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Communication

Communication

Communication between two animals occurs when one animal transmits an information signal that causes a change in the animal that receives the information. Organisms communicate with one another in a host of different ways. Signals can be auditory, chemical, visual, tactile, or a combination of these. Communication is a critical behavioral adaptation that promotes survival, growth, and reproduction.

The Cochlea

The Cochlea

The cochlea is a coiled structure in the inner ear that contains hair cells—the sensory receptors of the auditory system. Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea by small bones attached to the eardrum called the ossicles, which vibrate the oval window that leads to the inner ear. This causes fluid in the chambers of the cochlea to move, vibrating the basilar membrane.

Hearing

Hearing

When we hear a sound, our nervous system is detecting sound waves—pressure waves of mechanical energy traveling through a medium. The frequency of the wave is perceived as pitch, while the amplitude is perceived as loudness.

Sound Waves

Sound Waves

Sound waves can be thought of as fluctuations in the pressure of a medium through which they propagate. Since the pressure also makes the medium's particles vibrate along its direction of motion, the waves can be modeled as the displacement of the medium's particles from their mean position.
Sound waves are longitudinal in most fluids because fluids cannot sustain any lateral pressure. In solids, however, shear forces help in propagating the disturbance in the lateral direction as well. Hence,...

Perception of Sound Waves

Perception of Sound Waves

The human ear is not equally sensitive to all frequencies in the audible range. It may perceive sound waves with the same pressure but different frequencies as having different loudness. Moreover, the perception of sound waves depends on the health of an individual's ears, which decays with age. The health of one's ears may also be affected by regular exposure to loud noises.
The pitch of a sound depends on the frequency and the pressure amplitude of the source. Two sounds of the same frequency...

Auditory Pathway

Auditory Pathway

Auditory pathways constitute the complex neural circuits responsible for transmitting and interpreting auditory information from the peripheral auditory system to the brain. Sound waves are initially captured by the outer ear, funneled through the ear canal, and reach the tympanic membrane (eardrum). These vibrations are transmitted via the middle ear's ossicles to the inner ear's cochlea.
When viewed cross-sectionally, the cochlea reveals the scala vestibuli and scala tympani flanking the...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Determining Ultrasonic Vocalization Preferences in Mice using a Two-choice Playback Test

Determining Ultrasonic Vocalization Preferences in Mice using a Two-choice Playback Test

Published on: September 3, 2015

How do animals use substrate-borne vibrations as an information source?

Peggy S M Hill¹

¹The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, OK 74104, USA. peggy-hill@utulsa.edu

Die Naturwissenschaften

|July 14, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Animal communication utilizes substrate-borne vibrations, a long-neglected channel, for various behaviors like mating and foraging. This review highlights recent advancements in understanding vibrational signaling across diverse animal species.

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Last Updated: Jun 21, 2026

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Area of Science:

Zoology
Bioacoustics
Animal Behavior

Background:

Animal communication encompasses diverse signaling methods, including visual, auditory, and chemical cues.
Substrate-borne vibration represents an ancient and widespread communication channel, often overlooked until recent decades.
This vibrational signaling is used in multimodal communication and across various substrates like soil, plants, and webs.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the current understanding of information acquisition through substrate-borne vibrations.
To highlight recent literature and advancements in the study of vibrational communication.
To emphasize the significance of vibrational signaling in animal interactions.

Main Methods:

Literature review focusing on recent studies in animal vibrational communication.
Analysis of the contexts and mechanisms of vibrational signal production and reception.
Cross-taxonomic comparison of vibrational signaling strategies.

Main Results:

Substrate-borne vibrations are used in diverse contexts, including mate attraction, courtship, parental care, and foraging.
Animals generate vibrations incidentally or intentionally for communication.
Vibrational communication offers unique constraints and opportunities compared to other sensory modalities.

Conclusions:

Substrate-borne vibration is a crucial and versatile communication channel in the animal kingdom.
Further research is needed to fully understand the complexities of vibrational signaling.
Integrating vibrational communication into broader studies of animal behavior provides a more complete picture of animal interactions.