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Jansen W, Steckel J. SonoNERFs: Neural Radiance Fields Applied to Biological Echolocation Systems Allow 3D Scene Reconstruction through Perceptual Prediction. Biomimetics (Basel) 2024; 9:321. [PMID: 38921202 PMCID: PMC11201853 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics9060321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 05/24/2024] [Accepted: 05/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we introduce SonoNERFs, a novel approach that adapts Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFs) to model and understand the echolocation process in bats, focusing on the challenges posed by acoustic data interpretation without phase information. Leveraging insights from the field of optical NeRFs, our model, termed SonoNERF, represents the acoustic environment through Neural Reflectivity Fields. This model allows us to reconstruct three-dimensional scenes from echolocation data, obtained by simulating how bats perceive their surroundings through sound. By integrating concepts from biological echolocation and modern computational models, we demonstrate the SonoNERF's ability to predict echo spectrograms for unseen echolocation poses and effectively reconstruct a mesh-based and energy-based representation of complex scenes. Our work bridges a gap in understanding biological echolocation and proposes a methodological framework that provides a first-order model of how scene understanding might arise in echolocating animals. We demonstrate the efficacy of the SonoNERF model on three scenes of increasing complexity, including some biologically relevant prey-predator interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wouter Jansen
- Cosys-Lab, Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium;
- Flanders Make Strategic Research Centre, 3920 Lommel, Belgium
| | - Jan Steckel
- Cosys-Lab, Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium;
- Flanders Make Strategic Research Centre, 3920 Lommel, Belgium
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2
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Demey ML, Mishra RC, Van Der Straeten D. Sound perception in plants: from ecological significance to molecular understanding. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 28:825-840. [PMID: 37002001 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
In addition to positive effects on plant growth and resilience, sound alerts plants of potential danger and aids in defense. Sound guides plants towards essential resources, like water, through phonotropic root growth. Sound also facilitates mutualistic interactions such as buzz pollination. Molecularly, sound induces Ca2+ signatures, K+ fluxes, and an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in a mechanosensitive ion channel-dependent fashion. We review the two major open questions in the field of plant acoustics: (i) what is the ecological relevance of sound in plant life, and (ii) how is sound sensed and transduced to evoke a morphophysiological response? We highlight the clear need to combine the ecological and molecular perspectives for a more holistic approach to better understand plant behavior.
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Simon R, Matt F, Santillán V, Tschapka M, Tuttle M, Halfwerk W. An ultrasound-absorbing inflorescence zone enhances echo-acoustic contrast of bat-pollinated cactus flowers. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:287074. [PMID: 36806421 PMCID: PMC10038143 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Flowering plants have evolved an extraordinary variety of signalling traits to attract their pollinators. Most flowers rely on visual and chemical signals, but some bat-pollinated plants have evolved passive acoustic floral signals. All known acoustic flower signals rely on the same principle of increased sonar reflectivity. Here, we describe a novel mechanism that relies on increased absorption of the area surrounding the flower. In a bat-pollinated cactus (Espostoa frutescens) we found a hairy inflorescence zone, a so-called cephalium. Flowers solely emerge out of this zone. We measured the echoes of cephalia, flowers and unspecialized column surfaces and recorded echolocation calls of approaching bats. We found that the cephalium acts as a strong ultrasound absorber, attenuating the sound by -14 dB. The absorption was highest around the echolocation call frequencies of approaching bats. Our results indicate that, instead of making flowers more reflective, plants can also evolve structures to attenuate the background echo, thereby enhancing the acoustic contrast with the target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ralph Simon
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Behavioral Ecology and Conservation Lab, Nuremberg Zoo, 90480 Nuremberg, Germany
- Cosys-Lab, Faculty of Applied Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Felix Matt
- Estación Cientóf́ica San Francisco, Loja, Ecuador
- Faculty of Geography, Lab for Climatology and Remote Sensing, Philipps-University of Marburg, 35032 Marburg, Germany
| | - Vinicio Santillán
- Unidad Académica de Posgrado, Universidad Católica de Cuenca, Cuenca 010107, Ecuador
| | - Marco Tschapka
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, 89069 Ulm, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Ancon, Balboa, Panama
| | - Merlin Tuttle
- Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation, MerlinTuttle.org, Austin, TX 78735, USA
| | - Wouter Halfwerk
- Department of Ecological Science, Vrije Universiteit, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Del Stabile F, Marsili V, Forti L, Arru L. Is There a Role for Sound in Plants? PLANTS 2022; 11:plants11182391. [PMID: 36145791 PMCID: PMC9503271 DOI: 10.3390/plants11182391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Plants have long been considered passive, static, and unchanging organisms, but this view is finally changing. More and more knowledge is showing that plants are aware of their surroundings, and they respond to a surprising variety of stimuli by modifying their growth and development. Plants extensively communicate with the world around them, above and below ground. Although communication through mycorrhizal networks and Volatile Organic Compounds has been known for a long time, acoustic perception and communication are somehow a final frontier of research. Perhaps surprisingly, plants not only respond to sound, they actually seem to emit sound as well. Roots emit audible clicks during growth, and sounds are emitted from xylem vessels, although the nature of these acoustic emissions still needs to be clarified. Even more interesting, there is the possibility that these sounds carry information with ecological implications, such as alerting insects of the hydration state of a possible host plant, and technological implications as well. Monitoring sound emissions could possibly allow careful monitoring of the hydration state of crops, which could mean significantly less water used during irrigation. This review summarizes the current knowledge on sound perception communication in plants and illustrates possible implications and technological applications.
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Kerth G. Long-term field studies in bat research: importance for basic and applied research questions in animal behavior. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022; 76:75. [PMID: 35669868 PMCID: PMC9135593 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03180-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAnimal species differ considerably in longevity. Among mammals, short-lived species such as shrews have a maximum lifespan of about a year, whereas long-lived species such as whales can live for more than two centuries. Because of their slow pace of life, long-lived species are typically of high conservation concern and of special scientific interest. This applies not only to large mammals such as whales, but also to small-sized bats and mole-rats. To understand the typically complex social behavior of long-lived mammals and protect their threatened populations, field studies that cover substantial parts of a species’ maximum lifespan are required. However, long-term field studies on mammals are an exception because the collection of individualized data requires considerable resources over long time periods in species where individuals can live for decades. Field studies that span decades do not fit well in the current career and funding regime in science. This is unfortunate, as the existing long-term studies on mammals yielded exciting insights into animal behavior and contributed data important for protecting their populations. Here, I present results of long-term field studies on the behavior, demography, and life history of bats, with a particular focus on my long-term studies on wild Bechstein’s bats. I show that long-term studies on individually marked populations are invaluable to understand the social system of bats, investigate the causes and consequences of their extraordinary longevity, and assess their responses to changing environments with the aim to efficiently protect these unique mammals in the face of anthropogenic global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Kerth
- Zoological Institute and Museum, Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
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Hernández-Montero JR, Adam M, Kerth G. Are Echo-Reflective Cues Effective to Attract Bats to Newly Placed Artificial Roosts? ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2021. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2021.23.1.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jesús R. Hernández-Montero
- Zoological Institute and Museum, Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Greifswald University, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Michelle Adam
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Zoological Institute and Museum, Applied Zoology and Nature Conservation, Greifswald University, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
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7
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Kocáb O, Bačovčinová M, Bokor B, Šebela M, Lenobel R, Schöner CR, Schöner MG, Pavlovič A. Enzyme activities in two sister-species of carnivorous pitcher plants (Nepenthes) with contrasting nutrient sequestration strategies. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY : PPB 2021; 161:113-121. [PMID: 33581619 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2021.01.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The carnivorous pitcher plants of the genus Nepenthes usually attract, capture and digest arthropod prey to obtain mineral nutrients. But few members of the genus have evolved specialized nutrient sequestration strategies to acquire nitrogen from the faeces and urine of mutualistic mammals, which they attract. Because the plants obtain significant amounts of nitrogen in a more available form, we hypothesized that they have relaxed the production of digestive enzymes. If so, species that digest mammal faeces should show fewer digestive enzymes than closely related species that rely on arthropods. We tested this hypothesis by comparing digestive enzymes in 1) Nepenthes hemsleyana, whose pitchers serve as roosts for the mutualistic woolly bat Kerivoula hardwickii, which also defecate inside the pitchers, and 2) the close relative Nepenthes rafflesiana, a typical arthropod capturing species. To investigate the dynamics of aspartic proteases (nepenthesin I and II) and type III and IV chitinases in both species, we conducted qPCR, western blotting, mass spectrometry, and enzyme activity measurements. We found that mRNA in pitcher tissue and enzyme abundance in the digestive fluid is upregulated in both species in response to faeces and insect feeding. Contrary to our initial hypothesis, the final nepenthesin proteolytic activity in the digestive fluid is higher in response to faeces addition than to insect prey irrespective of Nepenthes species. This indicates that faeces can mimic arthropod prey triggering the production of digestive enzymes and N. hemsleyana retained capacity for production of them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondřej Kocáb
- Department of Biophysics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Michaela Bačovčinová
- Department of Botany, Institute of Biology and Ecology, Šafárik University, Mánesova 23, SK-040 01, Košice, Slovakia
| | - Boris Bokor
- Department of Plant Physiology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 6, Mlynská Dolina B2, SK-842 15, Bratislava, Slovakia; Comenius University Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Ilkovičova 8, SK-841 04, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Marek Šebela
- Department of Protein Biochemistry and Proteomics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - René Lenobel
- Department of Protein Biochemistry and Proteomics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Caroline R Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Michael G Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Andrej Pavlovič
- Department of Biophysics, Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research, Faculty of Science, Palacký University, Šlechtitelů 27, CZ-783 71, Olomouc, Czech Republic.
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Plant Health and Sound Vibration: Analyzing Implications of the Microbiome in Grape Wine Leaves. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10010063. [PMID: 33445765 PMCID: PMC7828301 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10010063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 12/24/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the plant microbiome is a key for plant health and controlling pathogens. Recent studies have shown that plants are responsive towards natural and synthetic sound vibration (SV) by perception and signal transduction, which resulted in resistance towards plant pathogens. However, whether or not native plant microbiomes respond to SV and the underlying mechanism thereof remains unknown. Within the present study we compared grapevine-associated microbiota that was perpetually exposed to classical music with a non-exposed control group from the same vineyard in Stellenbosch, South Africa. By analyzing the 16S rRNA gene and ITS fragment amplicon libraries we found differences between the core microbiome of SV-exposed leaves and the control group. For several of these different genera, e.g., Bacillus, Kocuria and Sphingomonas, a host-beneficial or pathogen-antagonistic effect has been well studied. Moreover, abundances of taxa identified as potential producers of volatile organic compounds that contribute to sensory characteristics of wines, e.g., Methylobacterium, Sphingomonas, Bacillus and Sporobolomyces roseus, were either increased or even unique within the core music-exposed phyllosphere population. Results show an as yet unexplored avenue for improved plant health and the terroir of wine, which are important for environmentally friendly horticulture and consumer appreciation. Although our findings explain one detail of the long-term positive experience to improve grapevine’s resilience by this unusual but innovative technique, more mechanistic studies are necessary to understand the whole interplay.
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10
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Lehman J, Clune J, Misevic D, Adami C, Altenberg L, Beaulieu J, Bentley PJ, Bernard S, Beslon G, Bryson DM, Cheney N, Chrabaszcz P, Cully A, Doncieux S, Dyer FC, Ellefsen KO, Feldt R, Fischer S, Forrest S, Fŕenoy A, Gagńe C, Le Goff L, Grabowski LM, Hodjat B, Hutter F, Keller L, Knibbe C, Krcah P, Lenski RE, Lipson H, MacCurdy R, Maestre C, Miikkulainen R, Mitri S, Moriarty DE, Mouret JB, Nguyen A, Ofria C, Parizeau M, Parsons D, Pennock RT, Punch WF, Ray TS, Schoenauer M, Schulte E, Sims K, Stanley KO, Taddei F, Tarapore D, Thibault S, Watson R, Weimer W, Yosinski J. The Surprising Creativity of Digital Evolution: A Collection of Anecdotes from the Evolutionary Computation and Artificial Life Research Communities. ARTIFICIAL LIFE 2020; 26:274-306. [PMID: 32271631 DOI: 10.1162/artl_a_00319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Evolution provides a creative fount of complex and subtle adaptations that often surprise the scientists who discover them. However, the creativity of evolution is not limited to the natural world: Artificial organisms evolving in computational environments have also elicited surprise and wonder from the researchers studying them. The process of evolution is an algorithmic process that transcends the substrate in which it occurs. Indeed, many researchers in the field of digital evolution can provide examples of how their evolving algorithms and organisms have creatively subverted their expectations or intentions, exposed unrecognized bugs in their code, produced unexpectedly adaptations, or engaged in behaviors and outcomes, uncannily convergent with ones found in nature. Such stories routinely reveal surprise and creativity by evolution in these digital worlds, but they rarely fit into the standard scientific narrative. Instead they are often treated as mere obstacles to be overcome, rather than results that warrant study in their own right. Bugs are fixed, experiments are refocused, and one-off surprises are collapsed into a single data point. The stories themselves are traded among researchers through oral tradition, but that mode of information transmission is inefficient and prone to error and outright loss. Moreover, the fact that these stories tend to be shared only among practitioners means that many natural scientists do not realize how interesting and lifelike digital organisms are and how natural their evolution can be. To our knowledge, no collection of such anecdotes has been published before. This article is the crowd-sourced product of researchers in the fields of artificial life and evolutionary computation who have provided first-hand accounts of such cases. It thus serves as a written, fact-checked collection of scientifically important and even entertaining stories. In doing so we also present here substantial evidence that the existence and importance of evolutionary surprises extends beyond the natural world, and may indeed be a universal property of all complex evolving systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dusan Misevic
- Université de Paris, INSERM U1284, Center for Research and Interdisciplinarity.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Stephane Doncieux
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Institute of Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISIR)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Leni Le Goff
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Institute of Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISIR)
| | | | | | | | - Laurent Keller
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Carlos Maestre
- Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ Paris 06, CNRS, Institute of Intelligent Systems and Robotics (ISIR)
| | | | - Sara Mitri
- Department of Fundamental Microbiology, University of Lausanne
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - François Taddei
- Center for Research and Interdisciplinarity, INSERM U1284, Université de Paris
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11
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Khait I, Obolski U, Yovel Y, Hadany L. Sound perception in plants. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2019; 92:134-138. [PMID: 30965110 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2018] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Can plants perceive sound? And what sounds are they likely to be "listening" to? The environment of plants includes many informative sounds, produced by biotic and abiotic sources. An ability to respond to these sounds could thus have a significant adaptive value for plants. We suggest the term phytoacoustics to describe the emerging field exploring sound emission and sound detection in plants, and review the recent studies published on these topics. We describe evidence of plant responses to sounds, varying from changes in gene expression to changes in pathogen resistance and nectar composition. The main focus of this review is the effect of airborne sounds on living plants. We also review work on sound emissions by plants, and plant morphological adaptations to sound. Finally, we discuss the ecological contexts where response to sound would be most advantageous to plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Khait
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - U Obolski
- Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Y Yovel
- School of Zoology, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel
| | - L Hadany
- School of Plant Sciences and Food Security, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel.
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12
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Voigt CC, Frick WF, Holderied MW, Holland R, Kerth G, Mello MAR, Plowright RK, Swartz S, Yovel Y. PRINCIPLES AND PATTERNS OF BAT MOVEMENTS: FROM AERODYNAMICS TO ECOLOGY. QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY 2019; 92:267-287. [PMID: 29861509 DOI: 10.1086/693847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Movement ecology as an integrative discipline has advanced associated fields because it presents not only a conceptual framework for understanding movement principles but also helps formulate predictions about the consequences of movements for animals and their environments. Here, we synthesize recent studies on principles and patterns of bat movements in context of the movement ecology paradigm. The motion capacity of bats is defined by their highly articulated, flexible wings. Power production during flight follows a U-shaped curve in relation to speed in bats yet, in contrast to birds, bats use mostly exogenous nutrients for sustained flight. The navigation capacity of most bats is dominated by the echolocation system, yet other sensory modalities, including an iron-based magnetic sense, may contribute to navigation depending on a bat's familiarity with the terrain. Patterns derived from these capacities relate to antagonistic and mutualistic interactions with food items. The navigation capacity of bats may influence their sociality, in particular, the extent of group foraging based on eavesdropping on conspecifics' echolocation calls. We infer that understanding the movement ecology of bats within the framework of the movement ecology paradigm provides new insights into ecological processes mediated by bats, from ecosystem services to diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian C Voigt
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research 10315 Berlin, Germany, Institute of Biology, Freie Universität Berlin 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Winifred F Frick
- Bat Conservation International Austin, Texas 78716 USA, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, California 95064 USA
| | - Marc W Holderied
- School of Biological Sciences, Bristol University Bristol BS8 1TQ United Kingdom
| | - Richard Holland
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW United Kingdom
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Applied Zoology and Conservation, University of Greifswald D-17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Marco A R Mello
- Department of General Biology, Federal University of Minas Gerais 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Raina K Plowright
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University Bozeman, Montana 59717 USA
| | - Sharon Swartz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and School of Engineering, Brown University Providence, Rhode Island 02912 USA
| | - Yossi Yovel
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, and the "Sagol" School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University Tel-Aviv, Israel
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14
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Keeley BW, Keeley ATH, Houlahan P. Ridge number in bat ears is related to both guild membership and ear length. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200255. [PMID: 30044815 PMCID: PMC6059413 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2017] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The ears of many mammals have a set of uniformly spaced horizontal ridges that form groove arrays. Contact of coherent waves (e.g. acoustic waves) with a series of slits or grooves causes diffraction, which produces constructive and destructive interference patterns. Increases in signal strength will occur but will depend on the frequencies involved, the groove number and their separations. Diffraction effects can happen for a wide range of frequencies and wavelengths, but no array can diffract wavelengths greater than twice the groove separation, and it is for those wavelengths comparable in size with the groove separation that the effects are greatest. For example, when ridges in bat ears are 1 mm apart, the strongest influence will occur for a 1 mm wavelength which corresponds to a frequency of 343 kHz. If bats could use these wavelengths, it would help them to resolve objects or surface textures of about 0.5 mm. Given how critical acoustics are for bat function, we asked whether bats may be taking advantage of diffraction effects generated by the grooves. We hypothesize that groove number varies with bat foraging strategy. Examining 120 species, we found that groove number is related to both guild and ear length. Bats in guilds that glean prey items from foliage or ground have on average more grooves than bats in other guilds. Harmonics generated by echolocation calls are the most likely source for the wavelengths that would correspond to the groove separations. We apply the physical principles of wave reflection, diffraction, and superposition to support the hypothesis that acoustic responses generated from grooves may be useful to bats. We offer an explanation why some bat species do not have grooves. We also discuss the presence of groove arrays in non-echolocating Chiropterans, and five additional mammalian orders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian W. Keeley
- School of Forestry, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Annika T. H. Keeley
- Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Planning, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Padraig Houlahan
- Department of Physics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Prescott, Arizona, United States of America
- Coconino Community College, Flagstaff, Arizona, United States of America
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Thorogood CJ, Bauer U, Hiscock SJ. Convergent and divergent evolution in carnivorous pitcher plant traps. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2018; 217:1035-1041. [PMID: 29131340 DOI: 10.1111/nph.14879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/05/2017] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Contents Summary 1035 I. Introduction 1035 II. Evolution of the pitcher 1036 III. Convergent evolution 1036 IV. Divergent evolution 1038 V. Adaptive radiation and speciation 1040 VI. Conclusions and perspectives 1040 Acknowledgements 1040 References 1040 SUMMARY: The pitcher trap is a striking example of convergent evolution across unrelated carnivorous plant lineages. Convergent traits that have evolved across pitcher plant lineages are essential for trap function, suggesting that key selective pressures are in action. Recent studies have also revealed patterns of divergent evolution in functional pitcher morphology within genera. Adaptations to differences in local prey assemblages may drive such divergence and, ultimately, speciation. Here, we review recent research on convergent and divergent evolution in pitcher plant traps, with a focus on the genus Nepenthes, which we propose as a new model for research into adaptive radiation and speciation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chris J Thorogood
- Botanic Garden, University of Oxford, Rose Lane, Oxford, OX1 4AZ, UK
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
| | - Ulrike Bauer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol, BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - Simon J Hiscock
- Botanic Garden, University of Oxford, Rose Lane, Oxford, OX1 4AZ, UK
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3RB, UK
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16
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Gilbert KJ, Nitta JH, Talavera G, Pierce NE. Keeping an eye on coloration: ecological correlates of the evolution of pitcher traits in the genus Nepenthes (Caryophyllales). Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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Rodrigo-Moreno A, Bazihizina N, Azzarello E, Masi E, Tran D, Bouteau F, Baluska F, Mancuso S. Root phonotropism: Early signalling events following sound perception in Arabidopsis roots. PLANT SCIENCE : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PLANT BIOLOGY 2017; 264:9-15. [PMID: 28969806 DOI: 10.1016/j.plantsci.2017.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2017] [Revised: 07/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/01/2017] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Sound is a fundamental form of energy and it has been suggested that plants can make use of acoustic cues to obtain information regarding their environments and alter and fine-tune their growth and development. Despite an increasing body of evidence indicating that it can influence plant growth and physiology, many questions concerning the effect of sound waves on plant growth and the underlying signalling mechanisms remains unknown. Here we show that in Arabidopsis thaliana, exposure to sound waves (200Hz) for 2 weeks induced positive phonotropism in roots, which grew towards to sound source. We found that sound waves triggered very quickly (within minutes) an increase in cytosolic Ca2+, possibly mediated by an influx through plasma membrane and a release from internal stock. Sound waves likewise elicited rapid reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and K+ efflux. Taken together these results suggest that changes in ion fluxes (Ca2+ and K+) and an increase in superoxide production are involved in sound perception in plants, as previously established in animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rodrigo-Moreno
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences - Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale delle Idee 30, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy.
| | - Nadia Bazihizina
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences - Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale delle Idee 30, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Elisa Azzarello
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences - Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale delle Idee 30, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Elisa Masi
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences - Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale delle Idee 30, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Daniel Tran
- Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Energies de Demain, Paris, France
| | - François Bouteau
- Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Energies de Demain, Paris, France
| | | | - Stefano Mancuso
- Department of Agrifood Production and Environmental Sciences - Università degli Studi di Firenze, Viale delle Idee 30, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
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18
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Schöner MG, Schöner CR, Ermisch R, Puechmaille SJ, Grafe TU, Tan MC, Kerth G. Stabilization of a bat-pitcher plant mutualism. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13170. [PMID: 29030597 PMCID: PMC5640698 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13535-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the long persistence of many mutualisms, it is largely unknown which mechanisms stabilize these interactions. This is especially true if only one mutualism partner can choose alternative partners while the other cannot, resulting in a power asymmetry. According to biological market theory the choosing partner should prefer the more dependent partner if the latter offers commodities of higher quality than its competitors. We tested this prediction using Bornean carnivorous pitcher plants (Nepenthes hemsleyana) that strongly rely on faecal nitrogen of bats (Kerivoula hardwickii) which roost inside the pitchers. The bats also roost in furled leaves of various plants. Surprisingly, during field observations the bats did not always choose N. hemsleyana pitchers despite their superior quality but were generally faithful either to pitchers or to furled leaves. In behavioural experiments 21% of the leaf-roosting bats switched to pitchers, while the majority of these bats and all pitcher-roosting individuals were faithful to the roost type in which we had found them. Genetic differentiation cannot explain this faithfulness, which likely results from different roosting traditions. Such traditions could have stabilizing or destabilizing effects on various mutualisms and should be investigated in more detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Caroline R Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Rebecca Ermisch
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sébastien J Puechmaille
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - T Ulmar Grafe
- Faculty of Science, Biology, University Brunei Darussalam, Tungku Link, Gadong, 1410, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Moi Chan Tan
- Faculty of Science, Biology, University Brunei Darussalam, Tungku Link, Gadong, 1410, Brunei Darussalam
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, Loitzer Straße 26, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
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Schöner MG, Schöner CR, Kerth G, Suhaini SNBP, Grafe TU. Handle with care: enlarged pads improve the ability of Hardwicke’s woolly bat, Kerivoula hardwickii (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae), to roost in a carnivorous pitcher plant. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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20
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Yilamujiang A, Zhu A, Ligabue-Braun R, Bartram S, Witte CP, Hedrich R, Hasabe M, Schöner CR, Schöner MG, Kerth G, Carlini CR, Mithöfer A. Coprophagous features in carnivorous Nepenthes plants: a task for ureases. Sci Rep 2017; 7:11647. [PMID: 28912541 PMCID: PMC5599630 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-11999-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Most terrestrial carnivorous plants are specialized on insect prey digestion to obtain additional nutrients. Few species of the genus Nepenthes developed mutualistic relationships with mammals for nitrogen supplementation. Whether dietary changes require certain enzymatic composition to utilize new sources of nutrients has rarely been tested. Here, we investigated the role of urease for Nepenthes hemsleyana that gains nitrogen from the bat Kerivoula hardwickii while it roosts inside the pitchers. We hypothesized that N. hemsleyana is able to use urea from the bats’ excrements. In fact, we demonstrate that 15N-enriched urea provided to Nepenthes pitchers is metabolized and its nitrogen is distributed within the plant. As ureases are necessary to degrade urea, these hydrolytic enzymes should be involved. We proved the presence and enzymatic activity of a urease for Nepenthes plant tissues. The corresponding urease cDNA from N. hemsleyana was isolated and functionally expressed. A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis for eukaryotic ureases, including Nepenthes and five other carnivorous plants’ taxa, identified them as canonical ureases and reflects the plant phylogeny. Hence, this study reveals ureases as an emblematic example for an efficient, low-cost but high adaptive plasticity in plants while developing a further specialized lifestyle from carnivory to coprophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayufu Yilamujiang
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Plank Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Anting Zhu
- Institute of Plant Nutrition, Leibniz University Hannover, 30419, Hannover, Germany
| | - Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun
- Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Stefan Bartram
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Plank Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Claus-Peter Witte
- Institute of Plant Nutrition, Leibniz University Hannover, 30419, Hannover, Germany
| | - Rainer Hedrich
- Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biophysics, University of Würzburg, 97082, Würzburg, Germany
| | | | - Caroline R Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Michael G Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Zoological Institute and Museum, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-Universität Greifswald, 17489, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Célia R Carlini
- Center of Biotechnology, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, 91501-970, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Brain Institute (BRAINS-InsCer), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Axel Mithöfer
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Max Plank Institute for Chemical Ecology, 07745, Jena, Germany.
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Schöner MG, Schöner CR, Kerth G, Ji LL, Grafe TU. Bats Attend to Plant Structures to Identify Roosting Sites. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2016. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2016.18.2.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael G. Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, J.-S.-Bach-Strasse 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Caroline R. Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, J.-S.-Bach-Strasse 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Gerald Kerth
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, J.-S.-Bach-Strasse 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Liaw Lin Ji
- Faculty of Science, University Brunei Darussalam, Tungku Link, Gadong 1410, Brunei Darussalam
| | - T. Ulmar Grafe
- Faculty of Science, University Brunei Darussalam, Tungku Link, Gadong 1410, Brunei Darussalam
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22
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Valenta K, Nevo O, Martel C, Chapman CA. Plant attractants: integrating insights from pollination and seed dispersal ecology. Evol Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10682-016-9870-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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23
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Gonzalez-Terrazas TP, Martel C, Milet-Pinheiro P, Ayasse M, Kalko EKV, Tschapka M. Finding flowers in the dark: nectar-feeding bats integrate olfaction and echolocation while foraging for nectar. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2016; 3:160199. [PMID: 27853595 PMCID: PMC5108945 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.160199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Nectar-feeding bats depend mainly on floral nectar to fulfil their energetic requirements. Chiropterophilous flowers generally present strong floral scents and provide conspicuous acoustic echoes to attract bats. While floral scents are assumed to attract bats over long distances, acoustic properties of flower structures may provide detailed information, thus supporting the localization of a flower at close ranges. So far, to our knowledge, there is no study trying to understand the relative importance as well as the combination of these generally coupled cues for detection (presence) and localization (exact position) of open flowers in nature. For a better comprehension of the significance of olfaction and echolocation in the foraging behaviour of nectar-feeding bats, we conducted two-choice experiments with Leptonycteris yerbabuenae. We tested the bats' behaviour in three experimental scenarios with different cues: (i) olfaction versus echolocation, (ii) echolocation versus echolocation and olfaction, and (iii) olfaction versus echolocation and olfaction. We used the floral scent of the bat-pollinated cactus Pachycereus pringlei as olfactory cue and an acrylic paraboloid as acoustic cue. Additionally, we recorded the echolocation behaviour of the bats and analysed the floral scent of P. pringlei. When decoupled cues were offered, bats displayed no preference in choice for any of the two cues. However, bats reacted first to and chose more often the coupled cues. All bats echolocated continuously and broadcast a long terminal group before a successful visit. The floral scent bouquet of P. pringlei is composed of 20 compounds, some of which (e.g. methyl benzoate) were already reported from chiropterophilous plants. Our investigation demonstrates for the first time to our knowledge, that nectar-feeding bats integrate over different sensory modes for detection and precise localization of open flowers. The combined information from olfactory and acoustic cues allows bats to forage more efficiently.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania P. Gonzalez-Terrazas
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany
| | - Carlos Martel
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany
| | - Paulo Milet-Pinheiro
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany
| | - Manfred Ayasse
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany
| | - Elisabeth K. V. Kalko
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panamá, República de Panamá
| | - Marco Tschapka
- Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panamá, República de Panamá
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24
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Mishra RC, Ghosh R, Bae H. Plant acoustics: in the search of a sound mechanism for sound signaling in plants. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2016; 67:4483-94. [PMID: 27342223 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erw235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Being sessile, plants continuously deal with their dynamic and complex surroundings, identifying important cues and reacting with appropriate responses. Consequently, the sensitivity of plants has evolved to perceive a myriad of external stimuli, which ultimately ensures their successful survival. Research over past centuries has established that plants respond to environmental factors such as light, temperature, moisture, and mechanical perturbations (e.g. wind, rain, touch, etc.) by suitably modulating their growth and development. However, sound vibrations (SVs) as a stimulus have only started receiving attention relatively recently. SVs have been shown to increase the yields of several crops and strengthen plant immunity against pathogens. These vibrations can also prime the plants so as to make them more tolerant to impending drought. Plants can recognize the chewing sounds of insect larvae and the buzz of a pollinating bee, and respond accordingly. It is thus plausible that SVs may serve as a long-range stimulus that evokes ecologically relevant signaling mechanisms in plants. Studies have suggested that SVs increase the transcription of certain genes, soluble protein content, and support enhanced growth and development in plants. At the cellular level, SVs can change the secondary structure of plasma membrane proteins, affect microfilament rearrangements, produce Ca(2+) signatures, cause increases in protein kinases, protective enzymes, peroxidases, antioxidant enzymes, amylase, H(+)-ATPase / K(+) channel activities, and enhance levels of polyamines, soluble sugars and auxin. In this paper, we propose a signaling model to account for the molecular episodes that SVs induce within the cell, and in so doing we uncover a number of interesting questions that need to be addressed by future research in plant acoustics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ratnesh Chandra Mishra
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbook 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Ritesh Ghosh
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbook 38541, Republic of Korea
| | - Hanhong Bae
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan, Gyeongbook 38541, Republic of Korea
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25
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Schöner MG, Simon R, Schöner CR. Acoustic communication in plant-animal interactions. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2016; 32:88-95. [PMID: 27423052 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2016.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2016] [Revised: 06/08/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Acoustic communication is widespread and well-studied in animals but has been neglected in other organisms such as plants. However, there is growing evidence for acoustic communication in plant-animal interactions. While knowledge about active acoustic signalling in plants (i.e. active sound production) is still in its infancy, research on passive acoustic signalling (i.e. reflection of animal sounds) revealed that bat-dependent plants have adapted to the bats' echolocation systems by providing acoustic reflectors to attract their animal partners. Understanding the proximate mechanisms and ultimate causes of acoustic communication will shed light on an underestimated dimension of information transfer between plants and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, J.-S.-Bach-Str. 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Ralph Simon
- Department of Sensor Technology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Paul-Gordan-Str. 3/5, 91052 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Caroline R Schöner
- Zoological Institute and Museum, University of Greifswald, J.-S.-Bach-Str. 11/12, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
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26
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De Moraes CM, Mescher MC. Editorial overview: Biotic interactions: Communicative interactions of plants: plant biology in the age of information. CURRENT OPINION IN PLANT BIOLOGY 2016; 32:iv-vi. [PMID: 27498131 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbi.2016.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Consuelo M De Moraes
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
| | - Mark C Mescher
- Department of Environmental Systems Science, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), CH-8092 Zürich, Switzerland.
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27
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Sickel W, Grafe TU, Meuche I, Steffan-Dewenter I, Keller A. Bacterial Diversity and Community Structure in Two Bornean Nepenthes Species with Differences in Nitrogen Acquisition Strategies. MICROBIAL ECOLOGY 2016; 71:938-53. [PMID: 26790863 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-015-0723-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2014] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Carnivorous plants of the genus Nepenthes have been studied for over a century, but surprisingly little is known about associations with microorganisms. The two species Nepenthes rafflesiana and Nepenthes hemsleyana differ in their pitcher-mediated nutrient sources, sequestering nitrogen from arthropod prey and arthropods as well as bat faeces, respectively. We expected bacterial communities living in the pitchers to resemble this diet difference. Samples were taken from different parts of the pitchers (leaf, peristome, inside, outside, digestive fluid) of both species. Bacterial communities were determined using culture-independent high-throughput amplicon sequencing. Bacterial richness and community structure were similar in leaves, peristomes, inside and outside walls of both plant species. Regarding digestive fluids, bacterial richness was higher in N. hemsleyana than in N. rafflesiana. Additionally, digestive fluid communities were highly variable in structure, with strain-specific differences in community composition between replicates. Acidophilic taxa were mostly of low abundance, except the genus Acidocella, which strikingly reached extremely high levels in two N. rafflesiana fluids. In N. hemsleyana fluid, some taxa classified as vertebrate gut symbionts as well as saprophytes were enriched compared to N. rafflesiana, with saprophytes constituting potential competitors for nutrients. The high variation in community structure might be caused by a number of biotic and abiotic factors. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria were present in both study species, which might provide essential nutrients to the plant at times of low prey capture and/or rare encounters with bats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Sickel
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - T Ulmar Grafe
- Faculty of Science, University Brunei Darussalam, Tungku Link, Gadong, BE, 1410, Brunei
| | - Ivonne Meuche
- Faculty of Science, University Brunei Darussalam, Tungku Link, Gadong, BE, 1410, Brunei
| | - Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Alexander Keller
- Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074, Würzburg, Germany.
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28
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Jones G. Sensory Biology: Acoustic Reflectors Attract Bats to Roost in Pitcher Plants. Curr Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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