Sedgwick Reserve

14 Mar, 04 PM - 29 Jun, 05 PM

Research Purpose: 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. Details: At Sedgwick Reserve, I hope to collect data from California ground squirrels (Spermophilus beecheyi) to include in my comparative study of individual distinctiveness in alarm calls. This would involve live-trapping animals, marking individuals with ear tags and/or hair dye, and making tape-recordings of vocalizations. I will set up live-traps in the morning near ground squirrel burrows (precise sites on the reserve will be chosen after a couple days of preliminary scouting on the reserve, and as this species is common, I am easily able to avoid any trapping locales that the reserve staff or other researchers wish me to avoid). On-site housing is desired, probably for a total period of time not to exceed 2.5 months. Exact study dates are not yet established but will likely begin early in April (you will be notified when dates are determined) and will likely conclude on or before mid-June. If housing is not available during these times, I would request to camp on the reserve near the study sites. Day-trips for scouting trapping locales or for follow-up observations may occur before or after the April-June period (but within the March-September period specified above as the arrival and departure dates). Disturbances to the reserve will be negligable. I expect to travel on foot to my sites within the reserve. No foliage, rocks, or other fixtures will be displaced to place traps, and animals will be released soon after capture with minimal handling required for marking. Small amounts of bait (peanut butter and oats) will be used in the traps, and whatever is not consumed by the animals will be removed from the reserve. Upon discussion with reserve personnel, I can plan my trap sites and trapping dates so my traps will not obstruct any nature trails or other places where classes or other researchers need to be.

Visit #8215 @Sedgwick Reserve

Approved

Under Project # 5798 | Research

The coevolution of group size and individual recognition in sciurid alarm calls

graduate_student - University of California, Los Angeles

Reservation Members(s)

Kimberly Pollard Mar 14 - Jun 29, 2006 (108 days)

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Studio Apartment 1 Mar 14 - Jun 29, 2006