DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Development and learning of mating signals and preferences

在许多动物中，雄性进化出了复杂的特征或行为，它们在求偶过程中使用，并由雌性在选择配偶时进行评估。一个这样的例子是鸟鸣；雄性唱歌是为了吸引配偶，而雌性倾听并似乎更喜欢唱某些类型歌曲的雄性。这个项目考察了男性歌唱表演的发展和女性对男性歌曲的偏好。与男性一起工作的问题是，早年的社会和环境经历如何影响歌曲的发展。从自然种群捕获的年轻雄性沼泽麻雀(Melospiza Georgiana)将在正常和营养困难的条件下饲养，并用音节重复率(颤音率)高于正常水平的歌曲进行训练。这些模型是为了测试年轻男性的发声能力而设计的。歌曲学习的模式将揭示养育环境如何塑造歌曲结构，从而可靠地指示男性的发育历史和遗传素质。与女性一起工作询问对某些类型歌曲的偏好是如何发展的，特别是在学习方面，与对高性能歌曲的固有偏见相比。年轻的雌性沼泽麻雀将在实验室中饲养，接触雄性歌曲，并向他们展示成年雌性在其中一些歌曲中进行交配展示的视频图像。先前的研究表明，作为这种饲养方法的结果，被抚养的雌性学习产生自己的显示器。然后，年轻的雌性将被测试歌曲质量和养育经验在她们的配偶偏好发展中的相对作用。这个项目将对在通信信号的产生和感知的发展过程中经验和学习的重要性提供新的见解。该项目包括本科生和高中生的广泛培训和参与。

In many animals, males have evolved elaborate traits or behaviors that they use during courtship, and which are assessed by females as they choose mates. One such example is birdsong; males sing to attract mates, and females listen and seem to prefer males who sing certain kinds of songs. This project examines the development of both male singing performance and female preferences for male songs. Work with males asks how social and environmental experiences early in life influence song development. Young male swamp sparrows (Melospiza georgiana) captured from a natural population will be raised under both normal and nutritionally challenged conditions, and trained with songs in which rates of syllable repetition (trill rate) are enhanced above normal levels. These models are designed to test young males' vocal proficiency. Patterns of song learning will reveal how rearing environment shapes song structure, and thus reliably indicate male developmental history and genetic quality. Work with females asks how preferences for certain types of song develop, specifically with respect to learning as compared to inherent biases for high-performance songs. Young female swamp sparrows will be reared in the laboratory, exposed to male songs, and presented with video images of adult females giving mating displays to some of these songs. Prior work indicates that reared females learn to produce their own displays as a result this rearing methodology. Young females will then be tested for the relative roles of song quality and rearing experience in the development of their mate preferences. This project will provide new insights into the importance of experience and learning during the development of communication signals, both in their production and perception. This project includes extensive training and participation of undergraduate and high-school students.