Substrate-borne communication via mechanical waves is widespread throughout the animal kingdom but has not been intensively studied in fishes. Families such as
This document does not detail a specific experiment, but rather it is a review and discussion of the current state of research regarding fish and their potential use of vibrational stimuli, particularly in the context of communication. The authors argue that fish, especially benthic (bottom-dwelling) and demersal (near-bottom dwelling) species, should be considered in the field of biotremology, the study of vibrations in biological systems, as well as bioacoustics, the study of sound production and perception in animals.
The authors highlight several research priorities in this area. These include the need for a standardized vocabulary to describe aquatic vibrational stimuli, basic vibrational sensitivity studies to understand what fish can sense, and the development of a standardized tank setup to reliably reproduce waves for testing. They also call for more research into the extent to which fish produce vibrations, the potential for fish to use vibrations for communication, and the impact of anthropogenic (human-caused) sources of vibration on fish.
The authors suggest that vibrations could be used by fish in tandem with, or instead of, acoustic signals, and that the effectiveness of these signals could vary depending on the type and composition of the substrate (the surface or material on or from which an organism lives, grows, or obtains its nourishment). They also propose that vibrations could be crucial for communication and environmental sensing, and could provide an additional sensory channel for fish when other modes are blocked.
The authors conclude that there is a lack of basic understanding regarding this relatively unknown sensory mode in relation to fish, and that many more empirical studies are required. They suggest that this research could be driven by the growing threat of vibrational noise in the aquatic environment, and that contributors to the soundscape may also contribute to the vibroscape, presenting an overlap in sensory worlds that is currently overlooked.
In terms of animal communication, this review suggests that vibrations could be a significant, yet under-studied, mode of communication for certain species of fish. This could have implications for our understanding of fish behavior, ecology, and conservation, particularly in the context of increasing anthropogenic noise in aquatic environments.
Summary made by Quivr/GPT-4
This document does not detail a specific experiment, but rather it is a review and discussion of the current state of research regarding fish and their potential use of vibrational stimuli, particularly in the context of communication. The authors argue that fish, especially benthic (bottom-dwelling) and demersal (near-bottom dwelling) species, should be considered in the field of biotremology, the study of vibrations in biological systems, as well as bioacoustics, the study of sound production and perception in animals.
The authors highlight several research priorities in this area. These include the need for a standardized vocabulary to describe aquatic vibrational stimuli, basic vibrational sensitivity studies to understand what fish can sense, and the development of a standardized tank setup to reliably reproduce waves for testing. They also call for more research into the extent to which fish produce vibrations, the potential for fish to use vibrations for communication, and the impact of anthropogenic (human-caused) sources of vibration on fish.
The authors suggest that vibrations could be used by fish in tandem with, or instead of, acoustic signals, and that the effectiveness of these signals could vary depending on the type and composition of the substrate (the surface or material on or from which an organism lives, grows, or obtains its nourishment). They also propose that vibrations could be crucial for communication and environmental sensing, and could provide an additional sensory channel for fish when other modes are blocked.
The authors conclude that there is a lack of basic understanding regarding this relatively unknown sensory mode in relation to fish, and that many more empirical studies are required. They suggest that this research could be driven by the growing threat of vibrational noise in the aquatic environment, and that contributors to the soundscape may also contribute to the vibroscape, presenting an overlap in sensory worlds that is currently overlooked.
In terms of animal communication, this review suggests that vibrations could be a significant, yet under-studied, mode of communication for certain species of fish. This could have implications for our understanding of fish behavior, ecology, and conservation, particularly in the context of increasing anthropogenic noise in aquatic environments.