Effectiveness of movement-based animal signals is a function of display structure and habitat characteristics: simulations of Australian dragons
Habitat-specific characteristics can affect signal transmission such that different habitats dictate the optimal signal. One way to examine how the environment influences signals is by comparing changes in signal efficacy in different habitats. Examinations of signal efficacy between different habitats has helped to explain signal divergence/convergence between populations and species utilising acoustic and colour signals. Although previous research has provided evidence for local adaptations and signal divergence in many species of lizards, comparative studies in movement-based signals are rare due to technical difficulties in quantifying movements in nature and ethical restrictions in translocating animals between habitats. We demonstrate herein that these issues can be addressed using 3D animations, and compared the relative performance of the displays of four Australian lizard species in the habitats of each species under varying environmental conditions. Our simulations show that habitats differentially affect signal performance, and an interaction between display and habitat structure. Interestingly, the signal adapted to the noisier environment did not show an advantage in signal efficacy, but the noisy habitat was detrimental to the performance of all displays. Our study is one of the first studies for movement-based signals that directly compares signal performance in multiple habitats, and our approach has laid the foundation for future investigations in motion ecology that have been intractable to conventional research methods.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
Posted 15 Dec, 2020
On 18 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
Invitations sent on 27 Dec, 2020
On 21 Dec, 2020
On 14 Dec, 2020
On 14 Dec, 2020
On 08 Dec, 2020
Effectiveness of movement-based animal signals is a function of display structure and habitat characteristics: simulations of Australian dragons
Posted 15 Dec, 2020
On 18 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Received 03 Jan, 2021
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
On 29 Dec, 2020
Invitations sent on 27 Dec, 2020
On 21 Dec, 2020
On 14 Dec, 2020
On 14 Dec, 2020
On 08 Dec, 2020
Habitat-specific characteristics can affect signal transmission such that different habitats dictate the optimal signal. One way to examine how the environment influences signals is by comparing changes in signal efficacy in different habitats. Examinations of signal efficacy between different habitats has helped to explain signal divergence/convergence between populations and species utilising acoustic and colour signals. Although previous research has provided evidence for local adaptations and signal divergence in many species of lizards, comparative studies in movement-based signals are rare due to technical difficulties in quantifying movements in nature and ethical restrictions in translocating animals between habitats. We demonstrate herein that these issues can be addressed using 3D animations, and compared the relative performance of the displays of four Australian lizard species in the habitats of each species under varying environmental conditions. Our simulations show that habitats differentially affect signal performance, and an interaction between display and habitat structure. Interestingly, the signal adapted to the noisier environment did not show an advantage in signal efficacy, but the noisy habitat was detrimental to the performance of all displays. Our study is one of the first studies for movement-based signals that directly compares signal performance in multiple habitats, and our approach has laid the foundation for future investigations in motion ecology that have been intractable to conventional research methods.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5