Functions of Acoustic Signal Interactions

在许多动物物种中，时间关系发生在 种群中相邻雄性的吸引雌性信号 密度超过临界值。 当信令涉及 使用声音，这些关系表现为各种格式 同步和交替。 格林菲尔德博士的研究 检查信号相互作用的自适应功能， 不同的歌唱昆虫，其中，表现出一系列的 同步和交替格式。 观察和实验将阐明四个中的哪一个 假设最能说明信号的各种形式 交互. 假设是：（1）相互作用增强 “物种识别”;即，邻近的雄性会为它们的歌声 以免掩盖雌性必须发出的 在向任何一个男性移动之前听到;（2）相互作用减少 天敌的攻击通过倾听 猎物吸引雌性的声音;（3）相互作用代表了 性广告的男性群体竞争的手段， （4）互相吸引雌性到群体附近; 相互作用是性选择的副产品， 每只雄性鸟都会调整它们发出声音的时间， 强烈吸引女性，同时，混淆 附近的男性的声音。 这个研究项目的结果可能会揭示 性选择在研究中没有被发现， 关于雌性如何在孤立的雄性中进行选择的研究， 不测量和控制时间信号相互作用。 因为 一些声音昆虫是农业害虫， 信号相互作用在女性吸引力中的作用可能是 有效控制和监测战略， 某些害虫种类

In many species of animals, temporal relationships occur between the female-attracting signals of adjacent males if population densities exceed critical levels. When signaling involves the use of sound, these relationships appear as various formats of synchrony and alternation. Dr. Greenfield's research will examine the adaptive functions of signal interactions in several different singing insects that, among them, exhibit a range of synchronous and alternating formats. Observations and experiments will elucidate which of four hypotheses best accounts for the various formats of signal interactions. The hypotheses are that (1) interactions enhance "species recognition"; i.e., neighboring males time their songs so as not to obscure species-specific sounds that females must hear before moving toward any one male; (2) interactions reduce attacks by natural enemies that find their prey by listening to the prey's female-attracting sounds; (3) interactions represent a means by which groups of sexually advertising males compete with one another to attract females to the group's vicinity; (4) interactions represent a by-product of sexual selection, wherein individual males time their sound signals so that they can most strongly attract females and, at the same time, obfuscate the sounds of neighboring males. The results of this research project may reveal subtle aspects of sexual selection that would remain undetected in studies focusing on how females choose among isolated males or in studies that do not measure and control temporal signal interactions. Because some acoustic insects are agricultural pests, information on the roles of signal interactions in female attraction may be pertinent to effective control and monitoring strategies for certain pest species.