Directional speakers as a tool for animal vocal communication studies.

Autor:	Johnson-Ulrich L; Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland.; Kalahari Research Centre, Van Zylsrus, 8467 Northern Cape, South Africa., Demartsev V; Kalahari Research Centre, Van Zylsrus, 8467 Northern Cape, South Africa.; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany.; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany.; Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz 78467, Germany., Johnson L; Kalahari Research Centre, Van Zylsrus, 8467 Northern Cape, South Africa., Brown E; Kalahari Research Centre, Van Zylsrus, 8467 Northern Cape, South Africa., Strandburg-Peshkin A; Kalahari Research Centre, Van Zylsrus, 8467 Northern Cape, South Africa.; Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany.; Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany.; Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz 78467, Germany., Manser MB; Department of Evolutionary Biology and Environmental Studies, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland.; Interdisciplinary Center for the Evolution of Language, University of Zurich, Zurich 8057, Switzerland.; Kalahari Research Centre, Van Zylsrus, 8467 Northern Cape, South Africa.
Jazyk:	angličtina
Zdroj:	Royal Society open science [R Soc Open Sci] 2023 May 24; Vol. 10 (5), pp. 230489. Date of Electronic Publication: 2023 May 24 (Print Publication: 2023).
DOI:	10.1098/rsos.230489
Abstrakt:	Audio playbacks are a common experimental tool in vocal communication research. However, low directionality of sound makes it hard to control the audience exposed to the stimuli. Parametric speakers offer a solution for transmitting directional audible signals by using ultrasonic carrier waves. The targeted transmission of vocal signals offers exciting opportunities for testing the diffusion of information in animal groups and mechanisms for resolving informational ambiguities. We have field tested the quality and directionality of a commercial parametric speaker, Soundlazer SL-01. Additionally, we assessed its usability for performing playback experiments by comparing behavioural responses of free-ranging meerkats ( Suricata suricatta ) with calls transmitted from conventional and parametric speakers. Our results show that the tested parametric speaker is highly directional. However, the acoustic structure of meerkat calls was strongly affected and low frequencies were not reliably reproduced by the parametric speaker. The playback trials elicited weakened behavioural responses probably due to the partial distortion of the signal but also indicating the potential importance of social facilitation for initiating mobbing events in meerkats. We conclude that parametric speakers can be useful tools for directed transmission of animals calls but after a careful assessment of signal fidelity. Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. (© 2023 The Authors.)
Databáze:	MEDLINE
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