The Adaptive Value of Complex Socio-Communicative Behavior

Human spoken language represents the most elaborate communication system, however the selection pressures leading to its emergence are still uncertain. Unlike humans, bonobos and chimpanzees do not have language. However, bonobos may have been subjected to similar selection pressures as early hominins, subsequent to their phylogenetic split from chimpanzees roughly 1.5 million years ago. The current study investigated the similarities and differences in sociality and communicative production between bonobos and chimpanzees in captive settings, using 9, 10-minute focal follows for each individual. Analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between social proximity score and total communicative signals produced, as well as a significant positive correlation between the proportion of time spent playing and total communicative signals produced, for both bonobos and chimpanzees. Additionally, a significant negative correlation was found between the proportion of time spent grooming and total communicative signals produced. Furthermore, a MANOVA indicated a significant species differences in overall communicative production and social proximity score. Specifically, bonobos produced significantly more signals and spent more time in close proximity to conspecifics than chimpanzees. These data are consistent with previous findings that bonobos travel in larger social groups, have greater flexibility in their communicative production, and have the largest communicative repertoires of all non-human ape species. The multifaceted relationship between sociality and communication, and species differences in socio-communicative behavior observed in bonobos and chimpanzees, can provide insight into the evolutionary origins of human spoken language and complex social behavior

Changes in Frontoparietotemporal Connectivity following Do-As-I-Do Imitation Training in Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)

Human imitation is supported by an underlying ‘mirror system’ principally composed of inferior frontal (IF), inferior parietal (IP), and superior temporal (ST) cortical regions. Across primate species, differences in fronto-parieto-temporal connectivity have been hypothesized to explain phylogenetic variation in imitative abilities. However, if and to what extent these regions are involved in imitation in non-human primates is unknown. We hypothesized that ‘Do As I Do’ (DAID) imitation training would enhance white matter integrity within and between fronto-parieto temporal regions. To this end, four captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) were trained to reproduce 23 demonstrated actions, while four age/sex-matched controls were trained to produce basic husbandry behaviors in response to manual cues. Diffusion tensor images were acquired before and after 600 minutes of training over an average of 112 days. Bilateral and asymmetrical changes in fronto-parieto-temporal white matter integrity were compared between DAID trained subjects and controls. We found that imitation trained subjects exhibited leftward shifts in both mean fractional anisotropy and tract strength asymmetry measures in brain regions within the mirror system. This is the first report of training-induced changes in white matter integrity in chimpanzees and suggests that fronto-parieto-temporal connectivity, particularly in the left hemisphere, may have facilitated the emergence of increasingly complex imitation learning abilities

Associations between rapid auditory processing of speech sounds and specific verbal communication skills in autism

IntroductionThe ability to rapidly process speech sounds is integral not only for processing other’s speech, but also for auditory processing of one’s own speech, which allows for maintenance of speech accuracy. Deficits in rapid auditory processing have been demonstrated in autistic individuals, particularly those with language impairment. We examined rapid auditory processing for speech sounds in relation to performance on a battery of verbal communication measures to determine which aspects of verbal communication were associated with cortical auditory processing in a sample of individuals with autism.MethodsParticipants were 57 children and adolescents (40 male and 17 female) ages 5–18 who were diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Rapid auditory processing of speech sounds was measured via a magnetoencephalographic (MEG) index of the quality of the auditory evoked response to the second of two differing speech sounds (“Ga” / “Da”) presented in rapid succession. Verbal communication abilities were assessed on standardized clinical measures of overall expressive and receptive language, vocabulary, articulation, and phonological processing. Associations between cortical measures of left- and right-hemisphere rapid auditory processing and verbal communication measures were examined.ResultsRapid auditory processing of speech sounds was significantly associated with speech articulation bilaterally (r = 0.463, p = 0.001 for left hemisphere and r = 0.328, p = 0.020 for right hemisphere). In addition, rapid auditory processing in the left hemisphere was significantly associated with overall expressive language abilities (r = 0.354, p = 0.013); expressive (r = 0.384, p = 0.005) vocabulary; and phonological memory (r = 0.325, p = 0.024). Phonological memory was found to mediate the relationship between rapid cortical processing and receptive language.DiscussionThese results demonstrate that impaired rapid auditory processing for speech sounds is associated with dysfunction in verbal communication in ASD. The data also indicate that intact rapid auditory processing may be necessary for even basic communication skills that support speech production, such as phonological memory and articulatory control

Identification of genes differentially expressed in a resistant reaction to Mycosphaerella pinodes in pea using microarray technology

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ascochyta blight, caused by <it>Mycosphaerella pinodes </it>is one of the most important pea pathogens. However, little is known about the genes and mechanisms of resistance acting against <it>M. pinodes </it>in pea. Resistance identified so far to this pathogen is incomplete, polygenic and scarce in pea, being most common in <it>Pisum </it>relatives. The identification of the genes underlying resistance would increase our knowledge about <it>M. pinodes-</it>pea interaction and would facilitate the introgression of resistance into pea varieties. In the present study differentially expressed genes in the resistant <it>P. sativum </it>ssp. <it>syriacum </it>accession P665 comparing to the susceptible pea cv. Messire after inoculation with <it>M. pinodes </it>have been identified using a <it>M. truncatula </it>microarray.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Of the 16,470 sequences analysed, 346 were differentially regulated. Differentially regulated genes belonged to almost all functional categories and included genes involved in defense such as genes involved in cell wall reinforcement, phenylpropanoid and phytoalexins metabolism, pathogenesis- related (PR) proteins and detoxification processes. Genes associated with jasmonic acid (JA) and ethylene signal transduction pathways were induced suggesting that the response to <it>M. pinodes </it>in pea is regulated via JA and ET pathways. Expression levels of ten differentially regulated genes were validated in inoculated and control plants using qRT-PCR showing that the P665 accession shows constitutively an increased expression of the defense related genes as peroxidases, disease resistance response protein 39 (DRR230-b), glutathione S-transferase (GST) and 6a-hydroxymaackiain methyltransferase.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Through this study a global view of genes expressed during resistance to <it>M. pinodes </it>has been obtained, giving relevant information about the mechanisms and pathways conferring resistance to this important disease. In addition, the <it>M. truncatula </it>microarray represents an efficient tool to identify candidate genes controlling resistance to <it>M. pinodes </it>in pea.</p

Towards long-term standardised carbon and greenhouse gas observations for monitoring Europe's terrestrial ecosystems : a review

Research infrastructures play a key role in launching a new generation of integrated long-term, geographically distributed observation programmes designed to monitor climate change, better understand its impacts on global ecosystems, and evaluate possible mitigation and adaptation strategies. The pan-European Integrated Carbon Observation System combines carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG; CO2, CH4, N2O, H2O) observations within the atmosphere, terrestrial ecosystems and oceans. High-precision measurements are obtained using standardised methodologies, are centrally processed and openly available in a traceable and verifiable fashion in combination with detailed metadata. The Integrated Carbon Observation System ecosystem station network aims to sample climate and land-cover variability across Europe. In addition to GHG flux measurements, a large set of complementary data (including management practices, vegetation and soil characteristics) is collected to support the interpretation, spatial upscaling and modelling of observed ecosystem carbon and GHG dynamics. The applied sampling design was developed and formulated in protocols by the scientific community, representing a trade-off between an ideal dataset and practical feasibility. The use of open-access, high-quality and multi-level data products by different user communities is crucial for the Integrated Carbon Observation System in order to achieve its scientific potential and societal value.Peer reviewe

The evolution of complex social communication: What chimpanzees and bonobos can tell us about the origins of human language

Human language is the most complex communication system in the animal kingdom. However, the selection pressures leading to its emergence are largely unknown. To better understand the evolutionary origins of human social communication, we must look to our closest extant relatives – chimpanzees and bonobos. Unfortunately, little is known about the origins of complex communication, as studies that directly compare the social behavior and communication of chimpanzees and bonobos are lacking. To this end, we aimed to 1) determine if the two species most closely related to humans exhibit a positive relation between social behavior and communicative production, and 2) evaluate species-level differences in social behavior and communication between bonobos and chimpanzees. To assess both individual-level and species-level social behavior and communication, we collected 9, 10-minute focal observations on 25 bonobos (Pan paniscus) and 24 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Analyses revealed that both species exhibited a positive association between social behavior and communication. Specifically, individuals that spent more time engaged with social partners communicated more often than individuals that were less social. Additionally, a MANCOVA indicated bonobos spent more time engaged with social partners and communicated more frequently than chimpanzees. Collectively, these results suggest that the communicative behavior of both species reflect adaptations to facilitate social interactions and navigate complex social environments. As the first study to compare directly the social and the communicative behavior of bonobos and chimpanzees, our findings support the hypothesis that complex communication, including human language, evolved as a tool to navigate increasingly dynamic social environments

Associations between rapid auditory processing of speech sounds and specific verbal communication skills in autism

Introduction: The ability to rapidly process speech sounds is integral not only for processing other’s speech, but also for auditory processing of one’s own speech, which allows for maintenance of speech accuracy. Deficits in rapid auditory processing have been demonstrated in autistic individuals, particularly those with language impairment. We examined rapid auditory processing for speech sounds in relation to performance on a battery of verbal communication measures to determine which aspects of verbal communication were associated with cortical auditory processing in a sample of individuals with autism. Methods: Participants were 57 children and adolescents (40 male and 17 female) ages 5–18 who were diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Rapid auditory processing of speech sounds was measured via a magnetoencephalographic (MEG) index of the quality of the auditory evoked response to the second of two differing speech sounds (“Ga” / “Da”) presented in rapid succession. Verbal communication abilities were assessed on standardized clinical measures of overall expressive and receptive language, vocabulary, articulation, and phonological processing. Associations between cortical measures of left- and right-hemisphere rapid auditory processing and verbal communication measures were examined. Results: Rapid auditory processing of speech sounds was significantly associated with speech articulation bilaterally (r = 0.463, p = 0.001 for left hemisphere and r = 0.328, p = 0.020 for right hemisphere). In addition, rapid auditory processing in the left hemisphere was significantly associated with overall expressive language abilities (r = 0.354, p = 0.013); expressive (r = 0.384, p = 0.005) vocabulary; and phonological memory (r = 0.325, p = 0.024). Phonological memory was found to mediate the relationship between rapid cortical processing and receptive language. Discussion: These results demonstrate that impaired rapid auditory processing for speech sounds is associated with dysfunction in verbal communication in ASD. The data also indicate that intact rapid auditory processing may be necessary for even basic communication skills that support speech production, such as phonological memory and articulatory control