Experimental exposure to urban and pink noise affects brain development and song learning in zebra finches ( Taenopygia guttata )

PeerJ

article

Dominique A. Potvin¹  Michael T. Curcio⁴  John P. Swaddle⁴  Scott A. MacDougall-Shackleton² 

[1] Research School of Biology, Australian National University;Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario;Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario;Institute for Integrative Bird Behavior Studies, College of William and Mary;Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter

关键词: Noise;    HVC;    Birdsong;    Urban ecology;    Song learning;    Zebra finch;   

DOI  :  10.7717/peerj.2287

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: Inra

【 摘 要 】

Recently, numerous studies have observed changes in bird vocalizations—especially song—in urban habitats. These changes are often interpreted as adaptive, since they increase the active space of the signal in its environment. However, the proximate mechanisms driving cross-generational changes in song are still unknown. We performed a captive experiment to identify whether noise experienced during development affects song learning and the development of song-control brain regions. Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) were bred while exposed, or not exposed, to recorded traffic urban noise (Study 1) or pink noise (Study 2). We recorded the songs of male offspring and compared these to fathers’ songs. We also measured baseline corticosterone and measured the size of song-control brain regions when the males reached adulthood (Study 1 only). While male zebra finches tended to copy syllables accurately from tutors regardless of noise environment, syntax (the ordering of syllables within songs) was incorrectly copied affected by juveniles exposed to noise. Noise did not affect baseline corticosterone, but did affect the size of brain regions associated with song learning: these regions were smaller in males that had been had been exposed to recorded traffic urban noise in early development. These findings provide a possible mechanism by which noise affects behaviour, leading to potential population differences between wild animals occupying noisier urban environments compared with those in quieter habitats.

【 授权许可】

CC BY