NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2019: The function of vocal learning ability in African elephants

Pardo, Michael A, Ithaca NY

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2019, Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology. The fellowship supports a research and training plan for the Fellow that will increase the participation of groups underrepresented in biology. A key attribute of human language is vocal learning, or the ability to learn to produce new sounds, which is only found in a limited number of other species. Understanding the few cases in which vocal learning has evolved could therefore shed light on the evolutionary origins of language. One possible function of vocal learning is that it allows animals to make their calls sound more like those of their social group members, which serves as a sign of group membership. Another possible function is to allow animals to learn unique sounds to address specific individuals, similar to the way in which humans use names. The Fellow will test both of these hypotheses in African elephants, in which vocal learning is known to occur but is poorly understood. Understanding why elephants have developed vocal learning could provide insight into the conditions that led to the evolution of this unusual but important ability in human ancestors. This project will also provide mentorship and outreach programs for students from underrepresented groups, and will contribute to the Fellow's professional development. To test the hypothesis that elephants learn vocal signatures of group identity, the Fellow will determine if the calls of group members are more similar than the calls of members of different groups independent of relatedness. To determine if elephants recognize close and distant associates at the individual or group level, the Fellow will play back two overlapping calls from the same caller, which should only violate the subjects' expectations if they recognize the caller at the individual level. To test the hypothesis that elephants vocally label conspecifics, the Fellow will determine whether the acoustic structure of a contact call varies according to the intended recipient of the call, and whether individuals are more likely to respond to playbacks of a call that was originally directed towards them, independent of the identity of the caller. The Fellow will hone quantitative skills in acoustic analysis and statistics, and will gain career-enhancing experience in conservation biology through collaboration with other members of the sponsoring lab. The Fellow will also mentor undergraduates conducting acoustic ecology research, and teach workshops at local Hispanic-serving schools. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.