1
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Dahlin CR, Smith-Vidaurre G, Genes MK, Wright TF. Widespread cultural change in declining populations of Amazon parrots. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20240659. [PMID: 39163980 PMCID: PMC11335405 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2024.0659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Species worldwide are experiencing anthropogenic environmental change, and the long-term impacts on animal cultural traditions such as vocal dialects are often unknown. Our prior studies of the yellow-naped amazon (Amazona auropalliata) revealed stable vocal dialects over an 11-year period (1994-2005), with modest shifts in geographic boundaries and acoustic structure of contact calls. Here, we examined whether yellow-naped amazons maintained stable dialects over the subsequent 11-year time span from 2005 to 2016, culminating in 22 years of study. Over this same period, this species suffered a dramatic decrease in population size that prompted two successive uplists in IUCN status, from vulnerable to critically endangered. In this most recent 11-year time span, we found evidence of geographic shifts in call types, manifesting in more bilingual sites and introgression across the formerly distinct North-South acoustic boundary. We also found greater evidence of acoustic drift, in the form of new emerging call types and greater acoustic variation overall. These results suggest cultural traditions such as dialects may change in response to demographic and environmental conditions, with broad implications for threatened species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine R. Dahlin
- Departments of Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, Johnstown, PA, USA
| | - Grace Smith-Vidaurre
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
- Rockefeller University Field Research Center, Millbrook, NY, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA
- Departments of Integrative Biology and Computational Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Molly K. Genes
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
| | - Timothy F. Wright
- Department of Biology, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
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2
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Knight E, Rhinehart T, de Zwaan DR, Weldy MJ, Cartwright M, Hawley SH, Larkin JL, Lesmeister D, Bayne E, Kitzes J. Individual identification in acoustic recordings. Trends Ecol Evol 2024:S0169-5347(24)00118-6. [PMID: 38862357 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2024.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
Recent advances in bioacoustics combined with acoustic individual identification (AIID) could open frontiers for ecological and evolutionary research because traditional methods of identifying individuals are invasive, expensive, labor-intensive, and potentially biased. Despite overwhelming evidence that most taxa have individual acoustic signatures, the application of AIID remains challenging and uncommon. Furthermore, the methods most commonly used for AIID are not compatible with many potential AIID applications. Deep learning in adjacent disciplines suggests opportunities to advance AIID, but such progress is limited by training data. We suggest that broadscale implementation of AIID is achievable, but researchers should prioritize methods that maximize the potential applications of AIID, and develop case studies with easy taxa at smaller spatiotemporal scales before progressing to more difficult scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elly Knight
- Department of Biological Sciences, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E6, Canada.
| | - Tessa Rhinehart
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA.
| | - Devin R de Zwaan
- Department of Biology, Mount Allison University, Sackville, NB, E4L 1E4, Canada; Acadia University, Wolfville, NS, B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Matthew J Weldy
- Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97331-5704, USA
| | - Mark Cartwright
- Department of Informatics, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, USA
| | - Scott H Hawley
- Chemistry and Physics Department, Belmont University, Nashville, TN, 37212, USA
| | - Jeffery L Larkin
- Department of Biology, Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA, 15705-1081, USA; American Bird Conservancy, The Plains, VA, 20198, USA
| | - Damon Lesmeister
- USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Corvallis Forestry Science Laboratory, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, 97330, USA
| | - Erin Bayne
- Department of Biological Sciences, Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 2E6, Canada
| | - Justin Kitzes
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15260, USA
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3
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Rajan S, Lamers KP, Both C, Wheatcroft D. Translocated wild birds are predisposed to learn songs of their ancestral population. Curr Biol 2024; 34:2535-2540.e4. [PMID: 38772360 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2024.04.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
Population differences in socially learned mating signals like oscine birdsong are particularly vulnerable to breakdown through dispersal.1 Despite this challenge, geographic variation in learned signals is ubiquitous.2 A proposed explanation for this pattern is that birds express predispositions to selectively learn and produce population-typical songs.3,4,5 While experimental studies on lab-reared birds have shown the existence of within-species learning predispositions,6,7,8,9,10 it remains unclear whether and how learning predispositions influence song acquisition in the wild. Here, we investigated innate song learning predispositions in wild pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) by measuring the songs of individuals translocated as eggs from a Dutch population to a breeding population in Sweden. We compared the songs of the adult males hatched from these translocated eggs with those from the ancestral and receiving populations. Songs of translocated males closely resemble the local Swedish songs to which they were exposed during development, supporting the importance of social learning. However, translocated males selectively learned those local Swedish song elements that sound the most "Dutch-like." As a result, their songs are significantly shifted toward those of the ancestral Dutch population. This suggests that innate learning predispositions track ongoing song evolution in wild populations of pied flycatchers. We propose that as songs continue to diverge over time, this coevolutionary relationship between song and learning predispositions may contribute to the emergence of incipient pre-mating barriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samyuktha Rajan
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Koosje P Lamers
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Christiaan Both
- Conservation Ecology Group, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - David Wheatcroft
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Svante Arrhenius väg, 106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
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4
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Romagosa M, Nieukirk S, Cascão I, Marques TA, Dziak R, Royer JY, O'Brien J, Mellinger DK, Pereira A, Ugalde A, Papale E, Aniceto S, Buscaino G, Rasmussen M, Matias L, Prieto R, Silva MA. Fin whale song evolution in the North Atlantic. eLife 2024; 13:e83750. [PMID: 38192202 PMCID: PMC10776088 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Animal songs can change within and between populations as the result of different evolutionary processes. When these processes include cultural transmission, the social learning of information or behaviours from conspecifics, songs can undergo rapid evolutions because cultural novelties can emerge more frequently than genetic mutations. Understanding these song variations over large temporal and spatial scales can provide insights into the patterns, drivers and limits of song evolution that can ultimately inform on the species' capacity to adapt to rapidly changing acoustic environments. Here, we analysed changes in fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) songs recorded over two decades across the central and eastern North Atlantic Ocean. We document a rapid replacement of song INIs (inter-note intervals) over just four singing seasons, that co-occurred with hybrid songs (with both INIs), and a clear geographic gradient in the occurrence of different song INIs during the transition period. We also found gradual changes in INIs and note frequencies over more than a decade with fin whales adopting song changes. These results provide evidence of vocal learning in fin whales and reveal patterns of song evolution that raise questions on the limits of song variation in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miriam Romagosa
- Institute of Marine Sciences - OKEANOS & Institute of Marine Research - IMAR, University of the AzoresHortaPortugal
| | - Sharon Nieukirk
- Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Resources Studies, Oregon State UniversityCorvallisUnited States
| | - Irma Cascão
- Institute of Marine Sciences - OKEANOS & Institute of Marine Research - IMAR, University of the AzoresHortaPortugal
| | - Tiago A Marques
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St AndrewsSt AndrewsUnited Kingdom
- Centro de Estatística e Aplicações, Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | - Robert Dziak
- NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Hatfield Marine Science CenterCorvallisUnited States
| | - Jean-Yves Royer
- CNRS - UBO - UBS - Ifremer, IUEM - Lab. Geo-OceanPlouzaneFrance
| | - Joanne O'Brien
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre (MFRC), Atlantic Technological UniversityGalwayIreland
| | - David K Mellinger
- Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Resources Studies, Oregon State UniversityCorvallisUnited States
| | - Andreia Pereira
- Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL), Universidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | | | - Elena Papale
- Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IAS)Torretta GranitolaItaly
| | | | - Giuseppa Buscaino
- Institute for the Study of Anthropic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment of the National Research Council of Italy (CNR-IAS)Torretta GranitolaItaly
| | | | - Luis Matias
- Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL), Universidade de LisboaLisboaPortugal
| | - Rui Prieto
- Institute of Marine Sciences - OKEANOS & Institute of Marine Research - IMAR, University of the AzoresHortaPortugal
| | - Mónica A Silva
- Institute of Marine Sciences - OKEANOS & Institute of Marine Research - IMAR, University of the AzoresHortaPortugal
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5
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Smeele SQ, Tyndel SA, Aplin LM, McElreath MB. Multilevel Bayesian analysis of monk parakeet contact calls shows dialects between European cities. Behav Ecol 2024; 35:arad093. [PMID: 38193012 PMCID: PMC10773303 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arad093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Geographic differences in vocalizations provide strong evidence for animal culture, with patterns likely arising from generations of social learning and transmission. Most studies on the evolution of avian vocal variation have predominantly focused on fixed repertoire, territorial song in passerine birds. The study of vocal communication in open-ended learners and in contexts where vocalizations serve other functions is therefore necessary for a more comprehensive understanding of vocal dialect evolution. Parrots are open-ended vocal production learners that use vocalizations for social contact and coordination. Geographic variation in parrot vocalizations typically take the form of either distinct regional variations known as dialects or graded variation based on geographic distance known as clinal variation. In this study, we recorded monk parakeets (Myiopsitta monachus) across multiple spatial scales (i.e., parks and cities) in their European invasive range. We then compared calls using a multilevel Bayesian model and sensitivity analysis, with this novel approach allowing us to explicitly compare vocalizations at multiple spatial scales. We found support for founder effects and/or cultural drift at the city level, consistent with passive cultural processes leading to large-scale dialect differences. We did not find a strong signal for dialect or clinal differences between parks within cities, suggesting that birds did not actively converge on a group level signal, as expected under the group membership hypothesis. We demonstrate the robustness of our findings and offer an explanation that unifies the results of prior monk parakeet vocalization studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeon Q Smeele
- Cognitive & Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Pl. 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Nordre Ringgade 1, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Stephen A Tyndel
- Cognitive & Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstraße 10, 78464 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Lucy M Aplin
- Cognitive & Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Division of Ecology and Evolution, Research School of Biology, The Australian National University, 134 Linnaeus Way, Acton ACT 2601, Australia
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Science, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Mary Brooke McElreath
- Cognitive & Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, 78315 Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Pl. 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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6
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Maldonado-Coelho M, Dos Santos SS, Isler ML, Svensson-Coelho M, Sotelo-Muñoz M, Miyaki CY, Ricklefs RE, Blake JG. Evolutionary and Ecological Processes Underlying Geographic Variation in Innate Bird Songs. Am Nat 2023; 202:E31-E52. [PMID: 37531273 DOI: 10.1086/725016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
AbstractEcological and evolutionary processes underlying spatial variation in signals involved in mate recognition and reproductive isolation are crucial to understanding the causes of population divergence and speciation. Here, to test hypotheses concerning the causes of song divergence, we examine how songs of two sister species of Atlantic Forest suboscine birds with innate songs, the Pyriglena fire-eye antbirds, vary across their ranges. Specifically, we evaluated the influence of isolation by distance and introgressive hybridization, as well as morphological and environmental variation, on geographic variation in male songs. Analyses based on 496 male vocalizations from 63 locations across a 2,200-km latitudinal transect revealed clinal changes in the structure of songs and showed that introgressive hybridization increases both the variability and the homogenization of songs in the contact zone between the two species. We also found that isolation by distance, morphological constraints, the environment, and genetic introgression independently predicted song variation across geographic space. Our study shows the importance of an integrative approach that investigates the roles of distinct ecological and evolutionary processes that influence acoustic signal evolution.
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7
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Andrade-González VM, Vázquez-Miranda H, Ornelas-García CP, Sosa-López JR. Ecological factors drive the divergence of morphological, colour and behavioural traits in cactus wrens (Aves, Troglodytidae). Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230215. [PMID: 37312552 PMCID: PMC10265019 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The study of ecological mechanisms influencing organisms' phenotypic variation is a central subject of evolutionary biology. In this study, we characterized morphological, plumage colour and acoustic variation in cactus wrens Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus throughout its distribution. We assessed whether Gloger's, Allen's and Bergmann's ecogeographical rules, and the acoustic adaptation hypothesis relate to geographical trait variation. We analysed specimen coloration in belly and crown plumage, beak shape and structural song characteristics. We tested whether the subspecific classification or the peninsular/mainland groups mirrored the geographical variation in phenotypes and whether ecological factors were associated with patterns of trait variation. Our results suggest that colour, beak shape and acoustic traits varied across the range, in agreement with two lineages described by genetics. The simple versions of Gloger's and Allen's rules are related to variations in colour traits and morphology. Conversely, patterns of phenotypic variation did not support Bergmann's rule. The acoustic adaptation hypothesis supported song divergence for frequency-related traits. Phenotypic variation supports the hypothesis of two taxa: C. affinis in the Baja California peninsula and C. brunneicapillus in the mainland. The ecological factors are associated with phenotypic trait adaptations, suggesting that divergence between lineages could result from ecological divergence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Violeta Monserrath Andrade-González
- Colección Nacional de Aves, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, CP 04510, México
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, CP 04510, México
| | - Hernán Vázquez-Miranda
- Colección Nacional de Aves, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, CP 04510, México
| | - Claudia Patricia Ornelas-García
- Colección Nacional de Peces, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, CP 04510, México
| | - José Roberto Sosa-López
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional Unidad Oaxaca (CIIDIR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, CP 71230, México
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8
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Using Acoustic Data Repositories to Study Vocal Responses to Playback in a Neotropical Songbird. BIRDS 2023. [DOI: 10.3390/birds4010005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Birds may alter song structure in response to territorial challenges to convey information about aggressive intent or fighting ability. Professional and amateur ornithologists upload daily many birdsong recordings into acoustic data repositories, usually scoring whether songs were recorded in response to a conspecific playback or produced spontaneously. We analyzed recordings from these repositories to evaluate if song traits of Rufous-browed Peppershrikes (Cyclarhis gujanensis) vary between playback-elicited songs and spontaneous songs. For each recording after playback, we chose one spatially closer spontaneous recording to avoid geographic bias. Birds recorded after playback produced slightly longer songs than birds that were singing spontaneously. This result was accounted for by increases in the amount of sound and silence within a song after the playback instead of changes in the mean number or duration of elements. Playback did not alter song frequency parameters (bandwidth, minimum, mean, and maximum frequencies) or song rate. These results indicate that song duration might mediate aggressive interactions in Rufous-browed Peppershrikes. Even considering limitations such as unknown playback stimulus identity and possible pseudoreplication, acoustic data repositories give a unique yet unexplored opportunity to gather insights into the evolution of song flexibility during aggressive encounters.
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9
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Four decades later: The highly conserved repertoire of song types in chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs). Behav Processes 2023; 205:104821. [PMID: 36649903 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2023.104821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The long-term stability of culturally transmitted traits like bird song has attracted much attention from researchers; however, it remains insufficiently studied up to the present time. This study investigates, by using spectrographic analysis, whether the repertoire of song types recorded at the same locality is persistent at short terms (of four years) and at long terms (of 38 years) in a migratory European continental population of chaffinches. The population song type repertoires recorded in 1978 and 1982 were only slightly different, thus indicating the high repertoire persistence within a few years. There were more differences between repertoires recorded in 1982 and 2020. In total, eight of the 29 song types (28 %) identified in 1982 were not found in 2020, and 5 of the 26 song types (19 %) discovered in 2020 were completely new compared to 1982. All the other song types recorded in 2020 were similar to those recorded in 1982. The frequency of use of these song types in 1982 and 2020 was also similar. By 2020, mainly those song types had disappeared from the population repertoire, which in 1982 were performed by a limited number of males. These data suggest a high long-term persistence of repertoire of song types in male song of a migratory continental population. This long-term stability of the population repertoire was maintained despite significant changes in the habitat structure caused by a massive expansion of bark beetles in 2010-2014.
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10
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Bergmann A, Gloza-Rausch F, Wimmer B, Kugelschafter K, Knörnschild M. Similarities in social calls during autumn swarming may facilitate interspecific communication between Myotis bat species. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.950951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats employ a variety of social calls for communication purposes. However, for most species, social calls are far less studied than echolocation calls and their specific function often remains unclear. We investigated the function of in-flight social calls during autumn swarming in front of a large hibernaculum in Northern Germany, whose main inhabitants are two species of Myotis bats, Natterer’s bats (Myotis nattereri) and Daubenton’s bats (Myotis daubentonii). We recorded social calls in nights of high swarming activity and grouped the calls based on their spectro-temporal structure into ten types and verified our visual classification by a discriminant function analysis. Whenever possible, we subsequently assigned social calls to either M. daubentonii or M. nattereri by analyzing the echolocation calls surrounding them. As many bats echolocate at the same time during swarming, we did not analyze single echolocation calls but the “soundscape” surrounding each social call instead, encompassing not only spectral parameters but also the timbre (vocal “color”) of echolocation calls. Both species employ comparatively similar social call types in a swarming context, even though there are subtle differences in call parameters between species. To additionally gain information about the general function of social calls produced in a swarming context, we performed playback experiments with free-flying bats in the vicinity of the roost, using three different call types from both species, respectively. In three out of six treatments, bat activity (approximated as echolocation call rate) increased during and after stimulus presentation, indicating that bats inspected or approached the playback site. Using a camera trap, we were sometimes able to identify the species of approaching bats. Based on the photos taken during playbacks, we assume one call type to support interspecific communication while another call type works for intraspecific group cohesion.
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11
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Manatee calf call contour and acoustic structure varies by species and body size. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19597. [PMID: 36379989 PMCID: PMC9666457 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-23321-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Vocal activity and signal characteristics of mammals are driven by several factors that result in both stability and plasticity over multiple time scales. All three extant species of manatee communicate with several calls that are especially important for maintaining contact between cows and calves. Determining if calf calls differ across manatee species will provide insights into the evolution of species-specific acoustic communication traits. We investigated the interspecific differences in the vocalizations of calves of Amazonian manatees (Trichechus inunguis) and the two subspecies of the West Indian manatee (T. manatus). Vocalizations of individual calves were recorded in rehabilitation centers in Brazil, Puerto Rico, the United States, and Mexico. The acoustic structure of calls produced by manatee calves varied between species and with body size. Amazonian manatee calves produced shorter calls with multiple notes at higher frequency while West Indian calves produced modulated calls that were lower in frequency and longer in duration. Smaller West Indian calves produced frequency modulated, hill-shaped calls that flattened with an increase in body length. Our results provide evidence for divergence in the ontogeny of vocalizations across T. manatus and T. inunguis and suggest variation in body size contributed to the evolution of differences in the characteristics of their calls.
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12
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Backhouse F, Welbergen JA, Magrath RD, Dalziell AH. Depleted cultural richness of an avian vocal mimic in fragmented habitat. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Backhouse
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
| | - Justin A. Welbergen
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
| | - Robert D. Magrath
- Research School of Biology The Australian National University Canberra Australian Capital Territory Australia
| | - Anastasia H. Dalziell
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment Western Sydney University Richmond New South Wales Australia
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences University of Wollongong Wollongong New South Wales Australia
- Fuller Evolutionary Biology Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology Cornell University Ithaca New York USA
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13
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Chartier SL, Ramsay SM, Otter KA. Within-population song evolution in white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis). BEHAVIOUR 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Cultural evolution of birdsong occurs when songs change over generations and such changes can spread directionally or via drift within populations. We describe the emergence and directional spread of a novel song variant within a population of White-throated Sparrows in central British Columbia, Canada. Birds in this population have been singing a doublet-ending song since the early 2000s. In 2015, we detected a novel variant, consisting of a doublet-ending song with a distinctive amplitude modulation in the first note (Modulated-Doublet). We banded and recorded birds from 2015 to 2020 and classified songs using both audio and spectrographic analysis. The proportion of birds singing the Modulated-Doublet increased, replacing the Unmodulated-Doublet over time. Additionally, the modulation became more pronounced, both across the population and within individual birds, over successive years. The rapid spread suggests there may be several transmission biases driving the adoption of this novel song over the older established variant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara L. Chartier
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC, Canada V2N 4Z9
| | - Scott M. Ramsay
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave W, Waterloo, ON, Canada N2L 3C5
| | - Ken A. Otter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, 3333 University Way, Prince George, BC, Canada V2N 4Z9
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14
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Selective alarm call mimicry in the sexual display of the male superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae). Evol Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-022-10200-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
AbstractDespite much research on mimicry, little is known about the ecology of dynamic mimetic signals involving mimicry of multiple species. Some of the most conspicuous examples of phenotypically plastic mimicry are produced by oscine passerines, where vocal production learning enables some species to mimic multiple models and flexibly adjust what they mimic and when. While singing from a perch, male superb lyrebirds (Menura novaehollandiae) accurately imitate multiple songs and calls of over 20 species of bird. However, at key moments within their multimodal displays performed on display arenas on the forest floor, males mimic a small number of mobbing-alarm calls creating the acoustic illusion of a mixed-species mobbing flock (‘D-song’). Using observations from camera footage and a field-based playback experiment, we tested six hypotheses for alarm call model selection within D-song. Mimicked species were remarkably invariant, with 79% of D-song made up of imitations of just three different bird species. Males did not mimic the most common species in their general environment, but neither did they mimic rare species. Instead, males imitated the mobbing-alarm calls of heterospecific birds that foraged on or near the forest floor. Indeed, males primarily mimicked the alarm calls of heterospecific species that foraged alongside lyrebirds and were likely to appear together in experimentally-induced, terrestrial mobbing flocks. These findings support the hypothesis that males mimic a cue of a terrestrial predatory threat to lyrebirds, most likely to exploit the antipredator behaviour of female lyrebirds. Our study illustrates the importance of investigating the drivers of model selection in dynamic multi-model mimicry.
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Zhang L, Yu J, Shen C, Yin D, Jin L, Liang W, Wang H. Geographic Variation in Note Types of Alarm Calls in Japanese Tits ( Parus minor). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:2342. [PMID: 36139202 PMCID: PMC9495063 DOI: 10.3390/ani12182342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Geographic variability in acoustic signals has been documented in many bird species. However, geographic variations in alarm calls have been so far neglected despite their crucial role on reducing risk to group members and relatives. We analyzed the note types and acoustic parameters of Japanese tit (Parus minor) alarm calls to three types of intruders (a nest predator, an adult predator, and a harmless species) from three populations in China. Our results revealed that tits in the same population produce similar note types to different intruders, but the three populations only shared six note types and each population had unique note types. The frequency and duration parameters of three shared common note types were significantly different among populations. The three populations belong to the same species, thus they have shared note types. We suspect that the unique note types occurring in each population may be related to three potential reasons: founder effect, predation pressure, and vocal learning. The differences in acoustic parameters of common notes among populations may be a consequence of adaptations to their environments. We suggest that population differences in the note levels of bird alarm calls do exist.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhang
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Jiangping Yu
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Chao Shen
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Dake Yin
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Longru Jin
- Jilin Engineering Laboratory for Avian Ecology and Conservation Genetics, School of Life Sciences, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
| | - Wei Liang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou 571158, China
| | - Haitao Wang
- Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, Changchun 130024, China
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Grof-Tisza P, Morelon S, Desurmont GA, Benrey B. Population-Specific Plant-To-Plant Signaling in Wild Lima Bean. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 11:2320. [PMID: 36145728 PMCID: PMC9503452 DOI: 10.3390/plants11182320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The exposure to volatiles from damaged plants can increase the resistance of the neighboring plants to herbivores. Studies have demonstrated that the strength of this response depends on the level of relatedness between the interacting plants. Indeed, a field study with Phaseolus lunatus found that the responses to induced volatiles were population-specific; individuals exposed to damaged conspecifics from the 'local' population exhibited greater resistance to herbivores than those exposed to damaged conspecifics from 'foreign' populations. Here, we repeated this study in the laboratory by placing undamaged plants near damaged plants from either their local or a foreign population. The former plants experienced less herbivory than the latter after a subsequent challenge by a generalist herbivore. To understand the role of the volatiles underlying this observed specificity, we explored the variability in the constitutively released volatiles and volatiles released after mechanical or herbivore damage among the three tested populations of P. lunatus. The total volatile emissions were 5× and 10× higher from the mechanically and herbivore-damaged plants, respectively, compared to the undamaged plants. The populations differed in their relative ratios of dominant constitutive compounds, but no pattern was observed that could explain the differential responses to induced volatiles among the populations. Overall, this study confirms the population-specific volatile-mediated interactions in P. lunatus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Grof-Tisza
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Entomology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Stéphanie Morelon
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Entomology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchatel, Switzerland
| | - Gaylord A. Desurmont
- European Biological Control Laboratory (EBCL), USDA-ARS, 34980 Montferrier sur Lez, France
| | - Betty Benrey
- Laboratory of Evolutionary Entomology, Institute of Biology, University of Neuchâtel, 2000 Neuchatel, Switzerland
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Lin A, Feng J, Kanwal JS. Geographic Variation in Social Vocalizations of the Great Himalayan Leaf-Nosed Bat, Hipposideros armiger: Acoustic Overflow Across Population Boundaries. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.948324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bat populations employ rich vocal repertoires for social communication in addition to emitting sound pulses for echolocation. Acoustic parameters of echolocation pulses can vary with the context in which they are emitted, and also with the individual and across populations as a whole. The acoustic parameters of social vocalizations, or “calls”, also vary with the individual and context, but not much is known about their variation across populations at different geographic locations. Here, we leveraged the detailed acoustic classification of social vocalizations available for the Great Himalayan leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros armiger, to examine geographic variation in five commonly emitted simple syllable types. We hypothesized that individuals within geographically dispersed populations communicate using spectrographically similar constructs or “syllable types”. We also examined whether call syllables vary discordantly with the correlation pattern observed for echolocation pulses across those same geographic regions. Furthermore, we postulated that the acoustic boundaries of a syllable type are not uniquely constrained to its variation within a particular population of the same subspecies. To test our hypotheses, we obtained recordings of social calls of H. a. armiger from nine locations within the oriental region. These locations were consolidated into five geographic regions based on previously established region-specific differences in the peak frequency of echolocation pulses. A multivariate cluster analysis established that unlike echolocation pulses, syllable types exhibit a relatively large variance. Analysis of this variance showed significant differences in Least Squares Means estimates, establishing significant population-level differences in the multiparametric means of individual syllable types across geographic regions. Multivariate discriminant analysis confirmed the presence of region-specific centroids for different syllable constructs, but also showed a large overlap of their multiparametric boundaries across geographic regions. We propose that despite differences in the population-specific core construct of a syllable type, bats maximize acoustic variation across individuals within a population irrespective of its overflow and overlap with other populations.
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Microgeographical variation in birdsong: Savannah sparrows exhibit microdialects in an island population. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.04.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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Zhao L, Liu Q, Qin Y, Zhai X, Tu F, Wang T, Wang J. Geographical variation of the acoustic signals in the spot-legged treefrog (Polypedates megacephalus) of Hainan Island. Integr Zool 2022. [PMID: 35384309 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Geographical divergence in acoustic signals is often affected by multiple selective pressures. Environmental factors are expected to shape signals by adjusting for greater propagation efficiency. Nevertheless, such habitat-driven hypotheses have not been well-examined with multi-signal and multi-habitat types included simultaneously. In this study, we evaluated call similarity of the spot-legged treefrog (Polypedates megacephalus), characterized by multiple call types, from 11 geographic populations across Hainan Island. We also examined multiple factors (i.e., body mass, temperature, altitude, and vegetation) among different acoustical geographic clusters, and tested whether the variation in acoustic length and frequency among different habitats was in accordance with the prediction derived from the acoustic adaptation hypothesis (AAH). We showed that P. megacephalus from Hainan Island included three acoustic geographic clusters: the northeastern flatlands, the southwest mountains, and the hills around the mountains. We also showed that environmental factors (i.e., altitude and vegetation) varied across these three acoustically distinct areas. Moreover, the duration of the different call types supported the hypothesis that they should have optimal transmission in their own habitats. Thus, our results reveal the roles of ecological selection in the geographical divergence of anuran acoustic signals. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longhui Zhao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
| | - Qiucheng Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
| | - Yuanyu Qin
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
| | - Xiaofei Zhai
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
| | - Feiyun Tu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
| | - Tongliang Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
| | - Jichao Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Ecology of Tropical Islands, Key Laboratory of Tropical Animal and Plant Ecology of Hainan Province, College of Life Sciences, Hainan Normal University, Haikou, China
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Wang D, Forstmeier W, Farine DR, Maldonado-Chaparro AA, Martin K, Pei Y, Alarcón-Nieto G, Klarevas-Irby JA, Ma S, Aplin LM, Kempenaers B. Machine learning reveals cryptic dialects that explain mate choice in a songbird. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1630. [PMID: 35347115 PMCID: PMC8960899 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28881-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Culturally transmitted communication signals - such as human language or bird song - can change over time through cultural drift, and the resulting dialects may consequently enhance the separation of populations. However, the emergence of song dialects has been considered unlikely when songs are highly individual-specific, as in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Here we show that machine learning can nevertheless distinguish the songs from multiple captive zebra finch populations with remarkable precision, and that 'cryptic song dialects' predict strong assortative mating in this species. We examine mating patterns across three consecutive generations using captive populations that have evolved in isolation for about 100 generations. We cross-fostered eggs within and between these populations and used an automated barcode tracking system to quantify social interactions. We find that females preferentially pair with males whose song resembles that of the females' adolescent peers. Our study shows evidence that in zebra finches, a model species for song learning, individuals are sensitive to differences in song that have hitherto remained unnoticed by researchers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiping Wang
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany.
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
| | - Wolfgang Forstmeier
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany.
| | - Damien R Farine
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78457, Konstanz, Germany.
- Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany.
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, 8047, Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Adriana A Maldonado-Chaparro
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
- Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - Katrin Martin
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Yifan Pei
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Gustavo Alarcón-Nieto
- Department of Collective Behavior, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - James A Klarevas-Irby
- Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
- Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
- Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, 8047, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Shouwen Ma
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Eberhard-Gwinner-Straße, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Lucy M Aplin
- Center for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Universitätsstrasse 10, 78457, Konstanz, Germany
- Cognitive and Cultural Ecology Research Group, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Bart Kempenaers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology and Evolutionary Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, 82319, Seewiesen, Germany.
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21
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Diversity Monitoring of Coexisting Birds in Urban Forests by Integrating Spectrograms and Object-Based Image Analysis. FORESTS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/f13020264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
In the context of rapid urbanization, urban foresters are actively seeking management monitoring programs that address the challenges of urban biodiversity loss. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) has attracted attention because it allows for the collection of data passively, objectively, and continuously across large areas and for extended periods. However, it continues to be a difficult subject due to the massive amount of information that audio recordings contain. Most existing automated analysis methods have limitations in their application in urban areas, with unclear ecological relevance and efficacy. To better support urban forest biodiversity monitoring, we present a novel methodology for automatically extracting bird vocalizations from spectrograms of field audio recordings, integrating object-based classification. We applied this approach to acoustic data from an urban forest in Beijing and achieved an accuracy of 93.55% (±4.78%) in vocalization recognition while requiring less than ⅛ of the time needed for traditional inspection. The difference in efficiency would become more significant as the data size increases because object-based classification allows for batch processing of spectrograms. Using the extracted vocalizations, a series of acoustic and morphological features of bird-vocalization syllables (syllable feature metrics, SFMs) could be calculated to better quantify acoustic events and describe the soundscape. A significant correlation between the SFMs and biodiversity indices was found, with 57% of the variance in species richness, 41% in Shannon’s diversity index and 38% in Simpson’s diversity index being explained by SFMs. Therefore, our proposed method provides an effective complementary tool to existing automated methods for long-term urban forest biodiversity monitoring and conservation.
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LEON EVELINA, LORENZÓN RODRIGO, OLGUÍN PAMELA, ATTADEMO ANDRES, BELTZER ADOLFO, PELTZER PAOLA. Structure and function of calls of the Masked Gnatcatcher Polioptila dumicola in Mid-eastern Argentina. AN ACAD BRAS CIENC 2022; 94:e20200442. [DOI: 10.1590/0001-3765202220200442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- EVELINA LEON
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (INALI – CONICET – UNL), Argentina; Universidad Nacional del Litoral (FBCB-UNL-CONICET), Argentina
| | - RODRIGO LORENZÓN
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (INALI – CONICET – UNL), Argentina
| | - PAMELA OLGUÍN
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (INALI – CONICET – UNL), Argentina
| | - ANDRES ATTADEMO
- Universidad Nacional del Litoral (FBCB-UNL-CONICET), Argentina
| | - ADOLFO BELTZER
- Instituto Nacional de Limnología (INALI – CONICET – UNL), Argentina
| | - PAOLA PELTZER
- Universidad Nacional del Litoral (FBCB-UNL-CONICET), Argentina
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雷 影. Biogeographical Variation of Three Species of the Dendrocopos in the Palaearctic Based on Vocalization. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.12677/ije.2022.111007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
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Clink DJ, Lau AR, Kanthaswamy S, Johnson LM, Bales KL. Moderate evidence for heritability in the duet contributions of a South American primate. J Evol Biol 2022; 35:51-63. [PMID: 34822207 PMCID: PMC9514391 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Acoustic signals are ubiquitous across mammalian taxa. They serve a myriad of functions related to the formation and maintenance of social bonds and can provide conspecifics information about caller condition, motivation and identity. Disentangling the relative importance of evolutionary mechanisms that shape vocal variation is difficult, and little is known about heritability of mammalian vocalizations. Duetting--coordinated vocalizations within male and female pairs--arose independently at least four times across the Primate Order. Primate duets contain individual- or pair-level signatures, but the mechanisms that shape this variation remain unclear. Here, we test for evidence of heritability in two call types (pulses and chirps) from the duets of captive coppery titi monkeys (Plecturocebus cupreus). We extracted four features--note rate, duration, minimum and maximum fundamental frequency--from spectrograms of pulses and chirps, and estimated heritability of the features. We also tested whether features varied with sex or body weight. We found evidence for moderate heritability in one of the features examined (chirp note rate), whereas inter-individual variance was the most important source of variance for the rest of the features. We did not find evidence for sex differences in any of the features, but we did find that body weight and fundamental frequency of chirp elements covaried. Kin recognition has been invoked as a possible explanation for heritability or kin signatures in mammalian vocalizations. Although the function of primate duets remains a topic of debate, the presence of moderate heritability in titi monkey chirp elements indicates duets may serve a kin recognition function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dena J. Clink
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850
| | - Allison R. Lau
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616
| | - Sreetharan Kanthaswamy
- School of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Arizona State University (ASU) at the West Campus, Glendale, AZ, USA,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, One Shields Ave, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Lynn M. Johnson
- Cornell Statistical Consulting Unit, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Karen L. Bales
- Animal Behavior Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616,California National Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, 95616,Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA, 95616, USA,Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA
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Webb WH, Roper MM, Pawley MDM, Fukuzawa Y, Harmer AMT, Brunton DH. Sexually Distinct Song Cultures Across a Songbird Metapopulation. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.755633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Songbirds learn their songs culturally, through imitating tutors. The vocal culture of a songbird population changes as new song units (syllables) are introduced through immigration, copying errors, and innovation, while other syllables fall out of use. This leads to a diversification of the syllable pool across the species, much like the diversification and spatial patterns of human language. Vocal cultures have been well-studied in male songbirds but have been largely overlooked in females. Here we undertake one of the first comparisons of male and female song cultures across a songbird metapopulation—studying New Zealand bellbirds Anthornis melanura spanning a network of six islands. Having classified 20,700 syllables (702 types), we compare population syllable repertoire sizes and overlap between sites and sexes. We show that males and females—both with complex songs—have distinct song cultures, sharing only 6–26% of syllable types within each site. Furthermore, male and female syllable types can be statistically discriminated based on acoustic properties. Despite diverse syllable repertoires within sites, few syllable types were shared between sites (both sexes had highly distinct site-specific dialects). For the few types shared between sites, sharing decreased with distance only for males. Overall, there was no significant difference between sexes in degree of site–site repertoire overlap. These results suggest different cultural processes at play for the two sexes, underlining the inadequacy of male-centric song research and calling for comparisons of male and female song cultures in many more species.
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Clink DJ, Zafar M, Ahmad AH, Lau AR. Limited Evidence for Individual Signatures or Site-Level Patterns of Variation in Male Northern Gray Gibbon (Hylobates funereus) Duet Codas. INT J PRIMATOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-021-00250-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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27
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Mattila HR, Kernen HG, Otis GW, Nguyen LTP, Pham HD, Knight OM, Phan NT. Giant hornet ( Vespa soror) attacks trigger frenetic antipredator signalling in honeybee ( Apis cerana) colonies. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2021; 8:211215. [PMID: 34804577 PMCID: PMC8580428 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Asian honeybees use an impressive array of strategies to protect nests from hornet attacks, although little is understood about how antipredator signals coordinate defences. We compared vibroacoustic signalling and defensive responses of Apis cerana colonies that were attacked by either the group-hunting giant hornet Vespa soror or the smaller, solitary-hunting hornet Vespa velutina. Apis cerana colonies produced hisses, brief stop signals and longer pipes under hornet-free conditions. However, hornet-attack stimuli-and V. soror workers in particular-triggered dramatic increases in signalling rates within colonies. Soundscapes were cacophonous when V. soror predators were directly outside of nests, in part because of frenetic production of antipredator pipes, a previously undescribed signal. Antipredator pipes share acoustic traits with alarm shrieks, fear screams and panic calls of primates, birds and meerkats. Workers making antipredator pipes exposed their Nasonov gland, suggesting the potential for multimodal alarm signalling that warns nestmates about the presence of dangerous hornets and assembles workers for defence. Concurrent observations of nest entrances showed an increase in worker activities that support effective defences against giant hornets. Apis cerana workers flexibly employ a diverse alarm repertoire in response to attack attributes, mirroring features of sophisticated alarm calling in socially complex vertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather R. Mattila
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA
| | - Hannah G. Kernen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA
| | - Gard W. Otis
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lien T. P. Nguyen
- Insect Ecology Department, Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources, Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Hanh D. Pham
- Bee Research Centre, National Institute of Animal Sciences, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Olivia M. Knight
- School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ngoc T. Phan
- Research Center for Tropical Bees and Beekeeping, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi, Vietnam
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DaCosta JM, Sorenson MD. Variation in the Non-mimetic Vocalizations of Brood-Parasitic Indigobirds and Their Potential Role in Speciation. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.725979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Indigobirds (Vidua spp.) are obligate brood parasites in which imprinting on heterospecific hosts shapes adult vocal behavior and mating preferences. Adult male indigobirds mimic the songs and other vocalizations of their respective hosts, which signals their own host environment to prospective mates and has important implications for speciation. In this study, we examined variation within and among indigobird species in the non-mimetic components of their vocal behavior, including both chatter calls and their impressive repertoires of intricate non-mimicry songs. We test whether indigobird species in Tanzania (V. chalybeata, V. codringtoni, V. funerea, and V. purpurascens) differ consistently in general features of their non-mimetic vocalizations, and we test whether local ecological conditions influence vocal behavior. Indigobird non-mimetic song repertories are learned from and shared with other males of the same species. We find that local dialect “neighborhoods” are variable in size among species and regions, depending on habitat continuity and the distribution of male territories. Despite the complete turnover of the specific songs comprising non-mimicry song repertoires from one local dialect to the next, we find significant species effects for more general measures of non-mimicry songs such as repertoire size and diversity, frequency, song length, and pace. For some traits, we also found significant regional differences, which may be mediated by significant relationships between elevation and morphometrics. Chatter calls were broadly similar across both species and localities, but we found significant species and region effects for frequency and to a lesser extent pace. We discuss the possibility that learning and mimicking the vocalizations of different hosts might influence the production of non-mimetic vocalizations and explain many of the species differences we detected. Whether these species differences are purely due to phenotypic plasticity or also reflect genetic divergence in traits influencing sound production and/or female preferences, they may contribute to reproductive isolation among nascent and recently evolved indigobird species.
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Silcock WR, Schwartz SL, Carlini JU, Dinsmore SJ. Song type variations of Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) and their geographic distributions. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256385. [PMID: 34469428 PMCID: PMC8409629 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) is a familiar singer in the Western Hemisphere family Parulidae, yet apparent geographic variations in its song and potentially related causal mechanisms have not received detailed examination in previously published studies. Here, we analyzed song pattern variations of 651 Louisiana Waterthrush singers in audio spectrogram recordings obtained from our field work and publicly accessible bioacoustics archives. Visual and auditory assessment of the introductory note sequence of each song identified three distinct song types (A, B, and C) and most of the songs were assigned to one of these types. Linear Discriminant Analysis and Random Forest methods were used to verify the assignments and showed strong agreement for Type A with slightly less agreement on Types B and C. User error rates (proportion of the Linear Discriminant Analysis classifications that were incorrect) were low for Types A and B, and somewhat higher for Type C, while producer error rates (proportion of the song type for which the Linear Discriminant Analysis was incorrect) were somewhat higher for Types A and C than the minimal levels achieved for Type B. Our findings confirmed that most between-individual variation was in the number of notes and note sequence duration while most within-individual variation resulted from the percent of downstrokes. The location of each singer was plotted on a map of the breeding range and results suggested the song types have large-scale discrete geographic distributions that co-occur in some regions but not range-wide. Evaluation of the distributions provided tentative support for a hypothesis that two of the song types may independently exhibit congruence with the geographic extent of Pleistocene glacial boundaries and the third song type may be distinguished by a lack of congruence, but further investigation is needed to elucidate whether the song variations represent subpopulations with three separate evolutionary histories.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shari L. Schwartz
- Wachiska Audubon Society, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - John U. Carlini
- Wachiska Audubon Society, Lincoln, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Stephen J. Dinsmore
- Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
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Wheeldon A, Szymański P, Surmacki A, Osiejuk TS. Song type and song type matching are important for joint territorial defense in a duetting songbird. Behav Ecol 2021; 32:883-894. [PMID: 34690547 PMCID: PMC8528539 DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Revised: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Birds have a diverse acoustic communication system, with species-specific repertoires facilitating more complex behaviors in terms of both within- and between-pair communications. Certain song types are produced for specific functions, such as aggressive encounters. In addition, song matching behaviors, whereby neighboring individuals match song types, can be used in aggressive interactions as a sophisticated acoustic behavior. In this study, we examined the functions of song types, in a duet context, of male yellow-breasted boubous (Laniarius atroflavus), an Afromontane bush-shrike with a vocal sexual dimorphism. We aimed at assessing whether, structurally, certain song types elicited a heightened reaction than others and also whether song matching affected response behavior. A dual speaker playback procedure was performed for 18 pairs of boubous, each pair being exposed to duets with three different male song types. We found differences in response toward the different duet types but these differences resulted from the amount at which males matched different song types. Pairs responded stronger when a focal male matched the playback type, and matching was significantly more often found in cases where the rarest type of male song was used. We found no sex differences in terms of response strength to playback type. Our results indicate a two-level way of coding aggression toward intruding pairs. The yellow-breasted boubous utilize their repertoires, linking matching with structure in order to show aggression in terms of territory defense and sexual conflict. This study also confirms joint territorial defense as a main function of duets in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amie Wheeldon
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego, Poznań, Poland
| | - Paweł Szymański
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego, Poznań, Poland
| | - Adrian Surmacki
- Department of Avian Biology and Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego, Poznań, Poland
| | - Tomasz S Osiejuk
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Institute of Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego, Poznań, Poland
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31
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Fernandez AA, Burchardt LS, Nagy M, Knörnschild M. Babbling in a vocal learning bat resembles human infant babbling. Science 2021; 373:923-926. [PMID: 34413237 DOI: 10.1126/science.abf9279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Babbling is a production milestone in infant speech development. Evidence for babbling in nonhuman mammals is scarce, which has prevented cross-species comparisons. In this study, we investigated the conspicuous babbling behavior of Saccopteryx bilineata, a bat capable of vocal production learning. We analyzed the babbling of 20 bat pups in the field during their 3-month ontogeny and compared its features to those that characterize babbling in human infants. Our findings demonstrate that babbling in bat pups is characterized by the same eight features as babbling in human infants, including the conspicuous features reduplication and rhythmicity. These parallels in vocal ontogeny between two mammalian species offer future possibilities for comparison of cognitive and neuromolecular mechanisms and adaptive functions of babbling in bats and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahana A Fernandez
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lara S Burchardt
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Martina Nagy
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Mirjam Knörnschild
- Museum für Naturkunde, Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Invalidenstrasse 43, 10115 Berlin, Germany.,Department of Biology, Chemistry, and Pharmacy, Institute of Biology, Animal Behavior Lab, Freie Universität Berlin, Takustrasse 6, 14195 Berlin, Germany.,Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Luis Clement Avenue, Bldg. 401 Tupper, Balboa Ancon, Republic of Panama
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32
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Chopoorian A, Pichkar Y, Creanza N. The Role of the Learner in the Cultural Evolution of Vocalizations. Front Psychol 2021; 12:667455. [PMID: 34484031 PMCID: PMC8415155 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.667455] [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: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As a uniquely human behavior, language is crucial to our understanding of ourselves and of the world around us. Despite centuries of research into how languages have historically developed and how people learn them, fully understanding the origin and evolution of language remains an ongoing challenge. In parallel, researchers have studied the divergence of birdsong in vocal-learning songbirds to uncover broader patterns of cultural evolution. One approach to studying cultural change over time, adapted from biology, focuses on the transmission of socially learned traits, including language, in a population. By studying how learning and the distribution of cultural traits interact at the population level, we can better understand the processes that underlie cultural evolution. Here, we take a two-fold approach to understanding the cultural evolution of vocalizations, with a focus on the role of the learner in cultural transmission. First, we explore previous research on the evolution of social learning, focusing on recent progress regarding the origin and ongoing cultural evolution of both language and birdsong. We then use a spatially explicit population model to investigate the coevolution of culture and learning preferences, with the assumption that selection acts directly on cultural phenotypes and indirectly on learning preferences. Our results suggest that the spatial distribution of learned behaviors can cause unexpected evolutionary patterns of learning. We find that, intuitively, selection for rare cultural phenotypes can indirectly favor a novelty-biased learning strategy. In contrast, selection for common cultural phenotypes leads to cultural homogeneity; we find that there is no selective pressure on learning strategy without cultural variation. Thus, counterintuitively, selection for common cultural traits does not consistently favor conformity bias, and novelty bias can stably persist in this cultural context. We propose that the evolutionary dynamics of learning preferences and cultural biases can depend on the existing variation of learned behaviors, and that this interaction could be important to understanding the origin and evolution of cultural systems such as language and birdsong. Selection acting on learned behaviors may indirectly impose counterintuitive selective pressures on learning strategies, and understanding the cultural landscape is crucial to understanding how patterns of learning might change over time.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nicole Creanza
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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33
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Tamura N, Boonkhaw P, Prayoon U, Phan QT, Yu P, Liu X, Hayashi F. Geographical variation in squirrel mating calls and their recognition limits in the widely distributed species complex. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03022-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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34
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Lewis RN, Soma M, de Kort SR, Gilman RT. Like Father Like Son: Cultural and Genetic Contributions to Song Inheritance in an Estrildid Finch. Front Psychol 2021; 12:654198. [PMID: 34149539 PMCID: PMC8213215 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.654198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Social learning of vocalizations is integral to song inheritance in oscine passerines. However, other factors, such as genetic inheritance and the developmental environment, can also influence song phenotype. The relative contributions of these factors can have a strong influence on song evolution and may affect important evolutionary processes such as speciation. However, relative contributions are well-described only for a few species and are likely to vary with taxonomy. Using archived song data, we examined patterns of song inheritance in a domestic population of Java sparrows (Lonchura oryzivora), some of which had been cross-fostered. Six-hundred and seventy-six songs from 73 birds were segmented and classified into notes and note subtypes (N = 22,972), for which a range of acoustic features were measured. Overall, we found strong evidence for cultural inheritance of song structure and of the acoustic characteristics of notes; sons’ song syntax and note composition were similar to that of their social fathers and were not influenced by genetic relatedness. For vocal consistency of note subtypes, a measure of vocal performance, there was no apparent evidence of social or genetic inheritance, but both age and developmental environment influenced consistency. These findings suggest that high learning fidelity of song material, i.e., song structure and note characteristics, could allow novel variants to be preserved and accumulate over generations, with implications for evolution and conservation. However, differences in vocal performance do not show strong links to cultural inheritance, instead potentially serving as condition dependent signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N Lewis
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.,Chester Zoo, Chester, United Kingdom
| | - Masayo Soma
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Hokkaido, Japan
| | - Selvino R de Kort
- Department of Natural Sciences, Ecology and Environment Research Centre, Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, United Kingdom
| | - R Tucker Gilman
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom
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35
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Luís AR, May-Collado LJ, Rako-Gospić N, Gridley T, Papale E, Azevedo A, Silva MA, Buscaino G, Herzing D, dos Santos ME. Vocal universals and geographic variations in the acoustic repertoire of the common bottlenose dolphin. Sci Rep 2021; 11:11847. [PMID: 34088923 PMCID: PMC8178411 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-90710-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Acoustical geographic variation is common in widely distributed species and it is already described for several taxa, at various scales. In cetaceans, intraspecific variation in acoustic repertoires has been linked to ecological factors, geographical barriers, and social processes. For the common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), studies on acoustic variability are scarce, focus on a single signal type-whistles and on the influence of environmental variables. Here, we analyze the acoustic emissions of nine bottlenose dolphin populations across the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, and identify common signal types and acoustic variants to assess repertoires' (dis)similarity. Overall, these dolphins present a rich acoustic repertoire, with 24 distinct signal sub-types including: whistles, burst-pulsed sounds, brays and bangs. Acoustic divergence was observed only in social signals, suggesting the relevance of cultural transmission in geographic variation. The repertoire dissimilarity values were remarkably low (from 0.08 to 0.4) and do not reflect the geographic distances among populations. Our findings suggest that acoustic ecology may play an important role in the occurrence of intraspecific variability, as proposed by the 'environmental adaptation hypothesis'. Further work may clarify the boundaries between neighboring populations, and shed light into vocal learning and cultural transmission in bottlenose dolphin societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. R. Luís
- grid.410954.d0000 0001 2237 5901MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco, 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal ,Projecto Delfim - Centro Português de Estudo dos Mamíferos Marinhos, Rua Jardim do Tabaco, 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - L. J. May-Collado
- grid.59062.380000 0004 1936 7689Department of Biology, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05403 USA ,grid.412889.e0000 0004 1937 0706Centro de Investigacion en Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica
| | - N. Rako-Gospić
- Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, 51551 Veli Lošinj, Croatia
| | - T. Gridley
- grid.7836.a0000 0004 1937 1151Centre for Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation, Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Cape Town, C/O Sea Search Research and Conservation NPC, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - E. Papale
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute for the Study of Antropogenic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment, National Research Council, Capo Granitola, Via del Mare 3, 91021 Torretta Granitola (TP), Italy ,grid.7605.40000 0001 2336 6580Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - A. Azevedo
- grid.412211.5Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores Profª Izabel Gurgel (MAQUA), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - M. A. Silva
- grid.7338.f0000 0001 2096 9474OKEANOS & IMAR – Instituto do Mar, Universidade dos Açores, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
| | - G. Buscaino
- grid.5326.20000 0001 1940 4177Institute for the Study of Antropogenic Impacts and Sustainability in the Marine Environment, National Research Council, Capo Granitola, Via del Mare 3, 91021 Torretta Granitola (TP), Italy
| | - D. Herzing
- Wild Dolphin Project, P.O. Box 8436, Jupiter, FL 33468 USA ,grid.255951.f0000 0004 0635 0263Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL 33431 USA
| | - M. E. dos Santos
- grid.410954.d0000 0001 2237 5901MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, ISPA - Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco, 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal ,Projecto Delfim - Centro Português de Estudo dos Mamíferos Marinhos, Rua Jardim do Tabaco, 34, 1149-041 Lisboa, Portugal
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Brumm H, Goymann W, Derégnaucourt S, Geberzahn N, Zollinger SA. Traffic noise disrupts vocal development and suppresses immune function. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/20/eabe2405. [PMID: 33980481 PMCID: PMC8115921 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abe2405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Noise pollution has been linked to learning and language deficits in children, but the causal mechanisms connecting noise to cognitive deficiencies remain unclear because experimental models are lacking. Here, we investigated the effects of noise on birdsong learning, the primary animal model for vocal learning and speech development in humans. We found that traffic noise exposure retarded vocal development and led to learning inaccuracies. In addition, noise suppressed immune function during the sensitive learning period, indicating that it is a potent stressor for birds, which is likely to compromise their cognitive functions. Our results provide important insights into the consequences of noise pollution and pave the way for future studies using birdsong as an experimental model for the investigation of noise-induced learning impairments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Brumm
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Seewiesen, Germany.
| | - Wolfgang Goymann
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Seewiesen, Germany
| | | | - Nicole Geberzahn
- University Paris Nanterre, Laboratoire Ethologie Cognition Développement, Nanterre, France
| | - Sue Anne Zollinger
- Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Communication and Social Behaviour Group, Seewiesen, Germany
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Colombelli‐Négrel D, Kleindorfer S. Behavioural response to songs between genetically diverged allopatric populations of Darwin's small tree finch in the Galápagos. J Evol Biol 2021; 34:816-829. [PMID: 33714212 PMCID: PMC8251970 DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Empirical data that identify contemporary mechanisms of divergence shed light on how species could multiply. In this study, we measured population genetic structure, song syllable diversity and response to simulated intruder song in Darwin's small tree finch (Camarhynchus parvulus) on Santa Cruz and Floreana Islands, Galápagos archipelago. Our aim was to test whether the magnitude of contemporary behavioural response in resident birds was consistent with patterns of genetic or cultural differences between populations. We analysed genetic structure and the occurrence of song syllable types, and experimentally measured the response of resident birds to intruder bird song from different geographical origin (i.e., island) or syllable type. We discovered a weak signal of population genetic structure between Santa Cruz and Floreana Islands. Although some song syllables occurred on both islands, others were unique to each island; Santa Cruz Island males used more unique syllables than Floreana Island males. Both Santa Cruz and Floreana resident males discriminated their response towards a simulated intruder song based on the geographical origin of the intruder song, but not on the syllable type sung by the intruder. We conclude that the populations are diverging in genetic and cultural traits and identified a signal of contemporary behavioural response that could maintain divergence upon secondary contact.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sonia Kleindorfer
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityAdelaideSouth AustraliaAustralia
- Konrad Lorenz Research Centre for Behaviour and CognitionDepartment of Behavioural and Cognitive BiologyUniversity of ViennaViennaAustria
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Zsebők S, Schmera D, Laczi M, Nagy G, Vaskuti É, Török J, Zsolt Garamszegi L. A practical approach to measuring the acoustic diversity by community ecology methods. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sándor Zsebők
- Institute of Ecology and Botany Centre for Ecological Research Vácrátót Hungary
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology ELTEEötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Dénes Schmera
- Balaton Limnological InstituteCentre for Ecological Research Tihany Hungary
| | - Miklós Laczi
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology ELTEEötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
- The Barn Owl Foundation Orosztony Hungary
| | - Gergely Nagy
- Institute of Ecology and Botany Centre for Ecological Research Vácrátót Hungary
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology ELTEEötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - Éva Vaskuti
- Institute of Ecology and Botany Centre for Ecological Research Vácrátót Hungary
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology ELTEEötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
| | - János Török
- Behavioural Ecology Group Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology ELTEEötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
- Ecology Research Group of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Budapest Hungary
| | - László Zsolt Garamszegi
- Institute of Ecology and Botany Centre for Ecological Research Vácrátót Hungary
- MTA‐ELTE Theoretical Biology and Evolutionary Ecology Research Group Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology ELTEEötvös Loránd University Budapest Hungary
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Williams H. Mechanisms of Cultural Evolution in the Songs of Wild Bird Populations. Front Psychol 2021; 12:643343. [PMID: 33981272 PMCID: PMC8107227 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.643343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Young songbirds draw the source material for their learned songs from parents, peers, and unrelated adults, as well as from innovation. These learned songs are used for intraspecific communication, and have well-documented roles for such functions as territory maintenance and mate attraction. The songs of wild populations differ, forming local "dialects" that may shift over time, suggesting that cultural evolution is at work. Recent work has focused on the mechanisms responsible for the cultural evolution of bird songs within a population, including drift, learning biases (such as conformity and rare-form copying), and selection (including sexual selection). In many songs or song repertoires, variability is partitioned, with some songs or song segments being stable and consistent, while others vary within the population and across time, and still others undergo population-wide transitions over time. This review explores the different mechanisms that shape the cultural evolution of songs in wild populations, with specific reference to a long-term investigation of a single population of philopatric Savannah sparrows. Males learn a single four-segment song during their 1st year and sing the same song thereafter. Within this song, the buzz segment is a population marker, and may be stable for decades - variant forms occur but eventually disappear. In contrast, the middle segment is highly variable both within the population and over time; changes in relative prevalence of different forms may be due to cultural drift or a rare-form learning bias. Within the introductory segment, a high note cluster was replaced by a click train between 1982 and 2010, following an S-shaped trajectory characteristic of both selective sweeps in population genetics and the replacement of one form by another in human language. In the case of the Savannah sparrows, this replacement may have been due to sexual selection. In subsequent generations, the number of clicks within trains increased, a form of cultural directional selection. In contrast to the narrowing of a trait's range during directional selection in genetic systems, variation in the number of clicks in a train increased as the mean value shifted because improvisation during song learning allowed the range of the trait to expand. Thus, in the single short song of the Savannah sparrow, at least four different mechanisms appear to contribute to three different types of cultural evolutionary outcomes. In the future, it will be import to explore the conditions that favor the application of specific (and perhaps conditional) learning rules, and studies such as the ongoing song seeding experiment in the Kent Island Savannah sparrow population will help in understanding the mechanisms that promote or repress changes in a population's song.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heather Williams
- Biology Department, Williams College, Williamstown, MA, United States
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40
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Fernández-Gómez RA, Morales-Mávil JE, Hernández-Salazar LT, Sosa-López JR. Asymmetric behavioural responses to divergent vocal signals in allopatric Neotropical sparrows. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.01.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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41
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Salinas-Melgoza A, Renton K. Geographic variation in vocalisations of the Military Macaw in western Mexico. BIOACOUSTICS 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2020.1714479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Salinas-Melgoza
- Posgrado en Ciencia Biológicas, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico
| | - Katherine Renton
- Estación de Biología Chamela, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, San Patricio-Melaque, Jalisco, Mexico
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Backhouse F, Dalziell AH, Magrath RD, Rice AN, Crisologo TL, Welbergen JA. Differential geographic patterns in song components of male Albert's lyrebirds. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:2701-2716. [PMID: 33767830 PMCID: PMC7981226 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Geographic variation in bird song has received much attention in evolutionary studies, yet few consider components within songs that may be subject to different constraints and follow different evolutionary trajectories. Here, we quantify patterns of geographic variation in the socially transmitted "whistle" song of Albert's lyrebirds (Menura alberti), an oscine passerine renowned for its remarkable vocal abilities. Albert's lyrebirds are confined to narrow stretches of suitable habitat in Australia, allowing us to map likely paths of cultural transmission using a species distribution model and least cost paths. We use quantitative methods to divide the songs into three components present in all study populations: the introductory elements, the song body, and the final element. We compare geographic separation between populations with variation in these components as well as the full song. All populations were distinguishable by song, and songs varied according to the geographic distance between populations. However, within songs, only the introductory elements and song body could be used to distinguish among populations. The song body and final element changed with distance, but the introductory elements varied independently of geographic separation. These differing geographic patterns of within-song variation are unexpected, given that the whistle song components are always produced in the same sequence and may be perceived as a temporally discrete unit. Knowledge of such spatial patterns of within-song variation enables further work to determine possible selective pressures and constraints acting on each song component and provides spatially explicit targets for preserving cultural diversity. As such, our study highlights the importance for science and conservation of investigating spatial patterns within seemingly discrete behavioral traits at multiple levels of organization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Backhouse
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNSWAustralia
| | - Anastasia H. Dalziell
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNSWAustralia
- Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem SolutionsSchool of Earth, Atmospheric and Life SciencesUniversity of WollongongWollongongNSWAustralia
- Fuller Evolutionary Biology ProgramCornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
- Macaulay LibraryCornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
- Center for Conservation BioacousticsCornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - Robert D. Magrath
- Research School of Biologythe Australian National UniversityCanberraACTAustralia
| | - Aaron N. Rice
- Center for Conservation BioacousticsCornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - Taylor L. Crisologo
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNSWAustralia
- Macaulay LibraryCornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - Justin A. Welbergen
- The Hawkesbury Institute for the EnvironmentWestern Sydney UniversityRichmondNSWAustralia
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Lewis RN, Williams LJ, Gilman RT. The uses and implications of avian vocalizations for conservation planning. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:50-63. [PMID: 31989696 PMCID: PMC7984439 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/06/2020] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing recognition that animal behavior can affect wildlife conservation, but there have been few direct studies of animal behavior in conservation programs. However, a great deal of existing behavioral research can be applied in the context of conservation. Research on avian vocalizations provides an excellent example. The conspicuous nature of the vocal behavior of birds makes it a useful tool for monitoring populations and measuring biodiversity, but the importance of vocalizations in conservation goes beyond monitoring. Geographic song variants with population-specific signatures, or dialects, can affect territory formation and mate choice. Dialects are influenced by cultural evolution and natural selection and changes can accumulate even during the timescale of conservation interventions, such as translocations, reintroductions, and ex situ breeding. Information from existing research into avian vocalizations can be used to improve conservation planning and increase the success of interventions. Vocalizations can confer a number of benefits for conservation practitioners through monitoring, providing baseline data on populations and individuals. However, the influence of cultural variation on territory formation, mate choice, and gene flow should be taken into account because cultural differences could create obstacles for conservation programs that bring birds from multiple populations together and so reduce the success of interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca N. Lewis
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ManchesterManchesterM13 9PLU.K.
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo)ChesterCH2 1LHU.K.
| | - Leah J. Williams
- North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo)ChesterCH2 1LHU.K.
| | - R. Tucker Gilman
- Department of Earth and Environmental SciencesUniversity of ManchesterManchesterM13 9PLU.K.
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Sun C, Jiang T, Gu H, Guo X, Zhang C, Gong L, Shi B, Feng J. Geographical variation of social calls and vocal discrimination in male Himalayan leaf-nosed bats. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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45
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Byers BE, Akresh ME, King DI. Song learning by prairie warblers: When, where, and from whom. Ethology 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Bruce E. Byers
- Department of Biology University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
| | - Michael E. Akresh
- Department of Environmental Studies Antioch University New England Keene NH USA
| | - David I. King
- U.S. Forest Service Northern Research Station University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst MA USA
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Wilkins MR, Odom KJ, Benedict L, Safran RJ. Analysis of female song provides insight into the evolution of sex differences in a widely studied songbird. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Abstract
A new white-throated sparrow song has overtaken most of Canada in less than 20 years. The explanation for this remarkably fast spread may lie in the southern migratory grounds, where populations from across Canada converge each winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- David M Logue
- Department of Psychology, University of Lethbridge, AB, Canada; Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, USA.
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48
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Martínez TM, Logue DM. Conservation practices and the formation of vocal dialects in the endangered Puerto Rican parrot, Amazona vittata. Anim Behav 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2020.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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49
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Lengagne T, Ferrandiz-Rovira M, Superbie C, Figueroa I, Bichet C, Claramunt-Lopez B, Cohas A. Geographic variation in marmots’ alarm calls causes different responses. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-020-02858-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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50
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Otter KA, Mckenna A, LaZerte SE, Ramsay SM. Continent-wide Shifts in Song Dialects of White-Throated Sparrows. Curr Biol 2020; 30:3231-3235.e3. [PMID: 32619475 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.05.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Hypotheses on regional song variation ("dialects") assume that dialects remain stable within regions, are distinct between regions, and persist within populations over extensive periods [1-3]. Theories to explain dialects focus on mechanisms that promote persistence of regional song variants despite gene flow between regions [4-6], such as juveniles settling in non-natal populations retaining only those songs from their repertoires that match neighbors [7, 8]. It would be considered atypical for a novel song variant to invade and replace the established regional variant. Yet some studies have reported song variants shifting rapidly over time within populations [9-11]. White-throated sparrows, Zonotrichia albicolis, for example, traditionally sing a whistled song terminating in a repeated triplet of notes [12], which was the ubiquitous variant in surveys across Canada in the 1960s [13]. However, doublet-ending songs emerged and replaced triplet-ending songs west of the Rocky Mountains sometime between 1960 and 2000 [11] and appeared just east of the Rockies in the 2000s [14]. From recordings collected over two decades across North America, we show that doublet-ending song has now spread at a continental scale. Using geolocator tracking, we confirm that birds from western Canada, where doublet-ending songs originated, overwinter with birds from central Canada, where the song initially spread. This suggests a potential mechanism for spread through song tutoring on wintering grounds. Where the new song variant has spread, it rose from a rare variant to the sole, regional song type, as predicted by the indirect biased transmission hypothesis [10]. VIDEO ABSTRACT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken A Otter
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada.
| | - Alexandra Mckenna
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada
| | - Stefanie E LaZerte
- Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, BC V2N 4Z9, Canada; Steffi LaZerte Consulting, Brandon, MB R7A 3C4, Canada
| | - Scott M Ramsay
- Department of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON N2L 3C5, Canada
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