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The vocral signals of adult male blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis): an evolutionary approach to understanding communication systems| old_uid | 13278 |
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| title | The vocral signals of adult male blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis): an evolutionary approach to understanding communication systems |
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| start_date | 2014/01/17 |
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| schedule | 11h30-13h |
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| online | no |
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| details | Séance organisée par l'équipe LINGUAE |
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| summary | My research focuses, generally, on the evolution of social behavior and, more specifically, on understanding the mechanisms that maintain social relationships in group living animals. My current research examines the evolution of vocal communication systems.
Across most vertebrate taxa, vocal signals play key roles in predator avoidance, reproduction, competition, and mediating social interactions. Understanding how animals use particular signals therefore provides unique insight into species’ behavior, social dynamics, and evolution.
For the past several years, I have examined vocal behavior of adult male blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis) in the Kakamega Forest, Kenya. Using data from natural observation, digital audio recordings, and playback experiments, I seek to characterize the entire vocal repertoire of adult males in terms of acoustic structure, signal content (i.e. consistent relationships between signal features and attributes of signalers), and signal function.
Analyses have identified six stereotyped call types used by adult males. Each call type is acoustically distinct, yet structural similarities suggest some are more closely “related” than others. Similarly, call types exhibit distinct functions (e.g. aerial predator alarm, mate attraction) and content (e.g. social status, body size), yet evidence that some calls achieve multiple functions highlight the complexity of the repertoire. I examine these findings to infer how natural selection likely favors signal usage and how repertoires might expand over evolutionary time.
The aim of my research is to provide a comprehensive assessment of the structural and functional diversity of an entire signal repertoire, as well as insight into the socio-ecological mechanisms by which signal diversity evolves and is maintained. In doing so, I hope also to demonstrate the importance of a comprehensive approach – one that evaluates form, function, and content of entire repertoires – to understanding the use and evolution of signaling systems. |
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| responsibles | Schlenker |
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