Integrative Studies of a Model Learning System

摘要 PI：比彻提案编号：9632193 鸟鸣被广泛认为是研究学习的生物学基础的模型系统。 它提供了迄今为止脊椎动物自然学习的最好例子，与人类语言学习有许多惊人的相似之处。 此外，近年来许多关于歌曲学习的大脑机制的发现表明，这个模型系统可能揭示了大脑学习的一般过程。 我们建议使用现场和实验室研究来检查歌曲学习。 我们相信场的视角对于理解歌曲学习过程至关重要，因为 我们在野外发现的歌曲学习规则与从实验室研究中推断出的规则大不相同。 所提出的研究的第一个重要目标是解决和理解迄今为止的现场和实验室发现之间的差异，因为如果实验室研究过度人为并产生人为结果，则该模型系统用于神经生物学相关性研究的实用性将受到破坏。 这项工作的第二个目标是比较一个物种的定居种群（全年居住在同一地区）和迁徙种群（繁殖和越冬地相距甚远）的个体。 有各种各样的理由可以预测，这些种群的动物在学习歌曲和交流中使用歌曲方面会有很大的不同。 这些研究将使我们能够评估近缘生态差异和种群遗传差异在产生定居种群和迁徙种群之间的歌曲学习差异方面的相对贡献。 第三个目标是评估女性在男性歌曲发展中的作用。 在大多数北美鸣禽物种中，雌性鸣禽不唱歌，但有相当多的证据表明，它们可以强烈地影响雄性鸣禽特征的发育和繁殖。 工作的第四个目标是研究个人使用他们的声乐剧目在自然环境中的通信，和声乐剧目在自然环境中的通信的影响，以及个人之间的声乐剧目差异对他们的生存和一生的生殖成功的影响。

ABSTRACT PI: Beecher Proposal Numbers: 9632193 Bird song is widely recognized as a model system for nvestigations into the biological basis of learning. It provides the best example to date of natural learning in a vertebrate, with many striking parallels to human language learning. Moreover, in recent years many discoveries concerning the brain mechanisms underlying song learning have suggested that this model system may reveal much about the general processes of learning in the brain. We propose to use both field and laboratory studies to examine song learning. We believe that the field perspective is crucial for understanding the song learning process, because the rules of song learning we have discovered in the field turn out to be quite different from the rules that had been inferred from laboratory studies. The first important goal of the proposed studies is to resolve and understand the discrepancies between the field and laboratory findings to date, because the utility of this model system for study of neurobiological correlates will be undermined if the laboratory studies are unduly artificial and produce artifactual results. A second goal of the work is to compare individuals from sedentary populations (resident in the same area throughout the year) and migratory populations (breeding and wintering grounds widely separated) of a species. There are a variety of reasons for predicting that animals from these populations will be very different with respect to both song learning and song usage in communication. These studies will allow us to assess the relative contributions of proximate ecological differences aad population genetic differences in producing song learning differences between sedentary and migratory populations. A third goal is to evaluate the role of females in the development of male song. In most North American species of songbirds, females do not sing, but t here is considerable evidence that they can strongly influence both the development and phylogeny of male song traits. A fourth goal of the work is to examine individuals use of their vocal repertoire for communication in natural ontexts, and effects of vocal repertoire for communication in natural contexts, and the effects of vocal repertoire differences among individuals on their survival and lifetime reproductive success.