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Desai NP, Fedurek P, Slocombe KE, Wilson ML. Chimpanzee pant-hoots encode individual information more reliably than group differences. Am J Primatol 2022; 84:e23430. [PMID: 36093564 PMCID: PMC9786991 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Vocal learning, the ability to modify the acoustic structure of vocalizations based on social experience, is a fundamental feature of speech in humans (Homo sapiens). While vocal learning is common in taxa such as songbirds and whales, the vocal learning capacities of nonhuman primates appear more limited. Intriguingly, evidence for vocal learning has been reported in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), for example, in the form of regional variation ("dialects") in the "pant-hoot" calls. This suggests that some capacity for vocal learning may be an ancient feature of the Pan-Homo clade. Nonetheless, reported differences have been subtle, with intercommunity variation representing only a small portion of the total acoustic variation. To gain further insights into the extent of regional variation in chimpanzee vocalizations, we performed an analysis of pant-hoots from chimpanzees in the neighboring Kasekela and Mitumba communities at Gombe National Park, Tanzania, and the geographically distant Kanyawara community at Kibale National Park, Uganda. We did not find any statistically significant differences between the neighboring communities at Gombe or among geographically distant communities. Furthermore, we found differences among individuals in all communities. Hence, the variation in chimpanzee pant-hoots reflected individual differences, rather than group differences. Thus, we did not find evidence of dialects in this population, suggesting that extensive vocal learning emerged only after the lineages of Homo and Pan diverged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisarg P. Desai
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA
| | - Pawel Fedurek
- Division of Psychology, Faculty of Natural SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | | | - Michael L. Wilson
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisMinnesotaUSA,Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA,Institute on the EnvironmentUniversity of MinnesotaSt. PaulMinnesotaUSA
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2
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Epp MV, Fournet MEH, Silber GK, Davoren GK. Allopatric humpback whales of differing generations share call types between foraging and wintering grounds. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16297. [PMID: 34381109 PMCID: PMC8357822 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95601-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are a cosmopolitan baleen whale species with geographically isolated lineages. Despite last sharing an ancestor ~ 2-3 million years ago, Atlantic and Pacific foraging populations share five call types. Whether these call types are also shared between allopatric breeding and foraging populations is unclear, but would provide further evidence that some call types are ubiquitous and fixed. We investigated whether these five call types were present on a contemporary foraging ground (Newfoundland, 2015-2016) and a historic breeding ground (Hawaii, 1981-1982). Calls were classified using aural/visual (AV) characteristics; 16 relevant acoustic variables were measured and a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to examine within-call and between-population variation. To assess whether between-population variation influenced classification, all 16 variables were included in classification and regression tree (CART) and random forest analyses (RF). All five call types were identified in both populations. Between-population variation in combined acoustic variables (PC1, PC2, PC3) was lower within call types than among call types, and high agreement between AV and quantitative classification (CART: 83% agreement; RF: 77% agreement) suggested that acoustic characteristics were more similar within than among call types. Findings indicate that these five call types are shared across allopatric populations, generations, and behavioural contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikala V Epp
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada.
| | - Michelle E H Fournet
- K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
- Sound Science Research Collective, Juneau, AK, USA
| | | | - Gail K Davoren
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2, Canada
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3
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Mercado E, Perazio CE. All units are equal in humpback whale songs, but some are more equal than others. Anim Cogn 2021; 25:149-177. [PMID: 34363127 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-021-01539-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Flexible production and perception of vocalizations is linked to an impressive array of cognitive capacities including language acquisition by humans, song learning by birds, biosonar in bats, and vocal imitation by cetaceans. Here, we characterize a portion of the repertoire of one of the most impressive vocalizers in nature: the humpback whale. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of sounds (units) produced by humpback whales revealed that singers gradually morphed streams of units along multiple acoustic dimensions within songs, maintaining the continuity of spectral content across subjectively dissimilar unit "types." Singers consistently produced some unit forms more frequently and intensely than others, suggesting that units are functionally heterogeneous. The precision with which singing humpback whales continuously adjusted the acoustic characteristics of units shows that they possess exquisite vocal control mechanisms and vocal flexibility beyond what is seen in most animals other than humans. The gradual morphing of units within songs that we observed is inconsistent with past claims that humpback whales construct songs from a fixed repertoire of discrete unit types. These findings challenge the results of past studies based on fixed-unit classification methods and argue for the development of new metrics for characterizing the graded structure of units. The specific vocal variations that singers produced suggest that humpback whale songs are unlikely to provide detailed information about a singer's reproductive fitness, but can reveal the precise locations and movements of singers from long distances and may enhance the effectiveness of units as sonar signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Mercado
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Park Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA.
| | - Christina E Perazio
- Department of Psychology, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Park Hall, Buffalo, NY, 14260, USA.,School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, University of New England, Biddeford, ME, USA
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Schall E, Roca I, Van Opzeeland I. Acoustic metrics to assess humpback whale song unit structure from the Atlantic sector of the Southern ocean. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2021; 149:4649. [PMID: 34241469 DOI: 10.1121/10.0005315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/28/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Acoustic metrics (AMs) aggregate the acoustic information of a complex signal into a unique number, assisting our interpretation of acoustic environments and providing a rapid and intuitive solution to analyze large passive acoustic datasets. Manual identification and characterization of intraspecific call trait variation has been largely used in a variety of sonic taxa. However, it is time consuming, relatively subjective, and measurements can suffer from low replicability. This study assesses the potential of using a combination of standardized and automatically computed AMs to train a supervised classification model, as an alternative to discrimination protocols and manual measurements to categorize humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) song units from the Southern Ocean. Our random forest model successfully discriminated between the 12 humpback whale unit types (UT), achieving an average classification accuracy of 84%. UTs were further described and discussed in the context of the hierarchical structure of humpback whale song in the Southern Ocean. We show that accurate discriminant models based on relevant AM combinations provide an interesting automated solution to use for simple, rapid, and highly reproducible identification and comparison of vocalization types in humpback whale populations, with the potential to be applied to both aquatic and terrestrial contexts, on other vocal species, and over different acoustic scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Schall
- Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Klußmannstraße 3d, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Irene Roca
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity, Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg, Ammerländer Heerstraße 231, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Ilse Van Opzeeland
- Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Klußmannstraße 3d, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
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Cusano DA, Indeck KL, Noad MJ, Dunlop RA. Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) social call production reflects both motivational state and arousal. BIOACOUSTICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/09524622.2020.1858450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dana A. Cusano
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia
| | - Katherine L. Indeck
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia
| | - Michael J. Noad
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia
| | - Rebecca A. Dunlop
- Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Australia
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Davis GE, Baumgartner MF, Corkeron PJ, Bell J, Berchok C, Bonnell JM, Bort Thornton J, Brault S, Buchanan GA, Cholewiak DM, Clark CW, Delarue J, Hatch LT, Klinck H, Kraus SD, Martin B, Mellinger DK, Moors‐Murphy H, Nieukirk S, Nowacek DP, Parks SE, Parry D, Pegg N, Read AJ, Rice AN, Risch D, Scott A, Soldevilla MS, Stafford KM, Stanistreet JE, Summers E, Todd S, Van Parijs SM. Exploring movement patterns and changing distributions of baleen whales in the western North Atlantic using a decade of passive acoustic data. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2020; 26:4812-4840. [PMID: 32450009 PMCID: PMC7496396 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Six baleen whale species are found in the temperate western North Atlantic Ocean, with limited information existing on the distribution and movement patterns for most. There is mounting evidence of distributional shifts in many species, including marine mammals, likely because of climate-driven changes in ocean temperature and circulation. Previous acoustic studies examined the occurrence of minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and North Atlantic right whales (NARW; Eubalaena glacialis). This study assesses the acoustic presence of humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae), sei (B. borealis), fin (B. physalus), and blue whales (B. musculus) over a decade, based on daily detections of their vocalizations. Data collected from 2004 to 2014 on 281 bottom-mounted recorders, totaling 35,033 days, were processed using automated detection software and screened for each species' presence. A published study on NARW acoustics revealed significant changes in occurrence patterns between the periods of 2004-2010 and 2011-2014; therefore, these same time periods were examined here. All four species were present from the Southeast United States to Greenland; humpback whales were also present in the Caribbean. All species occurred throughout all regions in the winter, suggesting that baleen whales are widely distributed during these months. Each of the species showed significant changes in acoustic occurrence after 2010. Similar to NARWs, sei whales had higher acoustic occurrence in mid-Atlantic regions after 2010. Fin, blue, and sei whales were more frequently detected in the northern latitudes of the study area after 2010. Despite this general northward shift, all four species were detected less on the Scotian Shelf area after 2010, matching documented shifts in prey availability in this region. A decade of acoustic observations have shown important distributional changes over the range of baleen whales, mirroring known climatic shifts and identifying new habitats that will require further protection from anthropogenic threats like fixed fishing gear, shipping, and noise pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve E. Davis
- NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science CenterWoods HoleMAUSA
- University of Massachusetts BostonBostonMAUSA
| | | | | | - Joel Bell
- Naval Facilities Engineering Command AtlanticNorfolkVAUSA
| | | | - Julianne M. Bonnell
- Integrated Statistics, Under contract to the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science CenterWoods HoleMAUSA
| | | | | | | | | | - Christopher W. Clark
- Center for Conservation BioacousticsCornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | | | - Leila T. Hatch
- NOAA Stellwagen Bank National Marine SanctuaryScituateMAUSA
| | - Holger Klinck
- Center for Conservation BioacousticsCornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - Scott D. Kraus
- Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean LifeNew England AquariumBostonMAUSA
| | | | - David K. Mellinger
- Oregon State University and NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental LaboratoryNewportORUSA
| | - Hilary Moors‐Murphy
- Fisheries and Oceans CanadaBedford Institute of OceanographyDartmouthNSCanada
| | - Sharon Nieukirk
- Oregon State University and NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental LaboratoryNewportORUSA
| | - Douglas P. Nowacek
- Nicholas School of the EnvironmentDuke University Marine LaboratoryBeaufortNCUSA
- Pratt School of EngineeringDuke UniversityDurhamNCUSA
| | | | - Dawn Parry
- Center for Conservation BioacousticsCornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - Nicole Pegg
- Integrated Statistics, Under contract to the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science CenterWoods HoleMAUSA
| | - Andrew J. Read
- Nicholas School of the EnvironmentDuke University Marine LaboratoryBeaufortNCUSA
| | - Aaron N. Rice
- Center for Conservation BioacousticsCornell Lab of OrnithologyCornell UniversityIthacaNYUSA
| | - Denise Risch
- The Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS)ObanUK
| | - Alyssa Scott
- Integrated Statistics, Under contract to the NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science CenterWoods HoleMAUSA
| | | | | | - Joy E. Stanistreet
- Fisheries and Oceans CanadaBedford Institute of OceanographyDartmouthNSCanada
| | - Erin Summers
- Maine Department of Marine ResourcesWest Boothbay HarborMEUSA
| | - Sean Todd
- Allied WhaleCollege of the AtlanticBar HarborMEUSA
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