This preprint is under consideration at Scientific Reports. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research Article
Effectiveness of movement-based animal signals is a function of display structure and habitat characteristics: simulations of Australian dragons
Richard Peters
La Trobe University
Corresponding Author
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
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.
Keywords
animal communication, habitat structure, movement-based signal, visual saliency, signal evolution, 3D animation
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 5
This is a list of supplementary files associated with this preprint. Click to download.
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Revision
Version 1
Posted 15 Dec, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 18 Jan, 2021
Review #6 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #7 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #1 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #4 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #2 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #3 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #5 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #7 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #8 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #5 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #6 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 27 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 21 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 14 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 14 Dec, 2020
First submitted
On 08 Dec, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
Learn more about our company.
This preprint is under consideration at Scientific Reports. A preprint is a preliminary version of a manuscript that has not completed peer review at a journal. Research Square does not conduct peer review prior to posting preprints. The posting of a preprint on this server should not be interpreted as an endorsement of its validity or suitability for dissemination as established information or for guiding clinical practice.
Learn more about In Review
Research Article
Effectiveness of movement-based animal signals is a function of display structure and habitat characteristics: simulations of Australian dragons
Richard Peters
La Trobe University
Corresponding Author
Badges
Prescreen
This manuscript passed our Prescreen assessment
Complete author information
Appropriate declaration statements
Potential risks to human health
Prescreen
Peer Review Timeline
CURRENT STATUS: Under Revision
Version 1
Posted 15 Dec, 2020
No community comments so far
Editorial decision: Major revision
On 18 Jan, 2021
Review #6 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #7 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #1 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #4 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #2 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #3 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Review #5 received
Received 03 Jan, 2021
Reviewer #1 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #7 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #8 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #2 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #5 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #3 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #4 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewer #6 agreed
On 29 Dec, 2020
Reviewers invited
Invitations sent on 27 Dec, 2020
Editor assigned
On 21 Dec, 2020
Editor invited
On 14 Dec, 2020
Submission checks complete
On 14 Dec, 2020
First submitted
On 08 Dec, 2020
Metrics
Comments: 0
PDF Downloads: ...
HTML Views: ...
License:
This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License. Read Full License
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