Anthropogenic Effects on Animal Signaling

Animal communication is important for mating, parental care, and social interactions. However, communication can be affected by features of the environment, which could make it more difficult for animals to communicate or changes which signals are most effective. Human activities have a particularly strong impact, for instance by creating noise and light pollution, altering habitats and increasing temperatures due to climate change. It is important to understand how humans are impacting animal communication because these effects could disrupt important social processes and affect survival and reproductive success.

 

Our  main research questions are:

1. How is anthropogenic noise and chemical pollution affecting frog calling behavior?
2. How does temperature affect the development of coloration in grasshoppers?
3. How do environmental and genetic factors contribute to variation in animal signals?

The mentee will have the opportunity to be involved in multiple research projects on anthropogenic effects on animal communication, including some or all of these questions. We use a variety of techniques including: field studies of frog calling behavior, measurement of female mating preferences in the lab, molecular analyses of the genome and microbiome, computer analysis of acoustic and color signal characteristics, and experimental manipulations of environmental variables during signaling and signal development. In addition, mentees will be guided through the process of scientific research on their independent project including experimental design, data analysis, writing and scientific presentation.

 

Network Mentor: Dr. Michael Reichert