声驱网捕白暨豚

为确保白暨豚物种的繁衍,加快我国豚类生物学的研究步伐,为饲养在我所长达六年之久的“淇淇”寻找配偶,急需活捕白暨豚。但是过去渔民偶然捕得的白暨豚皆因钩伤严重,难以存活。1979年湖北省石首县渔民曾采用封堵江湾汊口的办法捕白暨豚,由于不熟悉白暨豚的生态习性,也未成功。     

白暨豚保护研究的进展

白暨豚是一种仅存于中国的淡水豚,迄今已有约2500万年的历史。20年来,白暨豚的种群数量急剧减少。其数量从20世纪80年代初的约400头,锐减到90年代末不足100头。白暨豚的生存环境也急剧恶化,目前仅在长江中下游的干流中有分布。导致白暨豚濒危的主要原因源于日益增多的人类活动,包括水利工程、渔业活动、水体污染等。白暨豚的保护主要从3个方面进行：①建立白暨豚自然保护区,保护其自然种群和栖息地环境;②建立半自然保护区,实行迁地保护;③建立细胞库、基因库等,保护其种质资源。迁地保护为目前最为紧迫的保护措施。     

白暨豚血液有形成分

豚类血液学的研究,自1939年诺尔(Knoll)广泛研究了鲸类胚胎的血液以来,1979年德蒙蒂(De monte)和皮莱里(Pilleri)比较了21种海豚和几种淡水豚的血液学资料。关于白暨豚(Lipotes vexillifer)的血液资料,除刘仁俊(1982)为白暨豚“淇淇”治疗外伤时,进行过白细胞分类计数外,至今未见详细的研究报道。为建立白暨豚血液生理指标和为疾病诊断提供可靠的依据,本文对白暨豚外周血液的有形成分进行了分析研究。     

“水中熊猫"的乐园——湖北长江天鹅洲白鱀豚国家级自然保护区

1995年12月19日17时在湖北省水产局、湖北长江天鹅洲白暨豚国家级自然保护区管理处、中国科学院水生生物研究所科技人员和湖北省石首市渔民的密切配合下,一头长2.29米,重150公斤的雌性白暨豚在长江石首江段北门口被艰难地捕捉,并安全运抵长江天鹅洲故道水域,这标志着白暨豚“迁地保护”工程正式启动。     

白暨豚动作学习能力的初步研究

本文详细记述了一头雄性白暨豚对一系列简单动作,包括听声音、碰手、接受抚摸、侧身和仰躺等的学习和掌握过程,分析了白暨豚学习这些动作的一般规律。讨论了学习过程中白暨豚的某些心理现象。初步评价了白暨豚的记忆能力。     

湖北天鹅洲故道试养江豚生活习性的初步观察

为抢救濒危水生兽类白暨豚,建立保护区无疑是最有效的途径,１９９０年３月到１９９３年１０月,我们对引进白暨豚保护区湖北天鹅洲故道中试养的１１头江豚的生活状况和对环境的适应性,进行了较为详细的研究,力求在引入白暨豚前,对此地江豚的生活情况及白暨豚保护区的建区工作做进一步的生态评价。结果表明,江豚非常适应故道环境,它们能在其中正常生活,完成妊娠过程,顺利分娩,抚幼,幼体也能正常发育和成长。此外,故道还存     

白暨豚某些血液生化指标的测定

关于海豚和几种淡水豚类的血液学和血液生化指标国外有过研究。白暨豚(Lipotes vexillifer)血液有形成份已有过报道。本实验对白暨豚血液生化指标进行了研究,以期建立白暨豚血液正常生理生化指标,为白暨豚的临床诊断,健康监测和保健措施提供血液学参数,并且为完善淡水豚类血液学比较研究提供基础资料。     

从环境危机到民族危机

2006年12月13日,中国环境的又一噩耗传来：长江女神白暨豚处于功能性灭绝状态。这是参加长江淡水豚科学考察的世界顶尖的豚类研究专家们得出的结论。所谓功能性灭绝是指即使现在还有白暨豚生活在长江中,其数量已经太少,恢复白暨豚种群已无可能。长江淡水豚科学考察队的成员来自多个国家,他们动用了现代化的水面与水中搜寻设备,航行了数千公里的长江江面,历时6周,但未发现任何白暨豚活动的踪迹。     

白暨豚及其保护

白暨豚是中国的国宝之一,是真正的活化石,有重要学术研究价值,现只分布在长江中、下游。它的生存受到渔业、航运以及其他人为因素的严重威胁。富春江的白暨豚已在50年代末灭绝。长江的白暨豚在近数十年中显著减少,估计现存的只有300头左右,被IUCN/SSC列为世界最濒危的动物之一。各种违章渔具是伤害白暨豚的主凶,螺旋桨击毙也是死亡的重要原因,长江航运发展规划的实施将成倍加重后者构成的威胁。虽已被列为国家保护动物,保护措施亟待加强。     

饲养条件下白暨豚的游动及呼吸行为观察

１９９２年５月到１０月,我们地养于中国科学院水生生物研究所白暨豚饭１头白暨豚进行了游动和呼吸及其昼夜节律的研究。根据游速测定将其游劝分为慢速游,中速游和快速游３类。慢速游为最基本的游动方式,其１天中每小时所占的时间份额无明显的昼夜差异,而中、快速游则白天显著多于夜晚;我们所以的观察到的白暨豚夜晚运动减 节 中、快速游减少的结果,白暨豚１天中平均呼吸为１０６．５次／ｈ（１．７７次／ｍｉｎ）。其平均呼     

Dolphin sonar--modelling a new receiver concept

Observations suggest that dolphin sonars function well in the very shallow, reverberant, near-shore region of the ocean, and significantly out-perform man-made systems under such conditions. The echolocation characteristics of many small cetaceans have been measured directly and the high performance of biosonar systems is not in question, but explanations for their resolution, target detection, localization and tracking abilities are inadequate and deserve further investigation. The dolphin's lower jaw has been identified as part of an echo-receptor, and several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this. In one of these, the regularity of dolphin teeth was considered as a sonar array. This paper explores the physics of such systems with models based on established radar and sonar principles, and using data from various dolphin species. The insights gained from this modelling then lead to speculative proposals for new sonar receiver concepts that may have advantages over more conventional designs in shallow water operation.     

The object behind the echo: dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) perceive object shape globally through echolocation

Two experiments tested a bottlenosed dolphin's ability to match objects across echolocation and vision. Matching was tested from echolocation sample to visual alternatives (E-V) and from visual sample to echolocation alternatives (V-E). In Experiment 1, the dolphin chose a match from among three-alternative objects that differed in overall (global) shape, but shared several 'local' features with the sample. The dolphin conducted a right-to-left serial nonexhaustive search among the alternatives, stopping when a match was encountered. It matched correctly on 93% of V-E trials and on 99% of E-V trials with completely novel combinations of objects despite the presence of many overlapping features. In Experiment 2, a fourth alternative was added in the form of a paddle that the dolphin could press if it decided that none of the three-alternatives matched the sample. When a match was present, the dolphin selected it on 94% of V-E trials and 95% of E-V trials. When a match was absent, the dolphin pressed the paddle on 74% and 76%, respectively, of V-E and E-V trials. The approximate 25% error rate, which consisted of a choice of one of the three non-matching alternatives in lieu of the paddle press, increased from right to center to left alternative object, reflecting successively later times in the dolphin's search path. A weakening in memory for the sample seemed the most likely cause of this error pattern. Overall, the results gave strong support to the hypothesis that the echolocating dolphin represents an object by its global appearance rather than by local features.     

BEHAVIORAL EVIDENCE FOR HEARING THROUGH THE LOWER JAW BY AN ECHOLOCATING DOLPHIN (TURSIOPS TRUNCATUS)

On the basis of disputed physiological evidence the fat-filled lower jaw of odontocete cetaceans has previously been hypothesized as the primary pathway to the inner ear for acoustic signals. To gain behavioral evidence, a dolphin was trained to perform an echolocation task while wearing suction cups over its eyes and either of two neoprene robber hoods over its lower jaw. One hood allowed returning acoustic signals to pass. The other substantially attenuated such signals. The dolphin's performance was significantly hindered while wearing the attenuating hood ( P <. 001, ψ²) as would be expected if the lower jaw was critically important in the reception of high frequency signals.     

Recognition of Frequency Modulated Whistle-Like Sounds by a Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and Humans with Transformations in Amplitude,Duration and Frequency

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) use the frequency contour of whistles produced by conspecifics for individual recognition. Here we tested a bottlenose dolphin’s (Tursiops truncatus) ability to recognize frequency modulated whistle-like sounds using a three alternative matching-to-sample paradigm. The dolphin was first trained to select a specific object (object A) in response to a specific sound (sound A) for a total of three object-sound associations. The sounds were then transformed by amplitude, duration, or frequency transposition while still preserving the frequency contour of each sound. For comparison purposes, 30 human participants completed an identical task with the same sounds, objects, and training procedure. The dolphin’s ability to correctly match objects to sounds was robust to changes in amplitude with only a minor decrement in performance for short durations. The dolphin failed to recognize sounds that were frequency transposed by plus or minus ½ octaves. Human participants demonstrated robust recognition with all acoustic transformations. The results indicate that this dolphin’s acoustic recognition of whistle-like sounds was constrained by absolute pitch. Unlike human speech, which varies considerably in average frequency, signature whistles are relatively stable in frequency, which may have selected for a whistle recognition system invariant to frequency transposition.     

Using a binaural biomimetic array to identify bottom objects ensonified by echolocating dolphins

The development of a unique dolphin biomimetic sonar produced data that were used to study signal processing methods for object identification. Echoes from four metallic objects proud on the bottom, and a substrate-only condition, were generated by bottlenose dolphins trained to ensonify the targets in very shallow water. Using the two-element ('binaural') receive array, object echo spectra were collected and submitted for identification to four neural network architectures. Identification accuracy was evaluated over two receive array configurations, and five signal processing schemes. The four neural networks included backpropagation, learning vector quantization, genetic learning and probabilistic network architectures. The processing schemes included four methods that capitalized on the binaural data, plus a monaural benchmark process. All the schemes resulted in above-chance identification accuracy when applied to learning vector quantization and backpropagation. Beam-forming or concatenation of spectra from both receive elements outperformed the monaural benchmark, with higher sensitivity and lower bias. Ultimately, best object identification performance was achieved by the learning vector quantization network supplied with beam-formed data. The advantages of multi-element signal processing for object identification are clearly demonstrated in this development of a first-ever dolphin biomimetic sonar.     

Hearing sensation levels of emitted biosonar clicks in an echolocating Atlantic bottlenose dolphin

Emitted biosonar clicks and auditory evoked potential (AEP) responses triggered by the clicks were synchronously recorded during echolocation in an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) trained to wear suction-cup EEG electrodes and to detect targets by echolocation. Three targets with target strengths of -34, -28, and -22 dB were used at distances of 2 to 6.5 m for each target. The AEP responses were sorted according to the corresponding emitted click source levels in 5-dB bins and averaged within each bin to extract biosonar click-related AEPs from noise. The AEP amplitudes were measured peak-to-peak and plotted as a function of click source levels for each target type, distance, and target-present or target-absent condition. Hearing sensation levels of the biosonar clicks were evaluated by comparing the functions of the biosonar click-related AEP amplitude-versus-click source level to a function of external (in free field) click-related AEP amplitude-versus-click sound pressure level. The results indicated that the dolphin's hearing sensation levels to her own biosonar clicks were equal to that of external clicks with sound pressure levels 16 to 36 dB lower than the biosonar click source levels, varying with target type, distance, and condition. These data may be assumed to indicate that the bottlenose dolphin possesses effective protection mechanisms to isolate the self-produced intense biosonar beam from the animal's ears during echolocation.     

Acoustic signals and echolocation system of the dolphin

Two-channel recording of acoustic signals from two quasi-stationary dolphins has previously suggested that the dolphin echolocation system is more complex than discussed earlier, and includes at least four sonars. In the present work, two-channel recording of signals, analysis and interpretation of their functions were continued in terms of physical acoustics, signal theory and echolocation. The results indicate that the echolocation system of dolphins involves four organs to produce probing signals of five different types, which implies different mechanisms of their processing by the dolphin hearing; its operation corresponds to as many as six varieties of sonar systems. The results are of importance for studying the echolocation system of Odontoceti and for improving sonars and radars.     

Whistle discrimination and categorization by the Atlantic bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): a review of the signature whistle framework and a perceptual test

Dolphin whistles vary by frequency contour, changes in frequency over time. Individual dolphins may broadcast their identities via uniquely contoured whistles, "signature whistles." A recent debate concerning categorization of these whistles has highlighted the on-going need for perceptual studies of whistles by dolphins. This article reviews research on dolphin whistles as well as presenting a study in which a captive, female, adult bottlenose dolphin performed a conditional matching task in which whistles produced by six wild dolphins in Sarasota Bay were each paired with surrogate producers, specific objects/places. The dolphin subject also categorized unfamiliar exemplars produced by the whistlers represented by the original stimuli. The dolphin successfully discriminated among the group of whistles, associated them with surrogate producers, grouped new exemplars of the same dolphin's whistle together when the contour was intact, and discriminated among same-contour whistles produced by the same dolphin. Whistle sequences that included partial contours were not categorized with the original whistlers. Categorization appeared to be based on contour rather than specific acoustic parameters or voice cues. These findings are consistent with the perceptual tenets associated with the signature whistle framework which suggests that dolphins use individualized whistle contours for identification of known conspecifics.     

Dolphin skin as a natural anisotropic compliant wall

Although the success of compliant walls in mimicking dolphin skin is well known, the drag-reducing properties of a dolphin's skin are still unclear. Moreover, little is known about the relation between the 3D structure of the skin and the local flow conditions. To study the role of a dolphin's skin in reducing the drag the skin morphology parameters were compared with the parameters of an anisotropic compliant wall and a possible flow-skin interface was considered. The 3D structure of skin from different locations was modelled using serial histological sections of the skin. The hydrodynamics of the dorsal fin of the harbour porpoise was studied by means of computer simulation of the flow around virtual models of the fin. It was found that the distribution of the skin morphology parameters is correlated with the local flow parameters on the fin surface. The skin structure appears to allow the flow-skin interface to behave similar to an anisotropic compliant wall in the regions of favourable and adverse pressure gradients on the fin. The relation founded between the skin morphology and the local flow parameters could be useful in the design of multipanel anisotropic compliant walls.     

CETACEAN AUDITORY PSYCHOPHYSICS

ABSTRACT

The dolphin continues to capture the imagination of investigators because of its ability to echolocate. Echolocation is essentially a special extension and adaptation of the dolphin's hearing system, coupled with the animal's ability to generate special sounds. Humans have demonstrated the ability to judge room size based on reverberation from a voice, and some of the visually challenged use self-generated sounds to detect large reflective objects. Echolocation represents a highly refined acoustic ability on a broad acoustic sensory continuum. Research on the auditory and echolocation performance of cetaceans has moved forward slowly due to limited animal resources and the general high cost of maintaining these animals in a laboratory environment.

This paper reviews some of the more relevant psychoacoustic data on cetaceans, and concentrates on the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus. The information presented is not at all exhaustive. Early work with dolphins focused mainly on the animal's ability to use its echolocation system. Once echolocation capability was demonstrated using a blindfolded dolphin, the quest to understand dolphin sonar moved from qualifying the dolphin's echolocation skill to quantifying its basic capabilities.

Psychophysics, and more precisely psychoacoustics, provides the tools to study dolphin echolocation. The procedures, theories and even the apparatuses from the traditional psychoacoustics laboratory are adapted to the dolphin experimental setting to measure and analyze the sensory phenomenon of dolphin echolocation. Basic auditory phenomena such as the audiogram, the effects of masking, critical ratio and critical band, and interaural time and intensity discrimination capabilities have been explored in the dolphin. Additionally, special experiments investigating the psychoacoustics of the echolocation system in particular have been conducted.