Doppler-shift compensation behavior in horseshoe bats revisited: auditory feedback controls both a decrease and an increase in call frequency

Molecular adaptations underlying high-frequency hearing in the brain of CF bats species

BACKGROUND

The majority of bat species have developed remarkable echolocation ability, especially for the laryngeally echolocating bats along with high-frequency hearing. Adaptive evolution has been widely detected for the cochleae in the laryngeally echolocating bats, however, limited understanding for the brain which is the central to echolocation signal processing in the auditory perception system, the laryngeally echolocating bats brain may also undergo adaptive changes.

RESULT

In order to uncover the molecular adaptations related with high-frequency hearing in the brain of laryngeally echolocating bats, the genes expressed in the brain of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (CF bat) and Myotis pilosus (FM bat) were both detected and also compared. A total of 346,891 genes were detected and the signal transduction mechanisms were annotated by the most abundant genes, followed by the transcription. In hence, there were 3,088 DEGs were found between the two bat brains, with 1,426 highly expressed in the brain of R. ferrumequinum, which were significantly enriched in the neuron and neurodevelopmental processes. Moreover, we found a key candidate hearing gene, ADCY1, playing an important role in the R. ferrumequinum brain and undergoing adaptive evolution in CF bats.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study provides a new insight to the molecular bases of high-frequency hearing in two laryngeally echolocating bats brain and revealed different nervous system activities during auditory perception in the brain of CF bats.

Effects of insect pursuit on the Doppler shift compensation in a hipposiderid bat

Doppler shift compensation (DSC) is a unique feature observed in certain species of echolocating bats and is hypothesized to be an adaptation to detecting fluttering insects. However, current research on DSC has primarily focused on bats that are not engaged in foraging activities. In this study, we investigated the DSC performance of Pratt's roundleaf bat, Hipposideros pratti, which was trained to pursue insects in various motion states within a laboratory setting. Our study yielded three main results. First, H. pratti demonstrated highly precise DSC during insect pursuit, aligning with previous findings of other flutter-detecting foragers during orientation or landing tasks. Second, we found that the motion state of the insect prey had little effect on the DSC performance of H. pratti. Third, we observed variations in the DSC performance of H. pratti throughout the course of insect pursuit. The bats exhibited the highest DSC performance during the phase of maximum flight speed but decreased performance during the phase of insect capture. These findings of high precision overall and the time-dependent performance of DSC during insect pursuit support the hypothesis that DSC is an adaptation to detecting fluttering insects.

The resting frequency of echolocation signals changes with body temperature in the hipposiderid bat Hipposideros armiger

Doppler shift (DS) compensating bats adjust in flight the second harmonic of the constant-frequency component (CF2) of their echolocation signals so that the frequency of the Doppler-shifted echoes returning from ahead is kept constant with high precision (0.1-0.2%) at the so-called reference frequency (fref). This feedback adjustment is mediated by an audio-vocal control system that correlates with a maximal activation of the foveal resonance area in the cochlea. Stationary bats adjust the average CF2 with similar precision at the resting frequency (frest), which is slightly below the fref. Over a range of time periods (from minutes up to years), variations of the coupled fref and frest have been observed, and were attributed to age, social influences and behavioural situations in rhinolophids and hipposiderids, and to body temperature effects and flight activity in Pteronotus parnellii. We assume that, for all DS-compensating bats, a change in body temperature has a strong effect on the activation state of the foveal resonance area in the cochlea, which leads to a concomitant change in emission frequency. We tested our hypothesis in a hipposiderid bat, Hipposideros armiger, and measured how the circadian variation of body temperature at activation phases affected frest. With a miniature temperature logger, we recorded the skin temperature on the back of the bats simultaneously with echolocation signals produced. During warm-up from torpor, strong temperature increases were accompanied by an increase in frest, of up to 1.44 kHz. We discuss the implications of our results for the organization and function of the audio-vocal control systems of all DS-compensating bats.

Echo reception in group flight by Japanese horseshoe bats, Rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon

The ability to detect behaviourally relevant sensory information is crucial for survival. Especially when active-sensing animals behave in proximity, mutual interferences may occur. The aim of this study was to examine how active-sensing animals deal with mutual interferences. Echolocation pulses and returning echoes were compared in spaces of various sizes (wide and narrow) in Rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon flying alone or in a group of three bats. We found that in the narrow space, the group-flying bats increased the duration and bandwidth of the terminal frequency-modulated component of their vocalizations. By contrast, the frequency of the returning echoes did not differ in the presence of conspecifics. We found that their own echo frequencies were compensated within the narrow frequency ranges by Doppler shift compensation. By contrast, the estimated frequencies of the received pulses emitted by the other bats were much more broadly distributed than their echoes. Our results suggest that the bat auditory systems are sharply tuned to a narrow frequency to filter spectral interference from other bats.

The multi-dimensional nature of vocal learning

How learning affects vocalizations is a key question in the study of animal communication and human language. Parallel efforts in birds and humans have taught us much about how vocal learning works on a behavioural and neurobiological level. Subsequent efforts have revealed a variety of cases among mammals in which experience also has a major influence on vocal repertoires. Janik and Slater (Anim. Behav.60, 1-11. (doi:10.1006/anbe.2000.1410)) introduced the distinction between vocal usage and production learning, providing a general framework to categorize how different types of learning influence vocalizations. This idea was built on by Petkov and Jarvis (Front. Evol. Neurosci.4, 12. (doi:10.3389/fnevo.2012.00012)) to emphasize a more continuous distribution between limited and more complex vocal production learners. Yet, with more studies providing empirical data, the limits of the initial frameworks become apparent. We build on these frameworks to refine the categorization of vocal learning in light of advances made since their publication and widespread agreement that vocal learning is not a binary trait. We propose a novel classification system, based on the definitions by Janik and Slater, that deconstructs vocal learning into key dimensions to aid in understanding the mechanisms involved in this complex behaviour. We consider how vocalizations can change without learning, and a usage learning framework that considers context specificity and timing. We identify dimensions of vocal production learning, including the copying of auditory models (convergence/divergence on model sounds, accuracy of copying), the degree of change (type and breadth of learning) and timing (when learning takes place, the length of time it takes and how long it is retained). We consider grey areas of classification and current mechanistic understanding of these behaviours. Our framework identifies research needs and will help to inform neurobiological and evolutionary studies endeavouring to uncover the multi-dimensional nature of vocal learning. This article is part of the theme issue 'Vocal learning in animals and humans'.

Comparative echolocation and foraging ecology of horseshoe bats (Rhinolophidae) and Old World leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideridae)

Horseshoe (Rhinolphidae) and Old World leaf-nosed (Hipposideridae) bats are high duty cycle (HDC) echolocators sharing a suite of adaptations including long duration signals relative to their signal periods, peak energy concentrated in a narrow spectral band dominated by a constant frequency (CF) component, ‘auditory fovea’ (over-representation and sharp tuning of neurons responsible for frequencies at or around the CF) and ability to compensate for Doppler shifts in echoes. HDC bats separate signals from returning echoes in the frequency domain. Rhinolophids are more specialised neurobiologically than hipposiderids, producing longer duration signals at higher duty cycles, and have narrowly tuned auditory fovea and almost full Doppler shift compensation. Here, I examine whether these differences have produced ecological divergence between the families by testing predictions of differences in prey perception, prey capture behaviour, foraging habitat and diet. I found no discernible differences in these variables between the two families. Rhinolophids and hipposiderids both forage close to vegetation, capture prey by aerial hawking and gleaning from surfaces, and consume mostly flying insects with spiders and terrestrial, flightless arthropods taken occasionally. The data presented here show that the two families are similar in foraging ecology despite differences in echolocation and audition.

Comparative cochlear transcriptomics of echolocating bats provides new insights into different nervous activities of CF bat species

The molecular mechanisms used by echolocating bats to deal with different ultrasonic signals remain to be revealed. Here, we utilised RNA-Seq data to conduct comparative cochlear transcriptomics to assess the variation of gene expression among bats with three types of echolocation: constant-frequency (CF) bats, frequency-modulated (FM) bats and click bats. Our results suggest larger differences in gene expression between CF and click bats than between CF and FM bats and small differences between FM and click bats. We identified 426 and 1,504 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) by the different methods as functionally important for CF bats, in that they showed consistent upregulation in the cochlea of two CF bats, relative to the levels in click and FM bats. Subsequently, downstream GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that both the 426 and 1,504 gene sets were associated with changes in nervous activities in the cochleae of CF bats. In addition, another set of 1,764 DEGs were identified to have crucial hearing related physiological functions for laryngeally echolocating bats. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the genetic basis of differences among echolocating bats, revealing different nervous system activities during auditory perception in the cochlea particularly in CF bats.

Echolocating bats rely on audiovocal feedback to adapt sonar signal design

Many species of bat emit acoustic signals and use information carried by echoes reflecting from nearby objects to navigate and forage. It is widely documented that echolocating bats adjust the features of sonar calls in response to echo feedback; however, it remains unknown whether audiovocal feedback contributes to sonar call design. Audiovocal feedback refers to the monitoring of one's own vocalizations during call production and has been intensively studied in nonecholocating animals. Audiovocal feedback not only is a necessary component of vocal learning but also guides the control of the spectro-temporal structure of vocalizations. Here, we show that audiovocal feedback is directly involved in the echolocating bat's control of sonar call features. As big brown bats tracked targets from a stationary position, we played acoustic jamming signals, simulating calls of another bat, timed to selectively perturb audiovocal feedback or echo feedback. We found that the bats exhibited the largest call-frequency adjustments when the jamming signals occurred during vocal production. By contrast, bats did not show sonar call-frequency adjustments when the jamming signals coincided with the arrival of target echoes. Furthermore, bats rapidly adapted sonar call design in the first vocalization following the jamming signal, revealing a response latency in the range of 66 to 94 ms. Thus, bats, like songbirds and humans, rely on audiovocal feedback to structure sonar signal design.

Recovery cycle of inferior collicular neurons in Hipposideros pratti under behavior-related sound stimulus and the best Doppler-shift compensation conditions

The Doppler-shift compensation (DSC) behavior of constant frequency - frequency modulation (CF-FM) bat (Hipposideros pratti) is vital for extraction and analysis of echo information. This type of behavior affects the recovery cycles of sound-sensitive neurons, but their precise relationship remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of DSC on the recovery cycles of inferior collicular (IC) neurons in H. pratti. We simulated the pulse-echo pair in bats by changing the emitted pulse frequency and keeping the echo frequency constant during DSC in echolocation. The neuronal recovery cycles of IC neurons are categorized into four types: unrecovered, monotonic, single-peak, and multi-peak. The recovery cycle of IC neurons shortens after DSC; moreover, the amount of neurons with multi-peak recovery cycle increases and concentrates in the short recovery area. This paper also discusses the possible neural mechanisms and their biological relevance to different phases of bat predation behavior.

Acoustically diverse vocalization repertoire in the Himalayan leaf-nosed bat, a widely distributed Hipposideros species

Insectivorous bats vocalize to both communicate with conspecifics and to echolocate. The communicative vocalizations or "calls" of bats either consist of or are constructed from discrete acoustic units, termed "syllables." This study examined syllable diversity in the Himalayan leaf-nosed bat, Hipposideros armiger, a species that is widely distributed across Southeast Asia. This social species' vocalizations were hypothesized to consist of a wide variety of syllables facilitating its social interactions. To test this hypothesis, multiple acoustic parameters were measured from recorded vocalizations to map the acoustic boundaries of syllables. Spectrographic signatures were used to classify all recorded sounds into 35 distinct syllable types-18 as simple syllables and 17 as composites. K-means clustering independently provided an optimal fit of simple syllables into 18 clusters with a good correspondence to 15 spectrographically assigned syllable types. Discriminant analysis further confirmed the spectrographic classification of constant frequency syllables (0% misclassification) and revealed a low (<15%) misclassification of spectrograms for all examples of frequency modulation syllables. Multidimensional scaling of mean values of multiple parameters provided a spectrographically constrained relational mapping of syllable types within two dimensions. These data suggest that H. armiger has a complex, well organized syllabic repertoire despite simple syllables being rarely emitted in isolation.

Different auditory feedback control for echolocation and communication in horseshoe bats

Auditory feedback from the animal's own voice is essential during bat echolocation: to optimize signal detection, bats continuously adjust various call parameters in response to changing echo signals. Auditory feedback seems also necessary for controlling many bat communication calls, although it remains unclear how auditory feedback control differs in echolocation and communication. We tackled this question by analyzing echolocation and communication in greater horseshoe bats, whose echolocation pulses are dominated by a constant frequency component that matches the frequency range they hear best. To maintain echoes within this “auditory fovea”, horseshoe bats constantly adjust their echolocation call frequency depending on the frequency of the returning echo signal. This Doppler-shift compensation (DSC) behavior represents one of the most precise forms of sensory-motor feedback known. We examined the variability of echolocation pulses emitted at rest (resting frequencies, RFs) and one type of communication signal which resembles an echolocation pulse but is much shorter (short constant frequency communication calls, SCFs) and produced only during social interactions. We found that while RFs varied from day to day, corroborating earlier studies in other constant frequency bats, SCF-frequencies remained unchanged. In addition, RFs overlapped for some bats whereas SCF-frequencies were always distinctly different. This indicates that auditory feedback during echolocation changed with varying RFs but remained constant or may have been absent during emission of SCF calls for communication. This fundamentally different feedback mechanism for echolocation and communication may have enabled these bats to use SCF calls for individual recognition whereas they adjusted RF calls to accommodate the daily shifts of their auditory fovea.

Behavioural and neurobiological implications of linear and non-linear features in larynx phonations of horseshoe bats

Mammalian vocalizations exhibit large variations in their spectrotemporal features, although it is still largely unknown which result from intrinsic biomechanical properties of the larynx and which are under direct neuromuscular control. Here we show that mere changes in laryngeal air flow yield several non-linear effects on sound production, in an isolated larynx preparation from horseshoe bats. Most notably, there are sudden jumps between two frequency bands used for either echolocation or communication in natural vocalizations. These jumps resemble changes in “registers” as in yodelling. In contrast, simulated contractions of the main larynx muscle produce linear frequency changes, but are limited to echolocation or communication frequencies. Only by combining non-linear and linear properties can this larynx therefore produce sounds covering the entire frequency range of natural calls. This may give behavioural meaning to yodelling-like vocal behaviour and reshape our thinking about how the brain controls the multitude of spectral vocal features in mammals.

Ambient noise induces independent shifts in call frequency and amplitude within the Lombard effect in echolocating bats

The Lombard effect, an involuntary rise in call amplitude in response to masking ambient noise, represents one of the most efficient mechanisms to optimize signal-to-noise ratio. The Lombard effect occurs in birds and mammals, including humans, and is often associated with several other vocal changes, such as call frequency and duration. Most studies, however, have focused on noise-dependent changes in call amplitude. It is therefore still largely unknown how the adaptive changes in call amplitude relate to associated vocal changes such as frequency shifts, how the underlying mechanisms are linked, and if auditory feedback from the changing vocal output is needed. Here, we examined the Lombard effect and the associated changes in call frequency in a highly vocal mammal, echolocating horseshoe bats. We analyzed how bandpass-filtered noise (BFN; bandwidth 20 kHz) affected their echolocation behavior when BFN was centered on different frequencies within their hearing range. Call amplitudes increased only when BFN was centered on the dominant frequency component of the bats' calls. In contrast, call frequencies increased for all but one BFN center frequency tested. Both amplitude and frequency rises were extremely fast and occurred in the first call uttered after noise onset, suggesting that no auditory feedback was required. The different effects that varying the BFN center frequency had on amplitude and frequency rises indicate different neural circuits and/or mechanisms underlying these changes.

Echolocation behavior of the Japanese horseshoe bat in pursuit of fluttering prey

Echolocation sounds of Rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon as they approached a fluttering moth (Goniocraspidum pryeri) were investigated using an on-board telemetry microphone (Telemike). In 40% of the successful moth-capture flights, the moth exhibited distinctive evasive flight behavior, but the bat pursued the moth by following its flight path. When the distance to the moth was approximately 3-4 m, the bats increased the duration of the pulses to 65-95 ms, which is 2-3 times longer than those during landing flight (30-40 ms). The mean of 5.8 long pulses were emitted before the final buzz phase of moth capture, without strengthening the sound pressure level. The mean duration of long pulses (79.9 ± 7.9 ms) corresponded to three times the fluttering period of G. pryeri (26.5 × 3 = 79.5 ms). These findings indicate that the bats adjust the pulse duration to increase the number of temporal repetitions of fluttering information rather than to produce more intense sonar sounds to receive fine insect echoes. The bats exhibited Doppler-shift compensation for echoes returning from large static objects ahead, but not for echoes from target moths, even though the bats were focused on capturing the moths. Furthermore, the echoes of the Telemike recordings from target moths showed spectral glints of approximately 1-1.5 kHz caused by the fluttering of the moths but not amplitude glints because of the highly acoustical attenuation of ultrasound in the air, suggesting that spectral information may be more robust than amplitude information in echoes during moth capturing flight.

On-board telemetry of emitted sounds from free-flying bats: compensation for velocity and distance stabilizes echo frequency and amplitude

To understand complex sensory-motor behavior related to object perception by echolocating bats, precise measurements are needed for echoes that bats actually listen to during flight. Recordings of echolocation broadcasts were made from flying bats with a miniature light-weight microphone and radio transmitter (Telemike) set at the position of the bat's ears and carried during flights to a landing point on a wall. Telemike recordings confirm that flying horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum nippon) adjust the frequency of their sonar broadcasts to compensate for echo Doppler shifts. Returning constant frequency echoes were maintained at the bat's reference frequency +/-83 Hz during flight, indicating that the bats compensated for frequency changes with an accuracy equivalent to that at rest. The flying bats simultaneously compensate for increases in echo amplitude as target range becomes shorter. Flying bats thus receive echoes with both stabilized frequencies and stabilized amplitudes. Although it is widely understood that Doppler-shift frequency compensation facilitates detection of fluttering insects, approaches to a landing do not involve fluttering objects. Combined frequency and amplitude compensation may instead be for optimization of successive frequency modulated echoes for target range estimation to control approach and landing.

Sensory feedback control of mammalian vocalizations

Somatosensory and auditory feedback mechanisms are dynamic components of the vocal motor pattern generator in mammals. This review explores how sensory cues arising from central auditory and somatosensory pathways actively guide the production of both simple sounds and complex phrases in mammals. While human speech is a uniquely sophisticated example of mammalian vocal behavior, other mammals can serve as examples of how sensory feedback guides complex vocal patterns. Echolocating bats in particular are unique in their absolute dependence on voice control for survival: these animals must constantly adjust the acoustic and temporal patterns of their orientation sounds to efficiently navigate and forage for insects at high speeds under the cover of darkness. Many species of bats also utter a broad repertoire of communication sounds. The functional neuroanatomy of the bat vocal motor pathway is basically identical to other mammals, but the acute significance of sensory feedback in echolocation has made this a profitable model system for studying general principles of sensorimotor integration with regard to vocalizing. Bats and humans are similar in that they both maintain precise control of many different voice parameters, both exhibit a similar suite of responses to altered auditory feedback, and for both the efficacy of sensory feedback depends upon behavioral context. By comparing similarities and differences in the ways sensory feedback influences voice in humans and bats, we may shed light on the basic architecture of the mammalian vocal motor system and perhaps be able to better distinguish those features of human vocal control that evolved uniquely in support of speech and language.

Flight and echolocation behaviour of whiskered bats commuting along a hedgerow: range-dependent sonar signal design, Doppler tolerance and evidence for `acoustic focussing'

Echolocating bats obtain three-dimensional images of their surroundings in complete darkness by emitting sonar signals and evaluating returning echoes. When flying close to objects, bats risk collision and therefore depend on the accuracy of images – particularly in the perceived distance of obstacles, which is coded by the time delay between call and echo. Yet, during flight, such accuracy is perturbed first because bats call and receive echoes at different positions and second because echoes are modified by Doppler shifts. Certain call designs avoid both sources of ranging error, but only for a limited range of distances [the `distance of focus' (DOF)]. Here, we show that whiskered bats (Myotis mystacinus) using broadband echolocation calls adjust call design in a range-dependent manner so that nearby obstacles are localised accurately. Such behaviour is adaptive because it reduces collision risk. The bats also reduced call duration to some extent as they approached obstacles so that most returning echoes arrived after they finished calling. This reduction in call duration during the approach to obstacles was neither the only nor the main factor that influenced DOF. Indeed, both duration and bandwidth of calls influenced DOF independently, with lower bandwidths and longer durations giving greater DOF. Our findings give a new perspective on the adaptive significance of echolocation call design in nature and have implications for sonar engineering.

Sensory acquisition in active sensing systems

A defining feature of active sensing is the use of self-generated energy to probe the environment. Familiar biological examples include echolocation in bats and dolphins and active electrolocation in weakly electric fish. Organisms that utilize active sensing systems can potentially exert control over the characteristics of the probe energy, such as its intensity, direction, timing, and spectral characteristics. This is in contrast to passive sensing systems, which rely on extrinsic energy sources that are not directly controllable by the organism. The ability to control the probe energy adds a new dimension to the task of acquiring relevant information about the environment. Physical and ecological constraints confronted by active sensing systems include issues of signal propagation, attenuation, speed, energetics, and conspicuousness. These constraints influence the type of energy that organisms use to probe the environment, the amount of energy devoted to the process, and the way in which the nervous system integrates sensory and motor functions for optimizing sensory acquisition performance.

Doppler-shift compensation in the Taiwanese leaf-nosed bat (Hipposideros terasensis) recorded with a telemetry microphone system during flight

Biosonar behavior was examined in Taiwanese leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideros terasensis; CF-FM bats) during flight. Echolocation sounds were recorded using a telemetry microphone mounted on the bat's head. Flight speed and three-dimensional trajectory of the bat were reconstructed from images taken with a dual high-speed video camera system. Bats were observed to change the intensity and emission rate of pulses depending on the distance from the landing site. Frequencies of the dominant second harmonic constant frequency component (CF2) of calls estimated from the bats' flight speed agreed strongly with observed values. Taiwanese leaf-nosed bats changed CF2 frequencies depending on flight speed, which caused the CF2 frequencies of the Doppler-shifted echoes to remain constant. Pulse frequencies were also estimated using echoes returning directly ahead of the bat and from its sides for two different flight conditions: landing and U-turn. Bats in flight may periodically alter their attended angles from the front to the side when emitting echolocation pulses.

Neurobiology of echolocation in bats

Echolocating bats (sub-order: Microchiroptera) form a highly successful group of animals, comprising approximately 700 species and an estimated 25% of living mammals. Many echolocating bats are nocturnal predators that have evolved a biological sonar system to orient and forage in three-dimensional space. Acoustic signal processing and vocal-motor control are tightly coupled, and successful echolocation depends on the coordination between auditory and motor systems. Indeed, echolocation involves adaptive changes in vocal production patterns, which, in turn, constrain the acoustic information arriving at the bat's ears and the time-scales over which neural computations take place.

Effects of echo intensity on Doppler-shift compensation behavior in horseshoe bats

Echolocating horseshoe bats respond to flight-speed induced shifts in echo frequency by adjusting the frequency of subsequent calls. Under natural conditions, Doppler effects may force the frequency of a returning echo several kilohertz above the original emission frequency. By lowering subsequent call frequencies, the bat can return echo frequencies to within a narrow spectral bandwidth to which its highly specialized auditory system is most sensitive. While Doppler-shift compensation (DSC) behavior specifically refers to frequency compensation, other parameters of the returning echo, such as delay, duration, and interaural time and intensity differences have been shown to influence DSC performance. Understanding the nature of these influences has already led to a better appreciation of the neurophysiology of DSC. Here we provide a quantitative analysis of the effects of a prominent feature of the returning echo, its intensity, on DSC performance in horseshoe bats. Although DSC performance generally tolerates echo attenuation up to approximately 40 dB relative to the outgoing emission intensity, a systematic decline in DSC performance can be observed over this range. Generally, the effects of echo attenuation are characterized by a reduction in 1) the overall amount of compensation relative to the size of the shift in echo frequency and 2) the rate at which the bat responds to perceived echo shifts. These effects appear to be the consequence of a systematic shift in the range of echo frequencies capable of inducing DSC behavior. In particular, the reference frequency (the minimum shift in echo frequency that will elicit DSC behavior) appears to be highly sensitive to echo intensity. Every 10-dB reduction in echo intensity shifts the reference upward nearly 250 Hz. Our results indicate that, even at the highest intensity levels, relatively minor changes in echo intensity critically influence frequency compensation during normal DSC. We conclude with a discussion of how these results might impact echolocation behavior of horseshoe bats under natural and experimental conditions.