Individual and Geographic Variation in Non-Harmonic Phases of Male Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) Song

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41320%2F23%3A97019" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41320/23:97019 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani13040765" target="_blank" >http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani13040765</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ani13040765" target="_blank" >10.3390/ani13040765</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Individual and Geographic Variation in Non-Harmonic Phases of Male Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) Song

Original language description

Simple Summary The remaining European populations of the capercaillie are restricted to isolated mountains, and population declines have led to local extinctions across Western and Central Europe. The majority of studies related to individually distinct vocalizations focused on various versions of tonal and harmonic signals, while non-harmonic noisy signals have not been studied in such detail, even though these signals are frequent in some birds including gallinaceous species. We described the structure of capercaillie song and showed how temporal and frequency acoustic variables contribute to individual-specific expression. The combination of temporal and frequency variables showed the best classification result. Capercallie song represents a complex signal of non-harmonic 'noisy' sounds formed by different acoustic components organized into four main phases. We tested which song phase makes the largest contribution to coding individual identity. The best contribution to individual variation was found in more complex phases. Recordings from males originating from seven countries also suggest geographical variation underlying capercaillie song. The such geographic variation could reflect the potential genetic differentiation of distant populations. Our results revealed that males from Sweden and Norway (Boreal area) formed a distinct cluster from males in the Czech Republic, Germany, and Poland (Sumava and Carpathian area). Individually distinct acoustic signals, produced mainly as tonal and harmonic sounds, have been recorded in many species; however, non-tonal 'noisy' signals have received little attention or have not been studied in detail. The capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus) produce complex courtship songs composed of non-tonal noisy signals in four discrete phases. We analyzed recordings from 24 captive male capercaillies in breeding centres in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany, and songs from wild males in Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Estonia to test whether a non-harmonic song can encode individual-specific information. We also analyzed the intra-population variation of the male song from three separate areas: Carpathian (Polish and Czech Beskid), Sumava, and Boreal (boreal range of species distribution). Temporal and frequency characteristics can reliably distinguish capercaillies at the individual level (91.7%). DFA model testing geographic variation assigned 91% of songs to the correct area (Carpathian, Sumava, Boreal). The cluster analysis revealed that males from the Boreal area formed a distinct cluster. Our analysis shows clear geographical patterns among our study males and may provide a valuable marker for identifying inter-population dynamics and could help to characterize the evolutionary histories of wood grouse. We discuss the potential use of this marker as a non-invasive monitoring tool for captive and free-roaming capercaillies.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10613 - Zoology

Project

<a href="/en/project/EF16_019%2F0000803" target="_blank" >EF16_019/0000803: Advanced research supporting the forestry and wood-processing sector´s adaptation to global change and the 4th industrial revolution</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)<br>S - Specificky vyzkum na vysokych skolach

Publication year

2023

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

Animals

ISSN

2076-2615

e-ISSN

2076-2615

Volume of the periodical

13

Issue of the periodical within the volume

4

Country of publishing house

CH - SWITZERLAND

Number of pages

17

Pages from-to

1-17

UT code for WoS article

000937826600001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-85148877327