Revisiting the ontogeny of vocal learning in birds: from neuron to fitness

重新审视鸟类声音学习的个体发育：从神经元到健身

• 批准号: DP180101207
• 负责人: Prof Katherine Buchanan
• 金额: $ 27.45万
• 依托单位: Deakin University
• 依托单位国家: 澳大利亚
• 项目类别: Discovery Projects
• 财政年份: 2018
• 资助国家: 澳大利亚
• 起止时间: 2018-01-01 至 2022-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://dataportal.arc.gov.au/RGS/Web/Grants/DP180101207
• 关键词: Revisiting; ontogeny; vocal; learning; birds

This project aims to test the hypothesis that acoustic exposure prior to hatching directly affects gene expression, neural development, behaviour and consequently fitness, in wild populations of songbirds. Recent research suggests that animals are receptive to acoustic parental signals long before birth and may use such previously unrecognised signals to make adaptive developmental decisions. This project will quantify the effect on neural development and vocal learning in embryonic birds, employing a model songbird species. The outcomes of this study will transform our understanding of the adaptive potential of prenatal vocal learning, which will have significant benefits for human speech and language development.

该项目旨在检验这样的假设：孵化前的声暴露直接影响野生鸣禽种群的基因表达、神经发育、行为以及健康状况。最近的研究表明，动物在出生前很久就可以接受父母的声音信号，并可能利用这些以前未被识别的信号来做出适应性的发育决策。该项目将采用鸣禽模型来量化对胚胎鸟类神经发育和声音学习的影响。这项研究的结果将改变我们对产前声音学习适应性潜力的理解，这将对人类言语和语言发展产生重大益处。