Multi-Modal Communication: Signal Variation, Interaction Between Modes, and Relationship to Fitness Benefits

动物使用多种交流模式（例如，声音、视觉和/或化学线索）来识别自己物种的成员并将它们与其他物种区分开来。研究目标是了解多模态信号在无脊椎动物模型（蜘蛛）中的作用。由于无脊椎动物具有有限的行为库和很少的学习能力，蜘蛛的物种识别是天生的，基于简单的线索。因此，有可能对多模态信号的特定方面进行实验，并获得有关编码在其简单神经系统中的识别“程序”的见解。视频/音频数字化和回放实验将研究（男性）“接收者”产生的视觉和振动信号与它们传达给（女性）“接收者”的信息之间的关系。 此外，实地研究将确定环境如何影响不同信号模式的传输。 研究结果将有助于更好地了解动物交流的机制及其适应价值。这项研究还将有助于增加对生态重要但了解甚少的无脊椎动物捕食者的了解。此外，这项研究涉及训练学生使用强大的计算机辅助技术，该技术可应用于动物行为，神经生物学和其他领域（图像识别，人工智能）的各种研究问题。

Animals use multiple modes of communication (e.g., sounds, visual and/or chemical cues) to recognize members of their own species and discriminate them from others. The research goal is to understand the role of multi-modal signaling in an invertebrate animal model (spiders). As invertebrates have a limited behavioral repertoire and very little learning ability, species recognition in spiders is innate and based on simple cues. It is therefore possible to experiment with specific aspects of multi-modal signals, and gain insights about the recognition "program" encoded within their simple nervous system. Video / audio digitization and playback experiments will examine the relationship between visual and vibration signals produced by (male) "senders" and the information they convey to (female) "receivers". In addition, field studies will determine how theenvironment affects transmission of different signal modes. Results will allow a better understanding of mechanisms involved in animal communication, and their adaptive value. The research will also contribute to growing knowledge about ecologically important but poorly-understood invertebrate predators. Additionally, this research involves training students in the use of a powerful computer-assisted technique that could be applied to a variety of research questions in animal behavior, neurobiology and other fields (image recognition, artificial intelligence).