蝉的变音调复合声和发声机制的分析

蛙鸣蝉(Meimuna opalifera (Walk).ab.punctata Kato)的自然鸣声为“ji…guái”的重复单变调复合声.“ji”为主音频约4800Hz的准单音;“guái”的波形和主音频呈明显的演变,优势主频约2100Hz和2800Hz的变音调声.鸟鸣蝉(Meimuna opalifera (Walk)var.formosana Kato)的自然鸣声由重复的“jiū…ruǎ”和“jiū…gū…”合成的双变调复合声.“jiū”为基频和主频分别约625Hz和2100—2300Hz的准单音;“ruǎ”的波形和主音频呈明显的演变,基音和优势主频分别约575—625Hz和1550—1750Hz的变音调声.“gū”为优势主频约625Hz的准单音.变音调复合声不仅与腹部运动有关,而主要取决于发声肌的收缩特性和发声膜肋结构的振动特性.     

古纹状体粗核损毁对燕雀鸣声的影响

古纹状体粗核(RA)损毁对燕雀常用短叫声的声学特性基本无影响, 但对习得性长叫声的时域和声学特性产生显著的失控性影响. RA损毁可导致单音调长叫声的基本音主频率约提升500音分, 并失去2个陪音. RA损毁不仅导致变音调长叫声的高潮声和尾声的声长分别平均增长13.4%～22.1%和缩短21.2%～24.2%, 而且高潮声的偶次谐分音的频率提升系数平均下降18.5%～25.8%, 递升速率随频率增高平均下降22.7%～24.0%. 进而表明, RA对习得性发声时域和频率特性的调控是相互匹配的. 同时, 双侧RA损毁可引起发声模式混乱, 所产生的长叫声具有单音调和变音调长叫声的双重特性, 前奏呈频率提升, 高潮声为单音调声.     

丹顶鹤性活动的声行为研究

丹顶鹤繁殖期的性活动可分为雄鹤求偶、雌鹤对雄性求偶的应答、两性交配和交配完结4个阶段,其相应的鸣声模式分别为雄性的求偶鸣声、雌性对雄性求偶的应答声和两性的对鸣声、两性对唱的交配声和两性的高声合唱。4个阶段鸣声都是以基本音的主频率(PF)为主音的单音调声,前3个阶段都带数个近似fn=nf0(f0=FP)关系的低幅值谐频成分。第4个阶段带数个近似fn=nf0(f0=FP)关系的高幅值谐频成分;品质因数(Q3dB)多半为4～6,声脉冲重复频率(RFP)一般为150～180Hz,而第2阶段声的RFP一般为180～260Hz。雄性鸣声的每个单次叫声中含有的音节数较少,一般不超过4个;而雌性鸣声比较复杂。每个单次叫声中含有的音节数较多,一般都在7～8个以上;但雌雄鸣声的每个音节都是由3个声脉冲组成。雄鹤鸣唱声频率变化范围较小,而雌鹤鸣唱声频率变化形式是由低到高达到高峰后又开始下降。4个阶段的鸣声都具有较好共鸣。只有第2阶段发声运动较快。而且发现雄鹤鸣唱单次鸣叫声的音节数“增多”。各阶段鸣声特性均存在差异,不同配偶间均存在显著差异,研究结果表明丹顶鹤雌雄都具有不同的鸣声,且其性活动过程中不同的鸣声行为具有较高的个体识别信号潜能。另外,求偶鸣叫声和求偶应答与对鸣声在性活动鸣声中起着决定性的作用。     

双斑蟋鸣声特征与行为关系的初步研究

利用计算机声分析技术对双斑蟋（Gryllus bimaculatus 1773)的召唤声、不同性比的求偶声和争斗声的结构、频谱与时域特征进行比较,以探讨鸣声特征与行为的关系。结果表明：①3种鸣声的脉冲时间长度（PL）、脉冲时间间隔（IPI）、每个脉冲群（PG）的脉冲数（PN）、声脉冲组合形态和密度等基本相同。这些特征参数较为稳定,为种间鉴别因子,其中以IPI为最。②节奏（Rh)、声长（SL）、间歇（IT）特征与蟋蟀的社会活动和个体活动有密切联系。从雄性单独生活时的召唤声到有雌性存在时的求偶声,每个节奏中的音节数逐渐增加,从单音节、双音节到多音节;SL、IT呈下降趋势。不同性比条件下,雄性数量明显影响鸣声特征。雄性数目增加,Rh、SL呈上升趋势;IT呈下降趋势。不同比例的雌性对雄性鸣声的影响无明显规律。③鸣声的频谱与时域呈一定对应关系。召唤声、求偶声和争斗声的脉冲能量主要集中在1个能量区上,表现出种的同一性。     

同一噪音环境下武夷湍蛙与凹耳蛙的求偶鸣声特征比较及其适应策略

为了解同域分布的两种无尾两栖类动物武夷湍蛙(Amolops wuyiensis)和凹耳蛙(Odorrana tormotus)在高噪音环境下的求偶鸣声特征及其适应策略,该研究利用超声录音设备录制并分析了繁殖季节武夷湍蛙和凹耳蛙雄性个体在同一噪音环境下的求偶鸣声。结果显示,繁殖期武夷湍蛙在不同时段均能发出3~6个音节数不等的单一鸣声,每个音节由2~10个声脉冲组成,鸣声平均持续时间为2198.20ms,主频为2231.90Hz,信噪声强差为33.00dB,且鸣声不含超声组分,不具备超声通讯的基础。凹耳蛙在每天的18:00—21:00有集中鸣叫行为,鸣声平均持续时间为331.80ms,主频为6665.50Hz,信噪声强差为37.00dB,且鸣声谐波包含超声组分,与前人描述一致。经进一步分析发现,武夷湍蛙和凹耳蛙的鸣声主频和声强均高于背景噪音,噪音不会对其鸣声产生掩蔽作用。通过比较分析得知,武夷湍蛙鸣声主频率<凹耳蛙,推测其声信号传播距离相对后者更远,该蛙在噪音环境下有可能通过调整自身的发声策略(即采用多音节鸣叫声、增加鸣叫时长和鸣叫频次等)来完成种内通讯,并通过改变鸣声时长来体现雄性自身的品质,以便提高对雌性的吸引力。而相同噪音环境下的凹耳蛙则可能采用较为节约能量的方式提高声信号频率的通讯策略,完成种内竞争和交流。     

噪音环境下花臭蛙求偶鸣声特征分析

2012年7月份,在黄山浮溪地区利用超声录音设备录制并分析了繁殖季节雄性花臭蛙(Odorrana schmackeri)个体的求偶鸣声。观察发现花臭蛙繁殖活动主要集中在7月中旬,繁殖高峰期活动无昼夜规律,全天均可见求偶鸣叫及抱对产卵等行为,并且多在浅水滩处活动。花臭蛙鸣声根据音节数和声谱特征可分为4种类型:即单音节音、婴儿音、双音节音和多音节断奏音,其中,单音节音、双音节音和婴儿音较为常见。利用Selena软件给出4种声音的语图以及各自对应的能谱图,利用Sound Analysis pro v1.2对单音节音、双音节音和婴儿音的鸣声特征参数进行定量分析,分析的声音参数包括鸣叫持续时间、音节数、音节持续时间、音节间隔、主频、脉冲率等。结果表明,花臭蛙鸣声的主频范围为1.8~4.5 k Hz(n=65)。鸣声不包括超声组分,主频峰值(3.1±0.7)k Hz,与前人电生理实验所得花臭蛙听觉敏感峰值一致,说明花臭蛙主要在这一频段进行通讯。对3种常见鸣叫音声音参数的单因素方差分析结果表明,双音节音与单音节音和婴儿音在声音持续时间上存在显著性差异(P0.01),双音节音和单音节音在第二谐波声强上也具有显著性差异(P=0.01)。花臭蛙的双音节音在3种常见鸣叫音中具有最长的持续时间,为(99.5±8.4)ms,故推测,双音节音为花臭蛙繁殖期主要求偶鸣声,并通过其鸣声时长的变化来体现自身品质的好坏。     

海陆蛙繁殖期鸣声特征和鸣叫节律

声音是动物信息传递的重要媒介之一,分析鸣声特征有利于理解蛙类的信息传递。受环境选择压力的影响,蛙类鸣叫行为节律具有物种差异性。为研究栖息在咸水-半咸水生境中的海陆蛙(Fejervarya cancrivora)的鸣声特征及鸣叫节律,2017年6—10月,采用录音机和指向性话筒在野外录制了24只海陆蛙的鸣声;通过悬挂录音笔和自动温湿度记录仪分析了鸣叫节律及其与环境温度和相对湿度的关系。结果表明:海陆蛙的鸣声由基本音、基本音的组合音和多音节鸣声组成,且具有调频现象;鸣叫行为开始于每天20:00—21:00,翌日5:00—6:00结束,鸣叫高峰期为2:00—4:00;鸣声数量与环境温度及相对湿度均无显著相关性(P0.05),每天当温度升高时(5:00—6:00),鸣叫行为结束;海陆蛙可能通过改变鸣声类型和调频的策略增加鸣声的复杂性,提高信息传递效率;该物种的鸣叫行为具有一定的日节律性,属于整晚鸣叫型;海陆蛙鸣叫行为开始和结束的时间可能受环境温度的影响,较高的相对湿度有利于声音的传播。     

鸟类的发声器官及其调控机制

鸟类是具有复杂声行为的动物,其拥有特殊的发声器官--鸣管.尽管鸣禽与非鸣禽的发声特性和发声器官解剖学差异较大,但是两者发声运动控制模式相似.文章综述了近年来鸟类鸣声研究的新进展,重点比较了鸣禽和非鸣禽发声器官的结构功能特点和发声特性调控的异同.作为一种动物模型,鸟类发声系统能为人类语言学习等研究提供借鉴.     

鹤科鸟类鸣声特征的演化

本文在分析鹤科(Gruidae)鸟类鸣声特征的基础上,结合其分子系统树,重建了鸣声特征的演化,并检验了体重与鸣声特征及鸣声特征之间在演化上的相关性。同时比较了体重与鸣声特征在物种间的关系。演化支上各物种体重的变化与鸣声时长特征的变化存在显著的关联(对数线性模型,似然比=9.69,P=0.002;Cohen′s d=1.48):体重的增加伴随着鸣声时长的增加。鸣声特征之间在演化上没有显著的关联(对数线性模型,似然比≤0.15,P≥0.701;Cohen′s d≤0.17)。在物种间鸣声时长与体重存在显著的正相关(Pearson相关分析,r=0.54,P=0.048;Cohen′s d=1.27);鸣声的主频特征与体重存在显著的负相关(Pearson相关分析,r=﹣0.56,P=0.036;Cohen′s d=1.37)。本文以鹤科鸟类鸣声为例,分析了非鸣禽鸟类鸣声特征的演化,及影响鸣声特征的因素。     

刺激家鸽中脑丘间复合体背内侧核诱发叫声与其自鸣声的比较

利用计算机声谱分析技术比较了家鸽刺激中脑丘间复合体背内侧核(DM)诱发叫声和其正常自鸣声。家鸽的单次自鸣声“di·Gu—”,包括前奏、高潮声和尾声,其主频率和相对幅值都呈明显的逐步递增、平稳和逐步下降过程。高潮声平稳期的载波主频率(318Hz)所表征的主音调比前奏和尾声的主频率(239Hz)分别平均高4.9个半音,相对幅值分别平均高24.4dB和13.2dB,品质因数(Q6dB)分别增高1.8倍和2.8倍。随着刺激电压的增大和减小,家鸽单次鸣声持续时间呈显著的线性递减和递增。诱发叫声的主频率显著性低于自鸣声,声图中有1-2个陪音。本实验为阐明非鸣禽发声调控提供声学特征上的依据     

Alarm call discrimination in a social rodent: adult but not juvenile degu calls induce high vigilance

Many social animals develop vocal communications to send and receive information efficiently in a group. In alarm communication, call recipients in a social group evaluate alarm calls, enhancing their probability of survival in the face of predatory threats. Calls from naïve and younger group members might be less evocative, in terms of rendering group members vigilant, than calls from more experienced adults because adults are generally more reliable. It remains uncertain, however, what acoustic characteristics render an alarm call reliable. Here, we report that adult degus, Octodon degus (Rodentia, Octodontidae), produced an alarm with a frequency-modulated (FM) syllable, accompanied by low bandwidth and entropy, to evoke a high-vigilance response amongst receivers. Unlike adults, subadult degus did not emit the FM syllable in the warning context, and their call without the FM syllable evoked less vigilance than the adult alarm. We suggest that the FM structure of the adult-produced syllable serves as the primary feature characterizing a reliable alarm call. Our results are consistent with those found in other social rodents, e.g., ground squirrels and gerbils, also produce FM alarm calls in high-urgency situations supports the importance of the FM syllable in alarm communication.     

Age- and sex-dependent contact call usage in Japanese macaques

The question of the flexibility of nonhuman primate vocal communication remains open today, especially due to early evidence of innately guided vocal production. However, socially determined flexibility can be found when the debate is moved from vocal structure to vocal usage. While increasing evidence shows that the audience quality influences the vocal behaviour of nonhuman primates, the impact of the caller’s characteristics has been far less studied. Here, we tested the influence of an individual’s sex and age on the usage style of contact calls. We recorded contact calls of male and female Japanese macaques and compared the vocal usage styles of approximately 1-year-old juveniles with those of adults at various ages. We found, first, important differences in call usage style between juveniles and adults, the latter forming temporally ruled vocal exchanges respecting an interindividual turntaking principle. Moreover, sex differences were substantial in adults but nonexistent in juveniles. Finally, age continued to influence female vocal behaviour during adulthood, whereas dominance rank explained differences between adult males. Two nonexclusive mechanisms can explain this phenomenon, that is, a socially guided development of the appropriate form of calling versus an emotional maturation to control call emission, opening new lines of research on nonhuman primate vocal development of appropriate usages.     

四川山鹧鸪繁殖期的鸣声行为特征

2005年4—12月在四川老君山自然保护区,通过计算机声谱分析技术,对四川山鹧鸪(Arborophilarufipectus)雄性的鸣声行为特征进行了研究,其结果表明,雄性单音节鸣声出现在啼叫、保护领域和求偶中,这些鸣声持续时间差异明显,主峰值差异不明显;雄性双音节鸣声出现在啼叫、保护领域、竞争雌体和求偶中,这些鸣声第一音节时间、第二音节时间、音节间隔时间和主峰值差异极显著,全句时间差异不明显;雄性多音节鸣声出现在保护领域、警戒和惊吓中。雄性亚成体多音节鸣声出现在惊吓和警戒中;雄性成体和亚成体警戒鸣叫的音节持续时间、音节间隔时间和主峰值差异均不明显,全句持续时间差异明显;雄性亚成体和雄性成体的惊吓鸣叫音节持续时间、音节间隔时间、全句持续时间和主峰值差异均不明显。四川山鹧鸪表现出的各种鸣声行为是为了保护配偶和防止天敌,使该种群更好地繁衍。     

VOCAL ONTOGENY OF NESTLING AND FLEDGLING BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEES POECILE ATRICAPILLA IN NATURAL POPULATIONS

ABSTRACT

We studied the vocal ontogeny of black-capped chickadees Poecile atricapilla from hatching through approximately age 40 days, at which time the juveniles dispersed from their hatching area. Development of three vocalisations (chick-a-dee call, fee-bee song, gargle call) was monitored by tape recording daily. Spectrographs quantification and comparison were carried out with Sound Analysis software. Developmental changes in offspring vocalisations were compared to the parent birds, allowing a measure of acoustic similarity between adults and young throughout early life. The chick-a-dee call developed all four of its component syllables (ABCD) from a single sound of day-old nestlings, but the four syllables emerged in adult form at different times in ontogeny. The fee-bee song was produced in impressively adult form starting at about age 20 days, with no precursor sounds to indicate gradual emergence. The principal difference between adult and juvenile fee-bee songs was the persistent production of three or four notes by juveniles rather than the adults' species-typical two notes. Gargle calls appear to develop from “subsong” strings of precursor gargle syllables. Juvenile gargles began to be identifiable at about age 33–35 days but did not match any of the gargle calls of the local adult population. Post-dispersal juveniles may develop gargles that match the gargle types of local birds where they settle.     

Real estate ads in Emei music frog vocalizations: female preference for calls emanating from burrows

During female mate choice, both the male's phenotype and resources (e.g. his nest) contribute to the chooser's fitness. Animals other than humans are not known to advertise resource characteristics to potential mates through vocal communication; although in some species of anurans and birds, females do evaluate male qualities through vocal communication. Here, we demonstrate that calls of the male Emei music frog (Babina dauchina), vocalizing from male-built nests, reflect nest structure information that can be recognized by females. Inside-nest calls consisted of notes with energy concentrated at lower frequency ranges and longer note durations when compared with outside-nest calls. Centre frequencies and note durations of the inside calls positively correlate with the area of the burrow entrance and the depth of the burrow, respectively. When given a choice between outside and inside calls played back alternately, more than 70 per cent of the females (33/47) chose inside calls. These results demonstrate that males of this species faithfully advertise whether or not they possess a nest to potential mates by vocal communication, which probably facilitates optimal mate selection by females. These results revealed a novel function of advertisement calls, which is consistent with the wide variation in both call complexity and social behaviour within amphibians.     

Control pattern of vocal center for vocalization in ruddy bunting (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Emberiza rutila</Emphasis>)

High vocal center (HVC) can produce single sound with one or two syllables by the single-type vocal control pattern in songbirds ruddy bunting (Emberiza rutila). It obviously shows left-side dominance in controlling double syllables, principal frequency (PF) and increasing sound intensity of the evoked calls. Meanwhile, the complex-type control pattern can produce complex calls with multisyllable, and also shows significant left-side dominance in controlling the number of syllables, tone changing and sound intensity. These indicate that left-side HVC controls higher frequency and complicated sentence structure. The basic vocal center, dorsomedial nucleus of the intercollicular complex (DM), controls the monosyllable sound in songbirds, and shows left-side dominance in controlling both the number of syllable and sound intensity. These results not only provide some direct evidence for left-side dominance in high vocal center, but also indicate that there is some internal connection between the high and basic vocal centers in songbirds.     

Control pattern of vocal center for vocalization in ruddy bunting (Emberiza rutila)

In recent studies, some progress has been made in the vocal mechanism of songbird by using both electrophysiological and acoustics technique[1—3]. High vocal center (HVC) is the highest center in the vocal control pathway in songbirds. Unilateral stimulating HVC may evoke bilateral electrical activity of HVC neurons[4,5]. The lesion of HVC critically affects the capacity of singing, and birds could produce only simple calls. In addition, the basic frequency decreases, rapid modulation o…     

Vocalizations of chicks and juveniles and the development of adult calls in the Aldabra White-throated rail Dryolimnas cuvieri aldabranus (Aves: Rallidae)

Calls were recorded from eggs, chicks and juveniles of the Aldabra White-throated rail Dryolimnas cuvieri aldabranus. A sonagraphic analysis was made of these calls, their behavioural contexts described and probable functions suggested. Three calls, the twitter, tiuu and contented peep were produced by chicks in the egg. All three calls may be derived from the basic peep first recorded some 36 hours before hatching. Shortly after hatching two more calls, the distress call and the alarm call, can be elicited from the rail chicks. Contented peeps and twitters are restricted to the repertoire of young rails. Song was first heard from wild rail chicks at the age of ten days and may develop from the contented peep. Three adult calls, the 'mp yeah, 'mptiuu and 'mpclick appear at the age of three months and six months later the adult vocal repertoire is completed by the appearance of 'mps, toks, purrs and nest-defence squeals. With the exception of the 'mp, all adult calls can be derived from the vocalizations of chicks and juveniles.     

Adult Richardson's Ground Squirrels (Spermophilus richardsonii) Ignore Rate Changes in Juvenile Alarm Calls: Age‐Differential Response Urgency Perception?

Juvenile Richardson's ground squirrels (RGS; Spermophilus richardsonii) communicate response urgency by modulating the rate of syllable production in repetitive alarm calls, although longer call bouts do not promote more pronounced or longer‐lasting (tonic) vigilance in juvenile call recipients. We exposed free‐living adult RGS to playbacks of alarm calls differing in rate and length to determine whether adult receivers respond to the same alarm parameters as juveniles. Adult squirrels did not respond differentially to differences in call rate or length, suggesting that adult RGS do not attend to call rate as do juveniles. This difference in response may be attributable to a developmental change in the perceptual mechanisms by which individuals extract information regarding response urgency, but could also be a product of adult receivers devaluing information encoded in alarm calls emitted by relatively inexperienced juvenile signalers.     

Flexibility as a Strategy for Avoiding Call Overlap in Male Anhui Treefrogs

Male-male vocal competition is critical for mating success in anuran species; however, it remains unknown that how males regulate their competitive strategies dynamically during competition because calling is highly time-consuming, energetically demanding and likely to increase predation risks. Since different parts of calls will encode different information for vocal communication, we hypothesized that competitive strategies of male frogs may be modulated by the temporal and spectral features of different call notes. To test this hypothesis, the natural advertisement calls(OC), its modified versions with the first call note replaced by white noise(WN) or other notes and with the fifth call note replaced by WN, were played back to the Anhui tree frogs(Rhacophorus zhoukaiyae). Results showed that 1) males produced more competitive calls in response to acoustic stimuli compared to their baseline calling during silence; and 2) males emitted more non-overlapping calls compared to overlapping calls in response to the acoustic stimuli. These results are consistent with the idea that males are flexible to acoustic signals and their competition strategies are modulated dynamically by social contexts.