@article {57603, title = {Experience modulates an insect{\textquoteright}s response to anthropogenic noise}, year = {2019}, abstract = {

In response to anthropogenic noise, vertebrates express modified acoustic communication signals either through individual plasticity or local population adaptation. In contrast, how insects respond to this stressor is poorly studied. Field crickets Gryllus bimaculatus use acoustic signals to attract and locate mates and are commonly found in noisy roadside environments, offering a powerful system to study the effects of anthropogenic noise on insect communication. Rapid repetition of sexual calls (chirps) is essential to attract females, but calling incurs energetic costs and attracts predators. As a result, males are predicted to reduce calling rates when background noise is high. Here, we combine observations and experimental playbacks to show that the responses of field cricket males to anthropogenic noise also depend on their previous experience with passing cars. First, we show that males living on highway edges decrease their chirp rate in response to passing cars. To assess whether this behavioral response depends on previous exposure to car noise, we then broadcast recordings of car noise to males located at different distances from the road and, therefore, with different previous exposure to car noise. Although all tested individuals responded to broadcasted traffic noise, males closest to the road decreased their chirp rate less than individuals calling further from the road. These results suggest that regular exposure to anthropogenic noise may decrease individuals\’ sensitivity and behavioral responses to noise, allowing them to maintain effective signaling rates. Behavioral plasticity modulated by experience may thus allow some insect species to cope with human-induced environmental stressors.

}, keywords = {acoustic adaptation, anthropogenic noise, behavioral plasticity, Gryllus bimaculatus, Insect, sexual signals}, doi = {10.1093/beheco/arz159}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/beheco/advance-article/doi/10.1093/beheco/arz159/5574703}, author = {Gallego-Abenza, Mario and Mathevon, Nicolas and Wheatcroft, David}, editor = {Candolin, Ulrika} } @article {53118, title = {Anthropogenic noise disrupts mate searching in Gryllus bimaculatus}, journal = {Behavioral Ecology}, year = {2018}, month = {Apr-10-2018}, abstract = {

Many animals use acoustic communication as a means of sending important biological information, such as their location, to potential receivers. However, anthropogenic noise is known to affect the ability of some species to either produce or receive signals, which may influence their reproductive success. In this study, we investigate the effect of anthropogenic noise on the mate-searching behaviors of the field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. To accomplish this, phonotaxis trials were conducted with female field crickets under different acoustic conditions, and their ability to detect and move towards conspecific male calls was assessed. The presence of traffic noise reduced the likelihood that the female would approach the male calls and also reduced the time that the female spent attending to the calling stimulus before making her decision. However, the presence of white noise did not reduce the likelihood of approaching the calling speaker, indicating that the average amplitude of anthropogenic noise is, alone, not important in this conflict, but frequency and fluctuations in the stimulus or other characteristics might be. This study supports the hypothesis that anthropogenic noise does indeed influence the detectability of acoustic mate location signals, thus disrupting mate searching behavior.

}, keywords = {acoustic signals, anthropogenic noise, Gryllus bimaculatus, mate searching, sexual signals}, issn = {1045-2249}, doi = {10.1093/beheco/ary126}, url = {https://academic.oup.com/beheco/advance-article/doi/10.1093/beheco/ary126/5115667}, author = {Bent, Adam M and Ings, Thomas C} } @article {17242, title = {Physical processes and mechanism of sound production in Field Cricket Gryllus bimaculatus De Geer}, journal = {Entomon}, volume = {13}, year = {1988}, pages = {109-120}, chapter = {109}, abstract = {

The paper describes the acoustic apparatus of field cricket Gryllus bimaculatus. A model is proposed for the mechanism of sound production. Physical and acoustic apparatus are reported. Mutilation experiments on the elytra of the insect were performed to study the relative contribution of the components of the acoustic apparatus. Different physical processes involved in the sound production such as signal generation, amplification, frequency modukation (FM) and amplitude modulation (AM) are discussed. The quality of the sound analysed by the sonagraphic technique. It consists of fundamnetal (5kHz) and two overtones (10,5 \& 16kHz), the former being prominent.

}, keywords = {amplifier, elytral vibration, file-scraper system, frequency geneartor, frequency modulator, frictional system, Gryllus bimaculatus, resonance}, author = {Adeel Ahmad and M. A. Siddiqui} }