Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory

25 Jun, 10 AM - 13 Jul, 11 PM

Animal species differ both in their levels of sociality and in the structure and precise function of their vocalizations. When animals live in social groups, one function of vocalizations (such as contact calls or begging calls) is to provide cues that enable conspecifics to individually recognize a particular calling animal. As social living evolves, the amount of individually-recognizable information encoded in these calls is expected to increase in order to facilitate individual recognition in larger groups. However, it is not yet known whether alarm calls, like contact calls, have been generally selected to contain individually-recognizable components. Using several species of wild sciurid rodents, I aim to examine, in a comparative evolutionary context, the relationship between sociality and the individually-recognizable information content in alarm calls. At sites near SNARL, I hope to collect data from Belding's ground squirrels (Spermophilus beldingi) to include in my comparative study. I plan to work alongside Jill Mateo's team and take audio recordings of free-roving ground squirrels that have been individually dye-marked by her team. I also plan to assist with their trapping while I'm there.

Visit #12971 @Sierra Nevada Aquatic Research Laboratory

Approved

Under Project # 8516 | Research

The evolution of group size and individual distinctiveness-Belding's

graduate_student - University of California, Los Angeles

Reservation Members(s)

Kimberly Pollard Jun 25 - Jul 13, 2007 (19 days)

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Q8 1 Jun 25 - Jul 13, 2007