Presentation Details
| Signal Amplification Over a Long-Distance Communication Network Enables Collective Action in Hyenas Eli Strauss1, 2, 4, 5, Frants Jensen2, 3, Jana Woerner1, 2, 4, 5, Andrew Gersick2, 7, Matthew Hyer3, Mark Johnson8, Marsden Onsare6, Malit Pioon4, Kay Holekamp1, 4, Ariana Strandburg-Peshkin2, 5. 1Department of Integrative Biology, Program in Ecology, Evolution, & Behavior, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.2Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz Germany.3Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Roskilde Denmark.4Mara Hyena Project, Maasai Mara Kenya.5Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, Biology Department, University of Konstanz, Konstanz Germany.6University of Nairobi, Nairobi Kenya.7Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton United States.8Zoophysiology, Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Aarhus Denmark |
Abstract
Long-distance vocalizations have the potential to facilitate collective action by forging links between dispersed group members, forming a dynamic communication network over which information can be transmitted, propagated, and acted upon. To study this phenomenon, we tracked a group of spotted hyenas in the Kenya using sound, movement and GPS tags attached to 19 individuals. We used a convolutional neural network to detect long-range recruitment (whoop) calls and identified calls from the tagged individual through throat vibrations detected by accelerometers. Our data show that whoops can recruit conspecifics over distances of up to 4-5 km. Some receivers respond with whoops of their own, resulting in amplification of the original signal. The more calls an individual hears, the more likely they are to respond both by moving toward the source and by whooping, resulting in positive feedback and a greater number of group mates recruited for collective action. Our findings demonstrate how amplification-driven signaling cascades can enable rapid coordination over large spatial scales, revealing how apparently dispersed groups remain functionally connected.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
Content Locked. Log into a registered attendee account to access this presentation.