Basic Mechanisms and Evolution of Acoustic Communication

这个研究项目解决了一个普遍的问题，即对特定物种的叫声偏好的进化变化如何跟踪这些叫声特征的变化。这个问题是通过研究人工培育的多倍体树蛙来解决的，其中四倍体（两组额外的染色体）物种已经进化了多次。主要目的是确定人工产生的自三倍体（多一组染色体）和自四倍体的偏好是否与雄性多倍体的呼叫特征变化平行变化。平行变化将促进快速的物种形成，并表明这种通信系统的协调变化可能发生在所有经历多倍体物种形成的动物中，包括所有脊椎动物，其中有证据表明存在两个古老的染色体复制事件。此外，多倍体的一个显著后果是细胞大小的增加。人工产生的多倍体偏好的转变将对包括人类在内的所有脊椎动物的听力机制的研究产生重要影响，其中一些病理与细胞大小的变化有关。这项研究为参与该项目的本科生和研究生（包括目前入学的少数民族和妇女）提供了受教育的机会。这个实验室在科学期刊和非专业出版物上发表成果的记录很好。

This research project addresses the general question of how evolutionary changes in preferences for species-specific calls track changes in the characteristics of those calls. The question is addressed through studies of artificially produced polyploid treefrogs in a complex in which a tetraploid (two extra sets of chromosomes) species has evolved multiple times. The main aim is to determine if the preferences of artificially produced autotriploids (one extra set of chromosomes) and autotetraploids shift in parallel with changes in call characteristics in male polyploids. Parallel change would facilitate rapid speciation and indicate that such coordinated changes in communication systems may occur in all animals experiencing polyploid speciation, including all vertebrates, for which there is evidence of two ancient chromosome-duplication events. Furthermore, a significant consequence of polyploidy is an increase in cell size. A shift in the preferences of artificially produced polyploids would have important implications for studies of the mechanisms of hearing in all vertebrates, including humans, in which some pathologies are correlated with cell-size changes. This research affords educational opportunities for undergraduates and graduate students (including currently enrolled minorities and women) working on this project. This laboratory has a strong record of publishing results in scientific journals and lay publications.