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Playback of broadband vocalizations of female mice suppresses male ultrasonic calls. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0273742. [PMID: 36603000 PMCID: PMC9815654 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Although male vocalizations during opposite- sex interaction have been heavily studied as sexually selected signals, the understanding of the roles of female vocal signals produced in this context is more limited. During intersexual interactions between mice, males produce a majority of ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), while females produce a majority of human-audible squeaks, also called broadband vocalizations (BBVs). BBVs may be produced in conjunction with defensive aggression, making it difficult to assess whether males respond to BBVs themselves. To assess the direct effect of BBVs on male behavior, we used a split-cage paradigm in which high rates of male USVs were elicited by female presence on the other side of a barrier, but which precluded extensive male-female contact and the spontaneous production of BBVs. In this paradigm, playback of female BBVs decreased USV production, which recovered after the playback period. Trials in which female vocalizations were prevented by the use of female bedding alone or of anesthetized females as stimuli also showed a decrease in response to BBV playback. No non-vocal behaviors declined during playback, although digging behavior increased. Similar to BBVs, WNs also robustly suppressed USV production, albeit to a significantly larger extent. USVs suppression had two distinct temporal components. When grouped in 5-second bins, USVs interleaved with bursts of stimulus BBVs. USV suppression also adapted to BBV playback on the order of minutes. Adaptation occurred more rapidly in males that were housed individually as opposed to socially for a week prior to testing, suggesting that the adaptation trajectory is sensitive to social experience. These findings suggest the possibility that vocal interaction between male and female mice, with males suppressing USVs in response to BBVs, may influence the dynamics of communicative behavior.
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2
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Massenet M, Anikin A, Pisanski K, Reynaud K, Mathevon N, Reby D. Nonlinear vocal phenomena affect human perceptions of distress, size and dominance in puppy whines. Proc Biol Sci 2022; 289:20220429. [PMID: 35473375 PMCID: PMC9043735 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2022.0429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
While nonlinear phenomena (NLP) are widely reported in animal vocalizations, often causing perceptual harshness and roughness, their communicative function remains debated. Several hypotheses have been put forward: attention-grabbing, communication of distress, exaggeration of body size and dominance. Here, we use state-of-the-art sound synthesis to investigate how NLP affect the perception of puppy whines by human listeners. Listeners assessed the distress, size or dominance conveyed by synthetic puppy whines with manipulated NLP, including frequency jumps and varying proportions of subharmonics, sidebands and deterministic chaos. We found that the presence of chaos increased the puppy's perceived level of distress and that this effect held across a range of representative fundamental frequency (fo) levels. Adding sidebands and subharmonics also increased perceived distress among listeners who have extensive caregiving experience with pre-weaned puppies (e.g. breeders, veterinarians). Finally, we found that whines with added chaos, subharmonics or sidebands were associated with larger and more dominant puppies, although these biases were attenuated in experienced caregivers. Together, our results show that nonlinear phenomena in puppy whines can convey rich information to human listeners and therefore may be crucial for offspring survival during breeding of a domesticated species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathilde Massenet
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, ENES/CRNL, University of Saint-Etienne, CNRS, Inserm, Saint-Etienne, France
| | - Andrey Anikin
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, ENES/CRNL, University of Saint-Etienne, CNRS, Inserm, Saint-Etienne, France.,Division of Cognitive Science, University of Lund, 22100 Lund, Sweden
| | - Katarzyna Pisanski
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, ENES/CRNL, University of Saint-Etienne, CNRS, Inserm, Saint-Etienne, France.,CNRS, French National Centre for Scientific Research, Laboratoire de Dynamique du Langage, University of Lyon 2, 69007 Lyon, France
| | - Karine Reynaud
- École Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, EnvA, 94700 Maisons-Alfort, France.,Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, University of Tours, PRC, Nouzilly, France
| | - Nicolas Mathevon
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, ENES/CRNL, University of Saint-Etienne, CNRS, Inserm, Saint-Etienne, France.,Institut universitaire de France, Paris, France
| | - David Reby
- Equipe de Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, ENES/CRNL, University of Saint-Etienne, CNRS, Inserm, Saint-Etienne, France.,Institut universitaire de France, Paris, France
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3
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Anikin A, Reby D. Ingressive phonation conveys arousal in human nonverbal vocalizations. BIOACOUSTICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2022.2039295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrey Anikin
- Division of Cognitive Science, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
- Enes Sensory Neuro-Ethology Lab, Crnl, Jean Monnet University of Saint Étienne, St-Étienne, France
| | - David Reby
- Enes Sensory Neuro-Ethology Lab, Crnl, Jean Monnet University of Saint Étienne, St-Étienne, France
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4
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Jiang AZ, Murray P, Phillips C, Tribe A, Ellis W. Movement of Free-Ranging Koalas in Response to Male Vocalisation Playbacks. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12030287. [PMID: 35158611 PMCID: PMC8833420 DOI: 10.3390/ani12030287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Conservation management is critical for threatened wildlife species and an effective conservation approach relies on good understanding of animal behaviour in natural habitat. Currently, koalas are listed as vulnerable to extinction in Australia with declining populations, but their social and breeding system remains unclear. Male koala vocalisations, known as bellows, are believed to be closely related to their breeding behaviour. Bellows incorporate callers’ body size information which can be perceived by other koalas. In this study, we tested the behavioural responses of 20 GPS-collared free ranging koalas to bellow recordings collected from small (<6 kg) and large (>8.5 kg) adult male koalas. We report evidence of intra-male competition, with adult males approaching bellow playbacks, particularly those from small-sized males. In contrast, juvenile males under three years of age showed avoidance of the playbacks. No patterns in the response of females were detected. Our results provide the strongest evidence yet that bellows are primarily a means by which males occupy and control habitat space during the breeding season. Future studies are required to see if female response to bellows depends on their reproductive status. Abstract Effective conservation strategies rely on knowledge of seasonal and social drivers of animal behaviour. Koalas are generally solitary and their social arrangement appears to rely on vocal and chemical signalling. Male koala vocalisations, known as bellows, are believed to be closely related to their breeding behaviour. Previous research suggests that oestrous female koalas use bellows to locate unique males to mate with, and that males can similarly use bellows to evaluate the physical attributes of their peers. We tested the behavioural responses of 20 free ranging koalas to bellow recordings collected from small (<6 kg) and large (>8.5 kg) adult male koalas. Individual koala movement was reported by hourly-uploaded GPS coordinates. We report evidence of intra-male competition, with adult males approaching bellow playbacks, particularly those from small-sized males. In contrast, males under three years of age were averse to the playbacks. No patterns in the response of females were detected. Our results provide the strongest evidence yet that bellows are primarily a means by which males occupy and control space during the breeding season. Future studies are required to see if female response to bellows depends on their reproductive status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Zijian Jiang
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton 4343, Australia; (A.Z.J.); (P.M.)
| | - Peter Murray
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton 4343, Australia; (A.Z.J.); (P.M.)
- School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba 4350, Australia
| | - Clive Phillips
- Sustainability Policy Institute, Curtin University, Bentley 6102, Australia;
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 1, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Andrew Tribe
- Turner Family Foundation, Hidden Vale Wildlife Centre, 617 Grandchester Mount Mort Rd., Grandchester 4340, Australia;
| | - William Ellis
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia 4072, Australia
- Correspondence:
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5
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Odom KJ, Araya-Salas M, Morano JL, Ligon RA, Leighton GM, Taff CC, Dalziell AH, Billings AC, Germain RR, Pardo M, de Andrade LG, Hedwig D, Keen SC, Shiu Y, Charif RA, Webster MS, Rice AN. Comparative bioacoustics: a roadmap for quantifying and comparing animal sounds across diverse taxa. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2021; 96:1135-1159. [PMID: 33652499 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2019] [Revised: 02/03/2021] [Accepted: 02/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Animals produce a wide array of sounds with highly variable acoustic structures. It is possible to understand the causes and consequences of this variation across taxa with phylogenetic comparative analyses. Acoustic and evolutionary analyses are rapidly increasing in sophistication such that choosing appropriate acoustic and evolutionary approaches is increasingly difficult. However, the correct choice of analysis can have profound effects on output and evolutionary inferences. Here, we identify and address some of the challenges for this growing field by providing a roadmap for quantifying and comparing sound in a phylogenetic context for researchers with a broad range of scientific backgrounds. Sound, as a continuous, multidimensional trait can be particularly challenging to measure because it can be hard to identify variables that can be compared across taxa and it is also no small feat to process and analyse the resulting high-dimensional acoustic data using approaches that are appropriate for subsequent evolutionary analysis. Additionally, terminological inconsistencies and the role of learning in the development of acoustic traits need to be considered. Phylogenetic comparative analyses also have their own sets of caveats to consider. We provide a set of recommendations for delimiting acoustic signals into discrete, comparable acoustic units. We also present a three-stage workflow for extracting relevant acoustic data, including options for multivariate analyses and dimensionality reduction that is compatible with phylogenetic comparative analysis. We then summarize available phylogenetic comparative approaches and how they have been used in comparative bioacoustics, and address the limitations of comparative analyses with behavioural data. Lastly, we recommend how to apply these methods to acoustic data across a range of study systems. In this way, we provide an integrated framework to aid in quantitative analysis of cross-taxa variation in animal sounds for comparative phylogenetic analysis. In addition, we advocate the standardization of acoustic terminology across disciplines and taxa, adoption of automated methods for acoustic feature extraction, and establishment of strong data archival practices for acoustic recordings and data analyses. Combining such practices with our proposed workflow will greatly advance the reproducibility, biological interpretation, and longevity of comparative bioacoustic studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karan J Odom
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A
| | - Marcelo Araya-Salas
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Sede del Sur, Universidad de Costa Rica, Golfito, 60701, Costa Rica
| | - Janelle L Morano
- Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A
| | - Russell A Ligon
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A
| | - Gavin M Leighton
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Department of Biology, SUNY Buffalo State, Buffalo, NY, 14222, U.S.A
| | - Conor C Taff
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A
| | - Anastasia H Dalziell
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, University of Wollongong, Northfields Ave, Wollongong, NSW, 2522, Australia
| | - Alexis C Billings
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, U.S.A.,Department of Environmental, Science, Policy and Management, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94709, U.S.A
| | - Ryan R Germain
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DK-2100, Denmark
| | - Michael Pardo
- Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, U.S.A
| | - Luciana Guimarães de Andrade
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| | - Daniela Hedwig
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| | - Sara C Keen
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A.,Department of Geological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, U.S.A
| | - Yu Shiu
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| | - Russell A Charif
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| | - Michael S Webster
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14853, U.S.A.,Macaulay Library, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
| | - Aaron N Rice
- Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, 14850, U.S.A
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Volodin IA, Volodina EV, Frey R. Rutting vocal display in male impala (Aepyceros melampus) and overlap with alarm context. Front Zool 2021; 18:2. [PMID: 33413460 PMCID: PMC7792082 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-020-00383-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The rutting vocal display of male impala Aepyceros melampus is unique for its complexity among ruminants. This study investigates bouts of rutting calls produced towards potential mates and rival males by free-ranging male impala in Namibia. In particular, a comparison of male rutting and alarm snorts is conducted, inspired by earlier findings of mate guarding by using alarm snorts in male topi Damaliscus lunatus. RESULTS Rutting male impala produced 4-38 (13.5 ± 6.5) rutting calls per bout. We analyzed 201 bouts, containing in total 2709 rutting calls of five types: continuous roars produced within a single exhalation-inhalation cycle; interrupted roars including few exhalation-inhalation cycles; pant-roars distinctive by a pant-phase with rapidly alternating inhalations and exhalations; usual snorts lacking any roar part; and roar-snorts starting with a short roar part. Bouts mostly started and ended with usual snorts. Continuous roars were the shortest roars. The average duration of the exhalatory phase was longest in the continuous roars and shortest in the pant-roars. The average fundamental frequency (49.7-51.4 Hz) did not differ between roar types. Vocal tract length, calculated by using measurements of the first four vocal tract resonances (formants), ranged within 381-382 mm in all roar types. In the studied male impala, rutting snorts within bouts of rutting calls were longer and had higher values of the upper quartile in the call spectra than alarm snorts produced towards potential danger. CONCLUSIONS Additional inhalations during the emission of the interrupted and pant-roars prolong their duration compared to the continuous roars but do not affect the fundamental frequency or the degree of larynx retraction while roaring. Alarm snorts are separated from one another by large intervals, whereas the intervals between rutting snorts within bouts are short. Sometimes, rutting snorts alternate with roars, whereas alarm snorts do not. Therefore, it is not the acoustic structure of individual snorts but the temporal sequence and the occasional association with another call type that defines snorts as either rutting or alarm snorts. The rutting snorts of male impala may function to attract the attention of receptive females and delay their departure from a male's harem or territory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilya A Volodin
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Vorobievy Gory, 12/1, Moscow, 119234, Russia.
- Department of Behaviour and Behavioural Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Elena V Volodina
- Department of Behaviour and Behavioural Ecology of Mammals, A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Moscow, Russia
| | - Roland Frey
- Department of Reproduction Management, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
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7
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Brady B, Hedwig D, Trygonis V, Gerstein E. Classification of Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) vocalizations. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2020; 147:1597. [PMID: 32237867 DOI: 10.1121/10.0000849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The vocal repertoire for the Florida manatee is quantitatively categorized from a sample of 1114 calls recorded from 3 different manatee habitats in Florida. First, manatee vocalizations were categorized into five call categories based on visual inspection of spectrograms and following descriptions provided in previous studies. Second, based on measurements of 17 acoustic parameters, the subjective classification scheme was validated using classification and regression trees (CARTs) and model-based cluster analysis paired with silhouette coefficients. CART analysis revealed that these five broad call categories can be successfully distinguished based on correct classification scores of 41.6%-62.5%. Silhouette coefficients determined that the manatee vocal repertoire is highly intergraded. This study supports and expands upon existing subjective categorization schemes by providing a quantifiable methodology for describing the Florida manatees' vocal repertoire. These findings contribute to the increasing number of studies suggesting many animal species vocal repertoires contain graded call types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beth Brady
- Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33434, USA
| | - Daniela Hedwig
- Cornell University, 159 Sapsucker Woods Road, Ithaca, New York 14850, USA
| | - Vasilis Trygonis
- Department of Marine Sciences, University of the Aegean, University Hill, Mytilene, 81100, Greece
| | - Edmund Gerstein
- Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, Florida 33434, USA
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8
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Green A, Clark C, Favaro L, Lomax S, Reby D. Vocal individuality of Holstein-Friesian cattle is maintained across putatively positive and negative farming contexts. Sci Rep 2019; 9:18468. [PMID: 31804583 PMCID: PMC6895157 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54968-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Cattle mother-offspring contact calls encode individual-identity information; however, it is unknown whether cattle are able to maintain individuality when vocalising to familiar conspecifics over other positively and negatively valenced farming contexts. Accordingly, we recorded 333 high-frequency vocalisations from 13 Holstein-Friesian heifers during oestrus and anticipation of feed (putatively positive), as well as denied feed access and upon both physical and physical & visual isolation from conspecifics (putatively negative). We measured 21 source-related and nonlinear vocal parameters and stepwise discriminant function analyses (DFA) were performed. Calls were divided into positive (n = 170) and negative valence (n = 163) with each valence acting as a 'training set' to classify calls in the oppositely valenced 'test set'. Furthermore, MANOVAs were conducted to determine which vocal parameters were implicated in individual distinctiveness. Within the putatively positive 'training set', the cross-validated DFA correctly classified 68.2% of the putatively positive calls and 52.1% of the putatively negative calls to the correct individual, respectively. Within the putatively negative 'training set', the cross-validated DFA correctly assigned 60.1% of putatively negative calls and 49.4% of putatively positive calls to the correct individual, respectively. All DFAs exceeded chance expectations indicating that vocal individuality of high-frequency calls is maintained across putatively positive and negative valence, with all vocal parameters except subharmonics responsible for this individual distinctiveness. This study shows that cattle vocal individuality of high-frequency calls is stable across different emotionally loaded farming contexts. Individual distinctiveness is likely to attract social support from conspecifics, and knowledge of these individuality cues could assist farmers in detecting individual cattle for welfare or production purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Green
- Livestock Production and Welfare Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camden, Australia. .,Equipe Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, ENES/CRNL, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM UMR_S 1028, University of Lyon/Saint-Étienne, Saint-Étienne, France.
| | - Cameron Clark
- Livestock Production and Welfare Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camden, Australia
| | - Livio Favaro
- Equipe Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, ENES/CRNL, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM UMR_S 1028, University of Lyon/Saint-Étienne, Saint-Étienne, France.,Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Turin, Italy
| | - Sabrina Lomax
- Livestock Production and Welfare Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camden, Australia
| | - David Reby
- Equipe Neuro-Ethologie Sensorielle, ENES/CRNL, CNRS UMR5292, INSERM UMR_S 1028, University of Lyon/Saint-Étienne, Saint-Étienne, France
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9
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Hagens SV, Rendall AR, Whisson DA. Passive acoustic surveys for predicting species' distributions: Optimising detection probability. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0199396. [PMID: 30020938 PMCID: PMC6051584 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0199396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Surveying terrestrial species across diverse habitats is important for predicting species’ distributions and implementing conservation actions. For vocalising species, passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is increasing in popularity; however, survey design rarely considers the factors influencing the timing and occurrence of vocalisations and in turn, how they may influence detectability of the species. Here, we use the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) as a case study to show how PAM can be used to first examine the factors influencing vocalisations, and then use occupancy modelling to make recommendations on survey design for the species. We used automated recording units to monitor koala vocalisations at ten sites between August 2016 and January 2017. The timing of male koala vocalisations was linked to time of sunset with vocalisations increasing two hours prior to sunset and peaking at four hours after sunset. Vocalisations had a seasonal trend, increasing from the early to middle stage of the breeding season. Koala population density and stage of the breeding season had more influence on detection probability than daily sampling schedule. Where population density was low, and during the early stage of the breeding season, 7 survey nights (recording for 6 hours from 20:00h to 02:00h; i.e. the period of peak bellowing activity) were required to be 95% confident of a site-specific absence. Our study provides an approach for designing effective passive acoustic surveys for terrestrial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stiele V. Hagens
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Anthony R. Rendall
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Desley A. Whisson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
- * E-mail:
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10
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Frey R, Reby D, Fritsch G, Charlton BD. The remarkable vocal anatomy of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus): insights into low-frequency sound production in a marsupial species. J Anat 2018; 232:575-595. [PMID: 29460389 DOI: 10.1111/joa.12770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/05/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Koalas are characterised by a highly unusual vocal anatomy, with a descended larynx and velar vocal folds, allowing them to produce calls at disproportionately low frequencies. Here we use advanced imaging techniques, histological data, classical macroscopic dissection and behavioural observations to provide the first detailed description and interpretation of male and female koala vocal anatomy. We show that both males and females have an elongated pharynx and soft palate, resulting in a permanently descended larynx. In addition, the hyoid apparatus has a human-like configuration in which paired dorsal, resilient ligaments suspend the hyoid apparatus from the skull, while the ventral parts tightly connect to the descended larynx. We also show that koalas can retract the larynx down into the thoracic inlet, facilitated by a dramatic evolutionary transformation of the ventral neck muscles. First, the usual retractors of the larynx and the hyoid have their origins deep in the thorax. Secondly, three hyoid muscles have lost their connection to the hyoid skeleton. Thirdly, the genioglossus and geniohyoid muscles are greatly increased in length. Finally, the digastric, omohyoid and sternohyoid muscles, connected by a common tendinous intersection, form a guiding channel for the dynamic down-and-up movements of the ventral hyoid parts and the larynx. We suggest that these features evolved to accommodate the low resting position of the larynx and assist in its retraction during call production. We also confirm that the edges of the intra-pharyngeal ostium have specialised to form the novel, extra-laryngeal velar vocal folds, which are much larger than the true intra-laryngeal vocal folds in both sexes, but more developed and specialised for low frequency sound production in males than in females. Our findings illustrate that strong selection pressures on acoustic signalling not only lead to the specialisation of existing vocal organs but can also result in the evolution of novel vocal structures in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Frey
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - David Reby
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Guido Fritsch
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), Berlin, Germany
| | - Benjamin D Charlton
- Behavioural Ecology Research Group, Department of Biology, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK
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11
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Blumstein DT, Whitaker J, Kennen J, Bryant GA. Do birds differentiate between white noise and deterministic chaos? Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12702] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel T. Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of California Los Angeles CA USA
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Crested Butte CO USA
| | | | - Judith Kennen
- Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory Crested Butte CO USA
| | - Gregory A. Bryant
- Department of Communication Center for Behavior, Evolution, and Culture University of California Los Angeles CA USA
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Charlton BD, Watchorn DJ, Whisson DA. Subharmonics increase the auditory impact of female koala rejection calls. Ethology 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin D. Charlton
- School of Biology and Environmental Science; University College Dublin (UCD); Dublin Ireland
| | - Darcy J. Watchorn
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology; Deakin University; Geelong VIC Australia
| | - Desley A. Whisson
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Centre for Integrative Ecology; Deakin University; Geelong VIC Australia
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