Next-generation acoustic recorders for studies of animal communication, vocal learning, and cultural evolution

数字声学技术的最新发展催生了能够在全天候野外条件下长时间部署的野外便携式记录仪。在这份提案中，我请求NSERC RTI支持下一代自主数字记录器，我将与一个庞大而多样化的学生和合作者团队一起使用它来研究野生鸟类的发声学习和文化进化。 只有八组动物，包括人类和鸣禽，幼小的动物通过听成年人说话来学习发声。文化遗传的发声特征在动物的生存和交配中起着至关重要的作用。与一组学生和博士后研究人员一起，我将使用所要求的数字记录器，在两个研究系统中研究发声学习：温带麻雀，雄性用歌声保卫领地并吸引配偶；热带燕鸥，雄性和雌性在不同的背景下使用独唱和协调的二重唱。在使用我们最近开发的实验方法向幼鸟传授新颖的歌曲后，我们将使用所要求的数字记录器在广泛的地理和时间尺度上进行长期的声学监测，以评估发声学习的生态和进化后果。 下一代数字录音机将允许我们通过一系列三个项目来测试关于声乐学习和动物文化的新假设。在项目A中，对于温带鸟类，所要求的设备将使我们能够测试以下假设：(1)物理导师的存在增强了发声学习，(2)幼鸟根据暴露的频率学习歌曲，以及(3)幼鸟通过拒绝次佳的歌曲来改进它们的发声学习。在项目B中，关于热带鸟类的二重奏，我们将检验以下假设：(1)热带鸟类的学习是性别特有的，(2)二重唱有助于发声学习，(3)鸟类从附近的动物那里学习二重唱行为。最后，在项目C中，我们将通过记录声音在时间和空间上的变化模式来研究这两个研究系统中的文化进化。由于检验这些假设所需的大量录音，以及需要声学采样的大量地点，如果没有所需的设备，这些项目都不可能实现。 这项研究将为动物的行为、生态和进化提供开创性的见解，并将回答关于发声学习和动物文化的新问题。这项研究还将使我能够培训许多不同的加拿大科学家，并进一步开发研究野生动物的创新记录技术；我团队中的许多以前的HQP现在利用他们在自动记录器方面的经验为政府和非政府机构工作。我的实验室被广泛认为是研究野生动物的新方法的先驱来源，所要求的下一代记录仪对我的研究团队继续这项创新至关重要。

Recent developments in digital acoustic technology have given rise to field-portable recorders capable of long deployments in all-weather field conditions. In this proposal, I request NSERC RTI support for next-generation autonomous digital recorders that I will use with a large and diverse team of students and collaborators to study vocal learning and cultural evolution in wild birds. In only eight groups of animals, including humans and songbirds, young animals learn to vocalize by listening to adults. Culturally inherited vocal traits play a vital role in animal survival and mating. With a team of students and postdoctoral researchers, I will use the requested digital recorders to study vocal learning in two study systems: temperate sparrows where males use songs to defend territories and attract mates; and tropical wrens where both sexes use solo songs and coordinated vocal duets in diverse contexts. After teaching novel songs to young birds using our recently developed experimental approach, we will use the requested digital recorders to conduct long-term acoustic monitoring, at broad geographic and temporal scales, to assess the ecological and evolutionary consequences of vocal learning. The next-generation digital recorders will allow us to test new hypotheses about vocal learning and animal culture, through a series of three projects. In Project A, on temperate birds, the requested equipment will allow us to test the hypotheses that (1) the presence of a physical tutor enhances vocal learning, (2) young birds learn songs based on frequency of exposure, and (3) young birds refine their vocal learning by rejecting suboptimal songs. In Project B, on duetting tropical birds, we will test the hypotheses that (1) learning is sex-specific in tropical birds, (2) duets facilitate vocal learning, and (3) birds learn duetting behaviour from nearby animals. Finally, in Project C, we will study cultural evolution in both study systems by documenting patterns of acoustic changes through time and space. Due to the high number of recordings needed to test these hypotheses, and the large number of locations where acoustic sampling is necessary, none of these projects are possible without the requested equipment. This body of research will provide ground-breaking insights into the behaviour, ecology, and evolution of animals, and will answer novel questions about vocal learning and animal culture. This research will also allow me to train many diverse Canadian scientists and further develop innovative recording technologies for studying wild animals; many previous HQP from my team now use their experience with automated recorders to work for government and non-government agencies. My laboratory is widely recognized as a pioneering source of novel methods for studying wild animals, and the requested next-generation recorders are vital for my research team to continue this innovation.