DISSERTATION RESEARCH: The Role of Acoustic Signals in Chorus Formation in Treefrogs

声音信号被许多动物用来在同性和异性之间进行交流。本研究的重点是用于吸引配偶的声音信号如何影响雄性鸣叫的聚集和间隔。树蛙系统是一个理想的模型系统，因为只有雄性发出远距离的声音，这引起雌性的趋声性和其他雄性的趋声性和声音反应。此外，关于这种交流的进化意义和潜在的听觉机制已经有了很多知识。这些实验将验证这样一种观点，即一小群雄性的叫声（通过播放扬声器的录音来模拟）可以影响合唱的开始和合唱的位置，合唱是一大群雄性的叫声。进一步的测试将评估信号质量对一般合唱区域内鸣叫的雄性聚集位置的影响。这一结果与关于聚集展示的原因和后果的一般假设有关，这是动物中常见的现象。例如，如果回放加速了合唱的开始，并且（对雌性）有吸引力的叫声而不是没有吸引力的叫声会影响合唱中聚集的位置，那么具有特别吸引的信号的雄性是合唱形成的焦点的假设将得到支持。如果合唱的开始不受回放的影响，并且吸引和不吸引的信号在影响位置上是相等的，那么吸引女性的有利位置是合唱形成的焦点的假设。这些问题将在三个不同的物种中解决，以概括结果并了解不同的环境因素是否也可能影响合唱的形成。更广泛的影响：这项研究将有助于增加动物交流的知识，并进一步促进在波多黎各接受本科教育的西班牙裔学生的研究生教育。他的本科训练缺乏设计和进行实验的机会，以解决广泛的理论研究问题。一些本科生，其中一些来自代表性不足的群体，将帮助研究生。

Acoustic signals are used by many kinds of animals to communicate between members of the same and opposite gender. This research focuses on how acoustic signals used for mate attraction might influence the aggregation and spacing of calling males. The treefrog system is an ideal model system because only males produce long-range sounds, which elicit phonotaxis in females and phonotaxis and vocal responses in other males. Furthermore, much knowledge is already available about the evolutionary significance of this communication and the underlying auditory mechanisms. The experiments will test the idea that calling by a small group of males (simulated by playbacks of recorded calls from speakers) can influence the onset of chorusing and the location of choruses, which are large groups of calling males. Further tests will assess the effects of signal quality on the location of aggregations of calling males within the general chorusing area. The results bear on general hypotheses about the causes and consequences of aggregated displaying, which is a common phenomenon in animals. For example, if playbacks accelerate the onset of chorusing and attractive (to females) rather than unattractive calls influence the location of aggregations within choruses, the hypothesis that males with especially attractive signals are focal points for chorus formation will be supported. If chorus onset is not influenced by playbacks and unattractive and attractive signals are equivalent in influencing location, the hypothesis that favorable locations for attracting females are focal points for chorus formation. These questions will be addressed in three different species in order to generalize the results and to learn if different environmental factors might also influence chorus formation. Broader Impacts: This research will serve to increase knowledge of animal communication and to further the graduate education of a Hispanic student whose undergraduate education occurred in Puerto Rico. His undergraduate training lacked an opportunity for designing and conducting experiments that address broad theoretically informed research questions. Several undergraduates some of will be from under represented groups will assist the graduate student.