors in group sizes of up to 100 bats. With increasing group size, fewer and only the closest and frontal neighbors are detected. Neighbor detection is improved by longer call intervals, shorter call durations, denser groups, and more variable flight and sonar beam directions. Our results provide a quantification of the sensory input of echolocating bats in collective group flight, such as mating swarms or emergences. Our results further generate predictions on the sensory strategies bats may use to reduce jamming in the cocktail party nightmare. Lastly, we suggest that the spatially limited sensory field of echolocators leads to limited interactions within a group, so that collective behavior is achieved by following only nearest neighbors.
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131
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Ng ML, Tsang GCK. The Lombard effect associated with Chinese male alaryngeal speech. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY 2019; 21:584-592. [PMID: 30732483 DOI: 10.1080/17549507.2018.1551932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Revised: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 11/19/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Objective: Alaryngeal speech shows marked reduction in vocal intensity, resulting in reduced intelligibility. Lombard effect, speaking with background noise has been found to boost speakers' intensity. The study investigated oesophageal (ES), tracheoesophageal (TE) and electrolaryngeal (EL) speech production under quiet and noisy background conditions to determine if the Lombard effect is still present after laryngectomy.Method: Fifteen laryngeal and thirty-seven alaryngeal speakers who were native speakers of Cantonese were recruited and instructed to read aloud a Cantonese passage under two background conditions: quiet and 100 dB background noise conditions.Result: Significant increase in vocal intensity was found in all speaker types under the noise condition. In addition, perceived intelligibility ratings provided by naïve Cantonese listeners revealed that the overall intelligibility under noise was improved for TE and laryngeal speakers, but not for ES and EL speakers, when compared with quiet condition.Discussion and conclusion: Results confirmed that the Lombard effect is still present after total laryngectomy. However, intelligibility may not always be improved with increased vocal loudness. Improved intelligibility was only observed for TE and laryngeal speakers, but not ES and EL speakers. Clinical implications for the use of the Lombard effect in post-laryngectomy speech rehabilitation are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manwa L Ng
- Speech Science Laboratory, Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gloria C K Tsang
- Speech Science Laboratory, Division of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Faculty of Education, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
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132
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Kwak C, Han W. Towards Size of Scene in Auditory Scene Analysis: A Systematic Review. J Audiol Otol 2019; 24:1-9. [PMID: 31747743 PMCID: PMC6949483 DOI: 10.7874/jao.2019.00248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Auditory scene analysis is defined as a listener's ability to segregate a meaningful message from meaningless background noise in a listening environment. To gain better understanding of auditory perception in terms of message integration and segregation ability among concurrent signals, we aimed to systematically review the size of auditory scenes among individuals. A total of seven electronic databases were searched from 2000 to the present with related key terms. Using our inclusion criteria, 4,507 articles were classified according to four sequential steps-identification, screening, eligibility, included. Following study selection, the quality of four included articles was evaluated using the CAMARADES checklist. In general, studies concluded that the size of auditory scene increased as the number of sound sources increased; however, when the number of sources was five or higher, the listener's auditory scene analysis reached its maximum capability. Unfortunately, the score of study quality was not determined to be very high, and the number of articles used to calculate mean effect size and statistical significance was insufficient to draw significant conclusions. We suggest that study design and materials that consider realistic listening environments should be used in further studies to deep understand the nature of auditory scene analysis within various groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanbeom Kwak
- Laboratory of Hearing and Technology, College of Natural Sciences, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.,Division of Speech Pathology and Audiology, College of Natural Sciences, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea
| | - Woojae Han
- Laboratory of Hearing and Technology, College of Natural Sciences, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.,Division of Speech Pathology and Audiology, College of Natural Sciences, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.,Research Institute of Audiology and Speech Pathology, College of Natural Sciences, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea
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133
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SONG S, LIN A, JIANG T, ZHAO X, METZNER W, FENG J. Bats adjust temporal parameters of echolocation pulses but not those of communication calls in response to traffic noise. Integr Zool 2019; 14:576-588. [PMID: 30811841 PMCID: PMC6900015 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Many studies based on acute short-term noise exposure have demonstrated that animals can adjust their vocalizations in response to ambient noise. However, the effects of chronic noise over a relatively long time scale of multiple days remain largely unclear. Bats rely mainly on acoustic signals for perception of environmental and social communication. Nearly all previous studies on noise-induced vocal adjustments have focused on echolocation pulse sounds. Relatively little is known regarding the effects of noise on social communication calls. Here, we examined the dynamic changes in the temporal parameters of echolocation and communication vocalizations of Vespertilio sinensis when exposed to traffic noise over multiple days. We found that the bats started to modify their echolocation vocalizations on the fourth day of noise exposure, with an increase of 42-91% in the total number of pulse sequences per day. Under noisy conditions, the number of pulses within a pulse sequence decreased by an average of 17.2%, resulting in a significantly slower number of pulses/sequence (P < 0.001). However, there was little change in the duration of a pulse sequence. These parameters were not significantly adjusted in most communication vocalizations under the noise condition (all P > 0.05), except that the duration decreased and the number of syllables/sequences increased in 1 type of communicative vocalization (P < 0.05). This study suggests that bats routinely adjust temporal parameters of echolocation but rarely of communication vocalizations in response to noise condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengjing SONG
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and UtilizationNortheast Normal UniversityChangchunJilinChina
| | - Aiqing LIN
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and UtilizationNortheast Normal UniversityChangchunJilinChina
| | - Tinglei JIANG
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and UtilizationNortheast Normal UniversityChangchunJilinChina
| | - Xin ZHAO
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and UtilizationNortheast Normal UniversityChangchunJilinChina
| | - Walter METZNER
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and UtilizationNortheast Normal UniversityChangchunJilinChina
- Department of Integrative Biology and PhysiologyUniversity of CaliforniaLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jiang FENG
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and UtilizationNortheast Normal UniversityChangchunJilinChina
- College of Life Science, Jilin Agricultural UniversityChangchunJilinChina
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134
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Loughry W, Oeser M, Hoogland J. Alarm calls of the same individual vary during a response to the same predator in Gunnison’s prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni). CAN J ZOOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2019-0064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Many animals emit vocalizations in a repetitive series, but are all the calls within a series structurally the same? To answer this question, we recorded the barks of adult female Gunnison’s prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni (Baird, 1855)) during 5 min experimental presentations of several terrestrial stimuli. We measured eight variables (primarily pitch and duration measures) of the first, middle, and last barks in each bout of barking produced by each of 24 females, as well as the duration of inter-bout intervals, the number of barks per bout, and the rate of barking per bout. We found that first barks were significantly longer and higher pitched than middle or last barks. Some of these differences were affected by the number of barks in a bout. Regardless of bark position, barks became longer and lower pitched in later bouts, and inter-bout intervals, number of barks per bout, and the rate of barking per bout all declined in later bouts. Our results show that bark structure can vary even within a single context and within a short period of time. Thus, variation due to call position within and across bouts of calling is a potentially important confound for studies examining other sources of acoustic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- W.J. Loughry
- Department of Biology, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA 31698-0015, USA
| | - M. Oeser
- Department of Biology, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA 31698-0015, USA
| | - J.L. Hoogland
- Appalachian Laboratory, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Frostburg, MD 21532, USA
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135
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Natural sounds alter California ground squirrel, Otospermophilus beecheyi, foraging, vigilance and movement behaviours. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.08.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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136
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Akçay Ç, Beck ML, Sewall KB. Are signals of aggressive intent less honest in urban habitats? Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
How anthropogenic change affects animal social behavior, including communication is an important question. Urban noise often drives shifts in acoustic properties of signals but the consequences of noise for the honesty of signals—that is, how well they predict signaler behavior—is unclear. Here we examine whether honesty of aggressive signaling is compromised in male urban song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). Song sparrows have two honest close-range signals: the low amplitude soft songs (an acoustic signal) and wing waves (a visual signal), but whether the honesty of these signals is affected by urbanization has not been examined. If soft songs are less effective in urban noise, we predict that they should predict attacks less reliably in urban habitats compared to rural habitats. We confirmed earlier findings that urban birds were more aggressive than rural birds and found that acoustic noise was higher in urban habitats. Urban birds still sang more soft songs than rural birds. High rates of soft songs and low rates of loud songs predicted attacks in both habitats. Thus, while urbanization has a significant effect on aggressive behaviors, it might have a limited effect on the overall honesty of aggressive signals in song sparrows. We also found evidence for a multimodal shift: urban birds tended to give proportionally more wing waves than soft songs than rural birds, although whether that shift is due to noise-dependent plasticity is unclear. These findings encourage further experimental study of the specific variables that are responsible for behavioral change due to urbanization.
Soft song, the low amplitude songs given in close range interactions, is an honest threat signal in urban song sparrows. Given its low amplitude, soft songs may be a less effective signal in noisy urban habitats. However, we found that soft song remained an honest signal predicting attack in urban habitats. We also found that birds may use more visual signals (rapid fluttering of wings) in urban habitats to avoid masking from acoustic noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Çağlar Akçay
- Department of Psychology, Koç University, Rumelifeneri Kampusu, Sariyer Istanbul, Turkey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2125 Derring Hall, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Michelle L Beck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2125 Derring Hall, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Department of Biology, Rivier University, Nashua, NH, USA
| | - Kendra B Sewall
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, 2125 Derring Hall, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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137
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138
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Geipel I, Amin B, Page RA, Halfwerk W. Does bat response to traffic noise support the misleading cue hypothesis? Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The world has become a noisier place due to the increase in urbanization. Noise is generally considered an impediment, altering an animal’s behavior through masking or distraction. But noise can also provide useful information about the environment. For animals that rely on natural environmental noise as an indicator of favorable foraging conditions, increasing levels of anthropogenic noise might mislead informed decision-making. Bats use rain noise, a natural environmental cue, to delay their emergence from the roost, presumably to avoid sensory and metabolic costs associated with foraging in heavy rain. Here we tested the “misleading cue hypothesis,” asking whether traffic noise is mistaken for rain noise by bats. Given the acoustic similarity between rain noise and traffic noise, we predicted that bats would confuse the two. We conducted a playback experiment using rain, traffic, and ambient noise at natural roosts of common big-eared bats (Micronycteris microtis, Phyllostomidae) and recorded bat emergence behavior. In contrast to their response to rain noise, the bats did not delay roost emergence in response to traffic noise. Thus, we found that bats were able to discriminate between traffic noise and rain noise and were not misled by similarity in acoustic parameters in the two noise types, when emerging from their roost. Emerging bats did show more exploration flights during traffic noise than during rain noise, but not during ambient noise, suggesting that they perceive traffic noise as a novel acoustic cue. Our data provide new insights into perception of traffic noise by bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inga Geipel
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado, Balboa, Panamá, República de Panamá
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Institute for Advanced Study, Wallotstraße, Berlin, Germany
| | - Bawan Amin
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado, Balboa, Panamá, República de Panamá
- Institute of Biology, Leiden University, RA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Rachel A Page
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado, Balboa, Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan, HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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139
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Deoniziak K, Osiejuk TS. Habitat-related differences in song structure and complexity in a songbird with a large repertoire. BMC Ecol 2019; 19:40. [PMID: 31533798 PMCID: PMC6749692 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-019-0255-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Urbanisation has been shown to influence many aspects of animal vocal communication. Much attention has been paid to anthropogenic noise, which is often described as one of the most challenging disturbances for urban dwellers. While a large body of literature describes associations between vocal behavior of avian populations and background noise level, most of these studies were conducted on species with relatively simple songs and small repertoire sizes. This study focuses on the song thrush, Turdus philomelos, a common Eurasian songbird with a complex singing style and large syllable repertoire. Our objective was to determine whether frequency, repertoire and temporal organisation of song parameters vary between birds inhabiting urban and adjacent forest habitats in which ambient noise levels differ. Results Songs of urban males were found to be more complex than in conspecifics from natural forest populations. Urban dwellers possessed greater syllable repertoires and repeated syllable sequences more often. In addition, they used a smaller proportion of whistles and a higher proportion of twitter syllables when singing compared to the nonurban males. Moreover, we found significant differences in the minimum and peak frequency of the whistle syllable between studied populations. Conclusions These findings may be an example of adaptation of acoustic communication in noisy urban environments, but we also discuss other possible explanations. We emphasize the need for further investigation into the relationships between birdsong and habitat characteristics, male quality, population density and ambient noise level in populations occupying urban and nonurban habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Deoniziak
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland. .,Laboratory of Insect Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1J, 15-245, Białystok, Poland.
| | - Tomasz S Osiejuk
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
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140
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Yorzinski JL, Argubright S. Wind Increases Blinking Behavior in Great-Tailed Grackles (Quiscalus mexicanus). Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
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141
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Grabarczyk EE, Gill SA. Anthropogenic noise affects male house wren response to but not detection of territorial intruders. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0220576. [PMID: 31365593 PMCID: PMC6668836 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise decreases signal active space, or the area over which male bird song can be detected in the environment. For territorial males, noise may make it more difficult to detect and assess territorial challenges, which in turn may increase defense costs and influence whether males maintain territory ownership. We tested the hypothesis that noise affects the ability of male house wrens (Troglodytes aedon) near active nests to detect intruders and alters responses to them. We broadcast pre-recorded male song and pink noise on territories to simulate intrusions with and without noise, as well as to noise alone. We measured detection by how long males took to sing or approach the speaker after the start of a playback. To measure whether playbacks changed male behavior, we compared their vocal responses before and during treatments, as well as compared mean vocal responses and the number of flyovers and attacks on the speaker during treatments. Noise did not affect a male’s ability to detect an intruder on his territory. Males altered their responses to simulated intruders with and without noise compared to the noise-only treatment by singing longer songs at faster rates. Males increased peak frequency of songs during intrusions without noise compared to noise-only treatments, but frequency during intruder plus noise treatments did not differ from either. When confronting simulated intruders in noise, males increased the number of attacks on the speaker compared to intruders without noise, possibly because they were less able to assess intruders via songs and relied on close encounters for information. Although noise did not affect intruder detection, noise affected some aspects of singing and aggressive responses, which may be related to the challenge of discriminating and assessing territorial threats under elevated noise.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E. Grabarczyk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Sharon A. Gill
- Department of Biological Sciences, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI, United States of America
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142
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Genzel D, Desai J, Paras E, Yartsev MM. Long-term and persistent vocal plasticity in adult bats. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3372. [PMID: 31358755 PMCID: PMC6662767 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11350-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats exhibit a diverse and complex vocabulary of social communication calls some of which are believed to be learned during development. This ability to produce learned, species-specific vocalizations – a rare trait in the animal kingdom – requires a high-degree of vocal plasticity. Bats live extremely long lives in highly complex and dynamic social environments, which suggests that they might also retain a high degree of vocal plasticity in adulthood, much as humans do. Here, we report persistent vocal plasticity in adult bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus) following exposure to broad-band, acoustic perturbation. Our results show that adult bats can not only modify distinct parameters of their vocalizations, but that these changes persist even after noise cessation – in some cases lasting several weeks or months. Combined, these findings underscore the potential importance of bats as a model organism for studies of vocal plasticity, including in adulthood. Bats are long-lived animals that can produce a complex vocabulary of social communication calls. Here, the authors show that even in adulthood, bats retain the ability to adaptively introduce long-term modifications to their vocalizations, showing persistent vocal plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Genzel
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute and Department of Bioengineering, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Janki Desai
- Department of Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Elana Paras
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Michael M Yartsev
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute and Department of Bioengineering, UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
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143
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Crampton WGR. Electroreception, electrogenesis and electric signal evolution. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2019; 95:92-134. [PMID: 30729523 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.13922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Electroreception, the capacity to detect external underwater electric fields with specialised receptors, is a phylogenetically widespread sensory modality in fishes and amphibians. In passive electroreception, a capacity possessed by c. 16% of fish species, an animal uses low-frequency-tuned ampullary electroreceptors to detect microvolt-range bioelectric fields from prey, without the need to generate its own electric field. In active electroreception (electrolocation), which occurs only in the teleost lineages Mormyroidea and Gymnotiformes, an animal senses its surroundings by generating a weak (< 1 V) electric-organ discharge (EOD) and detecting distortions in the EOD-associated field using high-frequency-tuned tuberous electroreceptors. Tuberous electroreceptors also detect the EODs of neighbouring fishes, facilitating electrocommunication. Several other groups of elasmobranchs and teleosts generate weak (< 10 V) or strong (> 50 V) EODs that facilitate communication or predation, but not electrolocation. Approximately 1.5% of fish species possess electric organs. This review has two aims. First, to synthesise our knowledge of the functional biology and phylogenetic distribution of electroreception and electrogenesis in fishes, with a focus on freshwater taxa and with emphasis on the proximate (morphological, physiological and genetic) bases of EOD and electroreceptor diversity. Second, to describe the diversity, biogeography, ecology and electric signal diversity of the mormyroids and gymnotiforms and to explore the ultimate (evolutionary) bases of signal and receptor diversity in their convergent electrogenic-electrosensory systems. Four sets of potential drivers or moderators of signal diversity are discussed. First, selective forces of an abiotic (environmental) nature for optimal electrolocation and communication performance of the EOD. Second, selective forces of a biotic nature targeting the communication function of the EOD, including sexual selection, reproductive interference from syntopic heterospecifics and selection from eavesdropping predators. Third, non-adaptive drift and, finally, phylogenetic inertia, which may arise from stabilising selection for optimal signal-receptor matching.
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144
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Raboin M, Elias DO. Anthropogenic noise and the bioacoustics of terrestrial invertebrates. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:222/12/jeb178749. [PMID: 31217253 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.178749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic noise is an important issue of environmental concern owing to its wide-ranging effects on the physiology, behavior and ecology of animals. To date, research has focused on the impacts of far-field airborne noise (i.e. pressure waves) on vertebrates, with few exceptions. However, invertebrates and the other acoustic modalities they rely on, primarily near-field airborne and substrate-borne sound (i.e. particle motion and vibrations, respectively) have received little attention. Here, we review the literature on the impacts of different types of anthropogenic noise (airborne far-field, airborne near-field, substrate-borne) on terrestrial invertebrates. Using literature on invertebrate bioacoustics, we propose a framework for understanding the potential impact of anthropogenic noise on invertebrates and outline predictions of possible constraints and adaptations for invertebrates in responding to anthropogenic noise. We argue that understanding the impacts of anthropogenic noise requires us to consider multiple modalities of sound and to cultivate a broader understanding of invertebrate bioacoustics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maggie Raboin
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Damian O Elias
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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145
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Sun L, Wang M, Zhang G, Li H, Huang L. Filtered Multitone Modulation Underwater Acoustic Communications Using Low-Complexity Channel-Estimation-Based MMSE Turbo Equalization. SENSORS 2019; 19:s19122714. [PMID: 31212900 PMCID: PMC6631499 DOI: 10.3390/s19122714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 05/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Filtered multitone (FMT) modulation divides the communication band into several subbands to shorten the span of symbols affected by multipath in underwater acoustic (UWA) communications. However, there is still intersymbol interference (ISI) in each subband of FMT modulation degrading communication performance. Therefore, ISI suppression techniques must be applied to FMT modulation UWA communications. The suppression performance of traditional adaptive equalization methods often exploited in FMT modulation UWA communications is limited when the effect of ISI spans tens of symbols or large constellation sizes are used. Turbo equalization consisting of adaptive equalization and channel decoding can improve equalization performance through information exchanging and iterative processes. To overcome the shortcoming of traditional minimum mean square error (MMSE) equalization and effectively suppress the ISI with relatively low computation complexity, an FMT modulation UWA communication using low-complexity channel-estimation-based (CE-based) MMSE turbo equalization is proposed in this paper. In the proposed method, turbo equalization is first exploited to suppress the ISI in FMT modulation UWA communications, and the equalizer coefficients of turbo equalization are adjusted using the low-complexity CE-based MMSE algorithm. The proposed method is analyzed in theory and verified by simulation analysis and real data collected in the experiment carried out in a pool with multipath propagation. The results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve better communication performance with a higher bit rate than the FMT modulation UWA communication using traditional MMSE adaptive equalization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Sun
- College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China.
- School of Physics and Physical Engineering, Qufu Normal University, Qufu 273165, China.
| | - Mei Wang
- Electro-Mechanical Engineering Institute, Shanghai 201109, China.
| | - Guoheng Zhang
- Beijing Great Wall Electronic Equipment Co., Ltd, Beijing 100082, China.
| | - Haisen Li
- College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China.
- Acoustic Science and Technology Laboratory, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China.
- Key Laboratory of Marine Information Acquisition and Security, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China.
| | - Lan Huang
- College of Underwater Acoustic Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin 150001, China.
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Fan Y, Yue X, Yang J, Shen J, Shen D, Tang Y, Fang G. Preference of spectral features in auditory processing for advertisement calls in the music frogs. Front Zool 2019; 16:13. [PMID: 31168310 PMCID: PMC6509768 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-019-0314-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Animal vocal signals encode very important information for communication during which the importance of temporal and spectral characteristics of vocalizations is always asymmetrical and species-specific. However, it is still unknown how auditory system represents this asymmetrical and species-specific patterns. In this study, auditory event related potential (ERP) changes were evaluated in the Emei music frog (Babina daunchina) to assess the differences in eliciting neural responses of both temporal and spectral features for the telencephalon, diencephalon and mesencephalon respectively. To do this, an acoustic playback experiment using an oddball paradigm design was conducted, in which an original advertisement call (OC), its spectral feature preserved version (SC) and temporal feature preserved version (TC) were used as deviant stimuli with synthesized white noise as standard stimulus. RESULTS The present results show that 1) compared with TC, more similar ERP components were evoked by OC and SC; and 2) the P3a amplitudes in the forebrain evoked by OC were significantly higher in males than in females. CONCLUSIONS Together, the results provide evidence for suggesting neural processing for conspecific vocalization may prefer to the spectral features in the music frog, prompting speculation that the spectral features may play more important roles in auditory object perception or vocal communication in this species. In addition, the neural processing for auditory perception is sexually dimorphic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanzhu Fan
- Department of Herpetology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 People’s Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xizi Yue
- Department of Herpetology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 People’s Republic of China
| | - Jing Yang
- Department of Herpetology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 People’s Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Jiangyan Shen
- Department of Herpetology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 People’s Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Di Shen
- Department of Herpetology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 People’s Republic of China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yezhong Tang
- Department of Herpetology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 People’s Republic of China
| | - Guangzhan Fang
- Department of Herpetology, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.9 Section 4, Renmin Nan Road, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041 People’s Republic of China
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148
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Contributions of MIR to Soundscape Ecology. Part 2: Spectral timbral analysis for discriminating soundscape components. ECOL INFORM 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2019.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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149
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Kareklas K, Wilson J, Kunc HP, Arnott G. Signal complexity communicates aggressive intent during contests, but the process is disrupted by noise. Biol Lett 2019; 15:20180841. [PMID: 30991914 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2018.0841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Contestants use displays to signal their aggressive intent and settle disputes before they escalate. For birds, this is often in the form of song, which can vary in structural complexity. The role of song complexity in signalling aggressive intent has not been fully established, and its efficacy could be influenced by background noise levels. Using playback experiments, we found that in European robins, Erithacus rubecula, song complexity signalled sender aggression and affected receiver response. However, increased noise impacted the ability of contestants to adjust response based on opponent song complexity. These findings provide new evidence regarding the use of acoustic signal complexity for assessing opponent aggression and that noise can influence contest behaviour by interrupting this process, which could impose fitness consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyriacos Kareklas
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast , 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL , UK
| | - James Wilson
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast , 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL , UK
| | - Hansjoerg P Kunc
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast , 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL , UK
| | - Gareth Arnott
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast , 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL , UK
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150
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Bian X, Chandler T, Pinilla A, Peters RA. Now You See Me, Now You Don't: Environmental Conditions, Signaler Behavior, and Receiver Response Thresholds Interact to Determine the Efficacy of a Movement-Based Animal Signal. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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