Despite considerable interest in this field, we know relatively little about mate-sampling behaviors, i.e., how individuals gather information about potential partners. The proposed study will examine the mate-sampling behavior of female treefrogs. Previous results suggest that females listen to only a subset of the males in a chorus and that females incorporate into their decisions both the distance to the caller, and the call characteristics themselves. The proposed research will test this hypothesis and likely alternatives, using artificial choruses of eight speakers. These speakers will be arranged in an array that mimics the spatial distribution of males in natural choruses. The experimental approach of this research will allow a conclusive determination of the mate-sampling behavior of females, and elucidate how many males a female listens to and the effect of distance on partner choice.
This research is novel in that it incorporates environmental variables (the distance from the caller) as well as the attributes of the caller (his song) in the examination of how females choose mates. The results of this approach will be broadly applicable to the theories regarding mate choice in a wide array of species. Undergraduate students will be closely involved in this research. They will have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of the scientific endeavor. This will increase the likelihood that these students will choose to continue working in the biological sciences.
