Great tits in noisy territories and avoiding overlapping respond stronger to territorial intruders

AbstractAnimals often communicate with each other in noisy environments where interference from the ambient noise and other signallers may reduce the effectiveness of signals. Signalling behaviours may also evolve to interfere with signals of their opponents, e.g. by temporally overlapping them with their own, such as the song overlapping behaviour that is seen in some songbirds during aggressive interactions. Song overlapping has been proposed to be a signal of aggressive intent, but few studies directly examined the association between song overlapping and aggressive behaviours of the overlapping bird (the predictive criterion). In the present paper we examined the question of whether song overlapping is correlated with aggressive behaviours displayed during a simulated territorial intrusion in a population of great tits (Parus major) living in an urban-rural gradient. We also examined whether aggressive behaviours are correlated with the ambient noise levels. We found that overlapping was associated negatively with aggressive behaviours males displayed against a simulated intruder. These results fail to support the predictive criterion for song overlapping, raising the question whether overlapping is in fact a signal of aggressive intent. Ambient noise levels were associated positively with aggressive behaviours but did not correlate with song rate, song duration or song overlapping. Great tits in noisy urban habitats may display higher levels of aggressive behaviours due to either interference of noise in aggressive communication or another indirect effect of noise.

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Song overlapping, noise, and territorial aggression in great tits

Behavioral Ecology ◽

10.1093/beheco/araa030 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 (3) ◽

pp. 807-814

Author(s):

Çağlar Akçay ◽

Y Kağan Porsuk ◽

Alican Avşar ◽

Dilan Çabuk ◽

C Can Bilgin

Keyword(s):

Indirect Effect ◽

Ambient Noise ◽

Parus Major ◽

Aggressive Behaviors ◽

Noisy Environments ◽

Noise Levels ◽

Territorial Aggression ◽

Aggressive Interactions ◽

Urban Rural ◽

Aggressive Communication

Abstract Communication often happens in noisy environments where interference from the ambient noise and other signalers may reduce the effectiveness of signals which may lead to more conflict between interacting individuals. Signalers may also evolve behaviors to interfere with signals of opponents, for example, by temporally overlapping them with their own, such as the song overlapping behavior that is seen in some songbirds during aggressive interactions. Song overlapping has been proposed to be a signal of aggressive intent, but few studies directly examined the association between song overlapping and aggressive behaviors of the sender. In the present paper, we examined whether song overlapping and ambient noise are associated positively with aggressive behaviors. We carried out simulated territorial intrusions in a population of great tits (Parus major) living in an urban–rural gradient to assess signaling and aggressive behaviors. Song overlapping was associated negatively with aggressive behaviors males displayed against a simulated intruder. This result is inconsistent with the hypothesis that song overlapping is an aggressive signal in this species. Ambient noise levels were associated positively with aggressive behaviors but did not correlate with song rate, song duration, or song overlapping. Great tits in noisy urban habitats may display higher levels of aggressive behaviors due to either interference of noise in aggressive communication or another indirect effect of noise.

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Opposite Changes in Plasma Testosterone and Corticosterone Levels Following a Simulated Territorial Challenge in Male Great Tits

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853904323066739 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 141 (4) ◽

pp. 451-467 ◽

Cited By ~ 67

Author(s):

Rianne Pinxten ◽

Lutgarde Arckens ◽

Els van Duyse ◽

Marcel Eens ◽

Veerle Darras

Keyword(s):

Parus Major ◽

Time Of Day ◽

Behavioural Response ◽

Egg Laying ◽

Plasma Testosterone ◽

Breeding Cycle ◽

Territorial Defence ◽

Breeding Stage ◽

Simulated Territorial Intrusion ◽

Territorial Intrusion

AbstractThe apparent ability of plasma testosterone (T) and corticosterone (B) levels to fluctuate rapidly in response to agonistic interactions, suggests that these hormones may play an important role in an animal's acute behavioural response during such interactions. In the present study, free-living male great tits, Parus major, were subjected to a simulated territorial intrusion (STI) during the egg laying, incubation and nestling stage of first broods. Plasma T and B levels of challenged males were compared to those of control males matched for breeding stage, day in breeding stage, and time of day. Plasma B levels were significantly higher in challenged males compared to control males during the egg laying and incubation stage but not during the nestling stage. On the other hand, challenged males had significantly lower plasma T levels than control males throughout the breeding cycle. While having low plasma T and elevated plasma B levels, challenged males showed a vigorous and unrelenting territorial response to the STI. Plasma T and B levels of challenged males did not correlate with the intensity of the behavioural response to the STI. These findings do not agree with the predictions of the 'challenge hypothesis' that males exposed to a territorial challenge while having breeding baseline T levels will respond with an increase in T or that T correlates with the intensity of aggression during a challenge. Together, our findings suggest a role for B rather than T in the regulation of territorial defence in male great tits.

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A resource-poor developmental diet reduces adult aggression in male Drosophila melanogaster

Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology ◽

10.1007/s00265-021-03050-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 75 (7) ◽

Author(s):

Danielle Edmunds ◽

Stuart Wigby ◽

Jennifer C. Perry

Keyword(s):

Drosophila Melanogaster ◽

Early Life ◽

Social Effects ◽

Energy Budgets ◽

Male Aggression ◽

Aggressive Interactions ◽

Low Resource ◽

Resource Poor ◽

Individual Effects ◽

Aggressive Behaviours

AbstractAggressive behaviours occur throughout the animal kingdom and agonistic contests often govern access to resources. Nutrition experienced during development has the potential to influence aggressive behaviours in adults through effects on growth, energy budgets and an individual’s internal state. In particular, resource-poor developmental nutrition might decrease adult aggression by limiting growth and energy budgets, or alternatively might increase adult aggression by enhancing motivation to compete for resources. However, the direction of this relationship—and effects of developmental nutrition experienced by rivals—remains unknown in most species, limiting understanding of how early-life environments contribute to variation in aggression. We investigated these alternative hypotheses by assessing male-male aggression in adult fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, that developed on a low-, medium- or high-resource diet, manipulated via yeast content. We found that a low-resource developmental diet reduced the probability of aggressive lunges in adults, as well as threat displays against rivals that developed on a low-resource diet. These effects appeared to be independent of diet-related differences in body mass. Males performed relatively more aggression on a central food patch when facing rivals of a low-resource diet, suggesting that developmental diet affects aggressive interactions through social effects in addition to individual effects. Our finding that resource-poor developmental diets reduce male-male aggression in D. melanogaster is consistent with the idea that resource budgets mediate aggression and in a mass-independent manner. Our study improves understanding of the links between nutrition and aggression.Significance statementEarly-life nutrition can influence social behaviours in adults. Aggression is a widespread social behaviour with important consequences for fitness. Using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, we show that a poor developmental diet reduces aspects of adult aggressive behaviour in males. Furthermore, males perform more aggression near food patches when facing rivals of poor nutrition. This suggests that early-life nutrition affects aggressive interactions through social effects in addition to individual effects.

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Influence of Wind-produced Noise on Orientation in the Sole (Solea solea)

Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences ◽

10.1139/f94-125 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 51 (6) ◽

pp. 1258-1264 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

J. P. Lagardère ◽

M. L. Bégout ◽

J. Y. Lafaye ◽

J. P. Villotte

Keyword(s):

Spatial Distribution ◽

Ambient Noise ◽

Sound Intensity ◽

Weather Conditions ◽

Fish Populations ◽

Positioning System ◽

Noise Levels ◽

Orientation Behaviour ◽

Solea Solea ◽

Swimming Trajectories

Sole (Solea solea), telemetered in an enclosure using an acoustic positioning system, changed their swimming trajectories and orientation behaviour as a function of wind strength and direction. Monitoring of the spatial variation in both wind-generated currents and noise spectra in the enclosure indicates that these behavioural changes correspond to patterns in the spatial distribution of noise and to sound intensity. Thus, our observations indicate that sole perceives and reacts to horizontal variability in ambient noise levels. Such behaviour may be important in determining movements of fish populations at sea during poor weather conditions.

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S254 – Bone Conduction Noise Exposure via Ventilators in the NICU

Otolaryngology ◽

10.1016/j.otohns.2008.05.430 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 139 (2_suppl) ◽

pp. P160-P160

Author(s):

Angela P Black ◽

James D Sidman

Keyword(s):

Ambient Noise ◽

Noise Exposure ◽

Bone Conduction ◽

Sound Level ◽

Noise Levels ◽

High Noise ◽

Endotracheal Tubes ◽

Level Meter ◽

Hearing Damage ◽

Air Conduction

Objectives To demonstrate that neonatal ventilators produce high noise levels through bone conduction (BC) via endotracheal tubes, as well as air conduction (AC) from ambient noise. Methods A sound level meter was used to measure the noise levels 4 feet from the ventilator and in direct contact at the end of a balloon attached to the ETT to simulate the noise presented to the infant. 3 commonly used neonatal ventilators (Sensormedics 3100A, VIP Bird and Bunnell Jet) were examined. Results Noise levels were significantly higher (6 – 14 dB) at the end of the ETT than 4 ft from the ventilator for all ventilators studied. Conclusions Previous studies have shown high ambient noise levels in NICUs, but have failed to address the actual noise presented to the infant. ETT transmission of noise as a direct bone stimulus through the skull has been overlooked. This study has shown that high noise intensities are being presented not only as AC, but as BC to the infants though the ETT. This study demonstrates, therefore, that ear protection alone will not save these at-risk infants from hearing damage. More must be done to decrease noise exposure and develop quieter machines.

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Ambient noise levels in audiometric test rooms

The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America ◽

10.1121/1.405964 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 93 (4) ◽

pp. 2406-2406

Author(s):

Tom Frank ◽

Dennis L. Williams

Keyword(s):

Ambient Noise ◽

Noise Levels ◽

Audiometric Test

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Evaluation of Remote Categorical Loudness Scaling

American Journal of Audiology ◽

10.1044/2021_aja-21-00099 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Judy G. Kopun ◽

McKenna Turner ◽

Sara E. Harris ◽

Aryn M. Kamerer ◽

Stephen T. Neely ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Home Environment ◽

Ambient Noise ◽

Preliminary Evidence ◽

Laboratory Setting ◽

Output Level ◽

Noise Levels ◽

Home Setting ◽

Adult Participants ◽

Loudness Scaling ◽

Remote Setting

Purpose: The aims of this study were to (a) demonstrate the feasibility of administering categorical loudness scaling (CLS) tests in a remote setting, (b) assess the reliability of remote compared with laboratory CLS results, and (c) provide preliminary evidence of the validity of remote CLS testing. Method: CLS data from 21 adult participants collected in a home setting were compared to CLS data collected in a laboratory setting from previous studies. Five participants took part in studies in both settings. Precalibrated equipment was delivered to participants who performed headphone output level checks and measured ambient noise levels. After a practice run, CLS measurements were collected for two runs at 1 and 4 kHz. Results: Mean headphone output levels were within 1.5 dB of the target calibration level. Mean ambient noise levels were below the target level. Within-run variability was similar between the two settings, but across-run bias was smaller for data collected in the laboratory setting compared with the remote setting. Systematic differences in CLS functions were not observed for the five individuals who participated in both settings. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that precise stimulus levels can be delivered and background noise levels can be controlled in a home environment. Across-run bias for remote CLS was larger than for in-laboratory CLS, indicating that further work is needed to improve the reliability of CLS data collected in remote settings. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.17131856

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