Sound Fields and Mate Choice

9723521 Bradbury 许多动物发声系统的自适应设计受到增加呼叫幅度的选择以及将这些声音有效地投射到预期接收者方向的强烈影响。在某些系统中，特定的结构对体积和方向性都有深远的影响。 一种这样的结构，在许多不同的脊椎动物群体的发声系统中作为附属器官出现，是充气气囊。虽然这种适应显然是这些系统的一个重要特征，但人们对气囊如何影响音量和方向性知之甚少。 利用新开发的多轨录音技术，本研究将重点关注几种斑纹松鸡，以阐明显示叫声幅度、叫声方向性以及声囊形状和数量之间的关系。我们之所以选择松鸡，是因为不同物种的气囊位置和运作存在着有趣的差异。 有些松鸡有成对的外部气囊。初步证据表明，雄性鼠尾草松鸡可能会利用它们的两个囊系统将其交配表演的某些部分发送给雌性，而不管雄性的相对方向如何。 这些数据还将用于重新检查振幅在雌性鼠尾松鸡择偶中的作用。 鼠尾草 leks 是研究最深入的系统之一，其中雌性仅根据雄性表型选择配偶。 呼叫幅度是唯一仍然无法正确测量的参数。 我们现在有办法进行这些测量并完成分析。 我们希望这项比较研究能够生成可应用于其他群体声带功能的模型，更广泛地有助于我们理解振幅和方向性在女性选择偏差交配系统中的重要性。

9723521 Bradbury The adaptive design of many animal sound production systems is strongly influenced by selection for increased call amplitude and efficient projection of those sounds in the direction of intended recipients. In some systems, specific structures have profound effects on both volume and directionality. One such structure which appears as an accessory organ in the sound production systems of many diverse vertebrate groups is an inflatable air sac. While this adaptation is clearly an important feature of these systems, very little is known about how air sacs affect sound volume and directionality. Using newly developed multitrack recording techniques, this study will focus on several species of lekking grouse to clarify the relationship between display call amplitude, the directionality of the call, and the shape and number of vocal sacs. We have chosen grouse because of the degree of interesting variations in air sac position and operation in the different species. Some grouse have paired external air sacs. Preliminary evidence suggests that sage grouse males may use their two-sac system to beam certain components of their mating displays toward females regardless of the males' relative orientation. These data will also be used to re-examine the role of amplitude in mate choice of female sage grouse. Sage grouse leks are one of the best studied systems in which females choose mates solely on the basis of male phenotype; call amplitude is the only parameter which has remained resistant to proper measurement. We now have the means to make these measurements and complete the analysis. Our hope is that this comparative study will generate models that can be applied to vocal sac function in other groups and, more broadly, contribute to our understanding of the importance of amplitude and directionality in female choice biased mating systems.