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Fell A, Silva T, Duthie AB, Dent D. A global systematic review of frugivorous animal tracking studies and the estimation of seed dispersal distances. Ecol Evol 2023; 13:e10638. [PMID: 37915807 PMCID: PMC10616751 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Seed dispersal is one of the most important ecosystem functions globally. It shapes plant populations, enhances forest succession, and has multiple, indirect benefits for humans, yet it is one of the most threatened processes in plant regeneration, worldwide. Seed dispersal distances are determined by the diets, seed retention times and movements of frugivorous animals. Hence, understanding how we can most effectively describe frugivore movement and behaviour with rapidly developing animal tracking technology is key to quantifying seed dispersal. To assess the current use of animal tracking in frugivory studies and to provide a baseline for future studies, we provide a comprehensive review and synthesis on the existing primary literature of global tracking studies that monitor movement of frugivorous animals. Specifically, we identify studies that estimate dispersal distances and how they vary with body mass and environmental traits. We show that over the last two decades there has been a large increase in frugivore tracking studies that determine seed dispersal distances. However, some taxa (e.g. reptiles) and geographic locations (e.g. Africa and Central Asia) are poorly studied. Furthermore, we found that certain morphological and environmental traits can be used to predict seed dispersal distances. We demonstrate that flight ability and increased body mass both significantly increase estimated seed dispersal mean and maximum distances. Our results also suggest that protected areas have a positive effect on mean seed dispersal distances when compared to unprotected areas. We anticipate that this review will act as a reference for future frugivore tracking studies, specifically to target current taxonomic and geographic data gaps, and to further explore how seed dispersal relates to key frugivore and fruit traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Fell
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - Thiago Silva
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - A. Bradley Duthie
- Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of StirlingStirlingUK
| | - Daisy Dent
- Department of Environmental Systems ScienceInstitute of Integrative Biology, ETH ZurichZurichSwitzerland
- Max Planck Institute for Animal BehaviourKonstanzGermany
- Smithsonian Tropical Research InstituteBalboaPanama
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2
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Thorne LH. Albatrosses orient toward infrasound while foraging. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2314980120. [PMID: 37812705 PMCID: PMC10589637 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2314980120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/11/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lesley H. Thorne
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY11794-5000
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3
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Spatial-temporal interpolation of satellite geomagnetic data to study long-distance animal migration. ECOL INFORM 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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4
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Cumming GS, Henry DAW, Reynolds C. Translocation experiment gives new insights into the navigation capacity of an African duck. DIVERS DISTRIB 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Graeme S. Cumming
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies James Cook University Townsville Queensland Australia
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
| | - Dominic A. W. Henry
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
- Statistics in Ecology, Environment and Conservation Department of Statistical Sciences University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
- Endangered Wildlife Trust Johannesburg South Africa
| | - Chevonne Reynolds
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence at the FitzPatrick Institute University of Cape Town Cape Town South Africa
- Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg South Africa
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5
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Patrick SC, Assink JD, Basille M, Clusella-Trullas S, Clay TA, den Ouden OFC, Joo R, Zeyl JN, Benhamou S, Christensen-Dalsgaard J, Evers LG, Fayet AL, Köppl C, Malkemper EP, Martín López LM, Padget O, Phillips RA, Prior MK, Smets PSM, van Loon EE. Infrasound as a Cue for Seabird Navigation. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.740027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Seabirds are amongst the most mobile of all animal species and spend large amounts of their lives at sea. They cross vast areas of ocean that appear superficially featureless, and our understanding of the mechanisms that they use for navigation remains incomplete, especially in terms of available cues. In particular, several large-scale navigational tasks, such as homing across thousands of kilometers to breeding sites, are not fully explained by visual, olfactory or magnetic stimuli. Low-frequency inaudible sound, i.e., infrasound, is ubiquitous in the marine environment. The spatio-temporal consistency of some components of the infrasonic wavefield, and the sensitivity of certain bird species to infrasonic stimuli, suggests that infrasound may provide additional cues for seabirds to navigate, but this remains untested. Here, we propose a framework to explore the importance of infrasound for navigation. We present key concepts regarding the physics of infrasound and review the physiological mechanisms through which infrasound may be detected and used. Next, we propose three hypotheses detailing how seabirds could use information provided by different infrasound sources for navigation as an acoustic beacon, landmark, or gradient. Finally, we reflect on strengths and limitations of our proposed hypotheses, and discuss several directions for future work. In particular, we suggest that hypotheses may be best tested by combining conceptual models of navigation with empirical data on seabird movements and in-situ infrasound measurements.
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Åkesson S, Bakam H, Martinez Hernandez E, Ilieva M, Bianco G. Migratory orientation in inexperienced and experienced avian migrants. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1905076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Åkesson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund 22362, Sweden
| | - Himma Bakam
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund 22362, Sweden
| | | | - Mihaela Ilieva
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund 22362, Sweden
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, 2 Gagarin Str., Sofia 1113, Bulgaria
| | - Giuseppe Bianco
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, Lund 22362, Sweden
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7
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Bonadonna F, Gagliardo A. Not only pigeons: avian olfactory navigation studied by satellite telemetry. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1871967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Bonadonna
- CEFE-CNRS, University of Montpellier, EPHE, IRD, University Paul Valéry Montpellier 3, Montpellier, France
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8
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Luschi P, Sözbilen D, Cerritelli G, Ruffier F, Başkale E, Casale P. A biphasic navigational strategy in loggerhead sea turtles. Sci Rep 2020; 10:18130. [PMID: 33093603 PMCID: PMC7581759 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-75183-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The homing journeys of nine loggerhead turtles translocated from their nesting beach to offshore release sites, were reconstructed through Argos and GPS telemetry while their water-related orientation was simultaneously recorded at high temporal resolution by multi-sensor data loggers featuring a three-axis magnetic sensor. All turtles managed to return to the nesting beach area, although with indirect routes encompassing an initial straight leg not precisely oriented towards home, and a successive homebound segment carried out along the coast. Logger data revealed that, after an initial period of disorientation, turtles were able to precisely maintain a consistent direction for several hours while moving in the open sea, even during night-time. Their water-related headings were in accordance with the orientation of the resulting route, showing little or no effect of current drift. This study reveals a biphasic homing strategy of displaced turtles involving an initial orientation weakly related to home and a successive shift to coastal navigation, which is in line with the modern conceptual framework of animal migratory navigation as deriving from sequential mechanisms acting at different spatial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Luschi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Dogan Sözbilen
- Department of Veterinary, Acıpayam Vocational School, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | | | | | - Eyup Başkale
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey
| | - Paolo Casale
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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9
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Pail M, Landler L, Gollmann G. Orientation and navigation in Bufo bufo: a quest for repeatability of arena experiments. HERPETOZOA 2020; 33:139-147. [PMID: 35444377 PMCID: PMC7612639 DOI: 10.3897/herpetozoa.33.e52854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on navigation in animals is hampered by conflicting results and failed replications. In order to assess the generality of previous results, male Bufo bufo were collected during their breeding migration and translocated to two testing sites, 2.4 and 2.9 km away, respectively, from their breeding pond in the north of Vienna (Austria). There each toad was tested twice for orientation responses in a circular arena, on the night of collection and four days later. On the first test day, the toads showed significant axial orientation along their individual former migration direction. On the second test day, no significant homeward orientation was detected. Both results accord with findings of previous experiments with toads from another population. We analysed the potential influence of environmental factors (temperature, cloud cover and lunar cycle) on toad orientations using a MANOVA approach. Although cloud cover and lunar cycle had small effects on the second test day, they could not explain the absence of homeward orientation. The absence of homing responses in these tests may be either caused by the absence of navigational capabilities of toads beyond their home ranges, or by inadequacies of the applied method. To resolve this question, tracking of freely moving toads should have greater potential than the use of arena experiments.
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Hadjikyriakou TG, Nwankwo EC, Virani MZ, Kirschel ANG. Habitat availability influences migration speed, refueling patterns and seasonal flyways of a fly-and-forage migrant. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2020; 8:10. [PMID: 32082577 PMCID: PMC7017632 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-020-0190-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/05/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite our understanding of the principal factors that shape bird migration strategies, there is conflicting evidence regarding the role of habitat in shaping migration routes and schedules, including day and night activity and differences between autumn and spring. For fly-and-forage migrants, we predict that habitat characteristics might guide migration speed, route selection and migrating schedules. METHODS We use solar-powered GPS transmitters, obtaining high accuracy data, to monitor the migratory movements of Eleonora's falcon breeding in Cyprus, which is the easternmost breeding population of the species. We tested for potential preferences in habitat characteristics along the migration routes, separately for the northern, drier part and the more vegetated southern part of the trips. We also examined the relationship between migration speed and vegetative cover during day and at night, accounting for wind support. RESULTS We found that tagged individuals repeatedly exhibited an anticlockwise loop migration pattern with spring routes being more easterly than autumn ones. We identified a preference for migration through vegetation-rich areas, where during daytime tagged individuals travel at slower migration speeds compared to vegetation-poor areas, indicating fly-and-forage activity. Birds roosted during most nights, combining refueling stopovers at selected vegetation-rich areas before or after crossing ecological barriers. Conversely, both during day and night, tagged individuals overflew unsuitable habitats more quickly. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that habitat is an important factor in Eleonora's falcon migratory strategies. Active selection of vegetation rich areas in combination with reduced migration speeds there, allows the migrating falcons to combine migration during the day with fly-and-forage refueling, while roosting most nights.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emmanuel C. Nwankwo
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cyprus, PO Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Munir Z. Virani
- The Peregrine Fund, 5668 West Flying Hawk Lane, Boise, ID 83709 USA
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11
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The Importance of Isotopic Turnover for Understanding Key Aspects of Animal Ecology and Nutrition. DIVERSITY-BASEL 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/d11050084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Stable isotope-based methods have proved to be immensely valuable for ecological studies ranging in focus from animal movements to species interactions and community structure. Nevertheless, the use of these methods is dependent on assumptions about the incorporation and turnover of isotopes within animal tissues, which are oftentimes not explicitly acknowledged and vetted. Thus, the purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the estimation of stable isotope turnover rates in animals, and to highlight the importance of these estimates for ecological studies in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems that may use a wide range of stable isotopes. Specifically, we discuss 1) the factors that contribute to variation in turnover among individuals and across species, which influences the use of stable isotopes for diet reconstructions, 2) the differences in turnover among tissues that underlie so-called ‘isotopic clocks’, which are used to estimate the timing of dietary shifts, and 3) the use of turnover rates to estimate nutritional requirements and reconstruct histories of nutritional stress from tissue isotope signatures. As we discuss these topics, we highlight recent works that have effectively used estimates of turnover to design and execute informative ecological studies. Our concluding remarks suggest several steps that will improve our understanding of isotopic turnover and support its integration into a wider range of ecological studies.
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12
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Cerritelli G, Bianco G, Santini G, Broderick AC, Godley BJ, Hays GC, Luschi P, Åkesson S. Assessing reliance on vector navigation in the long-distance oceanic migrations of green sea turtles. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Giacomo Santini
- Department of Biology, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | | | - Brendan J Godley
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK
| | | | - Paolo Luschi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
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13
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Ling H, Mclvor GE, Nagy G, MohaimenianPour S, Vaughan RT, Thornton A, Ouellette NT. Simultaneous measurements of three-dimensional trajectories and wingbeat frequencies of birds in the field. J R Soc Interface 2018; 15:rsif.2018.0653. [PMID: 30355809 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2018.0653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Tracking the movements of birds in three dimensions is integral to a wide range of problems in animal ecology, behaviour and cognition. Multi-camera stereo-imaging has been used to track the three-dimensional (3D) motion of birds in dense flocks, but precise localization of birds remains a challenge due to imaging resolution in the depth direction and optical occlusion. This paper introduces a portable stereo-imaging system with improved accuracy and a simple stereo-matching algorithm that can resolve optical occlusion. This system allows us to decouple body and wing motion, and thus measure not only velocities and accelerations but also wingbeat frequencies along the 3D trajectories of birds. We demonstrate these new methods by analysing six flocking events consisting of 50 to 360 jackdaws (Corvus monedula) and rooks (Corvus frugilegus) as well as 32 jackdaws and 6 rooks flying in isolated pairs or alone. Our method allows us to (i) measure flight speed and wingbeat frequency in different flying modes; (ii) characterize the U-shaped flight performance curve of birds in the wild, showing that wingbeat frequency reaches its minimum at moderate flight speeds; (iii) examine group effects on individual flight performance, showing that birds have a higher wingbeat frequency when flying in a group than when flying alone and when flying in dense regions than when flying in sparse regions; and (iv) provide a potential avenue for automated discrimination of bird species. We argue that the experimental method developed in this paper opens new opportunities for understanding flight kinematics and collective behaviour in natural environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hangjian Ling
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Guillam E Mclvor
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Geoff Nagy
- School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | | | - Richard T Vaughan
- School of Computing Science, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Alex Thornton
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
| | - Nicholas T Ouellette
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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14
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Bingman VP. Requiem for a heavyweight – can anything more be learned from homing pigeons about the sensory and spatial-representational basis of avian navigation? J Exp Biol 2018; 221:221/20/jeb163089. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.163089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The homing pigeon (Columba livia) has long served as a study species to exhaustively investigate the sensory and spatial (map)-representational mechanisms that guide avian navigation. However, several factors have contributed to recent questioning of whether homing pigeons are as valuable as they once were as a general model for the study of the sensory and map-like, spatial-representational mechanisms of avian navigation. These reservations include: the success of this research program in unveiling navigational mechanisms; the burgeoning of new tracking technologies making navigational experiments on long-distance migratory and other wild birds much more accessible; the almost complete loss of the historically dominant, large-scale pigeon loft/research facilities; and prohibitive university per diem costs as well as animal care and use restrictions. Nevertheless, I propose here that there remain good prospects for homing pigeon research that could still profoundly influence how one understands aspects of avian navigation beyond sensory mechanisms and spatial-representational strategies. Indeed, research into neural mechanisms and brain organization, social/personality influences and genetics of navigation all offer opportunities to take advantage of the rich spatial behavior repertoire and experimental convenience of homing pigeons. Importantly, research in these areas would not necessarily require the large number of birds typically used in the past to study the sensory guidance of navigation. For those of us who have had the opportunity to work with this remarkable animal, one research door may be closing, but a window into exciting future opportunities lies ajar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verner P. Bingman
- Department of Psychology and J. P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind and Behavior, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA
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15
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Sokolovskis K, Bianco G, Willemoes M, Solovyeva D, Bensch S, Åkesson S. Ten grams and 13,000 km on the wing - route choice in willow warblers Phylloscopus trochilus yakutensis migrating from Far East Russia to East Africa. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2018; 6:20. [PMID: 30349724 PMCID: PMC6191995 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-018-0138-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2018] [Accepted: 08/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND High-latitude bird migration has evolved after the last glaciation, in less than 10,000-15,000 years. Migrating songbirds rely on an endogenous migratory program, encoding timing, fueling, and routes, but it is still unknown which compass mechanism they use on migration. We used geolocators to track the migration of willow warblers (Phylloscopus trochilus yakutensis) from their eastern part of the range in Russia to wintering areas in sub-Saharan Africa. Our aim was to investigate if the autumn migration route can be explained by a simple compass mechanism, based on celestial or geomagnetic information, or whether migration is undertaken as a sequence of differential migratory paths possibly involving a map sense. We compared the recorded migratory routes for our tracked birds with simulated routes obtained from different compass mechanisms. RESULTS The three tracked males were very similar in the routes they took to their final wintering sites in southern Tanzania or northern Mozambique, in their use of stopover sites and in the overall timing of migration. None of the tested compass mechanisms could explain the birds' routes to the first stopover area in southwest Asia or to the destination in Southeast Africa without modifications. Our compass mechanism simulations suggest that the simplest scenarios congruent with the observed routes are based on either an inclination or a sun compass, assuming two sequential steps. CONCLUSIONS The birds may follow a magnetoclinic route coinciding closely with the tracks by first moving west, i.e. closer to the goal, and thereafter follow a constant apparent angle of inclination to the stopover site. An alternative would be to use the sun compass, but with time-adjustments along the initial part of the migration to the first stopover, and thereafter depart along a new course to the winter destination. A combination of the two mechanisms cannot be ruled out, but needs to be confirmed in future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristaps Sokolovskis
- Department of Biology, Center for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, SE Sweden
- Department of Biology, Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, SE Sweden
| | - Giuseppe Bianco
- Department of Biology, Center for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, SE Sweden
| | - Mikkel Willemoes
- Department of Biology, Center for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, SE Sweden
- Department of Biology, Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, SE Sweden
| | - Diana Solovyeva
- Institute of Biological Problems in the North, Magadan, Russia
| | - Staffan Bensch
- Department of Biology, Center for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, SE Sweden
- Department of Biology, Molecular Ecology and Evolution Laboratory, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, SE Sweden
| | - Susanne Åkesson
- Department of Biology, Center for Animal Movement Research, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, SE Sweden
- Department of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Unit, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, SE Sweden
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16
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Muheim R, Schmaljohann H, Alerstam T. Feasibility of sun and magnetic compass mechanisms in avian long-distance migration. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2018; 6:8. [PMID: 29992024 PMCID: PMC5989362 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-018-0126-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Birds use different compass mechanisms based on celestial (stars, sun, skylight polarization pattern) and geomagnetic cues for orientation. Yet, much remains to be understood how birds actually use these compass mechanisms on their long-distance migratory journeys. Here, we assess in more detail the consequences of using different sun and magnetic compass mechanisms for the resulting bird migration routes during both autumn and spring migration. First, we calculated predicted flight routes to determine which of the compasses mechanisms lead to realistic and feasible migration routes starting at different latitudes during autumn and spring migration. We then compared the adaptive values of the different compass mechanisms by calculating distance ratios in relation to the shortest possible trajectory for three populations of nocturnal passerine migrants: northern wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe, pied flycatcher Ficedula hypoleuca, and willow warbler Phylloscopus trochilus. Finally, we compared the predicted trajectories for different compass strategies with observed routes based on recent light-level geolocation tracking results for five individuals of northern wheatears migrating between Alaska and tropical Africa. We conclude that the feasibility of different compass routes varies greatly with latitude, migratory direction, migration season, and geographic location. Routes following a single compass course throughout the migratory journey are feasible for many bird populations, but the underlying compass mechanisms likely differ between populations. In many cases, however, the birds likely have to reorient once to a few times along the migration route and/or use map information to successfully reach their migratory destination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel Muheim
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Biology Building B, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute for Biology und Environmental Sciences (IBU), Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, Carl-von-Ossietzky-Straße 9-11, D-26129 Oldenburg, Germany
- Institute of Avian Research, Vogelwarte Helgoland, An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386 Wilhelmshaven, Germany
| | - Thomas Alerstam
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62 Lund, Sweden
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17
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Meyburg BU, Bergmanis U, Langgemach T, Graszynski K, Hinz A, Börner I, Meyburg C, Vansteelant WMG. Orientation of native versus translocated juvenile lesser spotted eagles ( Clanga pomarina) on the first autumn migration. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 220:2765-2776. [PMID: 28768749 PMCID: PMC5558239 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.148932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The ontogeny of migration routines used by wild birds remains unresolved. Here we investigated the migratory orientation of juvenile lesser spotted eagles (LSE; Clanga pomarina) based on translocation and satellite tracking. Between 2004 and 2016, 85 second-hatched juveniles (Abels) were reared in captivity for release into the declining German population, including 50 birds that were translocated 940 km from Latvia. In 2009, we tracked 12 translocated juveniles, as well as eight native juveniles and nine native adults, to determine how inexperienced birds come to use strategic migration routes. Native juveniles departed around the same time as the adults and six of eight used the eastern flyway around the Mediterranean, which was used by all adults. In contrast, translocated juveniles departed on average 6 days before native LSEs, and five travelled southward and died in the central Mediterranean region. Consequently, fewer translocated juveniles (4/12) than native juveniles (7/8) reached Africa. We conclude that juvenile LSEs have a much better chance of learning the strategic southeastern flyway if they leave at an appropriate time to connect with experienced elders upon departure. It is not clear why translocated juveniles departed so early. Regardless, by the end of the year, most juveniles had perished, whether they were translocated (10/12) or not (6/8). The small number of surviving translocated juveniles thus still represents a significant increase in the annual productivity of the German LSE population in 2009.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernd-U Meyburg
- BirdLife Germany (NABU), PO Box 330451, Berlin 14199, Germany
| | - Ugis Bergmanis
- Latvijas valsts meži, Vaiņodes iela 1, Rīga LV -1004, Latvia
| | - Torsten Langgemach
- Brandenburg State Bird Conservation Centre, Dorfstr. 34, Buckow, Nennhausen 14715, Germany
| | - Kai Graszynski
- Department of Biology, Free University Berlin, Schreberstr. 8 A, Berlin 14167, Germany
| | - Arno Hinz
- Agency of Forestry, Vietmannsdorfer Str. 39, Templin 17269, Germany
| | - Ingo Börner
- Veterinarian practice, Neuer Weg 5, Templin 17268, Germany
| | - Christiane Meyburg
- World Working Group on Birds of Prey, 31, Avenue du Maine, Paris 75015, France
| | - Wouter M G Vansteelant
- Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Inst. for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Vansteelant Eco Research, Dijkgraaf 35, Bennekom 6721NJ, The Netherlands
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Åkesson S, Bianco G. Route simulations, compass mechanisms and long-distance migration flights in birds. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:475-490. [PMID: 28500441 PMCID: PMC5522512 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1171-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2016] [Revised: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Bird migration has fascinated humans for centuries and routes crossing the globe are now starting to be revealed by advanced tracking technology. A central question is what compass mechanism, celestial or geomagnetic, is activated during these long flights. Different approaches based on the geometry of flight routes across the globe and route simulations based on predictions from compass mechanisms with or without including the effect of winds have been used to try to answer this question with varying results. A major focus has been use of orthodromic (great circle) and loxodromic (rhumbline) routes using celestial information, while geomagnetic information has been proposed for both a magnetic loxodromic route and a magnetoclinic route. Here, we review previous results and evaluate if one or several alternative compass mechanisms can explain migration routes in birds. We found that most cases could be explained by magnetoclinic routes (up to 73% of the cases), while the sun compas s could explain only 50%. Both magnetic and geographic loxodromes could explain <25% of the routes. The magnetoclinic route functioned across latitudes (1°S-74°N), while the sun compass only worked in the high Arctic (61-69°N). We discuss the results with respect to orientation challenges and availability of orientation cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Åkesson
- Centre for Animal Movement Research, Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Giuseppe Bianco
- Centre for Animal Movement Research, Department of Biology, Lund University, Ecology Building, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
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The avian hippocampus and the hypothetical maps used by navigating migratory birds (with some reflection on compasses and migratory restlessness). J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:465-474. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1161-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Revised: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Vega ML, Willemoes M, Thomson RL, Tolvanen J, Rutila J, Samaš P, Strandberg R, Grim T, Fossøy F, Stokke BG, Thorup K. First-Time Migration in Juvenile Common Cuckoos Documented by Satellite Tracking. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0168940. [PMID: 28005960 PMCID: PMC5179092 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0168940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Being an obligate parasite, juvenile common cuckoos Cuculus canorus are thought to reach their African wintering grounds from Palearctic breeding grounds without guidance from experienced conspecifics but this has not been documented. We used satellite tracking to study naïve migrating common cuckoos. Juvenile cuckoos left breeding sites in Finland moving slowly and less consistently directed than adult cuckoos. Migration of the juveniles (N = 5) was initiated later than adults (N = 20), was directed toward the southwest-significantly different from the initial southeast direction of adults-and included strikingly long Baltic Sea crossings (N = 3). After initial migration of juvenile cuckoos toward Poland, the migration direction changed and proceeded due south, directly toward the winter grounds, as revealed by a single tag transmitting until arrival in Northwest Angola where northern adult cuckoos regularly winter. Compared to adults, the juvenile travelled straighter and faster, potentially correcting for wind drift along the route. That both migration route and timing differed from adults indicates that juvenile cuckoos are able to reach proper wintering grounds independently, guided only by their innate migration programme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Lomas Vega
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- * E-mail:
| | - Mikkel Willemoes
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Robert L. Thomson
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jere Tolvanen
- Department of Ecology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jarkko Rutila
- Department of Environmental and Biological Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Peter Samaš
- Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | | | - Tomáš Grim
- Department of Zoology and Laboratory of Ornithology, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Frode Fossøy
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Sluppen, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bård Gunnar Stokke
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Sluppen, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Kasper Thorup
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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21
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Orchan Y, Ovaskainen O, Bouten W, Nathan R. Novel Insights into the Map Stage of True Navigation in Nonmigratory Wild Birds (Stone Curlews, Burhinus oedicnemus). Am Nat 2016; 187:E152-65. [PMID: 27172601 DOI: 10.1086/686054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
In the map-and-compass model of true navigation, animals at unfamiliar sites determine their position relative to a destination site (the map stage) before progressing toward it (the compass stage). A major challenge in animal navigation research is to understand the still cryptic map stage in general and the map stage for free-ranging wild animals in particular. To address this challenge, we experimentally translocated wild, nonmigratory birds (stone curlews [Burhinus oedicnemus]) far from their nests and GPS-tracked their subsequent movements at high resolution and for long durations. Homing success was high and cannot be explained by random chance or landmark navigation, implying true navigation. Although highly motivated to return home, the homing trajectories of translocated birds exhibited a distinct, two-phase pattern resembling the map and compass stages: a long, tortuous wandering phase without consistent approach home, followed by a short and direct return phase. Birds retranslocated to the same site initially repeated the original wandering path but switched to the return phase earlier and after covering a smaller area; they returned home via a different path but with similar movement properties. We thus propose the map learning hypothesis, asserting that birds resolve the map by acquiring, potentially through learning, the relevant navigation cues during the wandering phase.
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22
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Tesson SV, Okamura B, Dudaniec RY, Vyverman W, Löndahl J, Rushing C, Valentini A, Green AJ. Integrating microorganism and macroorganism dispersal: modes, techniques and challenges with particular focus on co-dispersal. ECOSCIENCE 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/11956860.2016.1148458] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Pritchard DJ, Hurly TA, Tello-Ramos MC, Healy SD. Why study cognition in the wild (and how to test it)? J Exp Anal Behav 2016; 105:41-55. [DOI: 10.1002/jeab.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2015] [Accepted: 12/08/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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McLaren JD, Shamoun-Baranes J, Dokter AM, Klaassen RHG, Bouten W. Optimal orientation in flows: providing a benchmark for animal movement strategies. J R Soc Interface 2015; 11:rsif.2014.0588. [PMID: 25056213 PMCID: PMC4233736 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.0588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Animal movements in air and water can be strongly affected by experienced flow. While various flow-orientation strategies have been proposed and observed, their performance in variable flow conditions remains unclear. We apply control theory to establish a benchmark for time-minimizing (optimal) orientation. We then define optimal orientation for movement in steady flow patterns and, using dynamic wind data, for short-distance mass movements of thrushes (Turdus sp.) and 6000 km non-stop migratory flights by great snipes, Gallinago media. Relative to the optimal benchmark, we assess the efficiency (travel speed) and reliability (success rate) of three generic orientation strategies: full compensation for lateral drift, vector orientation (single-heading movement) and goal orientation (continually heading towards the goal). Optimal orientation is characterized by detours to regions of high flow support, especially when flow speeds approach and exceed the animal's self-propelled speed. In strong predictable flow (short distance thrush flights), vector orientation adjusted to flow on departure is nearly optimal, whereas for unpredictable flow (inter-continental snipe flights), only goal orientation was near-optimally reliable and efficient. Optimal orientation provides a benchmark for assessing efficiency of responses to complex flow conditions, thereby offering insight into adaptive flow-orientation across taxa in the light of flow strength, predictability and navigation capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D McLaren
- Computational Geo-Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Judy Shamoun-Baranes
- Computational Geo-Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Adriaan M Dokter
- Computational Geo-Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands Dutch Centre for Avian Migration and Demography, Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute for Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Raymond H G Klaassen
- Dutch Centre for Avian Migration and Demography, Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute for Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands Dutch Montagu's Harrier Foundation, Animal Ecology Group, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Willem Bouten
- Computational Geo-Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Gagliardo A, Pollonara E, Coppola VJ, Santos CD, Wikelski M, Bingman VP. Evidence for perceptual neglect of environmental features in hippocampal-lesioned pigeons during homing. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 40:3102-10. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2014] [Revised: 06/11/2014] [Accepted: 06/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gagliardo
- Department of Biology; University of Pisa; Via Volta 6 56126 Pisa Italy
| | - Enrica Pollonara
- Department of Biology; University of Pisa; Via Volta 6 56126 Pisa Italy
| | - Vincent J. Coppola
- Department of Psychology and J. P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind and Behavior; Bowling Green State University; Bowling Green OH USA
| | - Carlos D. Santos
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Radolfzell Germany
- Departamento de Biologia; Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde; Universidade Federal do Maranhão; São Luís MA Brazil
| | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology; Max Planck Institute for Ornithology; Radolfzell Germany
- Department of Biology; University of Konstanz; Konstanz Germany
| | - Verner P. Bingman
- Department of Psychology and J. P. Scott Center for Neuroscience, Mind and Behavior; Bowling Green State University; Bowling Green OH USA
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Hurly TA, Fox TAO, Zwueste DM, Healy SD. Wild hummingbirds rely on landmarks not geometry when learning an array of flowers. Anim Cogn 2014; 17:1157-65. [PMID: 24691650 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-014-0748-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2013] [Revised: 03/22/2014] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Rats, birds or fish trained to find a reward in one corner of a small enclosure tend to learn the location of the reward using both nearby visual features and the geometric relationships of corners and walls. Because these studies are conducted under laboratory and thereby unnatural conditions, we sought to determine whether wild, free-living rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus) learning a single reward location within a rectangular array of flowers would similarly employ both nearby visual landmarks and the geometric relationships of the array. Once subjects had learned the location of the reward, we used test probes in which one or two experimental landmarks were moved or removed in order to reveal how the birds remembered the reward location. The hummingbirds showed no evidence that they used the geometry of the rectangular array of flowers to remember the reward. Rather, they used our experimental landmarks, and possibly nearby, natural landmarks, to orient and navigate to the reward. We believe this to be the first test of the use of rectangular geometry by wild animals, and we recommend further studies be conducted in ecologically relevant conditions in order to help determine how and when animals form complex geometric representations of their local environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Andrew Hurly
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, 4401 University Dr., Lethbridge, AB, T1K 3M4, Canada,
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27
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Affiliation(s)
- R. A. Holland
- School of Biological Sciences; Queen's University of Belfast; Belfast UK
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28
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Tesson SVM, Edelaar P. Dispersal in a changing world: opportunities, insights and challenges. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2013; 1:10. [PMID: 25709824 PMCID: PMC4337764 DOI: 10.1186/2051-3933-1-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2013] [Accepted: 08/20/2013] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
It has been long recognised that dispersal is an important life-history trait that plays a key role in the demography and evolution of populations and species. This then suggests that dispersal play a central role in the response of populations and species to ever-increasing global change, including climate change, habitat loss and fragmentation, and biological invasions. During a symposium held at Lund University (Sweden), the causes and consequences of dispersal were discussed, and here we provide an overview of the talks. As the discussions often gravitated towards the role and our understanding of dispersal in a changing world and given the urgent challenges posed by it, we place this overview in the context of global change. We draw and discuss four conclusions: (i) methodological advances provide opportunities for improved future studies, (ii) dispersal distances can be much greater than previously thought (examples in plants and vertebrates), but also much more restricted (examples in micro-organisms), (iii) dispersal is more dynamic than we often care to admit (e.g. due to individual variation, effects of parasites, variation in life history, developmental and evolutionary responses, community impacts), (iv) using results of dispersal research for detailed prediction of outcomes under global change is currently mostly out of reach - nevertheless, that should not stop us from showing the many negative consequences of global change, and how dispersal is often a limiting factor in adapting to this.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Pim Edelaar
- />Department of Molecular Biology & Biochemical Engineering, University Pablo de Olavide, Seville, Spain
- />Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana – CSIC, Seville, Spain
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Kishkinev D, Chernetsov N, Heyers D, Mouritsen H. Migratory Reed Warblers Need Intact Trigeminal Nerves to Correct for a 1,000 km Eastward Displacement. PLoS One 2013; 8:e65847. [PMID: 23840374 PMCID: PMC3694148 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2012] [Accepted: 05/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies have shown that experienced night-migratory songbirds can determine their position, but it has remained a mystery which cues and sensory mechanisms they use, in particular, those used to determine longitude (east–west position). One potential solution would be to use a magnetic map or signpost mechanism like the one documented in sea turtles. Night-migratory songbirds have a magnetic compass in their eyes and a second magnetic sense with unknown biological function involving the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve (V1). Could V1 be involved in determining east–west position? We displaced 57 Eurasian reed warblers (Acrocephalus scirpaceus) with or without sectioned V1. Sham operated birds corrected their orientation towards the breeding area after displacement like the untreated controls did. In contrast, V1-sectioned birds did not correct for the displacement. They oriented in the same direction after the displacement as they had done at the capture site. Thus, an intact ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve is necessary for detecting the 1,000 km eastward displacement in this night-migratory songbird. Our results suggest that V1 carries map-related information used in a large-scale map or signpost sense that the reed warblers needed to determine their approximate geographical position and/or an east–west coordinate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Kishkinev
- Arbeitsgruppe “Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation”, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften & Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Nikita Chernetsov
- Biological Station Rybachy, Zoological Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Rybachy, Kaliningrad Region, Russia
| | - Dominik Heyers
- Arbeitsgruppe “Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation”, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften & Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- Arbeitsgruppe “Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation”, Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften & Research Centre for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, Oldenburg, Germany
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Abstract
Summary
Forty years ago, Papi and colleagues discovered that anosmic pigeons cannot find their way home when released at unfamiliar locations. They explained this phenomenon by developing the olfactory navigation hypothesis: pigeons at the home loft learn the odours carried by the winds in association with wind direction; once at the release site, they determine the direction of displacement on the basis of the odours perceived locally and orient homeward. In addition to the old classical experiments, new GPS tracking data and observations on the activation of the olfactory system in displaced pigeons have provided further evidence for the specific role of olfactory cues in pigeon navigation. Although it is not known which odours the birds might rely on for navigation, it has been shown that volatile organic compounds in the atmosphere are distributed as fairly stable gradients to allow environmental odour-based navigation. The investigation of the potential role of olfactory cues for navigation in wild birds is still at an early stage; however, the evidence collected so far suggests that olfactory navigation might be a widespread mechanism in avian species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gagliardo
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Via A. Volta 6, I-56126 Pisa, Italy
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Tanferna A, López-Jiménez L, Blas J, Hiraldo F, Sergio F. Different location sampling frequencies by satellite tags yield different estimates of migration performance: pooling data requires a common protocol. PLoS One 2012; 7:e49659. [PMID: 23166742 PMCID: PMC3498226 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0049659] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2012] [Accepted: 10/15/2012] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Migration research is in rapid expansion and increasingly based on sophisticated satellite-tracking devices subject to constant technological refinement, but is still ripe with descriptive studies and in need of meta-analyses looking for emergent generalisations. In particular, coexistence of studies and devices with different frequency of location sampling and spatial accuracy generates doubts of data compatibility, potentially preventing meta-analyses. We used satellite-tracking data on a migratory raptor to: (1) test whether data based on different location sampling frequencies and on different position subsampling approaches are compatible, and (2) seek potential solutions that enhance compatibility and enable eventual meta-analyses. Methodology/Principal Findings We used linear mixed models to analyse the differences in the speed and route length of the migration tracks of 36 Black kites (Milvus migrans) satellite-tagged with two different types of devices (Argos vs GPS tags), entailing different regimes of position sampling frequency. We show that different location sampling frequencies and data subsampling approaches generate large (up to 33%) differences in the estimates of route length and migration speed of this migratory bird. Conclusions/Significance Our results show that the abundance of locations available for analysis affects the tortuosity and realism of the estimated migration path. To avoid flaws in future meta-analyses or unnecessary loss of data, we urge researchers to reach an agreement on a common protocol of data presentation, and to recognize that all transmitter-based studies are likely to underestimate the actual distance traveled by the marked animal. As ecological research becomes increasingly technological, new technologies should be matched with improvements in analytical capacity that guarantee data compatibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Tanferna
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, Consejo Superior de Investigación Científica, Sevilla, Spain.
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