The Cardiology Clinic, Örebro University Hospital, Örebro, Sweden.
Anim Cogn. 2012 Jan;15(1):1-13. doi: 10.1007/s10071-011-0433-2. Epub 2011 Jul 12.
The highly synchronized formations that characterize schooling in fish and the flight of certain bird groups have frequently been explained as reducing energy expenditure. I present an alternative, or complimentary, hypothesis that synchronization of group movements may improve hearing perception. Although incidental sounds produced as a by-product of locomotion (ISOL) will be an almost constant presence to most animals, the impact on perception and cognition has been little discussed. A consequence of ISOL may be masking of critical sound signals in the surroundings. Birds in flight may generate significant noise; some produce wing beats that are readily heard on the ground at some distance from the source. Synchronization of group movements might reduce auditory masking through periods of relative silence and facilitate auditory grouping processes. Respiratory locomotor coupling and intermittent flight may be other means of reducing masking and improving hearing perception. A distinct border between ISOL and communicative signals is difficult to delineate. ISOL seems to be used by schooling fish as an aid to staying in formation and avoiding collisions. Bird and bat flocks may use ISOL in an analogous way. ISOL and interaction with animal perception, cognition, and synchronized behavior provide an interesting area for future study.
鱼类的群体游动和某些鸟类群体的飞行所呈现的高度同步化模式常常被解释为能降低能量消耗。我提出了一个替代性或补充性假说，即群体运动的同步化可能有助于听觉感知。虽然运动过程中产生的附带声（ISOL）对大多数动物来说几乎一直存在，但对其感知和认知的影响却很少被讨论。ISOL 的一个后果可能是掩蔽周围环境中关键的声音信号。飞行中的鸟类可能会产生很大的噪音；有些鸟类的翅膀拍打声在离声源一定距离的地面上就能轻易听到。群体运动的同步化可能会通过相对安静的时期减少听觉掩蔽，并促进听觉分组过程。呼吸运动耦合和间歇性飞行可能是减少掩蔽和改善听觉感知的其他方法。ISOL 和交际信号之间的明确界限很难划定。ISOL 似乎被群体游动的鱼类用作保持队形和避免碰撞的辅助手段。鸟类和蝙蝠群可能以类似的方式使用 ISOL。ISOL 与动物感知、认知和同步行为的相互作用为未来的研究提供了一个有趣的领域。
