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Loning H, Griffith SC, Naguib M. The ecology of zebra finch song and its implications for vocal communication in multi-level societies. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230191. [PMID: 38768203 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Acoustic signalling is crucial in affecting movements and in social interactions. In species with dynamic social structures, such as multi-level societies, acoustic signals can provide a key mechanism allowing individuals to identify and find or avoid each other and to exchange information. Yet, if the spacing between individuals regularly exceeds the maximum signalling range, the relation between movements and signals becomes more complex. As the best-studied songbird in captivity, the zebra finch (Taeniopygia castanotis) is a species with individually distinct songs that are audible over just a few metres and a widely ranging dynamic multi-level social organization in the wild, raising questions on the actual role of its song in social cohesion and coordination. Here, we provide an overview of birdsong in social organizations (networks) and use the ecology of the zebra finch and male song to discuss how singing can facilitate social cohesion and coordination in species where the signal range is very short. We raise the question of the extent to which zebra finches are a representative species to understand the function of song in communication, and we broaden current views on the function of birdsong and its individual signature. This article is part of the theme issue 'The power of sound: unravelling how acoustic communication shapes group dynamics'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Loning
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research , 6708 WD, The Netherlands
| | - Simon C Griffith
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University , Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
- School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales , Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia
| | - Marc Naguib
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research , 6708 WD, The Netherlands
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2
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Podraza ME, Moss JB, Fischer EK. Evidence for individual vocal recognition in a pair-bonding poison frog, Ranitomeya imitator. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246753. [PMID: 38229576 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246753] [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: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 01/18/2024]
Abstract
Individually distinctive vocalizations are widespread in nature, although the ability of receivers to discriminate these signals has only been explored through limited taxonomic and social lenses. Here, we asked whether anuran advertisement calls, typically studied for their role in territory defense and mate attraction, facilitate recognition and preferential association with partners in a pair-bonding poison frog (Ranitomeya imitator). Combining no- and two-stimulus choice playback experiments, we evaluated behavioral responses of females to male acoustic stimuli. Virgin females oriented to and approached speakers broadcasting male calls independent of caller identity, implying that females are generally attracted to male acoustic stimuli outside the context of a pair bond. When pair-bonded females were presented with calls of a mate and a stranger, they showed significant preference for calls of their mate. Moreover, behavioral responses varied with breeding status: females with eggs were faster to approach stimuli than females that were pair bonded but did not currently have eggs. Our study suggests a potential role for individual vocal recognition in the formation and maintenance of pair bonds in a poison frog and raises new questions about how acoustic signals are perceived in the context of monogamy and biparental care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly E Podraza
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jeanette B Moss
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Eva K Fischer
- Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Behavior, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology; University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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3
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Loning H, Verkade L, Griffith SC, Naguib M. The social role of song in wild zebra finches. Curr Biol 2023; 33:372-380.e3. [PMID: 36543166 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.11.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Male songbirds sing to establish territories and to attract mates.1,2 However, increasing reports of singing in non-reproductive contexts3 and by females4,5 show that song use is more diverse than previously considered. Therefore, alternative functions of song, such as social cohesion3 and synchronization of breeding, by and large, were overlooked even in such well-studied species such as the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). In these social songbirds, only the males sing, and pairs breed synchronously in loose colonies,6,7 following aseasonal rain events in their arid habitat.8,9 As males are not territorial, and pairs form long-term monogamous bonds early in life, conventional theory predicts that zebra finches should not sing much at all; however, they do and their song is the focus of hundreds of lab-based studies.10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22 We hypothesize that zebra finch song functions to maintain social cohesion and to synchronize breeding. Here, we test this idea using data from 5 years of field studies, including observational transects, focal and year-round audio recordings, and a large-scale playback experiment. We show that zebra finches frequently sing while in groups, that breeding status influences song output at the nest and at aggregations, that they sing year round, and that they predominantly sing when with their partner, suggesting that the song remains important after pair formation. Our playback reveals that song actively features in social aggregations as it attracts conspecifics. Together, these results demonstrate that birdsong has important functions beyond territoriality and mate choice, illustrating its importance in coordination and cohesion of social units within larger societies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Loning
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Laura Verkade
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Simon C Griffith
- School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, 205A Culloden Road Marsfield, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Marc Naguib
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands
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4
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McCully FR, Weimerskirch H, Cornell SJ, Hatchwell BJ, Cairo M, Patrick SC. Partner intrinsic characteristics influence foraging trip duration, but not coordination of care in wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e9621. [PMID: 36540077 PMCID: PMC9754911 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.9621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Long-lived monogamous species gain long-term fitness benefits by equalizing effort during biparental care. For example, many seabird species coordinate care by matching foraging trip durations within pairs. Age affects coordination in some seabird species; however, the impact of other intrinsic traits, including personality, on potential intraspecific variation in coordination strength is less well understood. The impacts of pair members' intrinsic traits on trip duration and coordination strength were investigated using data from saltwater immersion loggers deployed on 71 pairs of wandering albatrosses Diomedea exulans. These were modeled against pair members' age, boldness, and their partner's previous trip duration. At the population level, the birds exhibited some coordination of parental care that was of equal strength during incubation and chick-brooding. However, there was low variation in coordination between pairs and coordination strength was unaffected by the birds' boldness or age in either breeding stage. Surprisingly, during incubation, foraging trip duration was mainly driven by partner traits, as birds which were paired to older and bolder partners took shorter trips. During chick-brooding, shorter foraging trips were associated with greater boldness in focal birds and their partners, but age had no effect. These results suggest that an individual's assessment of their partner's capacity or willingness to provide care may be a major driver of trip duration, thereby highlighting the importance of accounting for pair behavior when studying parental care strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de ChizéCentre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueVilliers en BoisFrance
| | - Stephen J. Cornell
- Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological SciencesUniversity of LiverpoolLiverpoolUK
| | | | - Milena Cairo
- Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (UMR 7204)Muséum National d'Histoire NaturelleParisFrance
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Monniez E, Jiguet F, Vignal C, Biard C. Differential effects of anthropogenic noise and vegetation cover on the breeding phenology and success of two urban passerines. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.1058584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The urban environment is associated with a multitude of challenges and stressors for populations of wild species from the surrounding natural environment. Among those, habitat fragmentation and noise pollution are suspected to have negative effects on the behavior and physiology of free-living birds in urban areas. Exposure in early life and chronic exposure to anthropogenic noise could be particularly deleterious, with short-and long-term consequences. In this study, we investigated if noise levels in city parks affect the distribution and reproductive success of two common bird species in the urban environment, the great tit (Parus major) and the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus) and if vegetation cover could mitigate those effects. We predicted that high noise levels might correlate with a decreased nest-box occupancy rate, a delayed laying date or a decreased clutch size, hatching, and fledging success. On the contrary, vegetation cover was expected to correlate positively with nest occupancy rate, advanced laying date, increased clutch size, hatching, and fledging success. We used data from population monitoring collected between 2012 and 2019 in parks and green public spaces in the city center and suburbs of Paris, France, and did not find any correlation between nest occupancy rates and noise levels or vegetation cover for both species. Laying date was not significantly related to anthropogenic noise in any species but was delayed with increasing vegetation cover in the great tit, while we did not find any association with clutch size. Hatching success in blue tits negatively correlated with increasing noise levels, and positively with increasing vegetation coverage. Finally, we did not find any correlation between anthropogenic noise or vegetation cover and the clutch size or fledging success in both species. In this study, two closely related species that share a common environment show a different sensibility to environmental parameters during reproduction, a key period for population maintenance. It also highlights the importance of considering multiple parameters when studying wild populations living in the urban environment.
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Lilie ND, Riyahi S, Kalinowski A, Salazar SM, Kaiser S, Schmoll T, Korsten P. Male social niche conformance? Effects of manipulated opportunity for extra-pair mating on behavior and hormones of male zebra finches. Horm Behav 2022; 146:105243. [PMID: 35998552 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Success in sperm competition is an important determinant of male fitness in mating systems with female multiple mating. Thus, sperm competition risk represents a key dimension of the male social environment to which individual males are expected to adaptively adjust their reproductive phenotype. Such adaptive phenotypic adjustment we here refer to as male social niche conformance. In this pre-registered study, we investigated how male zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, adjust their behavior to sperm competition risk. We experimentally manipulated the opportunity for extra-pair mating to create two levels of sperm competition risk: 1) Single-pair, no sperm competition risk; 2) Double-pair, sperm competition risk. We compared male courtship, mate guarding, copulation rates, and aggression between the treatment groups. To identify hormonal correlates of male behavioral adjustment, we measured plasma testosterone and corticosterone levels before and after the social treatment started. Contrary to our pre-registered predictions, males from the Double-pair treatment group decreased courtship rates compared to those from the Single-pair group, and Double-pair males responded less aggressively towards intruders than Single-pair males. Testosterone levels decreased over the breeding cycle, but social treatment had no effect on either testosterone or corticosterone levels. Our results indicate that male zebra finches do not intensify courtship or competitive reproductive behaviors, or upregulate key hormones when another breeding pair is present. Although we found no evidence for the predicted adaptive behavioral responses to sperm competition risk, we show that male zebra finches plastically adjust their behavior to their social environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Navina D Lilie
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
| | - Sepand Riyahi
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Arne Kalinowski
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Stephen M Salazar
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany; Behavioural & Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Sylvia Kaiser
- Department of Behavioural Biology, University of Münster, Badestraße 13, 48149 Münster, Germany
| | - Tim Schmoll
- Evolutionary Biology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Peter Korsten
- Department of Animal Behaviour, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, 33615 Bielefeld, Germany.
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7
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Csillag A, Ádám Á, Zachar G. Avian models for brain mechanisms underlying altered social behavior in autism. Front Physiol 2022; 13:1032046. [PMID: 36388132 PMCID: PMC9650632 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1032046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 08/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The current review is an update on experimental approaches in which birds serve as model species for the investigation of typical failure symptoms associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The discussion is focused on deficiencies of social behavior, from social interactions of domestic chicks, based on visual and auditory cues, to vocal communication in songbirds. Two groups of pathogenetic/risk factors are discussed: 1) non-genetic (environmental/epigenetic) factors, exemplified by embryonic exposure to valproic acid (VPA), and 2) genetic factors, represented by a list of candidate genes and signaling pathways of diagnostic or predictive value in ASD patients. Given the similarities of birds as experimental models to humans (visual orientation, vocal learning, social cohesions), avian models usefully contribute toward the elucidation of the neural systems and developmental factors underlying ASD, improving the applicability of preclinical results obtained on laboratory rodents. Furthermore, they may predict potential susceptibility factors worthy of investigation (both by animal studies and by monitoring human babies at risk), with potential therapeutic consequence.
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Affiliation(s)
- András Csillag
- Department of Anatomy, Histology, and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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8
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Lacroix C, Davy CM, Rollinson N. Hatchling vocalizations and beneficial social interactions in subterranean nests of a widespread reptile. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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9
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Baldan D, van Loon EE. Songbird parents coordinate offspring provisioning at fine spatio-temporal scales. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1316-1326. [PMID: 35437781 PMCID: PMC9321892 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
For parents, rearing offspring together is far from a purely cooperative exercise, as a conflict of interest (‘sexual conflict’) exists over their optimum level of care. Recent theory emphasizes that sexual conflict can be evolutionarily resolved, and complete parental cooperation can occur, if parents directly respond (‘negotiate’) to each other and coordinate their level of care. Despite numerous experiments showing that parents are responsive to each other, we still lack empirical evidence of the behavioural mechanisms by which this negotiation occurs. In this study, we investigated the spatio‐temporal coordination of parental provisioning behaviour as a possible mechanism of negotiation over parental care. We deployed an automated radiotracking technology to track the provisioning activity of wild great tit Parus major pairs during chick rearing. Our analyses represent the first detailed spatial and temporal description of foraging coordination in songbird parents in a natural context. We demonstrate that the foraging behaviour of the two parents is highly coordinated in space and time, with parents changing their foraging locations in conjunction with their partners' movements. Therefore, foraging coordination could be a mechanism by which parents directly monitor and respond to each other's level of investment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Baldan
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Reno, NV, USA
| | - E Emiel van Loon
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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10
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Liu Q, Gelok E, Fontein K, Slabbekoorn H, Riebel K. An experimental test of chronic traffic noise exposure on parental behaviour and reproduction in zebra finches. Biol Open 2022; 11:274974. [PMID: 35388881 PMCID: PMC9002793 DOI: 10.1242/bio.059183] [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: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic traffic noise is increasingly recognised as a potential hazard to wildlife. Several songbird species have been shown to breed poorly in traffic noise exposed habitats. However, identifying whether noise is causal in this requires experimental approaches. We tested whether experimental exposure to chronic traffic noise affected parental behaviour and reproductive success in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). In a counterbalanced repeated-measures design, breeding pairs were exposed to continuous playback of one of two types of highway noise previously shown to be either neutral (control) or aversive. Parental nest attendance positively correlated with feeding effort and was higher for the aversive than the control sound and this effect was more pronounced for parents attending larger broods. However, neither noise condition affected offspring number, growth or body mass. The absence of an effect held when we combined our data with data from two other comparable studies into a meta-analysis. We discuss whether the increased nest attendance could be a compensatory strategy that alleviated detrimental noise effects on the chicks, and whether it could be caused by impaired parent-offspring or within-pair communication. Future work should test these hypotheses and investigate potential long-term costs of increased parental engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quanxiao Liu
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Esther Gelok
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Kiki Fontein
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Slabbekoorn
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 BE, The Netherlands
| | - Katharina Riebel
- Institute of Biology Leiden, Leiden University, Leiden, 2333 BE, The Netherlands
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11
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Vocal recognition of distance calls in a group-living basal bird: the greylag goose, Anser anser. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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12
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Prior NH, Bentz EJ, Ophir AG. Reciprocal processes of sensory perception and social bonding: an integrated social-sensory framework of social behavior. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12781. [PMID: 34905293 PMCID: PMC9744507 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Organisms filter the complexity of natural stimuli through their individual sensory and perceptual systems. Such perceptual filtering is particularly important for social stimuli. A shared "social umwelt" allows individuals to respond appropriately to the expected diversity of cues and signals during social interactions. In this way, the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms of sociality and social bonding cannot be disentangled from perceptual mechanisms and sensory processing. While a degree of embeddedness between social and sensory processes is clear, our dominant theoretical frameworks favor treating the social and sensory processes as distinct. An integrated social-sensory framework has the potential to greatly expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying individual variation in social bonding and sociality more broadly. Here we leverage what is known about sensory processing and pair bonding in two common study systems with significant species differences in their umwelt (rodent chemosensation and avian acoustic communication). We primarily highlight that (1) communication is essential for pair bond formation and maintenance, (2) the neural circuits underlying perception, communication and social bonding are integrated, and (3) candidate neuromodulatory mechanisms that regulate pair bonding also impact communication and perception. Finally, we propose approaches and frameworks that more fully integrate sensory processing, communication, and social bonding across levels of analysis: behavioral, neurobiological, and genomic. This perspective raises two key questions: (1) how is social bonding shaped by differences in sensory processing?, and (2) to what extent is sensory processing and the saliency of signals shaped by social interactions and emerging relationships?
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora H. Prior
- Department of PsychologyCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
| | - Ehren J. Bentz
- Department of PsychologyCornell UniversityIthacaNew YorkUSA
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13
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Morvai B, Fazekas EA, Miklósi Á, Pogány Á. Genetic and Social Transmission of Parental Sex Roles in Zebra Finch Families. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.799996] [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
Parental care plays a central, reinforcing role in the evolution of sex roles and its development is often reported to be driven by genetic, rather than environmental effects. Based on these studies, however, genetic inheritance does not account fully for the often-significant phenotypic variability observed within species, a variation that we hypothesized may be explained by social effects from parents. Following a full cross-fostering design, here we aimed at disentangling genetic and social parental effects in the ontogeny of parental behaviours. Clutches of eggs were swapped, and we monitored parental behaviours in two consecutive generations of a captive population of the socially monogamous, biparental zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Using nest box cameras, parental behaviour was recorded for 3 h in two reproductive stages: on day 8 of incubation and day 10 post-hatching. These fostered birds, after becoming fully matured, received a pair randomly and we observed parental care of this second generation too, following the same protocol. We then compared various parental behaviours (such as time spent incubating, or number of nest attendances during offspring provisioning) in the second generation to those of their genetic and social parents. Based on the results of our experiment, both genetic and social effects can contribute to intergenerational transmission of specific parental behaviours, with various weights. However, the strongest and most consistent effect that we found is that of the current mate; a social effect that can manifest both in negative and positive directions, depending on the behavioural trait. Our study suggests context-specific and sexually different genetic, social and non-social environmental effects in the ontogeny of parental sex roles and outline the importance of parental negotiation in explaining individual variation of parental behaviour in biparental species.
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14
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de Reus K, Soma M, Anichini M, Gamba M, de Heer Kloots M, Lense M, Bruno JH, Trainor L, Ravignani A. Rhythm in dyadic interactions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2021; 376:20200337. [PMID: 34420383 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2020.0337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
This review paper discusses rhythmic interactions and distinguishes them from non-rhythmic interactions. We report on communicative behaviours in social and sexual contexts, as found in dyads of humans, non-human primates, non-primate mammals, birds, anurans and insects. We discuss observed instances of rhythm in dyadic interactions, identify knowledge gaps and propose suggestions for future research. We find that most studies on rhythmicity in interactive signals mainly focus on one modality (acoustic or visual) and we suggest more work should be performed on multimodal signals. Although the social functions of interactive rhythms have been fairly well described, developmental research on rhythms used to regulate social interactions is still lacking. Future work should also focus on identifying the exact timing mechanisms involved. Rhythmic signalling behaviours are widespread and critical in regulating social interactions across taxa, but many questions remain unexplored. A multidisciplinary, comparative cross-species approach may help provide answers. This article is part of the theme issue 'Synchrony and rhythm interaction: from the brain to behavioural ecology'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen de Reus
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Artificial Intelligence Lab, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Masayo Soma
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Marianna Anichini
- Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Institute for Advanced Study, 'Brain' Research Area, Delmenhorst, Germany.,Division of Animal Physiology and Behaviour, Department of Neuroscience, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Marco Gamba
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Miriam Lense
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
| | | | - Laurel Trainor
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrea Ravignani
- Comparative Bioacoustics Group, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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15
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Gillies N, Syposz M, Wynn J, Vansteenberghe C, Guilford T. Responses of Manx Shearwaters to Handicapping and Its Implications for the Coordination of Care. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.655923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Seabirds care for their offspring in remote breeding colonies where foraging sites are distant and may be unpredictable, and where chicks are left unaccompanied for extended periods during their parents’ foraging trips, leaving them vulnerable to predation or starvation. One way to mitigate this risk is for individuals to coordinate parenting duties with their partner. Many biparental and cooperatively breeding species are now known to coordinate their care, though the mechanisms underlying this are not well understood. In Manx shearwaters (Puffinus puffinus), both parents alternate shifts of incubation in a coordinated manner. To resolve which processes may underlie this routine, we imposed a wing-loading handicap on parents to reduce their foraging efficiency, forcing them to choose between an extended foraging trip or to return to the nest before their condition has recovered to optimal levels. We found that handicapped parents took significantly longer trips than normal, to which their partner responded by lengthening their incubation shift, suggesting shift durations are not pre-determined. However, the duration of foraging trips and the mass at which foraging birds returned to the nest appeared to be mediated by the condition of the partner. These results suggest that while foraging trip duration is largely driven by the need for the foraging bird to recoup its own condition losses, information-transfer between the parents may facilitate a more cooperative mechanism whereby the decisions made by foraging birds still account for the condition of their partner.
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Prior NH, Smith E, Dooling RJ, Ball GF. Monogamy in a Moment: How do Brief Social Interactions Change Over Time in Pair-Bonded Zebra Finches ( Taeniopygia guttata)? Integr Org Biol 2021; 2:obaa034. [PMID: 33791572 PMCID: PMC7810576 DOI: 10.1093/iob/obaa034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on monogamy has largely focused on marked behaviors that are unique to pair bonded partners. However, these marked behaviors represent only a subset of the pair-directed behaviors that partners engage in; the influence of pair bonding on mundane or subtle social interactions among partners remains largely unknown. In this study, we describe the changes that occur during brief social reunions (or greets) over the course of pair bonding in zebra finches. We quantified pair-directed behavior during 5-min reunions from three stages of pair bonding: initial pairing (between 4 and 72 h), early pairing (1–2 weeks), and late pairing (>1 month). These social interactions were operationalized in multiple ways. First, we quantified the overall activity levels (call and movement rates) for both the male and female. Overall, females were more active than males, but for both males and females calling activity was highest at initial pairing. We quantified behavioral coordination between partners in two ways: (1) similarity in call and movement rates between partners and (2) temporal synchrony of calls and movements between partners (via sliding correlation coefficients of time-stamped calls and movements). Overall, there were no effects of pairing stage on behavioral coordination. Finally, we used principal component analyses to disentangle behavioral coordination from the activity levels of the male and female. These results contribute to a growing line of evidence that male and female zebra finches differentially contribute to social dynamics and highlight the influence of pair bonding on the development of social dynamics. Furthermore, our preliminary analyses raise the hypothesis that behavioral coordination during the earliest phases of pairing is modulated by the extent and nature of prior experience. Overall, while behavioral coordination is clearly important for many salient interactions such as duetting, courtship displays, and biparental care, the significance of mundane social interactions for monogamous partnerships remains largely unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora H Prior
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Edward Smith
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Robert J Dooling
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Gregory F Ball
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
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17
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Fishbein AR, Prior NH, Brown JA, Ball GF, Dooling RJ. Discrimination of natural acoustic variation in vocal signals. Sci Rep 2021; 11:916. [PMID: 33441711 PMCID: PMC7807010 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-79641-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies of acoustic communication often focus on the categories and units of vocalizations, but subtle variation also occurs in how these signals are uttered. In human speech, it is not only phonemes and words that carry information but also the timbre, intonation, and stress of how speech sounds are delivered (often referred to as "paralinguistic content"). In non-human animals, variation across utterances of vocal signals also carries behaviorally relevant information across taxa. However, the discriminability of these cues has been rarely tested in a psychophysical paradigm. Here, we focus on acoustic communication in the zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata), a songbird species in which the male produces a single stereotyped motif repeatedly in song bouts. These motif renditions, like the song repetitions of many birds, sound very similar to the casual human listener. In this study, we show that zebra finches can easily discriminate between the renditions, even at the level of single song syllables, much as humans can discriminate renditions of speech sounds. These results support the notion that sensitivity to fine acoustic details may be a primary channel of information in zebra finch song, as well as a shared, foundational property of vocal communication systems across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam R. Fishbein
- grid.164295.d0000 0001 0941 7177Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Biology-Psychology Bldg., 4094 Campus Dr., College Park, MD 20742 USA ,grid.164295.d0000 0001 0941 7177Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD USA
| | - Nora H. Prior
- grid.164295.d0000 0001 0941 7177Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Biology-Psychology Bldg., 4094 Campus Dr., College Park, MD 20742 USA ,grid.164295.d0000 0001 0941 7177Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD USA
| | - Jane A. Brown
- grid.164295.d0000 0001 0941 7177Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Biology-Psychology Bldg., 4094 Campus Dr., College Park, MD 20742 USA
| | - Gregory F. Ball
- grid.164295.d0000 0001 0941 7177Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Biology-Psychology Bldg., 4094 Campus Dr., College Park, MD 20742 USA ,grid.164295.d0000 0001 0941 7177Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD USA
| | - Robert J. Dooling
- grid.164295.d0000 0001 0941 7177Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Biology-Psychology Bldg., 4094 Campus Dr., College Park, MD 20742 USA ,grid.164295.d0000 0001 0941 7177Neuroscience and Cognitive Science Program, University of Maryland, College Park, MD USA
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18
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Adreani NM, D'Amelio PB, Gahr M, Ter Maat A. Life-Stage Dependent Plasticity in the Auditory System of a Songbird Is Signal and Emitter-Specific. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:588672. [PMID: 33343284 PMCID: PMC7746620 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.588672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Social animals flexibly use a variety of vocalizations to communicate in complex and dynamic environments. However, it remains unknown whether the auditory perception of different vocalizations changes according to the ecological context. By using miniature wireless devices to synchronously record vocal interactions and local neural activity in freely-behaving zebra finches in combination with playback experiments, we investigate whether the auditory processing of vocalizations changes across life-history stages. We show that during breeding, females (but not males) increase their estrogen levels and reply faster to their mates when interacting vocally. These changes are associated with an increase in the amplitude of the female’s neural auditory responses. Furthermore, the changes in auditory response are not general, but specific to a subset of functionally distinct vocalizations and dependent on the emitter’s identity. These results provide novel insights into auditory plasticity of communication systems, showing that the perception of specific signals can shift according to ecologically-determined physiological states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas M Adreani
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Pöcking, Germany.,Konrad Lorenz Research Center, University of Vienna, Grünau im Almtal, Austria
| | - Pietro B D'Amelio
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Pöcking, Germany.,FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Manfred Gahr
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Pöcking, Germany
| | - Andries Ter Maat
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Pöcking, Germany
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19
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Prior NH. What's in a Moment: What Can Be Learned About Pair Bonding From Studying Moment-To-Moment Behavioral Synchrony Between Partners? Front Psychol 2020; 11:1370. [PMID: 32848962 PMCID: PMC7417665 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Our understanding of the behavioral and physiological mechanisms of monogamy largely comes from studies of behavioral interactions unique to pair-bonded individuals. By focusing on these highly marked behaviors, a remarkable conservation in the mechanisms underlying pair bonding has been revealed; however, we continue to know very little about the range of behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms that could explain the great diversity of pair-bonding phenotypes that exists both within and across species. In order to capture the dynamic nature of bonds over time and across contexts, we need specific, operationally-defined behavioral variables relevant across such a diversity of scenarios. Additionally, we need to be able to situate these behavioral variables within broader frameworks that allow us to interpret and compare patterns seen across species. Here I review what is known about behavioral synchrony with respect to pair bonding and discuss using synchrony as such a variable as well as a framework to expand on our understanding of pair bonding across timescales, contexts and species. First, I discuss the importance of behavioral synchrony and parental coordination for reproductive success in monogamous biparental bird species. Second, I highlight research documenting the critical importance of interpersonal coordination for human social relationships. Finally, I present recent work that experimentally bridges these lines of research by quantifying moment-to-moment behavioral synchrony during brief social interactions in zebra finch dyads. All together, these distinct perspectives support the notion that synchrony (1) is a shared premise for sociality across species, (2) is deeply shaped by social experiences, and (3) exists across timescales, behaviors, and levels of physiology. Conceptualizing pair bonding through the framework of behavioral synchrony is likely to facilitate a deeper understanding of the nuances of how social experiences and interactions impact the brain and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora H. Prior
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, United States
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20
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Zachar G, Montagnese C, Fazekas EA, Kemecsei RG, Papp SM, Dóra F, Renner É, Csillag A, Pogány Á, Dobolyi A. Brain Distribution and Sexually Dimorphic Expression of Amylin in Different Reproductive Stages of the Zebra Finch ( Taeniopygia guttata) Suggest Roles of the Neuropeptide in Song Learning and Social Behaviour. Front Neurosci 2020; 13:1401. [PMID: 32009882 PMCID: PMC6971405 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2019.01401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The expression of the recently identified neuropeptide, amylin, is restricted in rodents to the postpartum preoptic area and may play a role in the control of parental behaviours and food intake. These processes are substantially different between bird and rodent parents as birds do not lactate but often show biparental care of the offspring. To establish the presence and role of amylin in the bird brain, in the present study, we investigated the distribution of amylin in brains of adult male and female zebra finches in three different reproductive stages (i.e. paired without young, incubating eggs or provisioning nestlings) and in unpaired control birds living in same sex flocks. Amylin mRNA was identified in the hypothalamus of zebra finch by RT-PCR, which was also used to produce probes for in situ hybridisation. Subsequently, in situ hybridisation histochemistry was performed in brain sections, and the labelling signal was quantified and compared between the groups. Amylin showed a much wider brain distribution than that of rodents. A strong and, in some regions, sexually dimorphic label was found in the striatum and several brain regions of the social behavioural network in both males and females. Many regions responsible for the learning of birdsong also contained amylin-positive neurons, and some regions showed sex differences reflecting the fact that vocalisation is sexually dimorphic in the zebra finch: only males sing. Area X (Ar.X), a striatal song centre present only in males, was labelled in paired but not unpaired male. Ar.X, another song centre, the lateral part of the magnocellular nucleus of the anterior nidopallium (lMAN) also contained amylin and had higher amylin label in paired, as opposed to unpaired birds. The wider distribution of amylin in birds as compared to rodents suggests a more general role of amylin in social or other behaviours in avian species than in mammals. Alternatively, parental care in birds may be a more complex behavioural trait involving a wider set of brain regions. The sex differences in song centres, and the changes with reproductive status suggest a participation of amylin in social behaviours and related changes in the singing of males.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gergely Zachar
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Catherine Montagnese
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Emese A Fazekas
- MTA-ELTE Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Róbert G Kemecsei
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szilvia M Papp
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fanni Dóra
- Human Brain Tissue Bank and Microdissection Laboratory, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Éva Renner
- Human Brain Tissue Bank and Microdissection Laboratory, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - András Csillag
- Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Ákos Pogány
- Department of Ethology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Arpád Dobolyi
- MTA-ELTE Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Eötvös Loránd University and the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
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21
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Storey AE, Wilhelm SI, Walsh CJ. Negotiation of Parental Duties in Chick-Rearing Common Murres (Uria aalge) in Different Foraging Conditions. Front Ecol Evol 2020. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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22
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Griffith SC. Cooperation and Coordination in Socially Monogamous Birds: Moving Away From a Focus on Sexual Conflict. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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23
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Mariette MM. Acoustic Cooperation: Acoustic Communication Regulates Conflict and Cooperation Within the Family. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
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24
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Johnstone RA, Savage JL. Conditional Cooperation and Turn-Taking in Parental Care. Front Ecol Evol 2019. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2019.00335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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25
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Kavelaars MM, Lens L, Müller W. Sharing the burden: on the division of parental care and vocalizations during incubation. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
In species with biparental care, individuals only have to pay the costs for their own parental investment, whereas the contribution of their partner comes for free. Each parent hence benefits if its partner works harder, creating an evolutionary conflict of interest. How parents resolve this conflict and how they achieve the optimal division of parental tasks often remains elusive. In this study, we investigated whether lesser black-backed gulls (Larus fuscus) divide parental care during incubation equally and whether this correlates with the extent of vocalizations between pair-members during incubation. We then investigated whether pairs showing more evenly distributed incubation behavior had a higher reproductive success. To this end, we recorded incubation behavior and vocalizations for 24-h time periods. Subsequently, we experimentally increased or decreased brood sizes in order to manipulate parental effort, and followed offspring development from hatching till fledging. Although incubation bouts were, on average, slightly longer in females, patterns varied strongly between pairs, ranging from primarily female incubation over equal sex contributions to male-biased incubation. Pairs contributing more equally to incubation vocalized more during nest relief and had a higher reproductive output when brood sizes were experimentally increased. Thus, vocalizations and a more equal division of parental care during incubation may facilitate higher levels of care during the nestling period, as suggested by a greater reproductive success when facing high brood demand, or they indicate pair quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marwa M Kavelaars
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Research Group (BECO), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, Antwerp, Belgium
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Luc Lens
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit (TEREC), Ghent University, K.L. Ledeganckstraat, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Wendt Müller
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Research Group (BECO), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein, Antwerp, Belgium
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26
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Sládeček M, Vozabulová E, Brynychová K, Šálek ME. Parental incubation exchange in a territorial bird species involves sex-specific signalling. Front Zool 2019; 16:7. [PMID: 30949226 PMCID: PMC6431054 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-019-0306-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 03/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Effective communication between sexual partners is essential for successful reproduction. Avian parents with biparental incubation need to know how to negotiate, when and who will incubate, and how to harmonize partner exchange at the nest. Although considerable effort has been dedicated to studies of incubation rhythms, few studies have investigated how behavioural signals serve to tighten cooperation between parents. Moreover, existing studies are almost exclusively restricted to species in which long distances between incubating and non-incubating parents prevent continuous communication during incubation. Thus, the most frequently described parental exchange system is a simple model characterized by the return of the non-incubating parent to the nest itself. Here, we propose more complex parental exchange behaviour in the Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus), a territorial species capable of continuous partner communication during incubation and with a highly variable male contribution to incubation. Results Northern Lapwing females regularly vocalized shortly before departing from the nest, while males mostly left the nest quietly. Responsiveness of the male to female vocalization, perhaps in combination with her flying away from the nest, helped to synchronize incubation care by increasing the probability of exchange, and also by shortening the exchange gaps. In contrast, a male-to-female exchange gap most often occurred after the male quietly flew away from the nest. The frequency of female vocal signalling was not correlated with the male incubation effort on a between-nest scale, but the highest probability of a female-to-male exchange occurred after vocal signalling by females with the most nest-attentive males. Conversely, lowered effort by females to vocalize in the night was accompanied by lower willingness of males to incubate. Conclusions Our results suggest that (1) that the incubating parent can communicate with the non-incubating partner using sex-specific behavioural signals, and this helps to synchronize parental exchange on the nest, (2) this signalling may combine acoustic and visual cues, and (3) the efficiency of this signalling might influence the overall nest attendance. The presumption that the repertoire of behavioural signals during reproduction will be much more complex in territorial species that are capable of continuous communication between the partners during the incubation period should be further tested. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12983-019-0306-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Sládeček
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha, Suchdol Czech Republic
| | - Eva Vozabulová
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha, Suchdol Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Brynychová
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha, Suchdol Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav E Šálek
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00 Praha, Suchdol Czech Republic
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27
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Prior NH, Fernandez MSA, Soula HA, Vignal C. Water restriction influences intra-pair vocal behavior and the acoustic structure of vocalisations in the opportunistically breeding zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata). Behav Processes 2019; 162:147-156. [PMID: 30825505 DOI: 10.1016/j.beproc.2019.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Seasonally-breeding species experience significant and predictable shifts in vocal behaviour; however, it is unclear to what extent this is true for species that breed opportunistically. The Australian zebra finch is an opportunistically breeding species, which means individuals must time breeding bouts based on many environmental factors. Here we tested the effect of experimental water restriction, which suppresses reproductive readiness in zebra finches, on vocal behaviour of males and females. More specifically, we quantified the effect of water restriction on three parameters of vocal behaviour in pair-bonded zebra finches: vocal activity, patterns of vocal exchanges, and the acoustic structure of vocalisations (calls and male song). We found that water restriction caused a decrease in vocal output (both song and call rate). Additionally, water restriction affected the composition of male songs. However, there was no effect of water restriction on the patterns of calling exchanges for monogamous partners (temporal coordination and turn taking). Finally, water restriction had vocalisation- and sex-specific effects on the acoustic structure of song syllables and calls. Because the direction of these effects were vocalisation- and sex- specific, there may be different mechanisms underlying the effects of water restriction on acoustic structure depending on context. These results contribute to the growing body of research highlighting the rich communicative potential of bird calls. Our current results raise the hypothesis that zebra finches may use changes in vocal behaviour and/or the structure of vocalisations of their conspecifics when making breeding decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora H Prior
- Univ Lyon, UJM-Saint-Etienne, CNRS, Neuro-PSI/ENES UMR 9197, F-42023, SAINT-ETIENNE, France; Biology/ Psychology Departments, University of Maryland, College Park, USA.
| | - Marie S A Fernandez
- Univ Lyon, UJM-Saint-Etienne, CNRS, Neuro-PSI/ENES UMR 9197, F-42023, SAINT-ETIENNE, France; Univ Lyon, INRIA, Beagle, F-69100, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Hédi A Soula
- Univ Lyon, INRIA, Beagle, F-69100, Villeurbanne, France; Sorbonne Université, Inserm UMRS 1138, F-75006, Paris, France
| | - Clémentine Vignal
- Sorbonne Université, CNRS, Institute of Ecology and Environmental Sciences UMR 7618, F-75005 Paris, France
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28
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Prior NH, Smith E, Lawson S, Ball GF, Dooling RJ. Acoustic fine structure may encode biologically relevant information for zebra finches. Sci Rep 2018; 8:6212. [PMID: 29670131 PMCID: PMC5906677 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-24307-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to discriminate changes in the fine structure of complex sounds is well developed in birds. However, the precise limit of this discrimination ability and how it is used in the context of natural communication remains unclear. Here we describe natural variability in acoustic fine structure of male and female zebra finch calls. Results from psychoacoustic experiments demonstrate that zebra finches are able to discriminate extremely small differences in fine structure, which are on the order of the variation in acoustic fine structure that is present in their vocal signals. Results from signal analysis methods also suggest that acoustic fine structure may carry information that distinguishes between biologically relevant categories including sex, call type and individual identity. Combined, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that zebra finches can encode biologically relevant information within the fine structure of their calls. This study provides a foundation for our understanding of how acoustic fine structure may be involved in animal communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora H Prior
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, USA.
| | - Edward Smith
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, USA
| | - Shelby Lawson
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, USA
| | - Gregory F Ball
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, USA
| | - Robert J Dooling
- Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, USA
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