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ANIMAL COMMUNICATION and INFORMATION

ANIMAL COMMUNICATION and INFORMATION TRANSFER . COMMUNICATION – some definitions…. - Transfer of information from a signaler to a receiver (textbooks).

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ANIMAL COMMUNICATION and INFORMATION

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  1. ANIMAL COMMUNICATION and INFORMATION TRANSFER

  2. COMMUNICATION – some definitions…. - Transfer of information from a signaler to a receiver (textbooks) • Actors use specifically designed signals or displays to modify • the behavior of reactors (Krebs and Davies 1987) • Not necessarily through visible means, e.g., female’s ovaries, territoriality • The provision of information that can be utilized by a receiver • to make a decision (Bradbury and Vehrencamp 1998)

  3. COMMUNICATION – some definitions…. - Transfer of information from a signaler to a receiver (textbook) • Actors use specifically designed signals or displays to modify • the behavior of reactors (Krebs and Davies 1987) • Not necessarily through visible means, e.g., female’s ovaries, territoriality • The provision of information that can be utilized by a receiver • to make a decision (Bradbury and Vehrencamp 1998)

  4. Actors use specifically designed signals or displays to modify • the behavior of reactors (Krebs and Davies 1987) • Not necessarily through visible means, e.g., female’s ovaries, territoriality COMMUNICATION – some definitions…. - Transfer of information from a signaler to a receiver (textbook) • The provision of information that can be utilized by a receiver • to make a decision (Bradbury and Vehrencamp 1998)

  5. Transfer of information from a signaler to a receiver … an abstract property of events and entities that makes their characteristics predictable to individuals……(It) enables …individuals to make choices, to select their activities…appropriately for their needs and opportunities (Smith 1977:193).

  6. INFO Signaler Receiver (‘intended’) (sender) (recipient)

  7. Non-signals • - Hoof beats of prey • Rattle of a rattlesnake • Observing another’s • choice of mate • Seeing a dead animal • Call of a predator INFO INFO Signaler Receiver (‘intended’) (sender) (recipient)

  8. Eavesdropper Non-signals INFO INFO INFO Recipient - Eavesdropper SOCIAL EAVESDROPPER INFO }DYAD Signaler Receiver (‘intended’) (sender) (recipient) INTERCEPTIVE

  9. HONESTY and Signals Change a receiver’s behavior in a way that benefits the signaler (Krebs and Dawkins) HANDICAP PRINCIPLE (Zahavi) – signals are honest b/c they are costly Signals are ‘reliable on average’, i.e., it pays more, on average, to ‘trust’ the signal than to ignore it This sets up several situations which may not be reliable: • Mistakes are made • Random variation in the relationship between signal and information • Deception – signaler gives a signal for ‘X’ when X does not exist, but • where receiver’s response to X benefits the signaler - alarm calls, mimicry (e.g. fireflies)

  10. Alarm calls and deception Forked-tail drongo So. Pied Babbler

  11. Fish added to tank: TauP2, a useful metric tauP2 smaller EOD male, strong enhancement 0.1 ms amplitude male w/ larger EOD, no enhancement 24 h duration of 2nd phase time constant = tauP2 Signals as Vehicles of Information Auditory/vocal Olfaction (chemical) Electrical Visual Mechanical (touch, vibration) • air (mammals and birds) • (water, air, land) aquatic spp and inverts • water (fish)

  12. Signals as Vehicles of Information Auditory/vocal Olfaction (chemical) Electrical Visual Mechanical (touch, vibration) • air (mammals and birds) • (water and land) aquatic spp and inverts • water (fish) • many • insects http://homepages.ius.edu/RHUNT01/research/Graminella.htm

  13. Venues of animal communication - Play - Foraging – communication in information centers, honeybees, leafcutter ants

  14. Venues of animal communication - Play - Foraging – communication in information centers, honeybees, leafcutter ants - Mating – Water striders via water ripples (spp recognition & mate choice?) – Electric organ discharges (EODs); signal rank in fish, poss. MC - Aggression – Badges of status (long-lived in sparrows, transient in salmon); — signal defeat, reconciliation (primates) - Predation — Stotting, tail flagging

  15. Venues of animal communication - Species recognition:

  16. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTR21os8gTA

  17. Mobbing (pursuit deterrent; drive pred away) Alarm (Prior to or during attack) For pred + -/0 Detectability For prey + + For pred - + Localizability For prey + 0/+ Broad-band raspy sounds High see Avian Vocalizations – calls: alarm, mobbing, distress Table of Selective Pressures

  18. Convergence among raptor alarm calls • Response to similar selective pressures to reduce detectability and localizability

  19. Traits to minimize detectability: - Low amplitude e.g., BCCH alarm = 55dB; mobbing = 60- 65dB - Outside the auditory sensitivity of predator

  20. INFO Recipient - Eavesdropper Alarm calls and Eavesdropping INFO Signaler Receiver (‘intended’) (sender) (recipient) Tufted Titmouse INTERCEPTIVE Templeton et al. Hetrick and Sieving

  21. Templeton et al Science 308:1934-1937 4.5 Saw-whet owl 4.0 Pygmy owl Cooper’s 3.5 Merlin 3.0 Peregrine Kestrel Number of D notes per call 2.5 Red-tail hawk Great-horned owl Short-eared owl Prairie 2.0 Gyrfalcon Great gray owl Bobwhite quail 1.5 Rough-legged hawk 1.0 Predator body weight Chickadee mobbing calls are referential to aspects of predation risk i.e., more D-notes signals smaller predator, greater risk

  22. CACH response to ETTI calls in response to predator ETTI calls in response to predator type

  23. INFO Recipient - Eavesdropper Alarm calls and Eavesdropping INFO Signaler Receiver (‘intended’) (sender) (recipient) Tufted Titmouse INTERCEPTIVE Templeton et al. Hetrick and Sieving

  24. INFO Recipient - Eavesdropper Alarm calls and Eavesdropping INFO Signaler Receiver (‘intended’) (sender) (recipient) Tufted Titmouse INTERCEPTIVE

  25. ____ F e __ F e P F e QHR = P + MOC + C Harvest rate Metabolic cost Predation cost Missed opportunity cost

  26. DIRECT INFORMATION INDIRECT INFORMATION Hawk call ‘Happy’ Titmice Results 198 b 170 ab Giving-up density (mean rank) a a a 142 114 hawk see control contact mobbing - hi Treatment

  27. A variety of Sciurid rodents also have different alarm calls – but they signal urgency and are not referential to the type of predator Vervet monkey: leopard, snake, eagle Diana’s monkey: leopard, eagle Hornbills: leopard, eagle Heterospecific Eavesdropping (information transfer)

  28. All calls Predator specific calls

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