Processing of acoustic communication signals in grasshoppers

Grasshoppers use acoustic signals – “songs” – to identify and localize potential mating partners. Signal recognition depends on the species-specific temporal pattern of the amplitude modulations of songs and can be visualized as preference functions.

A central problem is how in evolution the match between signals and the corresponding preference function can be maintained. Different types of noise impede signal recognition, and I will discuss how these noise sources affect recognition and how their respective impacts can be quantified. I will mention a few enigmatic results and how a new Linear-Nonlinear model for signal processing can explain enigmatic results.

Finally, I will discuss a potential solution for evolutionary modifications of preference functions.