Culture in whales

人类的行为和人口在很大程度上是由文化塑造的：个人从彼此身上学习到的信息或行为。然而，对于其他物种，尤其是鲸鱼和海豚，文化是必不可少的。我研究的主要目的是了解文化在鲸鱼中的作用。我主要研究的物种是抹香鲸，这是一种母系的、生活在世界各地的极端生物。雌性抹香鲸是文化氏族的成员，有成千上万的成员，跨越数千公里，即使在同一水域，也有独特的声音方言和行为。氏族受厄尔尼诺现象的影响不同，受全球变暖的影响也不同，繁殖速度也不同，这都是因为它们从氏族其他成员那里学到了不同的行为。我们使用一艘12米长的远洋帆船，以及鲸鱼观察和其他船只来研究鲸鱼的养殖。在墨西哥科尔特斯海的一个项目中，我们将测量雌性抹香鲸的身体行为，并记录它们社会单位的社会声音。然后，我们将使用我开发的一种新的统计技术，将这种行为的可变性分摊到遗传、生态和文化原因上，从而量化文化对该物种行为的影响。在西印度群岛正在进行的一项研究中，我的学生在单个抹香鲸的水平上研究行为和发声。我们着眼于个体行为和社会声音的多样性和发展，描述成对鲸鱼之间的社会关系，并将社会关系与亲属关系联系起来。因此，我们来看看文化的社会根源。在新斯科舍省布雷顿角（Cape Breton, Nova Scotia）附近有一个项目，是与当地一家鲸鱼观察机构合作开展的，目的是在另一种母系鲸鱼——领航鲸身上研究同样的问题，尽管这项工作要落后得多。我还将使用计算机模型对一个物种的社会结构如何影响文化对行为的影响程度以及该文化的特征进行理论预测。我的研究主要告诉我们鲸鱼的本质，但也将帮助我们理解为什么我们人类如此具有文化底蕴。

Human behaviour, and thus human populations, are largely shaped by culture: information or behaviour that individuals learn from one another. However there are other species, perhaps particularly among the whales and dolphins, for which culture is essential. The primary objective of my research is to understand the role of culture in whales. My principal study species is the sperm whale, a matrilineal, cosmopolitan animal of biological extremes. Female sperm whales are members of cultural clans which have tens of thousands of members, span thousands of kilometers, and, even when using the same waters, have characteristic vocal dialects and behavior. Clans are affected differently by El Nino, will be affected differently by global warming, and reproduce at different rates, all because they learn different behavior from other members of their clan. We use a 12m ocean going sailing boat, as well as whale-watch and other vessels, to study whale cultures. During a project in the Sea of Cortez, Mexico, we will measure the physical behavior and record the social sounds of social units of female sperm whales. We will then use a new statistical technique that I have developed to apportion the variability in this behavior to genetic, ecological and cultural causes, thus quantifying the influence of culture on behavior in this species. In an ongoing study in the West Indies, my students study behavior and vocalizations at the level of the individual sperm whale. We look at the diversity and development of individual behaviour and social sounds, describe social relationships between pairs of whales, and relate social relationships to kinship. Thus we look at the social roots of culture. A project off Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, carried out in conjunction with a local whale-watch operator, is designed to examine these same issues in another matrilineal whale species, the pilot whale, although this work is much less advanced. I will also use computer models to make theoretical predictions about how the social structure of a species influences extent to which culture affects behavior and the characteristics of that culture. My research tell us primarily about the nature of the whale, but also will help us understand why we humans are so supremely cultural.