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Sensing in a noisy world: lessons from auditory specialists, echolocating bats
Aaron J Corcoran1, Cynthia F Moss2
1Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Box 7325 Reynolda Station, Winston-Salem, NC 27109, USA Aaron.j.corcoran@gmail.com.
The Journal of Experimental Biology
|December 15, 2017
Summary
Echolocating bats use sophisticated auditory behaviors to navigate and hunt in noisy environments. These specialized sensory mechanisms for extracting information are likely found in other animals too.
Area of Science:
- Animal Behavior
- Sensory Ecology
- Bioacoustics
Background:
- Animals must extract meaningful sensory information from noisy environments.
- Echolocating bats face challenges in object localization, prey tracking, and communication due to acoustic complexity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the mechanisms echolocating bats use to operate in complex and noisy acoustic environments.
- To understand how bats detect targets, manage interference, and overcome background noise.
Main Methods:
- Behavioral analysis of bats in various ecological scenarios.
- Investigation of auditory behaviors, including signal jamming and sensory integration.
- Comparison of bat strategies to broader principles of sensory information extraction in animals.
Main Results:
- Bats employ active control of sound emission and reception through integrated sensory-motor systems.
- Strategies include discriminating target echoes, minimizing interference from conspecifics, and overcoming insect noise.
- Behavioral tactics like ceasing sonar calls and active jamming reveal echolocation capabilities and limitations.
Conclusions:
- Bats exhibit remarkable auditory behaviors and sensory adaptations for noisy environments.
- These specialized mechanisms highlight general principles of sensory information processing applicable across the animal kingdom.
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