The diversity of animal signals has been widely documented, and the generality of animal signals also tantalizingly suggests that there are common mechanisms that have selected for their origin. However, while much progress has been made on some fronts, we still lack a general theory about why the diversity of signaling structures exist. Our compilation will directly address this gap by focusing on an exciting new arena of sexual selection, namely using functional approaches to understand signaling. This approach is rooted in the idea that many signals are designed to transmit important functional imformation that is both important for issues of male quality (and hence male competition), and female choice. The increasing use of technology in sexual selection studies has enabled researchers to test whether signaling is either constrained by, or accurately transmits information about functional capacities. Further, in animals that fight vigorously, functional capacities such as endurance or strength may make the difference between winning and losing. This volume brings together a diverse collection of researchers who are actively investigating how function and signaling are related. These researchers use both a variety of methods and taxa to study animal signaling, and we believe that this integrative view is important to open up fresh vistas for why animal signals have evolved.
Table des matières
Contributors ix
1 INTRODUCTION 1
Duncan J. Irschick, Mark Briffa, and Jeffrey Podos
References 7
2 EARLY LIFE-HISTORY EFFECTS, OXIDATIVE STRESS, AND THE EVOLUTION AND EXPRESSION OF ANIMAL SIGNALS 11
Nick J. Royle, Josephine M. Orledge, and Jonathan D. Blount
Introduction 11
Signaling 12
Early Life-History Effects and Resource Allocation Trade-Offs 13
Oxidative Stress as a Mediator of Resource Allocation Trade-Offs 15
Signals Expressed During Development 20
Signals Expressed During Adulthood 25
Competition-Dependent Sexual Signals 32
Conclusions 34
Acknowledgments 36
References 36
3 A PERFORMANCE-BASED APPROACH TO STUDYING COSTS OF RELIABLE SIGNALS 47
Jerry F. Husak, Justin P. Henningsen, Bieke Vanhooydonck, and Duncan J. Irschick
Introduction 47
Receiver-Independent Costs 51
Receiver-Dependent Costs 55
Compensatory Traits 59
Conclusions 63
Acknowledgments 64
References 65
4 COGNITIVELY DRIVEN CO-OPTION AND THE EVOLUTION OF COMPLEX SEXUAL DISPLAYS IN BOWERBIRDS 75
Gerald Borgia and Jason Keagy
Introduction 75
Cognition, Co-Option, and Complex Display 78
Delayed Male Maturity, Male-Male Courtship, and Display Trait Acquisition 81
Female Signaling to Affect Male Display Intensity: An Innovation that Improves Courtship Success 82
Mate Searching and Flexibility in Adaptive Decision-Making 83
Female Uncertainty and Flexibility in Active Mate Assessment 84
Long-Term Age-Related Improvement in Decoration Display: Symmetrical Decoration Displays on Older Males’ Bowers 84
Anticipation of Male Routes During Courtship: Paths on Display Courts of Spotted Bowerbirds 86
Some Other Possible Cognitive Display-Related Behaviors of Bowerbirds 87
Construction of Successive Scenes for Females Visiting the Bower 88
Cognitive Aspects of Bower Building: Age-Related Improvement in Construction and Novel Techniques for Maintaining Symmetry 90
Cognitive Flexibility and Innovation in Display 93
Decoration Stealing: An Innovation for Display Trait Acquisition 94
Cooperating with Relatives for Display: An Innovation to Reduce Sexual Competition 95
Vocal Mimicry: Learning and Innovation in Use of Co-Opted Displays 96
Co-Option Mechanism 98
Cognition in Display Trait Acquisition 100
References 101
5 INTEGRATING FUNCTIONAL AND EVOLUTIONARY APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF COLOR-BASED ANIMAL SIGNALS 111
Darrell J. Kemp and Gregory F. Grether
Introduction 111
Color Signal Production in More Detail 115
Signals, Honesty, and Condition-Dependence 116
Coloration as an Honest Advertisement 117
Trinidadian Guppies (Poecilia Reticulata) 118
Pierid Butterflies (Subfamily Coliadinae) 122
Birds 127
Discussion/Conclusion/Future Work 129
Acknowledgments 131
References 131
6 AGONISTIC SIGNALS: INTEGRATING ANALYSIS OF FUNCTIONS AND MECHANISMS 141
Mark Briffa
Animal Contests and the Evolution of Agonistic Signals 141
Empirical Approaches to Testing Theory: ‘Physiological Costs, ‘ ‘Stamina, ‘ and ‘Performance’ 154
Energy Status and Agonistic Signals 156
Whole Body Performance and Agonistic Signals 159
Conclusions 164
References 167
7 ACOUSTIC SIGNAL EVOLUTION: BIOMECHANICS, SIZE, AND PERFORMANCE 175
Jeffrey Podos and S.N. Patek
Introduction 175
Biomechanics 178
Body Size 183
Performance 187
Concluding Remarks 194
Acknowledgments 195
References 195
8 DISHONEST SIGNALING DURING AGGRESSIVE INTERACTIONS: THEORY AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE 205
Robbie S. Wilson and Michael J. Angilletta Jr.
Introduction 205
The Evolution of Signaling 206
The Theory of Dishonesty 208
Dishonest Signaling in Aggressive Interactions Between Conspecifics 209
Conclusions 223
References 223
9 FUNCTIONAL APPROACH TO CONDITION 229
Dustin J. Wilgers and Eileen A. Hebets
Introduction 229
Practical Approaches to Condition 230
Condition and Animal Performance 235
Condition and Mate Choice 239
Summary 241
References 242
Index 253
A propos de l’auteur
Duncan J. Irschick, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. His research interests are in the interface among organism design, function, and ecology. Broadly, he is interested in the evolution of complex functional systems in all its facets. His research integrates micro evolutionary and macro evolutionary approaches, and?applies both experimental and descriptive approaches to understand the causes of, and ultimately the consequences of, this diversity.
Mark Briffa, Ph.D. is a Lecturer in Marine Biology at the University of Plymouth in the School of Biological Sciences. His main research focuses on contest behavior, where animals compete directly against one another over ownership of a limited resource. He is particularly interested in how animals use communication to resolve conflicts of interest — this often involves ‘repeated signals’ that are?performed in a structured way.
Jeffrey Podos, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor at the University of Massachusetts in the Biology Department. His research addresses the interface of animal behavior, organism biology, and evolutionary biology. His work focuses on vocal behavior and evolution in vertebrates, especially songbirds.