Division of Evolution, Ecology & Genetics, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra 0200, Australia.
Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc. 2015 May;90(2):560-86. doi: 10.1111/brv.12122. Epub 2014 Jun 11.
Animals often gather information from other species by eavesdropping on signals intended for others. We review the extent, benefits, mechanisms, and ecological and evolutionary consequences of eavesdropping on other species' alarm calls. Eavesdropping has been shown experimentally in about 70 vertebrate species, and can entail closely or distantly related species. The benefits of eavesdropping include prompting immediate anti-predator responses, indirect enhancement of foraging or changed habitat use, and learning about predators. Eavesdropping on heterospecifics can provide more eyes looking for danger, complementary information to that from conspecifics, and potentially information at reduced cost. The response to heterospecific calls can be unlearned or learned. Unlearned responses occur when heterospecific calls have acoustic features similar to that used to recognize conspecific calls, or acoustic properties such as harsh sounds that prompt attention and may allow recognition or facilitate learning. Learning to recognize heterospecific alarm calls is probably essential to allow recognition of the diversity of alarm calls, but the evidence is largely indirect. The value of eavesdropping on different species is affected by problems of signal interception and the relevance of heterospecific alarm calls to the listener. These constraints on eavesdropping will affect how information flows among species and thus affect community function. Some species are 'keystone' information producers, while others largely seek information, and these differences probably affect the formation and function of mixed-species groups. Eavesdroppers might also integrate alarm calls from multiple species to extract relevant and reliable information. Eavesdropping appears to set the stage for the evolution of interspecific deception and communication, and potentially affects communication within species. Overall, we now know that eavesdropping on heterospecific alarm calls is an important source of information for many species across the globe, and there are ample opportunities for research on mechanisms, fitness consequences and implications for community function and signalling evolution.
动物经常通过偷听其他物种的信号来获取其他物种的信息。我们回顾了偷听其他物种警报叫声的范围、好处、机制以及对生态和进化的影响。在大约 70 种脊椎动物物种中已经进行了偷听的实验，而且涉及到密切或疏远的物种。偷听的好处包括促使立即采取抗捕食者的反应、间接增强觅食或改变栖息地的使用，以及学习关于捕食者的信息。偷听异性种的叫声可以提供更多的眼睛来寻找危险，补充来自同种的信息，并且可能以降低的成本获得信息。对异种种群叫声的反应可以是不学习或学习。当异种种群的叫声具有与用于识别同种叫声相似的声学特征，或者具有刺耳的声音等声学特性时，就会发生不学习的反应，刺耳的声音会引起注意，并可能允许识别或促进学习。学习识别异种种群的警报叫声可能对于识别警报叫声的多样性是必不可少的，但证据主要是间接的。偷听不同物种的价值受到信号拦截问题和异种种群警报叫声与听众的相关性的影响。这些对偷听的限制将影响信息在物种之间的流动，从而影响群落功能。一些物种是“关键”信息生产者，而其他物种则主要是寻求信息，这些差异可能会影响混合物种群体的形成和功能。偷听者也可能整合来自多个物种的警报叫声，以提取相关和可靠的信息。偷听似乎为种间欺骗和交流的进化奠定了基础，并且可能会影响物种内部的交流。总的来说，我们现在知道，偷听异性种的警报叫声是全球许多物种获取信息的重要来源，并且有充分的机会进行机制、适应度后果以及对群落功能和信号进化的影响的研究。
