Playback is the technique of rebroadcasting natural or synthetic signals to animals and observing their response. The ability to present a putative signal in isolation, without the potential confounding effects of other activities of the signaller, is the main reason for the depth and range of our knowledge of communication systems. To date, playback of sound signals has predominated, but playback of electric signals and even video playback of visual signals suggests that playback will become just as prevalent in studies of communication in other sensory modalities. This book is one of the...

Summarizing research progress and prospects in the rapidly expanding area of animal communication networks, this book differs from other works on animal communication because it covers several animal groups and types of signal. It also highlights research at the interface with other disciplines (for example, psychology and physiology) and is intended for researchers in the field, advanced students and high-level undergraduates.