title: Dynamic adjustment of echolocation pulse structure of big-footed myotis (Myotis macrodactylus) in response to different habitats.
abstract: Studying relationships between characteristics of sonar pulses and habitat clutter level is important for the understanding of signal design in bat echolocation. However, most studies have focused on overall spectral and temporal parameters of such vocalizations, with focus less on potential variation in frequency modulation rates (MRs) occurring within each pulse. In the current study, frequency modulation (FM) characteristics were examined in echolocation pulses recorded from big-footed myotis (Myotis macrodactylus) bats as these animals searched for prey in five habitats differing in relative clutter level. Pulses were analyzed using ten parameters, including four structure-related characters which were derived by dividing each pulse into three elements based on two knees in the FM sweep. Results showed that overall frequency, pulse duration, and MR all varied across habitat. The strongest effects were found for MR in the body of the pulse, implying that this particular component plays a major role as M. macrodactylus, and potentially other bat species, adjust to varying clutter levels in their foraging habitats.
authors.affiliation: Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China.
authors.forename: Jinhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China.
authors.forename: Hongna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China.
authors.forename: Tinglei
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Danville, Virginia 24540.
authors.forename: Dennis
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lyle
authors.affiliation: Jilin Key Laboratory of Animal Resource Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Normal University, 5268 Renmin Street, Changchun 130024, China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002685:Chiroptera / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D004455:Echolocation; D017753:Ecosystem; D009038:Motion; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013016:Sound; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013997:Time Factors; D014465:Ultrasonics / Q000379:methods; D014828:Vocalization, Animal