Animal Communication Science Fair Project Research Report

DNA research report on animal communication begins here...

Communication

Communication is a signal sent by one organism to another that affects what happens next, like cause and effect. A signal can be a sound, a color pattern, a posture, certain movements and touches, an electrical discharge, the release of an odor or a combination. The fact the sender sends a signal does not make it a full cycle of communication. The sender must give a signal that the receiver in some way responds to. One of the most difficult parts about studying this science is determining whether or whether not communication has occurred. Often the receiver ignores the signal or the signal does not create a need to respond but is still understood. Also since many signals can be decoded by a different species from the sender it has to be determined who the signal was made for and whether the receiver was supposed to receive the signal. Animal communication is very complicated indeed.

Levels of Communication

When the science of animal communication had just begun to be studied a college student put communication into certain levels based on the complexity of communication. Before reading about each individual level you must realize that communication comes in all forms including simply knowing something is there.

Vegetative Level: The first level of communication and the lowest in complexity is the vegetative level. This level is for vegetation only, even plants communicate, even if not recognizable to us without any equipment. When plants grow they go through a process called photosynthesis where plants produce glucose, a type of sugar made from carbon dioxide and a little water which in the making gives off oxygen and some other source of energy. Since energy is the producer of all sources of communication in one way or another it is a way of communicating.

Tonic Level: The next level of communication is the tonic level. On this level mainly jelly fish and other similar creatures with out a vertebra strive. Jellyfish give off a type of electrical energy for catching prey as well as for functional reasons, but on this level other animals are more aware that the jellyfish is there. It is not that plants aren’t noticed they just aren’t noticed in a way that forms communication. When an animal passes a tree and notices it they don’t exactly move away or act any differently, instead they just kind of put it into the back of their minds and ignore it. But if a fish were to pass a jelly fish and notice it is there they will react in some way, whether by coming up closer with interest or flashing its scales as it darts away. There is a stronger reaction to a jellyfish than to a tree.

Phasic Level: The third level of communication is called the phasic level. The phasic level is for moths, fish and worms. The animals on this level are forced to communicate. For example some male moths are forced to follow a female’s scent because of the pheromones mixed in with air born chemicals. The female moth will release a long string of chemo signals that create a strong odor in which the male can follow. This odor can tell the male that the sender is of the same species, even that the sender is a female and the female sender wants to mate. The male is forced to follow the trail of scent. This act of being forced is called taxis. Then the male is forced to respond to the female when he finds her. This is a forced communication.

Signal Level: The signal level is a little more advanced. This time a signal is actually sent. The sender of the signal has developed (with the help of evolution) a special body part that creates sound. Frogs, crickets and birds dwell within this level. The sender of the signal emits a long channel of sound or energy that forms communication. Birds for example have internal muscles that create sound and crickets rub their legs together. Humans still are a little higher in this scale but we have vocal cords, and this is how we use them. “The human vocal system is in a sense multistoried, beginning with the larynx, located toward the upper end of the windpipe or trachea. The muscles of the larynx control the tension of the vocal cords, which are moved by exhaled breath and produce sounds. These are modified by the resonating capacities of the apparatus of the mouth.” Found on page 64 of Animal Talk.

Symbolic Level: Here we come to a level that you will find only primates (ex. monkeys, apes, gorillas, chimps). Primates are on the symbolic level where gestures and movements are made. Chimpanzees share almost the same DNA as we do; only about 3% of our DNA is not the same as theirs. Just think, humans are pretty smart, what could a chimp do? Well, the chimpanzees at Central Washington University’s own chimposium are few of the many chimps being taught American Sign Language. On the symbolic level of communication the animals put in this level give signals with pointed energy. If one monkey sees danger he can react trying to get the attention of HIS TROOP, not just any other animal out there. Yeah, birds might be able to do this too, in a way. Well with primates it is a little different. Chimpanzees have learned how to direct their knowledge of sign language to its caretakers and signal, “I want oatmeal” or “I want ice cream.” This is an aimed energy, or symbolic gesture.

Linguist Level: The highest level is the linguist level. This is where humans rank. We have brought our communication to a degree where we have created a language and can write a message down and someone can read or decode the message. No other animal can do that as far as we know. We have brought our communication to speech, or to talk to our fellow human beings so much to a point science says we are advanced, a higher level of communication, just not as complicated as some other animals and their form of communication.

Communication does indeed play a large role in the lives of animals including humans. Communication is used for many reasons among animals and people. Because of the variety of reasons for communication there is a variety of ways to communicate. Vocalizing, electrical charges, olfactory senses, movements and gestures as well as color change and camouflage are just some of them.

Touches: Touch and feeling is important to young human children just as much as it is to other young animals. Many animals are blind at birth and to feel a Mother’s soft fur or feathers give the animal comfort that there is something out there and it isn’t dull, dark and dreary every place you go. The symbolic level of communications may only be for primates it doesn’t mean that animals don’t use touches as a way of communicating.

Gestures and Movements: Gestures and movements however are mainly primates. Chimpanzees use facial expressions to tell each other how they are feeling. Humans also have been noticed for their famous facial expressions, even the ones we don’t realize we make. The lifting of one’s eyebrow is often not noticed when one is doing so, but the brain is suspicious or in awe of something and tells the body to lift the brow. Also humans have developed sign language for the deaf who cannot hear which makes it difficult to speak. Since no other animal besides humans have a voice used to speak or talk, we can’t talk with chimps and other smart animals. Instead we have taught them sign language. Other animals use similar actions with their body or hands to create a form of communication.

Displays and Color Change: For courtship purposes birds mainly use Displays and color changes. Often during courtship a dance is performed after a change in plumage. The Japanese Crane (Red-Crowned Crane) of northeast Asia performs a dance during courtship: they bow, turn around, arch their necks and kick up their legs while flapping their wings. Have you ever wondered why peacocks have such beautiful plumage? The fact is their tail feathers are used to attract a mate. The longer, thicker, brighter tail feathers attract the females. If your tail is dull, you’ll be the last option for females. They have it rough, think about it, the long feathers drag on the ground and collect dust, yet somehow you have to keep them beautiful for the ladies, and even still escape predators who easily notice the bright plumage!

Olfactory Senses: Olfactory senses deal with smelling and tasting chemical releases. You may know that many animals mark their territory by urinating on trees and bushes, but what do animals do when they find that marking? When an animal leaves its mark it is called a chemo signal. In the urine certain chemicals can transfer information to a passerby. Other animals will lick and smell the mark to find out about the identity of the marker, where the marker has been a few days before marking this area, and their social state. Taste is used mainly in the under water world but it isn’t strange to find a monkey licking a marked tree. In the water a chemo signal may be released in the current and give many underwater creatures information about the releaser.

Electrical discharges: Mostly underwater animals to locate prey use electrical signals. Some shrimp can send small electrical jolts to find where in the sand it can find plankton and other food resources.

Vocalizations: Vocalizations are used by lots of animals for many reasons but can attract attention of more than an intended receiver. A predator can easily locate its prey by listening to its vocalizations. A lower pitched vocalization is an aggressive signal and a higher pitched signal is either a warning because of fear or recognizing there is danger, or it can be friendly.

Animals and Their way of Communicating

Animals individually have their own ways of communication. Dolphins use certain whistles and clicks, while birds use songs and peeps, and even still elephants use rumblings in their throats. As different as animals are is how different their communication from species to species.

Mammals In General

It is interesting to look at animals as individuals but it also is interesting to look at a group of related animals at a time. This section is devoted to visual displays and olfactory based communication in mammals.

Olfactory senses are used in mammals for territorial and breeding purposes. Mammals may lick or smell a marking to find out physical characteristics of the marker. Rodents, marsupials, dogs, primate and elephants use their olfactory senses regularly.

Visual displays are also in regular use by mammals as well. Often you’ll see mammals stretching, jumping, arching their back, moving their arms and legs as well as using facial expressions.

Communication in Dolphins

Dolphins are known for their intelligence; one they are most known for is memory. Dolphins have such a great memory of sounds because their neocortex covers 98% of their brain. In humans the neocortex only covers 96% of the brain. Neocortex is used to memorize and produce sounds quickly. This higher amount of neocortex also helps the dolphin to respond to trainers or other dolphins almost “talking back” to them.

Dolphins use high-pitched whistles and clicks to form a long distance communication. These high-pitched sounds can be used for various reasons. The sounds could be used in a family of dolphins to signal each other where they are or for mothers and babies, to tell where the signaler is. The whistles are also used for navigation. A dolphin can send a high-pitched sound that bounces off a surface to create echolocation underwater. This form of echolocation is so effective a dolphin can tell there is a difference between two sheets of metal, they can also tell the difference of flesh and bones, and they can locate an apple 100 yards away. This echolocation is so effective it is thought by many scientists that dolphins can create a sound laser to stun prey so they can easily catch it. Excess sound creates friction in the water, even yet that friction is made into heat so that any small fish that swims into the laser will be paralyzed. The laser-like sound will return as an echo and the dolphin knows the exact location of the fish and has time to go after it.

Communication in Blue Whales

Blue whales are known for their size and long, mating calls. During mating a song is performed by a male to attract a female. These songs are a mixture of pitches but somehow they from a repeating pattern that almost has musical notes and units. These songs are supposedly learned by the males form previous mating seasons like origin stories, but the songs change. Almost every mating season there is a new song to attract females. Scientists still wonder why this change occurs. The song can last half an hour and much longer. Females hear the song and are attracted to the signal. When a female finds a male they swim close to each other and “sing” together. Other males then try to pry the pair apart so they can have the female.

Communication in Crustaceans

Though many people think that a blue whale or perhaps dolphins are the loudest underwater animals but in reality it is a crustacean called the pilot shrimp. Its claws can snap so hard and so high in pitch that it grabs the attention of divers. The sound is completely normal to the underwater animals.

Snapping one’s claws is not the only way crustaceans communicate. As a matter of fact lobsters raise their claws in a wave to another lobster. Well, that is not completely true. Lobsters are very aggressive and raise their claws in a warning that the other lobster is trespassing. A lobster wave is not a friendly wave. When a female is in her crevice and another female passes the crevice they wave and snap at each other until one backs away. If a male passes a female the male scurries off and doesn’t bother to test the females authority. Same idea for a male in a crevice, the female gets the free way and the male passerby get a couple snaps waved toward him.

Communication in Birds

Often in gardens an American robin will make a rasping call around springtime. This call is actually a warning to the nearby animal that they are trespassing and they need to leave. In general birds are known for their songs and vocalizations. That isn’t their only way of communicating though. They also use visual displays and certain smells and touches.

Displays are used usually during courtship. Sometimes plumage or color change is involved in a display or type of courtship dance. This plumage will show which gender the animal is, and if it is ready to mate. Even more often plumage is bright as to make the females notice the brightly colored male.

Smell, touches and exceedingly great hearing are also used in birds. Touches are a type of reassurance to an animal and a need like the one of a child and their need to touch for comfort. Smell and hearing can be used to locate prey. The Australian magpie can detect larvae by listening to its movements underground.

Bats and Echolocation

Echolocation is not really in a sense a way of communication but it deals with sound and frequencies so it is appropriate information to be mentioned. Bats use high-pitched sound in the ultrasound range. A bat will emit 200 pulses of sound per second in the ultrasonic range. Since high-pitched sounds travel in short fast waves they can’t veer an object so they bounce back as an echo that is detected by the bat. The bat can then determine where the trees are that he needs to fly around and where his food source may be found. Because so many pulses are sent per second the bat’s mind can then form a picture in his head of where everything is.

Elephants

Recently it was discovered by Katy B. Payne that elephants communicate using infrasonic frequencies. That doesn’t mean elephants don’t communicate in the human hearing range. Deep (but audible) elephant calls and infrasonic calls travel long distances. Elephants use these long-distance calls like a cell phone. Elephants keep track of where old family members are and where a group is going. Elephants use low sounds most of the time but they also, scream, trumpet and use loud rumbling sounds.

Wolves

Wolves are known for their long, high pitched howls in the middle of the night. These howls in reality are to either warn other packs “we are already hunting here” or the howling wolf needs to call its pack. The long, sharp sound starts strong and then fades into slow rippling waves. Eventually the entire pack will join in so that every wolf in the area has their nose pointed to the sky.

Wolves also bark, growl, squeak and whine. Wolves bark when they are surprised by something. Pups growl in play and adults growl during a challenge from another wolf. Growling is a sign of aggression. Squeaks and whines are used when playing and feeding. Generally they are expressing happy feelings.

Wolves are highly vocal so of course they have extremely good hearing. When a wolf’s ears are pricked forward they have heard something and are following the sound. Wolves can even find a mouse in the snow by its squeals. Scientists believe they may even use their fantastic hearing to find sounds their prey emits.

Communication plays an important role in many human and animal lifestyles. The ways animals communicate are as unique as every species of animal, making it so many different methods of study are needed. Everyday things can be used to study animal communication, like a tape recorder. Even still the most complex devices can be used. There are many different ranges of sound that we still have not yet explored but science is headed in the right direction. Already many animals have been studied so thoroughly we can differentiate aggressive and friendly vocalizations or actions. The purpose of animal communication is to crack the animal code and humans have come a long way. Many more studies have yet to be set up. Think of what we as animals can accomplish. 3rd party contribution