Animal Behavior Exam 2; Lectures 10-11
Communication
78 Cards in this Set
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What is communication?
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the transmission of signals from a sender to a receivre
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What is a signal?
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something an animal produces that has evolved to carry a very specific message from the sender to another animal
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Do signals have other uses?
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evolved specifically for communication
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What are some things signals can be used for?
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foraging
mating
honesty
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What is probably true for honesty to happen?
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sender and receiver have a common interest
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When would dishonesty arise?
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when there is a conflict of interest between sender and receiver
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Is communication continuous or intermittent? Give an example
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it can be either continuous, like bird feathers; or intermittent, like a bird singing
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What can interfere with the signal?
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any interference with communication is called noise, it could be auditory or visual interference
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What is autocommunication?
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animals communicating with themselves, like the echolocation used by a bat
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How can we decipher the code of an animal signal?
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by watching the behavior of the target animal we can figure out what information the signal is sending
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What can be bad about 'public information'?
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other animals can 'eavesdrop' and misinterpret messages, thinking they are for themselves (female cowbirds responding to a male who has already mated with another female)
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What kind of receptor within an early cell is thought to be the precursor of communication?
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chemoreceptors within single cells
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What is co-option?
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evolutionary adoption of one trait for a different use
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What is the term for association of a meaning with a signal through evolution?
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ritualization
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If something is ritualized, could it be stereotypy?
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there is a high probability that a ritualized meaning will be stereotyp
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What is stereotypy?
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evolutionary reduction of variation in a signal; can be an important component of ritualized behavior in communication
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What is the term for the use of multiple signals with the same meaning?
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redundancy
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Is redundancy learned or genetic?
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more often genetics, but it can be either learned or genetic
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Is communication always auditory?
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no, different senses are involved in different modes of communication and which mode is used by a species is dependent on the environment, purpose, physical equipment for sending/receiving, and the context
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What kinds of signals are used?
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Umwelt is important, but anything an animal can perceive has the potential to evolve as a signal
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Can chemical signals be a mode of communication?
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yes, such as smell, but also 'testing' the air; could be the first form of communication to evolve
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What advantages are there to chemical communication? (6)
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works in the dark;
nothing to see or smell to be observed by others;
not impeded by obstacles;
doesn't take much energy to produce;
signal can linger or travel over time;
very specific, so not much noise (interference)
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Disadvantages of chemical communication? (3)
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can be slow, with air currents
hard to direct, dispersal pattern uncertain
not information dense - meant for simple signals
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What are pheromones?
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intraspecific chemical signals - they only work within a species
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What chemical structure do pheromones have?
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they have a carbon chain backbone
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Pheromones have 1 of 2 types of chemical structures, which one spreads and emits longer distances?
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volatile - small and less polar chemically
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Which type of pheromone is larger and more polar?
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persistent
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Which type of pheromone lasts longer and won't drift off? What is it used for?
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persistent is more permanent; used for marking territory or emitting a response
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What type of communication is signaled by a volatile pheromone?
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'ready to mate' doesn't last as long as persistent, and spreads rather than clinging
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What are tactile signals? Are they efficient?
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touching -very efficient, but serious drawbacks
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What are the major drawbacks of tactile signals?
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must be in close proximity
obstacles can be significant problems
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Are tactile signals used much?
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yes, major signals within many species to build bonds and affiliate with each other
can have negative connotations as well
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What are the benefits of tactile signals?
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no light required
can be used in silence
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What are the benefits of audible signals?
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work well in the dark
don't linger in the environment
not strongly impeded by obstacles
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What are the disadvantages of audible signals?
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very energy intensive
distance sound travels varies
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What can affect how far sound signals travel?
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obstacles
power used to transmit
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what factors can affect how quickly sound signals travel?
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density of medium
and so power used to transmit
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Define amplitude
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loudness or intensity of the sound
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define dissipation
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loss of intensity as sound travels
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define pitch
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tone of sound (frequency) - number of oscillations per unit of time
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Do low pitched or high pitched sounds carry better?
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low pitched sounds have a lot of energy and carry well
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What are high pitched sounds good for?
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echo-location - less energy
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Define reflection
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bouncing of sound waves off a dense surface
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What is an example of sound reflection?
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echoes are an example in the audible world
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define refraction
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wave does not bounce back but keeps going, but when it enters a different medium the frequency of the wave length changes and it is somewhat distorted
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What are sound production mechanisms?
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mechanisms that allow the pitch to be modulated so the sound can be different - regulates pitch and amplitude by altering the amount of energy invested
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What kind of sound structure can be added to a sound to increase volume?
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a resonant structure
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What is tymbal?
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the drum vibration sound often heard from cicadas
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What is stridulation?
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rubbing with scraper sound - pitch of sound depends on speed. created by rubbing body parts together
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50 What is an example of the sound production method of a vibrating membrane in airflow?
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pushing air through vocal cords; birds do this when they call
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What is one way that beavers and woodpeckers communicate?
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by hitting a substrate (with their tail or beak, for example)
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What is infrasound?
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energetic and low sounds humans normally can't hear
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advantages to infrasound communication?
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travels really well in soil and water
good for long distance because it does not dissipate
great for animals that travel long distances
contact signal can last 4-5 seconds and can travel many kilometers in soil
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disadvantages/things to consider about infrasound communication
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distance between sound waves is relatively long, so it takes a big receiver to sense infrasounds;
animal that senses these sounds must be quite bit
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2 examples of animals that use infrasound
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elephants
killer whales
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How do killer whale calls work?
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they are in pulses and often stereotype (very routine and standardized)
can be quite varied among groups and ages
killer whales must actually learn some of the non-stereotypes
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What is ultrasound communication?
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high frequency
short high wavelengths that require a miniature receiver
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advantages of ultrasound communication
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little energy required
dissipate rapidly, sometimes so quickly they may not even become a signal
useful for echolocation
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How is ultrasound received?
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often thin membranes that act as transducers
extra bones in ears that guide wavelengths toward receptor
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What are the 2 main contexts where ultrasound communication is found and the animals that use it
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1. social: murids and bats
2. echolocation
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advantages of echolocation
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requires little energy
short wavelengths are likely to bounce back which reduces confusion
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choruses: list 3 types of animals that use it
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used by frogs, insects, bird
males sing to attract mates
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Why do frogs, insects and bird males 'join' in a chorus?
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each male tries to be first
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Is a chorus known as an honest or dishonest signal?
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honest signal
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What is a disadvantage of a chorus?
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auditory confusion
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What alternate strategy for chorus signal is used by the household cricket?
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occasional advertisement calls
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What are 3 coping strategies for auditory 'noise'? (interference)
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produce sounds in limited range and have selective hearing
cocktail party effect - only hear info you care about
partition listening by time of day
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68 What about anthropogenic noise? (caused by humans)
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leads to a greater nervous system?
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What are advantages of visual signals? (4)
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works well in light without impediments
travels fast
inexpensive (energy wise)
don't linger
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What challenges does water pose to visual signaling?
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water absorbs light
water particularly absorbs red, yellow, and orange light
refraction makes interpretation difficult
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Name 3 categories of visual signals
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1. patterns or patterns with color on surface
2. movement
3. bioluminescence
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What is color produced by?
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pigments and structure
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Where are pigments most commonly found on an animal?
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on the surface
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Name 4 animal pigments - which is often dietary?
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1. pterins
2. quinones
3. melanins
4. carotenoids (often dietary)
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Is bioluminescence pigmentary? What colors are usually seen?
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not pigmentary
blue or green
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What makes some pigments florescent?
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absorbed by pigment and retransmitted
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What kind of structures produce pigment in animals?
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butterfly wings - iridescent
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Why is sky blue called Tyndall blue?
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John Tyndall answered the question "Why is the sky blue?" in 1850
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Animal Behavior; Exam 2