Acoustic context and dynamics of nonlinear phenomena in mammalian calls: the case of puppy whines

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1923)

Published: April 3, 2025

Nonlinear phenomena (NLP) are often associated with high arousal and function to grab attention and/or signal urgency in vocalizations such as distress calls. Although biomechanical models vivo / ex experiments suggest that their occurrence reflects the destabilization of vocal fold vibration under intense subglottal pressure muscle tension, comprehensive descriptions dynamics NLP natural signals critically lacking. Here, plug this gap, we report timing, type, extent acoustic context 12 011 whines produced by Beagle puppies ( Canis familiaris ) during a brief separation from mothers. Within bouts whines, show both proportion time vocalizing number containing NLP, especially those chaos, increase since separation, presumably reflecting heightened arousal. typically first half call, following steepest rises pitch (fundamental frequency, f o amplitude. While our study reinforces notion arise calls due instabilities production arousal, it also provides novel efficient analytical tools for quantifying nonlinear acoustics ecologically relevant mammal communication contexts. This article is part theme issue ‘Nonlinear vertebrate vocalizations: mechanisms communicative functions’.

Language: Английский

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Exploring nonlinear phenomena in animal vocalizations through oscillator theory

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1923)

Published: April 3, 2025

Animal vocalizations comprise a rich array of complex sounds that exhibit nonlinear phenomena (NLP), which have fascinated researchers for decades. From the melodic songs birds to clicks and whistles dolphins, many species been found produce vocalizations, offering valuable perspective on mechanisms underlying sound production potential adaptive functions. By leveraging principles oscillator theory dynamics, animal are based coupled oscillators, can be described conveniently classified. We review basic ingredients self-sustained oscillations how different NLP emerge. discuss important terms in context theory: attractor types, phase space, bifurcations Arnold tongue diagrams. Through comparative analysis observed bifurcation diagrams, our study reviews tools dynamics provide insights into intricate complexity as well evolutionary pressures strategies shaped diverse communication systems kingdom. This article is part theme issue, ‘Nonlinear vertebrate vocalizations: communicative functions’.

Language: Английский

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Vocal communication and perception of pain in childbirth vocalizations

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1923)

Published: April 3, 2025

Nonlinear acoustic phenomena (NLP) likely facilitate the expression of distress in animal vocalizations, making calls perceptually rough and hard to ignore. Yet, their function adult human vocal communication remains poorly understood. Here, examine production perception correlates pain spontaneous nonverbal we take advantage childbirth—a natural context which labouring women typically produce a range highly evocative loud including moans screams—as they experience excruciating pain. We combine analyses these real-life vocalizations with psychoacoustic experiments involving playback synthetic both naïve expert listeners. show that become acoustically rougher, higher fundamental frequency (pitch), less stable, louder longer as child labour progresses, paralleling rise women’s self-assessed In experiments, listeners obstetric professionals assign highest ratings produced final expulsion phase labour. Experiments stimuli confirm rely largely on nonlinear assess Our study confirms communicate intense, pain-induced humans, consistent widespread signal arousal vertebrate signals. This article is part theme issue ‘Nonlinear vocalizations: mechanisms communicative functions’.

Language: Английский

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How to analyse and manipulate nonlinear phenomena in voice recordings

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1923)

Published: April 3, 2025

We address two research applications in this methodological review: starting from an audio recording, the goal may be to characterize nonlinear phenomena (NLP) at level of voice production or test their perceptual effects on listeners. A crucial prerequisite for work is ability detect NLP acoustic signals, which can then correlated with biologically relevant information about caller and listeners’ reaction. are often annotated manually, but labour-intensive not very reliable, although we describe potentially helpful advanced visualization aids such as reassigned spectrograms phasegrams. Objective features also useful, including general descriptives (harmonics-to-noise ratio, cepstral peak prominence, vocal roughness), statistics derived dynamics (correlation dimension) NLP-specific measures (depth modulation subharmonics). On perception side, playback studies greatly benefit tools directly manipulating recordings. Adding frequency jumps, amplitude subharmonics relatively straightforward. Creating biphonation, imitating chaos removing a recording more challenging, feasible parametric synthesis. most promising algorithms analysing provide detailed examples files R code supplementary material. This article part theme issue ‘Nonlinear vertebrate vocalizations: mechanisms communicative functions’.

Language: Английский

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Nonlinear phenomena in animal vocalizations: do they reflect alternative functional modes of voice control, ‘leaked’ cues to quality or condition, or both?

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1923)

Published: April 3, 2025

Nonlinear phenomena (NLP) in animal vocalizations typically present as abrupt departures from normative controlled voicing. They occur most commonly loud vocalizations, often contexts of high arousal, including alarm, aggression, fear or distress, elaborate displays territory competitive ability. therefore invite interpretation ‘mistakes’ that evince loss vocal control resulting effortful, emotional ‘over-driving’ the system. However, over-driving may be more flexible and purposeful, representing an alternative functional mode voice if NLP can benefit signallers some contexts. The latter perspective is first elaborated with examples non-human primates before turning to cases where truly do then ‘leak’ cues signaller quality condition. To support future frameworks study understand different domains occur, a distinction emphasized turns on whether high-amplitude, effortful voicing—which inherently predisposes NLP—is at discretion such focus adaptive production NLP, voicing effectively forced upon by other dictates context itself, changing being avoidance NLP. This article part theme issue ‘Nonlinear vertebrate vocalizations: mechanisms communicative functions’.

Language: Английский

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Nonlinear phenomena in marmot alarm calls: a mechanism encoding fear?

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1923)

Published: April 3, 2025

I review a case study of marmots that contributed to the empirical basis nonlinearity and fear hypothesis, which explains why certain nonlinear acoustic phenomena (NLP) are produced in extremely high-risk situations communicate high urgency. In response detecting predatory threats, yellow-bellied ( Marmota flaviventer ) emit alarm calls and, some situations, screams. Prior work on has shown call production is associated with degree risk caller experiences they individually distinctive. Receivers respond sensitive variation reliability. Calls also contain phenomena. Work socially isolated animals those infected Eimeria , an intestinal parasite, ‘noisier’ calls. However, were likely under greater stress (as measured faecal glucocorticoid metabolites) more structured less noisy The addition NLP increases responsiveness receivers. have modest heritability. Taken together, enhanced our understanding potential information encoded consistent hypothesis communicates fear, stimulates other species, including humans. This article part theme issue ‘Nonlinear vertebrate vocalizations: mechanisms communicative functions’.

Language: Английский

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Emotions mediate nonlinear phenomena production in the vocalizations of two ape species

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1923)

Published: April 3, 2025

Nonlinear phenomena (NLP) are widely observed in mammal vocalizations. One prominent, albeit rarely empirically tested, theory suggests that NLP serve to communicate individual emotional states. Here, we test this ‘emotional hypothesis’ by assessing production the vocalizations of chimpanzees and bonobos across various social contexts. These two species relevant hypothesis since more socially opportunistic than chimpanzees. We found both produced, at different frequencies, same five distinct types. Contextual valence influenced with negative being associated frequent positive neutral valence. In contrast, using aggression severity caller role as proxies for arousal, bonobos, but not chimpanzees, uttered during contact or from victims females contained NLP. type produced was neither nor arousal either species. Our study supports regarding occurrence mammals, particularly opportunistics such bonobos. This reinforces an adaptative animal communication prompts further investigations into their communicative functions. article is part theme issue ‘Nonlinear vertebrate vocalizations: mechanisms functions’.

Language: Английский

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Nonlinear phenomena in vertebrate vocalizations: mechanisms and communicative functions

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 380(1923)

Published: April 3, 2025

Nonlinear phenomena (NLP) are acoustic irregularities that widespread in animal and human vocal repertoires, as well music. These have recently attracted considerable interest but, surprisingly, never been the subject of a comprehensive review. NLP result from irregular sound production, contribute to perceptual harshness, long considered nonadaptive features or by-products production characterizing pathological voices. This view is beginning change: increasingly documented nonverbal vocalizations healthy humans, an impressive variety found nonhuman vertebrates. Indeed, evidence accumulating evolved serve specific functions such attracting listeners’ attention, signalling high arousal, communicating aggression, size, dominance, distress and/or pain. special issue presents selection theoretical empirical studies showcasing novel concepts analysis tools address following key questions: How vertebrate defined classified? What their biomechanical origins? communicative functions? why did they evolve? We also discuss broader significance societal implications research on for non-invasively monitoring improving welfare. article part theme ‘Nonlinear vocalizations: mechanisms functions’.

Language: Английский

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