Does Social Complexity Drive Vocal Complexity? Insights from the Two African Elephant Species

The social complexity hypothesis (SCH) for communication states that the range and frequency of social interactions drive the evolution of complex communication systems. Surprisingly, few studies have empirically tested the SHC for vocal communication systems. Filling this gap is important because a...

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Autores principales:	Daniela Hedwig, Joyce Poole, Petter Granli
Formato:	article
Lenguaje:	EN
Publicado:	MDPI AG 2021
Materias:	syntax formant modulation vocal repertoire gradation acoustic structure Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991
Acceso en línea:	https://doaj.org/article/c29146fdb4b7476dad48a8dedf00e9f8
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spelling	oai:doaj.org-article:c29146fdb4b7476dad48a8dedf00e9f82021-11-25T16:14:31ZDoes Social Complexity Drive Vocal Complexity? Insights from the Two African Elephant Species10.3390/ani111130712076-2615https://doaj.org/article/c29146fdb4b7476dad48a8dedf00e9f82021-10-01T00:00:00Zhttps://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/11/3071https://doaj.org/toc/2076-2615The social complexity hypothesis (SCH) for communication states that the range and frequency of social interactions drive the evolution of complex communication systems. Surprisingly, few studies have empirically tested the SHC for vocal communication systems. Filling this gap is important because a co-evolutionary runaway process between social and vocal complexity may have shaped the most intricate communication system, human language. We here propose the African elephant <i>Loxodonta spec</i>. as an excellent study system to investigate the relationships between social and vocal complexity. We review how the distinct differences in social complexity between the two species of African elephants, the forest elephant <i>L. cyclotis</i> and the savanna elephant <i>L. africana</i>, relate to repertoire size and structure, as well as complex communication skills in the two species, such as call combination or intentional formant modulation including the trunk. Our findings suggest that <i>Loxodonta</i> may contradict the SCH, as well as other factors put forth to explain patterns of vocal complexity across species. We propose that life history traits, a factor that has gained little attention as a driver of vocal complexity, and the extensive parental care associated with a uniquely low and slow reproductive rate, may have led to the emergence of pronounced vocal complexity in the forest elephant despite their less complex social system compared to the savanna elephant. Conclusions must be drawn cautiously, however. A better understanding of vocal complexity in the genus <i>Loxodonta</i> will depend on continuing advancements in remote data collection technologies to overcome the challenges of observing forest elephants in their dense rainforest habitat, as well as the availability of directly comparable data and methods, quantifying both structural and contextual variability in the production of rumbles and other vocalizations in both species of African elephants.Daniela HedwigJoyce PoolePetter GranliMDPI AGarticlesyntaxformant modulationvocal repertoiregradationacoustic structureVeterinary medicineSF600-1100ZoologyQL1-991ENAnimals, Vol 11, Iss 3071, p 3071 (2021)
institution	DOAJ
collection	DOAJ
language	EN
topic	syntax formant modulation vocal repertoire gradation acoustic structure Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991
spellingShingle	syntax formant modulation vocal repertoire gradation acoustic structure Veterinary medicine SF600-1100 Zoology QL1-991 Daniela Hedwig Joyce Poole Petter Granli Does Social Complexity Drive Vocal Complexity? Insights from the Two African Elephant Species
description	The social complexity hypothesis (SCH) for communication states that the range and frequency of social interactions drive the evolution of complex communication systems. Surprisingly, few studies have empirically tested the SHC for vocal communication systems. Filling this gap is important because a co-evolutionary runaway process between social and vocal complexity may have shaped the most intricate communication system, human language. We here propose the African elephant <i>Loxodonta spec</i>. as an excellent study system to investigate the relationships between social and vocal complexity. We review how the distinct differences in social complexity between the two species of African elephants, the forest elephant <i>L. cyclotis</i> and the savanna elephant <i>L. africana</i>, relate to repertoire size and structure, as well as complex communication skills in the two species, such as call combination or intentional formant modulation including the trunk. Our findings suggest that <i>Loxodonta</i> may contradict the SCH, as well as other factors put forth to explain patterns of vocal complexity across species. We propose that life history traits, a factor that has gained little attention as a driver of vocal complexity, and the extensive parental care associated with a uniquely low and slow reproductive rate, may have led to the emergence of pronounced vocal complexity in the forest elephant despite their less complex social system compared to the savanna elephant. Conclusions must be drawn cautiously, however. A better understanding of vocal complexity in the genus <i>Loxodonta</i> will depend on continuing advancements in remote data collection technologies to overcome the challenges of observing forest elephants in their dense rainforest habitat, as well as the availability of directly comparable data and methods, quantifying both structural and contextual variability in the production of rumbles and other vocalizations in both species of African elephants.
format	article
author	Daniela Hedwig Joyce Poole Petter Granli
author_facet	Daniela Hedwig Joyce Poole Petter Granli
author_sort	Daniela Hedwig
title	Does Social Complexity Drive Vocal Complexity? Insights from the Two African Elephant Species
title_short	Does Social Complexity Drive Vocal Complexity? Insights from the Two African Elephant Species
title_full	Does Social Complexity Drive Vocal Complexity? Insights from the Two African Elephant Species
title_fullStr	Does Social Complexity Drive Vocal Complexity? Insights from the Two African Elephant Species
title_full_unstemmed	Does Social Complexity Drive Vocal Complexity? Insights from the Two African Elephant Species
title_sort	does social complexity drive vocal complexity? insights from the two african elephant species
publisher	MDPI AG
publishDate	2021
url	https://doaj.org/article/c29146fdb4b7476dad48a8dedf00e9f8
work_keys_str_mv	AT danielahedwig doessocialcomplexitydrivevocalcomplexityinsightsfromthetwoafricanelephantspecies AT joycepoole doessocialcomplexitydrivevocalcomplexityinsightsfromthetwoafricanelephantspecies AT pettergranli doessocialcomplexitydrivevocalcomplexityinsightsfromthetwoafricanelephantspecies
_version_	1718413281535721472

Does Social Complexity Drive Vocal Complexity? Insights from the Two African Elephant Species

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