scholarly journals Characterising the vocal repertoire of the Indian wolf (Canis lupus pallipes)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sougata Sadhukhan ◽  
Lauren Hennelly ◽  
Bilal Habib
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Foraging Strategy ◽  
Frequency Variation ◽  
Vocal Repertoire ◽  
Silhouette Width ◽  
Survey Responses ◽  
Free Ranging

Vocal communication in social animals plays a crucial role in mate choice, maintaining social structure, and foraging strategy. The Indian grey wolf, among the less studied subspecies, is a social carnivore that lives in groups called packs and has many types of vocal communication. In this study, we characterise harmonic vocalisation types in the Indian wolf using howl survey responses and opportunistic recordings from captive and nine packs (each pack contains 2-9 individuals) of free-ranging Indian wolves. Using principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering, and discriminant function analysis, we found four vocal types using 270 recorded vocalisations (Average Silhouette width Si = 0.598) which include howls and howl-bark (N=238), whimper (N=2), social squeak (N=28), and whine (N=2). Although having a smaller body size, Indian wolf howls have an average mean fundamental frequency of 0.422KHz (±0.126), which is similar to other Holarctic clade subspecies. The whimper showed the highest frequency modulation (37.296±4.601 KHz) and the highest mean fundamental frequency (1.708±0.524 KHz) compared to other call types. Less information is available on the third vocalisation type, i.e. ‘Social squeak’ or ‘talking’ (Mean fundamental frequency =0.461±0.083 KHz), which is highly variable (coefficient of frequency variation = 18.778±3.587 KHz). Our study’s characterisation of the Indian wolf’s harmonic vocal repertoire provides a first step in understanding the function and contextual use of vocalisations in this social mammal.

A small vocal repertoire during the breeding season expresses complex behavioral motivations and individual signature in the common coot

BMC Zoology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Changjian Fu ◽  
Atul Kathait ◽  
Guangyi Lu ◽  
Xiang Li ◽  
Feng Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Breeding Season ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Vocal Repertoire ◽  
Call Type ◽  
Temporal Parameters ◽  
Fulica Atra ◽  
Individual Signature ◽  
Behavioral Activities ◽  
Types Of Information

Abstract Background Although acoustic communication plays an essential role in the social interactions of Rallidae, our knowledge of how Rallidae encode diverse types of information using simple vocalizations is limited. We recorded and examined the vocalizations of a common coot (Fulica atra) population during the breeding season to test the hypotheses that 1) different call types can be emitted under different behavioral contexts, and 2) variation in the vocal structure of a single call type may be influenced both by behavioral motivations and individual signature. We measured a total of 61 recordings of 30 adults while noting the behavioral activities in which individuals were engaged. We compared several acoustic parameters of the same call type emitted under different behavioral activities to determine how frequency and temporal parameters changed depending on behavioral motivations and individual differences. Results We found that adult common coots had a small vocal repertoire, including 4 types of call, composed of a single syllable that was used during 9 types of behaviors. The 4 calls significantly differed in both frequency and temporal parameters and can be clearly distinguished by discriminant function analysis. Minimum frequency of fundamental frequency (F0min) and duration of syllable (T) contributed the most to acoustic divergence between calls. Call a was the most commonly used (in 8 of the 9 behaviors detected), and maximum frequency of fundamental frequency (F0max) and interval of syllables (TI) contributed the most to variation in call a. Duration of syllable (T) in a single call a can vary with different behavioral motivations after individual vocal signature being controlled. Conclusions These results demonstrate that several call types of a small repertoire, and a single call with function-related changes in the temporal parameter in common coots could potentially indicate various behavioral motivations and individual signature. This study advances our knowledge of how Rallidae use “simple” vocal systems to express diverse motivations and provides new models for future studies on the role of vocalization in avian communication and behavior.

scholarly journals Complex Principal Component Analysis of Antarctic Ice Sheet Mass Balance

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 480
Author(s):  
Jingang Zhan ◽  
Hongling Shi ◽  
Yong Wang ◽  
Yixin Yao
Keyword(s):  
Principal Component Analysis ◽  
Ice Sheet ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Equatorial Pacific ◽  
Mass Change ◽  
Frequency Variation ◽  
Periodic Signal ◽  
Time Frequency ◽  
The Antarctic

Ice sheet changes of the Antarctic are the result of interactions among the ocean, atmosphere, and ice sheet. Studying the ice sheet mass variations helps us to understand the possible reasons for these changes. We used 164 months of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite time-varying solutions to study the principal components (PCs) of the Antarctic ice sheet mass change and their time-frequency variation. This assessment was based on complex principal component analysis (CPCA) and the wavelet amplitude-period spectrum (WAPS) method to study the PCs and their time-frequency information. The CPCA results revealed the PCs that affect the ice sheet balance, and the wavelet analysis exposed the time-frequency variation of the quasi-periodic signal in each component. The results show that the first PC, which has a linear term and low-frequency signals with periods greater than five years, dominates the variation trend of ice sheet in the Antarctic. The ratio of its variance to the total variance shows that the first PC explains 83.73% of the mass change in the ice sheet. Similar low-frequency signals are also found in the meridional wind at 700 hPa in the South Pacific and the sea surface temperature anomaly (SSTA) in the equatorial Pacific, with the correlation between the low-frequency periodic signal of SSTA in the equatorial Pacific and the first PC of the ice sheet mass change in Antarctica found to be 0.73. The phase signals in the mass change of West Antarctica indicate the upstream propagation of mass loss information over time from the ocean–ice interface to the southward upslope, which mainly reflects ocean-driven factors such as enhanced ice–ocean interaction and the intrusion of warm saline water into the cavities under ice shelves associated with ice sheets which sit on retrograde slopes. Meanwhile, the phase signals in the mass change of East Antarctica indicate the downstream propagation of mass increase information from the South Pole toward Dronning Maud Land, which mainly reflects atmospheric factors such as precipitation accumulation.

Fundamental frequency variation within neonatal crying: Does ambient language matter?

2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 211-217 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathleen Wermke ◽  
Johanna Teiser ◽  
Eunice Yovsi ◽  
Paul Joscha Kohlenberg ◽  
Peter Wermke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Frequency Variation ◽  
Ambient Language

scholarly journals A comparison of vocal parameters in adult bilingual Hebrew-English speakers

CoDAS ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 483-491 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Nevo ◽  
Chaya Nevo ◽  
Gisele Oliveira
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Speech Rate ◽  
English Speakers ◽  
Frequency Variation ◽  
Bilingual Speakers ◽  
English Speaking ◽  
Acoustic Analyses ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACT Purpose: There has been growing research on the effects of language on voice characteristics; however, few studies have examined the impact of language on vocal features within bilinguals. This study aimed to compare vocal parameters among bilingual Hebrew/English speaking individuals when speaking in Hebrew versus English. Methods: Forty bilingual participants (17 males and 23 females) between the ages of 23-60 years were asked to spontaneously speak about a neutral topic. Voice samples were digitalized into a tablet for perceptual and acoustic analyses of selected parameters. Results: Results show that there are changes in resonance, glottal attack, fundamental frequency variation and speech rate when adult bilingual speakers talk in Hebrew as compared to English. Conclusion: These findings provide evidence that language plays a role in affecting vocal characteristics of bilingual individuals when they speak different languages.

scholarly journals Field Propagation Experiments of Male African Savanna Elephant Rumbles: A Focus on the Transmission of Formant Frequencies

Animals ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Baotic ◽  
Maxime Garcia ◽  
Markus Boeckle ◽  
Angela Stoeger
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Ecological Factors ◽  
Transmission Efficiency ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
African Savanna ◽  
Formant Frequencies ◽  
Resonance Frequencies

African savanna elephants live in dynamic fission–fusion societies and exhibit a sophisticated vocal communication system. Their most frequent call-type is the ‘rumble’, with a fundamental frequency (which refers to the lowest vocal fold vibration rate when producing a vocalization) near or in the infrasonic range. Rumbles are used in a wide variety of behavioral contexts, for short- and long-distance communication, and convey contextual and physical information. For example, maturity (age and size) is encoded in male rumbles by formant frequencies (the resonance frequencies of the vocal tract), having the most informative power. As sound propagates, however, its spectral and temporal structures degrade progressively. Our study used manipulated and resynthesized male social rumbles to simulate large and small individuals (based on different formant values) to quantify whether this phenotypic information efficiently transmits over long distances. To examine transmission efficiency and the potential influences of ecological factors, we broadcasted and re-recorded rumbles at distances of up to 1.5 km in two different habitats at the Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa. Our results show that rumbles were affected by spectral–temporal degradation over distance. Interestingly and unlike previous findings, the transmission of formants was better than that of the fundamental frequency. Our findings demonstrate the importance of formant frequencies for the efficiency of rumble propagation and the transmission of information content in a savanna elephant’s natural habitat.

scholarly journals A comparison of the Mouse Song Analyzer and DeepSqueak ultrasonic vocalization analysis systems in C57BL/6J, FVB.129, and FVB mice

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew S Binder ◽  
Zachary P Pranske ◽  
Joaquin N Lugo
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Vocal Communication ◽  
Automated Analysis ◽  
Ultrasonic Vocalization ◽  
Ultrasonic Vocalizations ◽  
Automated System ◽  
Two Systems ◽  
Similar Quantity ◽  
Analysis System

Vocal communication is an essential behavior in mammals and is relevant to human neurodevelopmental conditions. Mice produce communicative vocalizations, known as ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), that can be recorded with various programs. The Mouse Song Analyzer is an automated analysis system, while DeepSqueak is a semi-automated system. We used data from C57BL/6J, FVB.129, and FVB mice to compare whether the DeepSqueak and Mouse Song Analyzer systems measure a similar total number, duration, and fundamental frequency of USVs. We found that the two systems detected a similar quantity of USVs for FVB.129 mice (r= .90, p< .001), but displayed lower correlations for C57BL/6J (r= .76, p< .001) and FVB mice (r= .60, p< .001). We also found that DeepSqueak detected significantly more USVs for C57BL/6J mice than the Mouse Song Analyzer. The two systems detected a similar duration of USVs for C57BL/6J (r= .82, p< .001), but lower correlations for FVB.129 (r= .13, p< .001) and FVB mice (r= .51, p< .01) were found, with DeepSqueak detecting significantly more USVs per each strain. We found lower than acceptable correlations for fundamental frequency in C57BL/6J (r= .54, p< .01), FVB.129 (r= .76, p< .001), and FVB mice (r= .07, p= .76), with the Mouse Song Analyzer detecting a significantly higher fundamental frequency for FVB.129 mice. These findings demonstrate that the strain of mouse used significantly affects the number, duration, and fundamental frequency of USVs that are detected between programs. Overall, we found that DeepSqueak is more accurate than the Mouse Song Analyzer.

Associations Between Speaking Fundamental Frequency, Vowel Formant Frequencies, and Listener Perceptions of Speaker Gender and Vocal Femininity–Masculinity

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-23
Author(s):  
Yeptain Leung ◽  
Jennifer Oates ◽  
Siew-Pang Chan ◽  
Viktória Papp
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Model Building ◽  
Principal Component ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Formant Frequencies ◽  
Vowel Formant ◽  
Vowel Space ◽  
Australian English ◽  
Speaking Fundamental Frequency

Purpose The aim of the study was to examine associations between speaking fundamental frequency ( f os ), vowel formant frequencies ( F ), listener perceptions of speaker gender, and vocal femininity–masculinity. Method An exploratory study was undertaken to examine associations between f os , F 1 – F 3 , listener perceptions of speaker gender (nominal scale), and vocal femininity–masculinity (visual analog scale). For 379 speakers of Australian English aged 18–60 years, f os mode and F 1 – F 3 (12 monophthongs; total of 36 F s) were analyzed on a standard reading passage. Seventeen listeners rated speaker gender and vocal femininity–masculinity on randomized audio recordings of these speakers. Results Model building using principal component analysis suggested the 36 F s could be succinctly reduced to seven principal components (PCs). Generalized structural equation modeling (with the seven PCs of F and f os as predictors) suggested that only F 2 and f os predicted listener perceptions of speaker gender (male, female, unable to decide). However, listener perceptions of vocal femininity–masculinity behaved differently and were predicted by F 1 , F 3 , and the contrast between monophthongs at the extremities of the F 1 acoustic vowel space, in addition to F 2 and f os . Furthermore, listeners' perceptions of speaker gender also influenced ratings of vocal femininity–masculinity substantially. Conclusion Adjusted odds ratios highlighted the substantially larger contribution of F to listener perceptions of speaker gender and vocal femininity–masculinity relative to f os than has previously been reported.

Partial perceptual compensation for nasal coarticulation is robust to fundamental frequency variation

2020 ◽  
Vol 147 (3) ◽  
pp. EL271-EL276
Author(s):  
Georgia Zellou ◽  
Santiago Barreda ◽  
Bruno Ferenc Segedin
Keyword(s):  
Fundamental Frequency ◽  
Frequency Variation

scholarly journals Hygienic tendencies correlate with low geohelminth infection in free-ranging macaques

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 20150757 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecile Sarabian ◽  
Andrew J. J. MacIntosh
Keyword(s):  
Principal Component ◽  
Japanese Macaques ◽  
Infection Risk ◽  
Risk Sensitivity ◽  
Health Maintenance ◽  
Maintenance Strategies ◽  
Food Items ◽  
The Common ◽  
Field Experimentation ◽  
Free Ranging

Parasites are ubiquitous in nature and can be costly to animal fitness, so hosts have evolved behavioural counter-strategies to mitigate infection risk. We investigated feeding-related infection-avoidance strategies in Japanese macaques via field-experimentation and observation. We first examined risk sensitivity during foraging tasks involving faecally contaminated or debris-covered food items, and then investigated individual tendencies to manipulate food items during natural foraging bouts. We concurrently monitored geohelminth infection in all subjects. We ran a principal component analysis on the observational/experimental data to generate a hygienic index across individuals and found that hygienic tendencies towards faeces avoidance and food manipulation correlated negatively with geohelminth infection. Females scored higher in hygienic tendencies than males, which might contribute to the common vertebrate pattern of male-biased infection. The behavioural tendencies observed may reflect a general form of hygiene, providing a mechanism of behavioural immunity against parasites with implications for the evolution and diversification of health maintenance strategies in humans.

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