Analysis of propagation constraints on acoustic communication networks of rock ptarmigan

• Main Authors: Guibard, Arthur, Ollivier, Sébastien, Dragna, Didier, Sèbe, Frédéric, Galland, Marie-Annick
• Other Authors: Laboratoire de Mecanique des Fluides et d'Acoustique (LMFA), École Centrale de Lyon (ECL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon (INSA Lyon), Université de Lyon-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Institut National des Sciences Appliquées (INSA)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre de recherche en neurosciences de Lyon - Lyon Neuroscience Research Center (CRNL), Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UCBL), Université de Lyon-Université de Lyon-Université Jean Monnet - Saint-Étienne (UJM)-Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2020
• Subjects: bird vocalisation; communication networks; outdoor propagation; mountain area; [PHYS.MECA.ACOU]Physics [physics]/Mechanics [physics]/Acoustics [physics.class-ph]; [PHYS.MECA.VIBR]Physics [physics]/Mechanics [physics]/Vibrations [physics.class-ph]; rock ptarmigan
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-03242425; https://doi.org/10.48465/fa.2020.0393

International audience Communication networks among birds are widely studied. However, it?s questionable how propagation constraints influence the organization of these interactions, especially at great distances. Indeed, in an outdoor environment, the propagation of an acoustic signal is strongly modified by topography, meteorological and ground effects. For bird species living in high mountains, these different effects will have a prominent impact on how their vocalization spreads. Thus, modelling the propagation of acoustic signals is likely to provide important cues to understand these communication networks. In this study, we focus on the rock ptarmigan that lives in particularly complex mountain areas. A cross-sectional approach that combines physical modeling of sound propagation with biological data on the spatial and temporal structure of acoustic networks is considered. To this end, a simplified sound propagation code dedicated to bioacoustic studies and based on the ray tracing method is developed. Test-cases of sound propagation over a flat ground and over a rugged topography, taking into account a sound speed gradient, are carried out to validate the code. Using this model, we will study how the environment in mountainous areas affects acoustic propagation and, as a consequence, how it influences the information exchange among rock ptarmigan. In addition, the construction of a spatial representation of information and communication networks will allow to improve population census methods for wildlife management and conservation.