ABSTRACT Anthropogenic noise changes the acoustic environment in which avian signals have evolved, possibly decreasing active space or the area over which signals may be detected and discriminated by receivers. Linking signal transmission patterns to signal function and species’ spatial ecology is important for understanding behavioural changes of receivers in noise. We tested whether varying levels of ambient noise affects transmission of two structurally distinct sections of male house wren (Troglodytes aedon) song used for short- and long-distance communication. We placed our experiment in an ecological context by measuring signal degradation and attenuation in relation to species-typical spacing patterns to investigate whether song structure is maintained within (short-distance within-pair communication) and between territories (long-distance male-male and extra-pair communication) depending on noise levels. Songs experienced more masking and fell below thresholds for detection and discrimination at shorter distances under noisier conditions. Decay of signal-to-noise ratios and cross-correlation factors in noise were so pronounced that song components used for both short- and long-distance communication did not transmit beyond average territory boundaries. Noise masking could affect species ecology: if signals are not detected by intended receivers in noisier habitats, settlement, space use and social interactions may be fundamentally altered compared to those in quieter environments.

中文翻译：

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人为噪声掩蔽减少了城市自然区域的屋鹪鹩（Troglodytes aedon）歌曲传播

摘要 人为噪声改变了鸟类信号进化的声学环境，可能会减少活动空间或接收器可以检测和识别信号的区域。将信号传输模式与信号功能和物种的空间生态联系起来，对于理解噪声中接收器的行为变化非常重要。我们测试了不同水平的环境噪音是否影响用于短距离和长距离通信的雄性鹪鹩（Troglodytes aedon）歌曲的两个结构不同部分的传输。我们通过测量与物种典型间隔模式相关的信号衰减和衰减，将我们的实验置于生态环境中，以研究歌曲结构是否在（短距离内对通信）和领土之间（长距离雄性和雄性）保持不变。额外对通信）取决于噪音水平。在嘈杂的条件下，歌曲在更短的距离内经历了更多的掩蔽并低于检测和辨别的阈值。噪声中的信噪比和互相关因子的衰减非常明显，以至于用于短距离和长距离通信的歌曲成分不会超出平均领土边界进行传播。噪声掩蔽可能会影响物种生态：如果在嘈杂的栖息地、定居点、