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Most animal communication has evolved and now takes place in the context of a communication network, i.e. several signallers and receivers within communication range of each other. This idea follows naturally from the observation that many signals travel further than the average spacing between animals. This is self evidently true for long-range signals, but at a high density the same is true for short-range signals (e.g. begging calls of nestling birds). This book provides a current summary of research on communication networks and appraises future prospects. It combines information from studies of several taxonomic groups (insects to people via fiddler crabs, fish, frogs, birds and mammals) and several signalling modalities (visual, acoustic and chemical signals). It also specifically addresses the many areas of interface between communication networks and other disciplines (from the evolution of human charitable behaviour to the psychophysics of signal perception, via social behaviour, physiology and mathematical models).
"This book is designed to be intelligible to a wide academic audience looking for an authoritative introduction to the field of animal communication networks.... I have used it in a graduate course and have found that most chapters provide an excellent foundation for discussions in class."
Gayathri Sreedharan, Ecoscience
"I found this book exciting, thought-provoking, and an important contribution. Every chapter was strong.... I urge all communication researchers to read this book. It is clear and accessible, allowing readers to see how this perspective might or might not apply to behaviors both seemingly already understood and currently mysterious."
Penny L. Bernstein, BioScience
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