Song Morphing by Humpback Whales: Cultural or Epiphenomenal?

Mercado, Eduardo

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2020.574403

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…Thus, this quantitative approach using the LSI resulted in a shortcoming of identified linkages. Additionally, the delineation process of humpback whale song remains highly subjective (Cholewiak et al, 2013;Mercado, 2021). Although the protocol on how to delineate and measure phrases defined by Cholewiak et al (2013) was followed in the present study, the acceptable level of variability within the classification procedure has a large subjective component (Mercado, 2021), making comparisons between studies difficult.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Additionally, the delineation process of humpback whale song remains highly subjective (Cholewiak et al, 2013;Mercado, 2021). Although the protocol on how to delineate and measure phrases defined by Cholewiak et al (2013) was followed in the present study, the acceptable level of variability within the classification procedure has a large subjective component (Mercado, 2021), making comparisons between studies difficult. Yet, a combined qualitative and quantitative assessment as applied in the present study has been suggested to produce more robust results (Garland et al, 2013b).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…The delineation of phrases, and hence themes, can be subjective, as emphasized by several studies (e.g. Cholewiak et al, 2013;Mercado, 2021). In this study, the guidelines for delineating and measuring phrases suggested by Cholewiak et al (2013) were adopted.…”

Section: Song Recordings and Transcriptionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Changes in humpback whale song structure and complexity reveal a rapid evolution on a feeding ground in Northern Norway

et al. 2022

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Singing behaviour by male humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) has traditionally been associated with low-latitude breeding grounds. However, in recent years, this vocal behaviour has been increasingly reported outside these areas. All singers in a given population sing the same version of a song and this song is continually evolving over time with modifications on different levels within the song structure. Tracing changes in whale song will help to undercover the drivers underlying this vocal display and contribute to the understanding of animal culture and its evolution. To determine the progressive changes in songs found on a subarctic feeding ground and migratory stopover, a detailed analysis of humpback whale song recordings from Northern Norway was conducted. Passive acoustic data from the Lofoten-Vesterålen Ocean Observatory (LoVe), collected using a bottom-moored underwater hydrophone, were used from January - April 2018 and January 2019. Two measures of the song structure were examined: (1) sequence similarities using the Levenshtein distance and (2) song complexity using a principal component analysis (PCA). In total, 21 distinct themes were identified which presented highly directional, structural changes over time. Two themes from 2018 reoccurred in 2019, whereas all other themes in 2019 appeared to be evolved versions of 2018 themes. All songs grouped into three general clusters, reflecting the rapid evolution over the study period. With all sampled animals singing the same version of the song, this might indicate that the singers are either from the same breeding population or that song learning occurred before the study period. Song complexity appeared to follow the trend of song progression; songs became more complex as they evolved over the months in 2018 and decreased in complexity between the years, returning to a more simplified song in 2019. The results confirm that humpback whale song exhibits a rapid progression on a shared subarctic feeding ground, with strong potential for song exchange and opportunities for cultural transmission between populations in the North Atlantic.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 96%

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Changes in humpback whale song structure and complexity reveal a rapid evolution on a feeding ground in Northern Norway

et al. 2022

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“…When the acoustic changes that singing humpback whales make to their songs over time are taken into account, a different picture of how singers modify their songs emerges (Mercado, 2022). Acoustic analyses of humpback whale songs show that the changes singers make to units and phrases across years are comparable to the changes they make within and across consecutive songs (Mercado, 2021; Mercado & Perazio, 2021; Payne & Guinee, 1983). Those transformations involve: (1) the compression/expansion of unit durations, (2) shifts in unit frequency content and frequency modulation, and (3) increases/decreases in the number of unit/phrase repetitions (Mercado, 2022).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Humpback whale song variations in La Reunion Island from 2016 to 2018 and in Madagascar in 2018

Vieira

2023

Marine Mammal Science

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Male Megaptera novaeangliae produce complex and structured songs which are shared at the population level. Song patterns are culturally transmitted and evolve progressively through time, both over the breeding season and among years. The songs also undergo periods of relatively rapid change, termed “revolutions.” Acoustic monitoring was conducted from 2016 to 2018 in Reunion and throughout 2018 in Madagascar to assess spatiotemporal variation in song structures and population connectivity. A total of 46 high‐quality song samples were selected, representing 2,760 min of recordings in Reunion. In Madagascar, 12 samples representing 240 min of recordings were analyzed. Analysis of songs revealed 11 phrases and their variants. Low levels of temporal variations were observed over the breeding season. Songs recorded in June were very similar to those recorded in September. Greater variation was observed between years, and some phrases identified in 2018 may have evolved from phrases recorded in 2017. More variants were described for each phrase type in 2018 compared to 2016. All themes recorded in Reunion were shared with Madagascar, suggesting a high degree of population connectivity during the breeding season.

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“…Each of these populations has its own song type, but song types that are found in one population tend to be picked up by others to the east in later years [38]. Some authors suggest that humpback whales may have a finite number of song elements that they recombine through usage learning [40][41][42] but considering the gradual changes in song types especially in the Northern Hemisphere, vocal production learning seems to be a more likely explanation for the changes observed.…”

Section: Cetaceansmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vocal production learning in mammals revisited

Janik

Knörnschild

2021

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Vocal production learning, the ability to modify the structure of vocalizations as a result of hearing those of others, has been studied extensively in birds but less attention has been given to its occurrence in mammals. We summarize the available evidence for vocal learning in mammals from the last 25 years, updating earlier reviews on the subject. The clearest evidence comes from cetaceans, pinnipeds, elephants and bats where species have been found to copy artificial or human language sounds, or match acoustic models of different sound types. Vocal convergence, in which parameter adjustments within one sound type result in similarities between individuals, occurs in a wider range of mammalian orders with additional evidence from primates, mole-rats, goats and mice. Currently, the underlying mechanisms for convergence are unclear with vocal production learning but also usage learning or matching physiological states being possible explanations. For experimental studies, we highlight the importance of quantitative comparisons of seemingly learned sounds with vocal repertoires before learning started or with species repertoires to confirm novelty. Further studies on the mammalian orders presented here as well as others are needed to explore learning skills and limitations in greater detail. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Vocal learning in animals and humans’.

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Song Morphing by Humpback Whales: Cultural or Epiphenomenal?

Cited by 9 publications

References 79 publications

Changes in humpback whale song structure and complexity reveal a rapid evolution on a feeding ground in Northern Norway

Changes in humpback whale song structure and complexity reveal a rapid evolution on a feeding ground in Northern Norway

Humpback whale song variations in La Reunion Island from 2016 to 2018 and in Madagascar in 2018

Vocal production learning in mammals revisited

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