Data from: Vocal networks remain stable after a disturbance in Emei music frogs

Social network analysis has been widely used to investigate the dynamics of social interactions and the evolution of social complexity across a range of taxa. Anuran species are highly dependent on vocal communication in mate choice; however, these species have rarely been the subject of social network analysis. The present study used social network analysis to investigate whether vocal network structures are consistent in Emei music frog (Babina daunchina) after the introduction of a simulated exotic rival of varying competitiveness into the social group. We broadcasted six categories of artificial calls (either highly sexually attractive calls produced from inside male nests or calls of low sexual attractiveness produced outside nests with three, five or seven notes, respectively) to simulate an intruder with different levels of competitiveness. We then constructed vocal networks for two time periods (before and after the disturbance) and quantified three network metrics (strength, closeness and betweenness) that measure different aspects of individual-level position. We used the mean values of these network metrics to evaluate group-level changes in network structure. We found that the mean strength, mean closeness and mean betweenness were consistent between two time periods in all ponds, despite the fact that the positions of some individuals had changed markedly after disturbance. In addition, there was no significant interaction effect between period and numbers of notes on the three network metrics. These finding suggest that the structure of vocal networks in Emei music frogs remain stable at the group level after a conspecific disturbance, regardless of the intruder’s competitiveness.

社会网络分析（social network analysis）已被广泛应用于探究多个生物类群的社会互动动态与社会复杂性演化规律。无尾两栖类（Anuran）在配偶选择过程中高度依赖声学通讯，但此类群极少被作为社会网络分析的研究对象。本研究采用社会网络分析方法，以峨眉琴蛙（Babina daunchina）为研究对象，探究向社群引入不同竞争力水平的模拟外来竞争者后，其声学网络结构是否保持稳定。我们播放六类人工模拟鸣唱：分别为雄蛙巢内发出的高性吸引力鸣唱，以及巢外发出的、具有3、5、7个音节的低性吸引力鸣唱，以此模拟不同竞争力水平的入侵个体。随后我们构建了干扰前与干扰后两个时间段的声学网络，并量化了三类反映个体社群位置不同维度的网络指标：连接强度（strength）、亲近度中心性（closeness）与中介中心性（betweenness）。我们通过计算上述网络指标的平均值，评估社群层面的网络结构变化。研究结果显示，尽管部分个体的社群位置在干扰后发生了显著变化，但所有研究样地的三类网络指标平均值在两个时间段间均保持一致。此外，在三类网络指标上，时间段与鸣唱音节数之间未表现出显著的交互效应。本研究结果表明，峨眉琴蛙的声学网络结构在同种个体干扰后，仍能在社群层面保持稳定，且不受入侵个体竞争力水平的影响。