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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 (textbook).

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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 (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)

  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 What is information? Smith (1995) – Information is that which makes the world more predictable

  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. 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)

  11. 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

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

  13. 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

  14. Venues of animal communication - Species recognition:

  15. How have signals evolved? • - Costs  Signals often have to be costly to evolve • - What’s available  evolutionary ‘inertia’ predisposes insects to chemical signaling • Physical environment  physics of signal formation/propagation can dictate • properties of the signal • e.g., forests select for lower frequency, pure tones compared to grasslands - Spatial and temporal domain  Consider the following: Chemical, visual, vocal? Territoriality – long or short-term? Meerkats use scent marking, songbirds use song, lions use both Chemical, visual, vocal? Anti-pursuit signal – long or short-term? Antelopes use stotting, deer tail flag, birds use alarm calls

  16. How have signals evolved? Chemical auditory visual tactile Rangelong long med short Rate of changevariable fast fast fast Move past Obstaclesgood good poor poor Locatabilityvariable med high high Energetic costlow high low low

  17. Signals appear to be inexplicably bizarre - Why do monkeys grin as a signal of fear and appeasement? - It is similar to the reflex response to protect the vulnerable parts of the face - intention movements - motivational conflict - autonomic processes

  18. How have signals evolved – RITUALIZATIONrefinement of an initially inadvertent cue into a true signal

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