Holly Root-Gutteridge
Holly Root-Gutteridge has always been a good listener–a trait that has served her very well in her bioacoustics research of mammals, both aquatic and landlocked. Most recently her ears have tuned-in to the vocal stylings of the North Atlantic right whale, one of the most endangered species of whales on earth.
Root-Gutteridge’s newest investigation “A lifetime of changing calls: North Atlantic right whales, Eubalaena Glacialis, refine call production as they age,” a collaborative research project with researchers from Syracuse University, Cornell University, Duke University and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Northeast fisheries office, was recently published in the March edition of the journal Animal Behaviour. The paper is based on work that was done while she was a researcher in the lab of Associate Professor Susan Parks.
Through extensive listening and analysis of whale calls—which were recorded by a large collaboration of scientists over the past two decades—she was able to pick up the slow gradual changes in sound production in the marine giants as they age. By careful analysis of the sounds, the research team could see the progression of vocal characteristics of the animals as they matured from young calves to adulthood.
The whales produced clearer, longer calls with age, a trend that did not end when they reached physical maturity, but continued to improve through time, even in adults.
“We’re learning that these right whales have control of their voices,” explains the researcher. “That means they may be sending more complex information than we previously thought.”
North American right whale mother-calf swimming near Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts. Photographer: Dana Cusano. Permit # NMFS 775-1875-02
Through continued study, Root-Gutteridge believes that scientists will be able to better understand how whales communicate in the wild, which can lead to stronger worldwide conservation efforts of these endangered mammals.
While still at Syracuse, Root-Gutteridge turned heads around the world with her wolf dialect research back in 2016. Contrasting the recordings of over 2,000 howls from 13 different species and subspecies of wolves, the biologist discovered that wolves, much like people, have regional vocalization patterns, or dialects, depending on their locale.
“I learned a lot at Syracuse as I’d never studied marine mammals before. I know a lot more about whales and their songs and have developed some great skills in analyzing animal sound,” says Root-Gutteridge. “I also have a much better understanding of how tough it is to study marine mammals as their home ranges are just so big. When I studied wolves, I thought 25 square miles was a lot of territory to cover, but the whales swim all the way up and down the East Coast!”
Since finishing at Syracuse, her work has literally gone to the dogs. Root-Gutteridge is currently at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom where her next bioacoustics project, “How Dogs Hear Us: Human speech perception by domestic dogs,” explores what animals of the canine persuasion hear when humans speak.
About Syracuse University
Founded in 1870, Syracuse University is a private international research university dedicated to advancing knowledge and fostering student success through teaching excellence, rigorous scholarship and interdisciplinary research. Comprising 11 academic schools and colleges, the University has a long legacy of excellence in the liberal arts, sciences and professional disciplines that prepares students for the complex challenges and emerging opportunities of a rapidly changing world. Students enjoy the resources of a 270-acre main campus and extended campus venues in major national metropolitan hubs and across three continents. Syracuse’s student body is among the most diverse for an institution of its kind across multiple dimensions, and students typically represent all 50 states and more than 100 countries. Syracuse also has a long legacy of supporting veterans and is home to the nationally recognized Institute for Veterans and Military Families, the first university-based institute in the U.S. focused on addressing the unique needs of veterans and their families.
