The demographic drivers of cultural evolution in bird song

Current Biology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: March 1, 2025

Highlights•Analyzed over 100,000 great tit songs using deep learning to study vocal culture•Tested if local demographic variation and processes impact song culture in the wild•Showed that age, dispersal, turnover affect cultural diversity changeSummarySocial can give rise shared behavioral patterns persist as within animal communities,1,2 such bird whale cetacean feeding techniques.3,4,5 These traits evolve6,7,8,9 individual survival, population structure, conservation efforts.10 Although theoretical work indicates processes—like turnover, immigration, age structure—significantly influence evolution,11,12,13 empirical evidence from natural populations is limited. Using metric analyze >400 repertoires tits (Parus major), we show affects cultures small spatial temporal scales where occurs. Within-population dispersal homogenizes culture, immigrant birds adopt while increasing neighborhood through larger repertoires. Birds of similar tend have more repertoires, which provides change, with mixed-age neighborhoods showing higher diversity. We estimate a main driver change its pace also moderated by structure. findings support expectations regarding key role evolution highlighting their interaction species-specific factors timing mode acquisition.Graphical abstract

Language: Английский

Embedding information flows within ecological networks

Nature Ecology & Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 9(4), P. 547 - 558

Published: April 4, 2025

Language: Английский