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Karwinkel T, Peter A, Holland RA, Thorup K, Bairlein F, Schmaljohann H. A conceptual framework on the role of magnetic cues in songbird migration ecology. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1576-1593. [PMID: 38629349 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024]
Abstract
Migrating animals perform astonishing seasonal movements by orienting and navigating over thousands of kilometres with great precision. Many migratory species use cues from the sun, stars, landmarks, olfaction and the Earth's magnetic field for this task. Among vertebrates, songbirds are the most studied taxon in magnetic-cue-related research. Despite multiple studies, we still lack a clear understanding of when, where and how magnetic cues affect the decision-making process of birds and hence, their realised migratory behaviour in the wild. This understanding is especially important to interpret the results of laboratory experiments in an ecologically appropriate way. In this review, we summarise the current findings about the role of magnetic cues for migratory decisions in songbirds. First, we review the methodological principles for orientation and navigation research, specifically by comparing experiments on caged birds with experiments on free-flying birds. While cage experiments can show the sensory abilities of birds, studies with free-flying birds can characterise the ecological roles of magnetic cues. Second, we review the migratory stages, from stopover to endurance flight, in which songbirds use magnetic cues for their migratory decisions and incorporate this into a novel conceptual framework. While we lack studies examining whether and when magnetic cues affect orientation or navigation decisions during flight, the role of magnetic cues during stopover is relatively well studied, but mostly in the laboratory. Notably, many such studies have produced contradictory results so that understanding the biological importance of magnetic cues for decisions in free-flying songbirds is not straightforward. One potential explanation is that reproducibility of magnetic-cue experiments is low, probably because variability in the behavioural responses of birds among experiments is high. We are convinced that parts of this variability can be explained by species-specific and context-dependent reactions of birds to the study conditions and by the bird's high flexibility in whether they include magnetic cues in a decision or not. Ultimately, this review should help researchers in the challenging field of magnetoreception to design experiments meticulously and interpret results of such studies carefully by considering the migration ecology of their focal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thiemo Karwinkel
- Institute of Avian Research 'Vogelwarte Helgoland', An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Annika Peter
- Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Richard A Holland
- School of Environmental and Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Kasper Thorup
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Franz Bairlein
- Institute of Avian Research 'Vogelwarte Helgoland', An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Am Obstberg 1, Radolfzell, 78315, Germany
| | - Heiko Schmaljohann
- Institute of Avian Research 'Vogelwarte Helgoland', An der Vogelwarte 21, 26386, Wilhelmshaven, Germany
- Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg, School of Mathematics and Science, Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, Ammerländer Heerstraße 114-118, 26129, Oldenburg, Germany
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2
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Alves Soares T, Caspers BA, Loos HM. Volatile organic compounds in preen oil and feathers - a review. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:1085-1099. [PMID: 38303487 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
For a long time birds were assumed to be anosmic or at best microsmatic, with olfaction a poorly understood and seldom investigated part of avian physiology. The full viability of avian olfaction was first discovered through its functions in navigation and foraging. Subsequently, researchers have investigated the role of olfaction in different social and non-social contexts, including reproduction, kin recognition, predator avoidance, navigation and foraging. In parallel to the recognition of the importance of olfaction for avian social behaviour, there have been advances in the techniques and methods available for the sampling and analysis of trace volatiles and odourants, leading to insights into the chemistry underlying chemical communication in birds. This review provides (i) an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the volatile chemical composition of preen oil and feathers, its phylogenetic coverage, chemical signatures and their potential functions, and (ii) a discussion of current methods used for the isolation and detection of volatiles. Finally, lines for future research are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tatjana Alves Soares
- Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Henkestraße 9, Erlangen, 91054, Germany
| | - Barbara A Caspers
- Department of Behavioural Ecology, Bielefeld University, Konsequenz 45, Bielefeld, 33615, Germany
- Joint Institute for Individualisation in a Changing Environment (JICE), University of Münster and Bielefeld University, Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Helene M Loos
- Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Henkestraße 9, Erlangen, 91054, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV, Giggenhauser Straße 35, Freising, 85354, Germany
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3
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Lewin PJ, Wynn J, Arcos JM, Austin RE, Blagrove J, Bond S, Carrasco G, Delord K, Fisher-Reeves L, García D, Gillies N, Guilford T, Hawkins I, Jaggers P, Kirk C, Louzao M, Maurice L, McMinn M, Micol T, Morford J, Morgan G, Moss J, Riera EM, Rodriguez A, Siddiqi-Davies K, Weimerskirch H, Wynn RB, Padget O. Climate change drives migratory range shift via individual plasticity in shearwaters. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2312438121. [PMID: 38285933 PMCID: PMC10861922 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2312438121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
How individual animals respond to climate change is key to whether populations will persist or go extinct. Yet, few studies investigate how changes in individual behavior underpin these population-level phenomena. Shifts in the distributions of migratory animals can occur through adaptation in migratory behaviors, but there is little understanding of how selection and plasticity contribute to population range shift. Here, we use long-term geolocator tracking of Balearic shearwaters (Puffinus mauretanicus) to investigate how year-to-year changes in individual birds' migrations underpin a range shift in the post-breeding migration. We demonstrate a northward shift in the post-breeding range and show that this is brought about by individual plasticity in migratory destination, with individuals migrating further north in response to changes in sea-surface temperature. Furthermore, we find that when individuals migrate further, they return faster, perhaps minimizing delays in return to the breeding area. Birds apparently judge the increased distance that they will need to migrate via memory of the migration route, suggesting that spatial cognitive mechanisms may contribute to this plasticity and the resulting range shift. Our study exemplifies the role that individual behavior plays in populations' responses to environmental change and highlights some of the behavioral mechanisms that might be key to understanding and predicting species persistence in response to climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J. Lewin
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Joe Wynn
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
- Institut für Vogelforschung “Vogelwarte Helgoland”, Wilhelmshaven26386, Germany
| | - José Manuel Arcos
- Programa Marino, Sociedad Española de Ornitología/BirdLife, Delegació de Catalunya, Barcelona08026, Spain
| | - Rhiannon E. Austin
- National Oceanography Centre–Southampton, SouthamptonSO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
- Earth Ocean and Ecological Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, LiverpoolL69 3GP, United Kingdom
| | - Josephine Blagrove
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Sarah Bond
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
- School of Ocean Sciences, College of Science and Engineering, Bangor University, Menai BridgeLL59 5AB, United Kingdom
| | - Gemma Carrasco
- Iniciativa de Recerca de la Biodiversitat de les Illes, Alaior, Balearic Islands07730, Spain
| | - Karine Delord
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin, UMR 7372, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Villiers en Bois79360, France
| | | | - David García
- Iniciativa de Recerca de la Biodiversitat de les Illes, Alaior, Balearic Islands07730, Spain
| | - Natasha Gillies
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
- Earth Ocean and Ecological Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, LiverpoolL69 3GP, United Kingdom
| | - Tim Guilford
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Isobel Hawkins
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Paris Jaggers
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Kirk
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Maite Louzao
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance, Pasaia20110, Spain
| | - Lou Maurice
- British Geological Survey, WallingfordOX10 8ED, United Kingdom
| | - Miguel McMinn
- Grupo Biogeografía, geodinámica y sedimentación del Mediterráneo occidental, Ciències i Tecnologies Mediambientals, Universitat de les Illes Balears,Palma, Balearic IslandsE07122, Spain
| | - Thierry Micol
- Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux, BirdLife International Partner in France, Rochefort Cedex17305, France
| | - Joe Morford
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Greg Morgan
- Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Ramsey Island, St. Davids, PembrokeshireSA62 6PY, United Kingdom
| | - Jason Moss
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Elisa Miquel Riera
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
| | - Ana Rodriguez
- Grupo Biogeografía, geodinámica y sedimentación del Mediterráneo occidental, Ciències i Tecnologies Mediambientals, Universitat de les Illes Balears,Palma, Balearic IslandsE07122, Spain
| | | | - Henri Weimerskirch
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin, UMR 7372, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Villiers en Bois79360, France
| | - Russell B. Wynn
- National Oceanography Centre–Southampton, SouthamptonSO14 3ZH, United Kingdom
| | - Oliver Padget
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, OxfordOX1 3SZ, United Kingdom
- Earth Ocean and Ecological Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, LiverpoolL69 3GP, United Kingdom
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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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Zidat T, Gabirot M, Bonadonna F, Müller CT. Homing and Nest Recognition in Nocturnal Blue Petrels: What Scent May Attract Birds to their Burrows? J Chem Ecol 2023; 49:384-396. [PMID: 37231188 PMCID: PMC10611862 DOI: 10.1007/s10886-023-01424-3] [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: 01/16/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Hypogean petrels return to the same nest burrow to breed on remote islands during the summer months. Their nocturnal behavior at the colony, strong musky odor and olfactory anatomy suggest an important role of olfaction in homing behavior and nest recognition. Behavioral experiments showed that olfactory cues are sufficient to allow nest identification, suggesting a stabile chemical signature emanating from burrows and facilitating nest recognition. However, the chemical nature and sources of this odor remain unknown. To better understand the nest odor composition, we analyzed volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of nests of blue petrels (Halobaena caerulea) derived from three different odor sources: nest air, nest material and feather samples. We also compared, during two successive years, VOCs from burrows with an incubating breeder on the nest, and burrows used during the breeding season by blue petrels but shortly temporally unoccupied by breeders. We found that the nest air odor was mainly formed by the owners' odor, which provided an individual chemical label for nests that appeared stabile over the breeding season. These findings, together with the previous homing behavioral studies showing an essential role of the sense of smell in blue petrels, strongly suggest that the scent emanating from burrows of blue petrels provides the information that facilitates nest recognition and homing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothée Zidat
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, CF10 3AX, Cardiff, UK.
- UMR Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, INRAE, CNRS, Université de Tours, IFCE, Nouzilly, France.
| | - Marianne Gabirot
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, CF10 3AX, Cardiff, UK
- ADENA - Réserve Naturelle Nationale du Bagnas, Domaine du Grand Clavelet, Route de Sète, 34300, Agde, France
| | | | - Carsten T Müller
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, CF10 3AX, Cardiff, UK
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Brown TM, Wilhelm SI, Mastromonaco GF, Burness G. A path forward in the investigation of seabird strandings attributed to light attraction. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Taylor Marie Brown
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Program Trent University Peterborough Ontario Canada
| | - Sabina I. Wilhelm
- Environment and Climate Change Canada Mount Pearl Newfoundland Canada
| | | | - Gary Burness
- Department of Biology Trent University Peterborough Ontario Canada
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7
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Spatial Olfactory Memory and Spatial Olfactory Navigation, Assessed with a Variant of Corsi Test, Is Modulated by Gender and Sporty Activity. Brain Sci 2022; 12:brainsci12081108. [PMID: 36009170 PMCID: PMC9406228 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci12081108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 08/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Many studies have focused on navigation, spatial skills, and the olfactory system in comparative models, including those concerning the relationship between them and physical activity. Although the results are often in contrast with each other, it is assumed that physical activity can affect cognition in different ways—both indirectly and through a certain influence on some brain structures. In contrast, there is little research that focuses on the relationship between spatial abilities and olfactory abilities in humans. This research aimed to evaluate and compare the performance in working memory tasks of athletes and non-athletes who require good visual–spatial navigation, olfactory–spatial navigation, and olfactory–semantic skills. The study involved 236 participants (83 athletes) between the ages of 18 and 40. All subjects were matched by age or sex. The standard Corsi Block Tapping Test (CBTT) was administrated to investigate the visual-spatial memory. Olfactory–spatial navigation and olfactory–semantic skills were assessed with two modified versions of CBTT: Olfactory CBTT (OCBTT) and Semantic–Olfactory CBTT (SOCBTT) respectively. The results show differences between the CORSI conditions in direction of a poor performance for athletes. A gender effect in favor of men was also found, particularly in the classic version of the CBTT. Both groups performed better in the classic version of the CBTT than OCBTT and SOCBTT. The mean of SOCBTT results is markedly lower, perhaps due to the different information processing systems needed to perform this kind of task. It is possible to explain how sports practice can affect tasks that require spatial skills and olfactory perception differently, thus supporting new hypotheses and opening new scientific horizons.
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8
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Cuevas-Caballé C, Ferrer Obiol J, Vizueta J, Genovart M, Gonzalez-Solís J, Riutort M, Rozas J. The First Genome of the Balearic Shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) Provides a Valuable Resource for Conservation Genomics and Sheds Light on Adaptation to a Pelagic lifestyle. Genome Biol Evol 2022; 14:evac067. [PMID: 35524941 PMCID: PMC9117697 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evac067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The Balearic shearwater (Puffinus mauretanicus) is the most threatened seabird in Europe and a member of the most speciose group of pelagic seabirds, the order Procellariiformes, which exhibit extreme adaptations to a pelagic lifestyle. The fossil record suggests that human colonisation of the Balearic Islands resulted in a sharp decrease of the Balearic shearwater population size. Currently, populations of the species continue to be decimated mainly due to predation by introduced mammals and bycatch in longline fisheries, with some studies predicting its extinction by 2070. Here, using a combination of short and long reads, we generate the first high-quality reference genome for the Balearic shearwater, with a completeness amongst the highest across available avian species. We used this reference genome to study critical aspects relevant to the conservation status of the species and to gain insights into the adaptation to a pelagic lifestyle of the order Procellariiformes. We detected relatively high levels of genome-wide heterozygosity in the Balearic shearwater despite its reduced population size. However, the reconstruction of its historical demography uncovered an abrupt population decline potentially linked to a reduction of the neritic zone during the Penultimate Glacial Period (∼194-135 ka). Comparative genomics analyses uncover a set of candidate genes that may have played an important role into the adaptation to a pelagic lifestyle of Procellariiformes, including those for the enhancement of fishing capabilities, night vision, and the development of natriuresis. The reference genome obtained will be the crucial in the future development of genetic tools in conservation efforts for this Critically Endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Cuevas-Caballé
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia & Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Ferrer Obiol
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia & Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Università degli Studi di Milano (UniMi), Milan, Italy
| | - Joel Vizueta
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia & Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
- Villum Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, Section for Ecology and Evolution, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Meritxell Genovart
- Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA), CSIC-UIB & Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB), CSIC, Esporles, Spain
| | - Jacob Gonzalez-Solís
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia & Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marta Riutort
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia & Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Julio Rozas
- Departament de Genètica, Microbiologia i Estadística, Facultat de Biologia & Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Spain
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9
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de Almeida Miranda D, Araripe J, de Morais Magalhães NG, de Siqueira LS, de Abreu CC, Pereira PDC, Henrique EP, da Silva Chira PAC, de Melo MAD, do Rêgo PS, Diniz DG, Sherry DF, Diniz CWP, Guerreiro-Diniz C. Shorebirds' Longer Migratory Distances Are Associated With Larger ADCYAP1 Microsatellites and Greater Morphological Complexity of Hippocampal Astrocytes. Front Psychol 2022; 12:784372. [PMID: 35185684 PMCID: PMC8855117 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.784372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
For the epic journey of autumn migration, long-distance migratory birds use innate and learned information and follow strict schedules imposed by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, the details of which remain largely unknown. In addition, bird migration requires integrated action of different multisensory systems for learning and memory, and the hippocampus appears to be the integration center for this task. In previous studies we found that contrasting long-distance migratory flights differentially affected the morphological complexity of two types of hippocampus astrocytes. Recently, a significant association was found between the latitude of the reproductive site and the size of the ADCYAP1 allele in long distance migratory birds. We tested for correlations between astrocyte morphological complexity, migratory distances, and size of the ADCYAP1 allele in three long-distance migrant species of shorebird and one non-migrant. Significant differences among species were found in the number and morphological complexity of the astrocytes, as well as in the size of the microsatellites of the ADCYAP1 gene. We found significant associations between the size of the ADCYAP1 microsatellites, the migratory distances, and the degree of morphological complexity of the astrocytes. We suggest that associations between astrocyte number and morphological complexity, ADCYAP1 microsatellite size, and migratory behavior may be part of the adaptive response to the migratory process of shorebirds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego de Almeida Miranda
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil.,Laboratório de Genética e Conservação, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS), Universidade Federal do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Juliana Araripe
- Laboratório de Genética e Conservação, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS), Universidade Federal do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Nara G de Morais Magalhães
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Lucas Silva de Siqueira
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Cintya Castro de Abreu
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Patrick Douglas Corrêa Pereira
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Ediely Pereira Henrique
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Pedro Arthur Campos da Silva Chira
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Mauro A D de Melo
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Péricles Sena do Rêgo
- Laboratório de Genética e Conservação, Instituto de Estudos Costeiros (IECOS), Universidade Federal do Pará, Bragança, Brazil
| | - Daniel Guerreiro Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Belém, Brazil.,Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Brazil
| | - David Francis Sherry
- Department of Psychology, Advanced Facility for Avian Research, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
| | - Cristovam W P Diniz
- Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Belém, Brazil
| | - Cristovam Guerreiro-Diniz
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Campus Bragança, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Bragança, Brazil
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10
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Wynn J, Padget O, Morford J, Jaggers P, Davies K, Borsier E, Guilford T. How might magnetic secular variation impact avian philopatry? J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2022; 208:145-154. [PMID: 35152316 PMCID: PMC8918480 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-021-01533-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
A tendency to return to the natal/breeding site, 'philopatry', is widespread amongst migratory birds. It has been suggested that a magnetic 'map' could underpin such movements, though it is unclear how a magnetic map might be impacted by gradual drift in the Earth's magnetic field ('secular variation'). Here, using the International Geomagnetic Reference Field, we quantified how secular variation translates to movement in the implied positions at which combinations of different magnetic cues (inclination, declination and intensity) intersect, noting that the magnitude of such movements is determined by the magnitude of the movements of each of the two isolines, and the angle between their movement vectors. We propose that magnetic parameters varying in a near-parallel arrangement are unlikely to be used as a bi-coordinate map during philopatry, but that birds could use near-orthogonal magnetic gradient cues as a bi-coordinate map if augmented with navigation using more local cues. We further suggest that uni-coordinate magnetic information could also provide a philopatry mechanism that is substantially less impacted by secular variation than a bi-coordinate 'map'. We propose that between-year shifts in the position of magnetic coordinates might provide a priori predictions for changes in the breeding sites of migratory birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joe Wynn
- Department of Zoology, Oxford Navigation Group, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, Oxfordshire, UK.
| | - Oliver Padget
- Department of Zoology, Oxford Navigation Group, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Joe Morford
- Department of Zoology, Oxford Navigation Group, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Paris Jaggers
- Department of Zoology, Oxford Navigation Group, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Katrina Davies
- Department of Zoology, Oxford Navigation Group, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Emma Borsier
- Department of Zoology, Oxford Navigation Group, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Tim Guilford
- Department of Zoology, Oxford Navigation Group, 11a Mansfield Road, Oxford, OX1 3SZ, Oxfordshire, UK.
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11
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Padget O, Gillies N, Syposz M, Lockley E, Guilford T. Shearwaters sometimes take long homing detours when denied natural outward journey information. Biol Lett 2022; 18:20210503. [PMID: 35135312 PMCID: PMC8825984 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The cognitive processes (learning and processing of information) underpinning the long-distance navigation of birds are poorly understood. Here, we used the homing motivation of the Manx shearwater to investigate navigational decision making in a wild bird by displacing them 294 km to the far side of a large island (the island of Ireland). Since shearwaters are reluctant to fly over land, the island blocked the direct route home, forcing a navigational decision. Further still, on the far side of the obstacle, we chose a release site where the use of local knowledge could facilitate a 20% improvement in route efficiency if shearwaters were able to anticipate and avoid a large inlet giving the appearance of open water in the home direction. We found that no shearwater took the most efficient initial route home, but instead oriented in the home direction (even once the obstacle became visible). Upon reaching the obstacle, four shearwaters subsequently circumnavigated the land mass via the long route, travelling a further 900 km as a result. Hence, despite readily orienting homewards immediately after displacement, shearwaters seem unaware of the scale of the obstacle formed by a large land mass despite this being a prominent feature of their regular foraging environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Padget
- Zoology Department, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Natasha Gillies
- Zoology Department, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Martyna Syposz
- Zoology Department, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
| | | | - Tim Guilford
- Zoology Department, University of Oxford, Oxford, Oxfordshire, UK
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12
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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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13
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Packmor F, Kishkinev D, Bittermann F, Kofler B, Machowetz C, Zechmeister T, Zawadzki LC, Guilford T, Holland RA. A magnet attached to the forehead disrupts magnetic compass orientation in a migratory songbird. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb243337. [PMID: 34713887 PMCID: PMC8645232 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
For studies on magnetic compass orientation and navigation performance in small bird species, controlled experiments with orientation cages inside an electromagnetic coil system are the most prominent methodological paradigm. These are, however, not applicable when studying larger bird species and/or orientation behaviour during free flight. For this, researchers have followed a very different approach, attaching small magnets to birds, with the intention of depriving them of access to meaningful magnetic information. Unfortunately, results from studies using this approach appear rather inconsistent. As these are based on experiments with birds under free-flight conditions, which usually do not allow exclusion of other potential orientation cues, an assessment of the overall efficacy of this approach is difficult to conduct. Here, we directly tested the efficacy of small magnets for temporarily disrupting magnetic compass orientation in small migratory songbirds using orientation cages under controlled experimental conditions. We found that birds which have access to the Earth's magnetic field as their sole orientation cue show a general orientation towards their seasonally appropriate migratory direction. When carrying magnets on their forehead under these conditions, the same birds become disoriented. However, under changed conditions that allow birds access to other (i.e. celestial) orientation cues, any disruptive effect of the magnets they carry appears obscured. Our results provide clear evidence for the efficacy of the magnet approach for temporarily disrupting magnetic compass orientation in birds, but also reveal its limitations for application in experiments under free-flight conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Packmor
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK
- Institute of Avian Research ‘Vogelwarte Helgoland’, Wilhelmshaven 26386, Germany
| | - Dmitry Kishkinev
- School of Life Sciences, Keele University, Newcastle-under-Lyme ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Flora Bittermann
- Biological Station Lake Neusiedl, Illmitz 7142, Austria
- Nationalpark Neusiedler See – Seewinkel, Apetlon 7143, Austria
- Austrian Ornithological Centre, Konrad-Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Wien, Austria
| | | | - Clara Machowetz
- Biological Station Lake Neusiedl, Illmitz 7142, Austria
- Nationalpark Neusiedler See – Seewinkel, Apetlon 7143, Austria
- Austrian Ornithological Centre, Konrad-Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Wien, Austria
| | | | | | - Tim Guilford
- Department of Zoology, Oxford University, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
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14
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Graham JL, Charlier TD, Bonadonna F, Caro SP. Olfactory detection of trace amounts of plant volatiles is correlated with testosterone in a passerine bird. Horm Behav 2021; 136:105045. [PMID: 34537486 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In response to damage by insects, plants release herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) into the air. Insectivorous birds exploit these cues and, consequently, reduce the damages inflicted to the plants. However, little is known about whether they solely use HIPVs as foraging cues, or if they also use them to modulate traits linked to reproduction. As caterpillars are the primary food source required for insectivorous birds to raise offspring, their ability to locate and predict future peaks in caterpillar biomass using olfaction is likely to be advantageous. Therefore, we tested whether an insectivorous songbird that naturally inhabits oak dominated forests can be trained to detect early spring infestation by hatchling caterpillars, at a time when oaks begin bursting, and birds prepare to breed. Tree buds were either infested with caterpillars or left as a control and visually obscured in a Y-Maze choice test. Additionally, we measured testosterone and 17β-estradiol as they influence olfactory perception in mammals and are linked to reproduction in vertebrates. After being trained to associate the presence of HIPVs with that of food, blue tits spent more time with, were more active around, and more frequently chose to first visit the infested trees, showing that blue tits can smell caterpillar activity. Males with higher testosterone spent more time around infested trees, suggesting that foraging behavior during the pre-breeding season is linked with a major reproductive signal. There was no relationship between foraging and estradiol in females. These results are an important foundation for further investigation of the role of hormones in avian olfaction and how smell may be useful for making breeding decisions that could improve reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thierry D Charlier
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France.
| | | | - Samuel P Caro
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.
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15
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Kashetsky T, Avgar T, Dukas R. The Cognitive Ecology of Animal Movement: Evidence From Birds and Mammals. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.724887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cognition, defined as the processes concerned with the acquisition, retention and use of information, underlies animals’ abilities to navigate their local surroundings, embark on long-distance seasonal migrations, and socially learn information relevant to movement. Hence, in order to fully understand and predict animal movement, researchers must know the cognitive mechanisms that generate such movement. Work on a few model systems indicates that most animals possess excellent spatial learning and memory abilities, meaning that they can acquire and later recall information about distances and directions among relevant objects. Similarly, field work on several species has revealed some of the mechanisms that enable them to navigate over distances of up to several thousand kilometers. Key behaviors related to movement such as the choice of nest location, home range location and migration route are often affected by parents and other conspecifics. In some species, such social influence leads to the formation of aggregations, which in turn may lead to further social learning about food locations or other resources. Throughout the review, we note a variety of topics at the interface of cognition and movement that invite further investigation. These include the use of social information embedded in trails, the likely important roles of soundscapes and smellscapes, the mechanisms that large mammals rely on for long-distance migration, and the effects of expertise acquired over extended periods.
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16
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Díaz-Siefer P, Tapia-Gatica J, Martínez-Harms J, Bergmann J, Celis-Diez JL. A larval aggregation pheromone as foraging cue for insectivorous birds. Biol Lett 2021; 17:20210360. [PMID: 34582735 PMCID: PMC8478522 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2021.0360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Although birds have traditionally been considered anosmic, increasing evidence indicates that olfaction plays an important role in the foraging behaviours of insectivorous birds. Recent studies have shown that birds can exploit herbivore-induced plant volatiles and sexual pheromones of adult insects to locate their prey. Many insectivorous birds prey on immature insects, providing relevant ecosystem services as pest regulators in natural and agricultural ecosystems. We asked whether birds could rely on chemical cues emitted by the immature stages of insects to prey on them. To address this question, we performed field experiments to evaluate if insectivorous birds can detect the aggregation pheromone produced by the larvae of the carpenter worm, Chilecomadia valdiviana. Groups of five artificial larvae were placed in branches of 72 adult trees in a remnant fragment of a sclerophyllous forest in central Chile. Each grouping of larvae contained a rubber septum loaded with either larval pheromone as treatment or solvent alone as control. We found that the number of larvae damaged by bird pecks was significantly higher in groups with dispensers containing the larval extract than in control groups. Our results show that birds can rely on immature insect-derived chemical cues used for larvae aggregation to prey on them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Díaz-Siefer
- Centro Regional de Investigación e Innovación para la Sostenibilidad de la Agricultura y los Territorios Rurales, CERES, Quillota, Chile
- Escuela de Agronomía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Quillota, Chile
| | - Jaime Tapia-Gatica
- Escuela de Agronomía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Quillota, Chile
| | | | - Jan Bergmann
- Instituto de Química, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Juan L. Celis-Diez
- Escuela de Agronomía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Quillota, Chile
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17
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Becciu P, Campioni L, Massa B, Dell'Omo G. Unconditional adoption rules out the need for parent–offspring recognition in a single‐brooded colonial seabird. Ethology 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13167] [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]
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Becciu
- Ornis italica Rome Italy
- Animal Flight Laboratory Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology University of Haifa Haifa Israel
| | - Letizia Campioni
- MARE—Marine and Environmental Sciences Center ISPA—Instituto Universitário Lisboa Portugal
| | - Bruno Massa
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Forest Sciences University of Palermo Palermo Italy
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18
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Smell of green leaf volatiles attracts white storks to freshly cut meadows. Sci Rep 2021; 11:12912. [PMID: 34145327 PMCID: PMC8213700 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92073-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Finding food is perhaps the most important task for all animals. Birds often show up unexpectedly at novel food sources such as freshly tilled fields or mown meadows. Here we test whether wild European white storks primarily use visual, social, auditory or olfactory information to find freshly cut farm pastures where insects and rodents abound. Aerial observations of an entire local stork population documented that birds could not have become aware of a mown field through auditory, visual or social information. Only birds within a 75° downwind cone over 0.4–16.6 km approached any mown field. Placing freshly cut grass from elsewhere on selected unmown fields elicited similarly immediate stork approaches. Furthermore, uncut fields that were sprayed with a green leaf volatile organic compound mix ((Z)-3-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenol, hexenyl acetate), the smell of freshly cut grass, immediately attracted storks. The use of long-distance olfactory information for finding food may be common in birds, contrary to current perception.
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19
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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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20
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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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21
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Kishkinev D, Packmor F, Zechmeister T, Winkler HC, Chernetsov N, Mouritsen H, Holland RA. Navigation by extrapolation of geomagnetic cues in a migratory songbird. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1563-1569.e4. [PMID: 33581072 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.01.051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Displacement experiments have demonstrated that experienced migratory birds translocated thousands of kilometers away from their migratory corridor can orient toward and ultimately reach their intended destinations.1 This implies that they are capable of "true navigation," commonly defined2-4 as the ability to return to a known destination after displacement to an unknown location without relying on familiar surroundings, cues that emanate from the destination, or information collected during the outward journey.5-13 In birds, true navigation appears to require previous migratory experience5-7,14,15 (but see Kishkinev et al.16 and Piersma et al.17). It is generally assumed that, to correct for displacements outside the familiar area, birds initially gather information within their year-round distribution range, learn predictable spatial gradients of environmental cues within it, and extrapolate from those to unfamiliar magnitudes-the gradient hypothesis.6,9,18-22 However, the nature of the cues and evidence for actual extrapolation remain elusive. Geomagnetic cues (inclination, declination, and total intensity) provide predictable spatial gradients across large parts of the globe and could serve for navigation. We tested the orientation of long-distance migrants, Eurasian reed warblers, exposing them to geomagnetic cues of unfamiliar magnitude encountered beyond their natural distribution range. The birds demonstrated re-orientation toward their migratory corridor as if they were translocated to the corresponding location but only when all naturally occurring magnetic cues were presented, not when declination was changed alone. This result represents direct evidence for migratory birds' ability to navigate using geomagnetic cues extrapolated beyond their previous experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Kishkinev
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK.
| | - Florian Packmor
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK
| | | | - Hans-Christoph Winkler
- Konrad Lorenz Institute of Ethology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1160 Vienna, Austria
| | - Nikita Chernetsov
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, St. Petersburg State University, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia; Zoological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Henrik Mouritsen
- Research group 'Neurosensorik/Animal Navigation', Institute of Biology and Environmental Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany; Research Center for Neurosensory Sciences, University of Oldenburg, 26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Richard A Holland
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, UK.
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22
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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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23
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Identifying volatile organic compounds used for olfactory navigation by homing pigeons. Sci Rep 2020; 10:15879. [PMID: 32985543 PMCID: PMC7523013 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-72525-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Many bird species have the ability to navigate home after being brought to a remote, even unfamiliar location. Environmental odours have been demonstrated to be critical to homeward navigation in over 40 years of experiments, yet the chemical identity of the odours has remained unknown. In this study, we investigate potential chemical navigational cues by measuring volatile organic compounds (VOCs): at the birds' home-loft; in selected regional forest environments; and from an aircraft at 180 m. The measurements showed clear regional, horizontal and vertical spatial gradients that can form the basis of an olfactory map for marine emissions (dimethyl sulphide, DMS), biogenic compounds (terpenoids) and anthropogenic mixed air (aromatic compounds), and temporal changes consistent with a sea-breeze system. Air masses trajectories are used to examine GPS tracks from released birds, suggesting that local DMS concentrations alter their flight directions in predictable ways. This dataset reveals multiple regional-scale real-world chemical gradients that can form the basis of an olfactory map suitable for homing pigeons.
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24
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Bressman NR, Hill JE, Ashley-Ross MA. Why did the invasive walking catfish cross the road? Terrestrial chemoreception described for the first time in a fish. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2020; 97:895-907. [PMID: 32754931 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2020] [Revised: 07/04/2020] [Accepted: 07/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Clarias batrachus (walking catfish) is an invasive species in Florida, renowned for its air-breathing and terrestrial locomotor capabilities. However, it is unknown how this species orients in terrestrial environments. Furthermore, while anecdotal life history information is widespread for this species in its nonnative range, little of this information exists in the literature. The goals of this study were to identify sensory modalities that C. batrachus use to orient on land, and to describe the natural history of this species in its nonnative range. Fish (n = 150) were collected from around Ruskin, FL, and housed in a greenhouse, where experiments took place. Individual catfish were placed in the center of a terrestrial arena and were exposed to nine treatments: two controls, L-alanine, quinine, allyl isothiocynate, sucrose, volatile hydrogen sulphide, pond water and aluminium foil. These fish exhibited significantly positive chemotaxis toward alanine and pond water, and negative chemotaxis away from volatile hydrogen sulphide, suggesting chemoreception - both through direct contact and through the air - is important to their terrestrial orientation. Additionally, 88 people from Florida wildlife-related Facebook groups who have personal observations of C. batrachus on land were interviewed for information regarding their terrestrial natural history. These data were combined with observations from 38 YouTube videos. C. batrachus appear to emerge most frequently during or just after heavy summer rains, particularly from stormwater drains in urban areas, where they may feed on terrestrial invertebrates. By better understanding the full life history of C. batrachus, we can improve management of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noah R Bressman
- Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jeffrey E Hill
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, California, USA
| | - Miriam A Ashley-Ross
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, Tropical Aquaculture Laboratory, University of Florida, Ruskin, Florida, USA
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25
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Natal imprinting to the Earth’s magnetic field in a pelagic seabird. Curr Biol 2020; 30:2869-2873.e2. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.05.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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26
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27
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Oceans of stimuli: an individual-based model to assess the role of olfactory cues and local enhancement in seabirds' foraging behaviour. Anim Cogn 2020; 23:629-642. [PMID: 32152923 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01368-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Oceans are extremely dynamic environments, which poses challenges for top-predators such as seabirds to find food resources. Yet, seabirds evolved sensorial abilities (olfactory senses) along with complex behaviours (social information transfer through local enhancement) to improve foraging efficiency. Using the Cory's shearwater (Calonectris borealis) as a model species, we developed an individual-based model to explore the complementary role of different searching mechanisms (olfactory foraging and local enhancement) for the optimal foraging behaviour of pelagic seabirds during 1-day foraging trips around breeding colonies. Model outputs were compared with observed patterns of Cory's shearwaters distribution during local foraging trips. Also, the foraging efficiency of virtual individuals was analysed considering hypothetical scenarios of foraging conditions and densities of foraging individuals around breeding colonies. The results support the use of a combination of searching strategies by Cory's shearwaters, which produced representative patterns of space use from tracked individuals, including spatial foraging segregation of neighbouring sub-colonies. Furthermore, while the mechanisms underpinning local enhancement played a key role in mitigating sub-optimal foraging conditions, the use of olfactory senses conferred great adaptive foraging advantages over a wide range of environmental conditions. Our results also indicate a synergistic effect between the two strategies, which suggests that a multimodal foraging strategy is useful to forage in extremely dynamic environments. The developed model provides a basis for further investigation regarding the role of foraging mechanisms in the population dynamics of colonial animals, including the adaptive foraging behaviour of marine top predators to dynamic environmental conditions.
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28
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C Silva M, Chibucos M, Munro JB, Daugherty S, Coelho MM, C Silva J. Signature of adaptive evolution in olfactory receptor genes in Cory's Shearwater supports molecular basis for smell in procellariiform seabirds. Sci Rep 2020; 10:543. [PMID: 31953474 PMCID: PMC6969042 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56950-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfactory receptors (ORs), encoded by the largest vertebrate multigene family, enable the detection of thousands of unique odorants in the environment and consequently play a critical role in species survival. Here, we advance our knowledge of OR gene evolution in procellariiform seabirds, an avian group which relies on the sense of olfaction for critical ecological functions. We built a cosmid library of Cory's Shearwater (Calonectris borealis) genomic DNA, a model species for the study of olfaction-based navigation, and sequence OR gene-positive cosmid clones with a combination of sequencing technologies. We identified 220 OR open reading frames, 20 of which are full length, intact OR genes, and found a large ratio of partial and pseudogenes to intact OR genes (2:1), suggestive of a dynamic mode of evolution. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that while a few genes cluster with those of other sauropsid species in a γ (gamma) clade that predates the divergence of different avian lineages, most genes belong to an avian-specific γ-c clade, within which sequences cluster by species, suggesting frequent duplication and/or gene conversion events. We identified evidence of positive selection on full length γ-c clade genes. These patterns are consistent with a key role of adaptation in the functional diversification of olfactory receptor genes in a bird lineage that relies extensively on olfaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica C Silva
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Marcus Chibucos
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - James B Munro
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - Sean Daugherty
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| | - M Manuela Coelho
- cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Joana C Silva
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
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Hämäläinen L, Mappes J, Thorogood R, Valkonen JK, Karttunen K, Salmi T, Rowland HM. Predators’ consumption of unpalatable prey does not vary as a function of bitter taste perception. Behav Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Many prey species contain defensive chemicals that are described as tasting bitter. Bitter taste perception is, therefore, assumed to be important when predators are learning about prey defenses. However, it is not known how individuals differ in their response to bitter taste, and how this influences their foraging decisions. We conducted taste perception assays in which wild-caught great tits (Parus major) were given water with increasing concentrations of bitter-tasting chloroquine diphosphate until they showed an aversive response to bitter taste. This response threshold was found to vary considerably among individuals, ranging from chloroquine concentrations of 0.01 mmol/L to 8 mmol/L. We next investigated whether the response threshold influenced the consumption of defended prey during avoidance learning by presenting birds with novel palatable and defended prey in a random sequence until they refused to attack defended prey. We predicted that individuals with taste response thresholds at lower concentrations would consume fewer defended prey before rejecting them, but found that the response threshold had no effect on the birds’ foraging choices. Instead, willingness to consume defended prey was influenced by the birds’ body condition. This effect was age- and sex-dependent, with adult males attacking more of the defended prey when their body condition was poor, whereas body condition did not have an effect on the foraging choices of juveniles and females. Together, our results suggest that even though taste perception might be important for recognizing prey toxicity, other factors, such as predators’ energetic state, drive the decisions to consume chemically defended prey.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liisa Hämäläinen
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Johanna Mappes
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Rose Thorogood
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- HiLIFE Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Programme in Organismal & Evolutionary Biology, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Janne K Valkonen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Kaijamari Karttunen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Tuuli Salmi
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Hannah M Rowland
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent’s Park, London, UK
- Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Jena, Germany
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Shearwaters know the direction and distance home but fail to encode intervening obstacles after free-ranging foraging trips. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:21629-21633. [PMID: 31591238 PMCID: PMC6815147 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1903829116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Procellariiform seabirds homing from distant foraging locations present a natural situation in which the homing route can become obstructed by islands or peninsulas because birds will not travel long distances over land. By measuring initial orientation from Global Positioning System (GPS) tracks during homing, we found that the Manx shearwater fails to encode such obstacles while homing, implying a navigation system that encodes the direction of home rather than a learned route. Nonetheless, shearwaters timed their journeys home, implying that their navigational system provides them with information about both direction and distance home, providing evidence that for routine, yet long-distance navigation, seabirds probably ascertain homeward direction by comparing their current position and the location of home with 2 or more intersecting field gradients. While displacement experiments have been powerful for determining the sensory basis of homing navigation in birds, they have left unresolved important cognitive aspects of navigation such as what birds know about their location relative to home and the anticipated route. Here, we analyze the free-ranging Global Positioning System (GPS) tracks of a large sample (n = 707) of Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus, foraging trips to investigate, from a cognitive perspective, what a wild, pelagic seabird knows as it begins to home naturally. By exploiting a kind of natural experimental contrast (journeys with or without intervening obstacles) we first show that, at the start of homing, sometimes hundreds of kilometers from the colony, shearwaters are well oriented in the homeward direction, but often fail to encode intervening barriers over which they will not fly (islands or peninsulas), constrained to flying farther as a result. Second, shearwaters time their homing journeys, leaving earlier in the day when they have farther to go, and this ability to judge distance home also apparently ignores intervening obstacles. Thus, at the start of homing, shearwaters appear to be making navigational decisions using both geographic direction and distance to the goal. Since we find no decrease in orientation accuracy with trip length, duration, or tortuosity, path integration mechanisms cannot account for these findings. Instead, our results imply that a navigational mechanism used to direct natural large-scale movements in wild pelagic seabirds has map-like properties and is probably based on large-scale gradients.
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Abstract
Abstract
Raptors from the orders Accipitriformes and Falconiformes have been considered to rely principally on vision. Historically, this assumption has led scientists to discount any possible sense of smell in these birds, until work on cathartid vultures indicated that these species at least rely on olfaction to find carrion. In this review I provide evidence that raptors in general have functional olfactory systems that they may use in a range of different contexts. Anatomical studies show that raptors have well-developed olfactory bulbs that are within the range of other bird species. Furthermore, all raptors studied have multiple functional olfactory genes, with, for instance, 283 olfactory genes in the Oriental honey buzzard, Pernis orientalis, of which 81.5% are functional. It has also been shown that some raptors species may functionally use olfactory cues to forage and, potentially, for communication. While further research is required, the available evidence suggests that olfaction may be a more important sensory modality in these birds than previously thought.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Potier
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
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Abstract
South African ball-rolling dung beetles exhibit a unique orientation behavior to avoid competition for food: after forming a piece of dung into a ball, they efficiently escape with it from the dung pile along a straight-line path. To keep track of their heading, these animals use celestial cues, such as the sun, as an orientation reference. Here we show that wind can also be used as a guiding cue for the ball-rolling beetles. We demonstrate that this mechanosensory compass cue is only used when skylight cues are difficult to read, i.e., when the sun is close to the zenith. This raises the question of how the beetles combine multimodal orientation input to obtain a robust heading estimate. To study this, we performed behavioral experiments in a tightly controlled indoor arena. This revealed that the beetles register directional information provided by the sun and the wind and can use them in a weighted manner. Moreover, the directional information can be transferred between these 2 sensory modalities, suggesting that they are combined in the spatial memory network in the beetle's brain. This flexible use of compass cue preferences relative to the prevailing visual and mechanosensory scenery provides a simple, yet effective, mechanism for enabling precise compass orientation at any time of the day.
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Bergès M, Choquet R, Bonadonna F. Impact of long-term behavioural studies in the wild: the blue petrel, Halobaena caerulea, case at Kerguelen. Anim Behav 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Khaldy L, Tocco C, Byrne M, Baird E, Dacke M. Straight-line orientation in the woodland-living beetle Sisyphus fasciculatus. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2019; 206:327-335. [PMID: 30955076 PMCID: PMC7192865 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-019-01331-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 03/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
To transport their balls of dung along a constant bearing, diurnal savannah-living dung beetles rely primarily on the sun for compass information. However, in more cluttered environments, such as woodlands, this solitary compass cue is frequently hidden from view by surrounding vegetation. In these types of habitats, insects can, instead, rely on surrounding landmarks, the canopy pattern, or wide-field celestial cues, such as polarised skylight, for directional information. Here, we investigate the compass orientation strategy behind straight-line orientation in the diurnal woodland-living beetle Sisyphus fasciculatus. We found that, when manipulating the direction of polarised skylight, Si. fasciculatus responded to this change with a similar change in bearing. However, when the apparent position of the sun was moved, the woodland-living beetle did not change its direction of travel. In contrast, the savannah-living beetle Scarabaeus lamarcki responded to the manipulation of the solar position with a corresponding change in bearing. These results suggest that the dominant compass cue used for straight-line orientation in dung beetles may be determined by the celestial cue that is most prominent in their preferred habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana Khaldy
- Department of Biology, Lund Vision Group, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Claudia Tocco
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Marcus Byrne
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Emily Baird
- Department of Biology, Lund Vision Group, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.,Department of Zoology, Functional Morphology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Marie Dacke
- Department of Biology, Lund Vision Group, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 223 62, Lund, Sweden.,School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Potier S, Duriez O, Célérier A, Liegeois JL, Bonadonna F. Sight or smell: which senses do scavenging raptors use to find food? Anim Cogn 2018; 22:49-59. [PMID: 30367315 PMCID: PMC6326982 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-018-1220-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2018] [Revised: 10/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Raptors are usually considered to be mainly visually dependent, and the use of other sensory modalities has rarely been studied in these birds. Here, we investigated experimentally which senses (vision and/or olfaction) Turkey vultures (Cathartes aura) and Southern caracaras (Caracara plancus) use to find hidden food. First, two identical stainless-steel perforated balls, one containing a putrefied piece of meat and the other an odorless control, were presented to birds in binary choice experiments. Both species interacted more with the smelling ball than with the control, suggesting that they were attracted by the odor of the hidden meat. In a second experiment, individuals were accustomed to eat in one specifically colored ball (blue or green). In the test phase, the meat was hidden in the opposite color with respect to the one each bird had become accustomed to. Vultures still interacted more with the smelly ball disregarding the color, while caracaras interacted equally with the two balls. The prevalence of olfaction in Turkey vultures may partly explain why they are the first raptors to find carcasses in tropical forests. In contrast, caracaras forage on the ground opportunistically, a strategy where both olfaction and sight may be involved. Our experiments suggest that both species are able to use olfactory cues for foraging. However, olfaction could be the predominant sense in Turkey vultures while olfaction and sight could play an equivalent role in Southern caracaras.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Potier
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE-1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France. .,Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, 22362, Lund, Sweden.
| | - Olivier Duriez
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE-1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Aurélie Célérier
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE-1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Jean-Louis Liegeois
- Académie de Fauconnerie du Grand Parc du Puy du Fou, CS 70 025, 85590, Les Epesses, France
| | - Francesco Bonadonna
- CEFE UMR 5175, CNRS-Université de Montpellier-Université Paul-Valéry Montpellier-EPHE-1919 Route de Mende, 34293, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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36
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Red-legged partridges perceive the scent of predators and alarm scents of an avian heterospecific. Anim Behav 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2018.08.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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37
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Abolaffio M, Reynolds AM, Cecere JG, Paiva VH, Focardi S. Olfactory-cued navigation in shearwaters: linking movement patterns to mechanisms. Sci Rep 2018; 8:11590. [PMID: 30072695 PMCID: PMC6072774 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29919-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 05/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
After foraging in the open ocean pelagic birds can pinpoint their breeding colonies, located on remote islands in visually featureless seascapes. This remarkable ability to navigate over vast distances has been attributed to the birds being able to learn an olfactory map on the basis of wind-borne odors. Odor-cued navigation has been linked mechanistically to displacements with exponentially-truncated power-law distributions. Such distributions were previously identified in three species of Atlantic and Mediterranean shearwaters but crucially it has not been demonstrated that these distributions are wind-speed dependent, as expected if navigation was olfactory-cued. Here we show that the distributions are wind-speed dependent, in accordance with theoretical expectations. We thereby link movement patterns to underlying generative mechanisms. Our novel analysis is consistent with the results of more traditional, non-mathematical, invasive methods and thereby provides independent evidence for olfactory-cued navigation in wild birds. Our non-invasive diagnostic tool can be applied across taxa, potentially allowing for the assessment of its pervasiveness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milo Abolaffio
- Department of Physics, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
- ISC-CNR, via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy.
| | | | - Jacopo G Cecere
- ISPRA, via Ca' Fornacetta 9, 40064, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy
- LIPU, LIPU-Birdlife Italy, via Udine 3/a, Parma, 43122, Italy
| | - Vitor H Paiva
- MARE, Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, 3004-517, Portugal
| | - Stefano Focardi
- ISC-CNR, via Madonna del Piano 10, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019, Italy
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Gagliardo A, Pollonara E, Wikelski M. Only natural local odours allow homeward orientation in homing pigeons released at unfamiliar sites. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2018; 204:761-771. [DOI: 10.1007/s00359-018-1277-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2018] [Revised: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Wiltschko R, Wiltschko W. Considerations on the role of olfactory input in avian navigation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 220:4347-4350. [PMID: 29187617 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.168302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
A large amount of data documents an important role of olfactory input in pigeon navigation, but the nature of this role is not entirely clear. The olfactory navigation hypothesis assumes that odors are carrying essential navigational information, yet some recent experiments support an activating role of odors. This led to an ongoing controversy. An important, often-neglected aspect of the findings on olfaction is that olfactory deprivation affects avian navigation only at unfamiliar sites. The orientation of anosmic birds at familiar sites remains an enigma; earlier assumptions that they would rely on familiar landmarks have been disproven by the home-oriented behavior of anosmic pigeons additionally deprived of object vision, which clearly indicated the use by the birds of non-visual, non-olfactory cues. However, if odors activate the establishing and enlarging of the navigational 'map' and promote the integration of local values of navigational factors into this map, it seems possible that such a process needs to occur only once at a given site, when the birds are visiting this site for the first time. If that were the case, the birds could interpret the local factors correctly at any later visit and orient by them. This hypothesis could explain the oriented behavior of birds at familiar sites, and it could also help to reconcile some of the seemingly controversial findings reported in the literature, where the effect of olfactory deprivation was reported to differ considerably between the various pigeon lofts, possibly because of different training procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roswitha Wiltschko
- FB Biowissenschaften, J.W. Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Biologicum, Max von Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Wiltschko
- FB Biowissenschaften, J.W. Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Biologicum, Max von Laue-Straße 13, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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40
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Long-distance navigation and magnetoreception in migratory animals. Nature 2018; 558:50-59. [PMID: 29875486 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-018-0176-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 223] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
For centuries, humans have been fascinated by how migratory animals find their way over thousands of kilometres. Here, I review the mechanisms used in animal orientation and navigation with a particular focus on long-distance migrants and magnetoreception. I contend that any long-distance navigational task consists of three phases and that no single cue or mechanism will enable animals to navigate with pinpoint accuracy over thousands of kilometres. Multiscale and multisensory cue integration in the brain is needed. I conclude by raising twenty important mechanistic questions related to long-distance animal navigation that should be solved over the next twenty years.
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Krause ET, Bischof HJ, Engel K, Golüke S, Maraci Ö, Mayer U, Sauer J, Caspers BA. Olfaction in the Zebra Finch ( Taeniopygia guttata ): What Is Known and Further Perspectives. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Goto Y, Yoda K, Sato K. Asymmetry hidden in birds' tracks reveals wind, heading, and orientation ability over the ocean. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2017; 3:e1700097. [PMID: 28959724 PMCID: PMC5617376 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1700097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Numerous flying and swimming animals constantly need to control their heading (that is, their direction of orientation) in a flow to reach their distant destination. However, animal orientation in a flow has yet to be satisfactorily explained because it is difficult to directly measure animal heading and flow. We constructed a new animal movement model based on the asymmetric distribution of the GPS (Global Positioning System) track vector along its mean vector, which might be caused by wind flow. This statistical model enabled us to simultaneously estimate animal heading (navigational decision-making) and ocean wind information over the range traversed by free-ranging birds. We applied this method to the tracking data of homing seabirds. The wind flow estimated by the model was consistent with the spatiotemporally coarse wind information provided by an atmospheric simulation model. The estimated heading information revealed that homing seabirds could head in a direction different from that leading to the colony to offset wind effects and to enable them to eventually move in the direction they intended to take, even though they are over the open sea where visual cues are unavailable. Our results highlight the utility of combining large data sets of animal movements with the "inverse problem approach," enabling unobservable causal factors to be estimated from the observed output data. This approach potentially initiates a new era of analyzing animal decision-making in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuke Goto
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
| | - Ken Yoda
- Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Nagoya University, Furo, Chikusa, Nagoya, Japan
| | - Katsufumi Sato
- Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Chiba, Japan
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Padget O, Dell'Ariccia G, Gagliardo A, González-Solís J, Guilford T. Anosmia impairs homing orientation but not foraging behaviour in free-ranging shearwaters. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9668. [PMID: 28851985 PMCID: PMC5575321 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09738-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Shearwaters deprived of their olfactory sense before being displaced to distant sites have impaired homing ability but it is unknown what the role of olfaction is when birds navigate freely without their sense of smell. Furthermore, treatments used to induce anosmia and to disrupt magneto-reception in displacement experiments might influence non-specific factors not directly related to navigation and, as a consequence, the results of displacement experiments can have multiple interpretations. To address this, we GPS-tracked the free-ranging foraging trips of incubating Scopoli's shearwaters within the Mediterranean Sea. As in previous experiments, shearwaters were either made anosmic with 4% zinc sulphate solution, magnetically impaired by attachment of a strong neodymium magnet or were controls. We found that birds from all three treatments embarked on foraging trips, had indistinguishable at-sea schedules of behaviour and returned to the colony having gained mass. However, we found that in the pelagic return stage of their foraging trips, anosmic birds were not oriented towards the colony though coastal navigation was unaffected. These results support the case for zinc sulphate having a specific effect on the navigational ability of shearwaters and thus the view that seabirds consult an olfactory map to guide them across seascapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- O Padget
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.
| | - G Dell'Ariccia
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio) & Department of Animal Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Gagliardo
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - J González-Solís
- Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio) & Department of Animal Biology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - T Guilford
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3PS, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom.
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Bio-logging, new technologies to study conservation physiology on the move: a case study on annual survival of Himalayan vultures. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2017; 203:531-542. [PMID: 28612235 PMCID: PMC5522509 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-017-1180-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2017] [Revised: 05/01/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Bio-logging, the on-animal deployment of miniaturised electronic data recorders, allows for the study of location, body position, and physiology of individuals throughout their ontogeny. For terrestrial animals, 1 Hz GPS-position, 3D-body acceleration, and ambient temperature provide standard data to link to the physiology of life histories. Environmental context is added at ever finer scales using remote sensing earth observation data. Here we showcase the use of such bio-logging approaches in a conservation physiology study on endangered Himalayan vultures (Gyps himalayensis). We determine environmental, behavioural, and physiological causes of survival in immature birds that roam from wintering sites in India, Bhutan, and Nepal towards summer areas in Tibet and Mongolia. Five of 18 immature griffons died during one year. Individuals that died had failed to migrate sufficiently far northward (>1500 km) in spring. Individuals likely died if they flew against headwinds from the north or were less able to find thermal updrafts. Surviving individuals migrated to cold and dry areas with low population density. We highlight flight experience, long distance movements, and remote places with low human population as factors critical for the survival of Himalayan vultures. High-resolution bio-logging studies can advance conservation management by pinpointing where and why migratory animals have problems and die.
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Zidat T, Dell’Ariccia G, Gabirot M, Sourrouille P, Buatois B, Celerier A, Bonadonna F, Crochet PA. Reproductive isolation maintains distinct genotypes, phenotypes and chemical signatures in mixed colonies of the two European Calonectris shearwaters (Procellariiformes: Procellariidae). Zool J Linn Soc 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlx002] [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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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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48
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Kishkinev D, Heyers D, Woodworth BK, Mitchell GW, Hobson KA, Norris DR. Experienced migratory songbirds do not display goal-ward orientation after release following a cross-continental displacement: an automated telemetry study. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37326. [PMID: 27876843 PMCID: PMC5120330 DOI: 10.1038/srep37326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to navigate implies that animals have the capability to compensate for geographical displacement and return to their initial goal or target. Although some species are capable of adjusting their direction after displacement, the environmental cues used to achieve this remain elusive. Two possible cues are geomagnetic parameters (magnetic map hypothesis) or atmospheric odour-forming gradients (olfactory map hypothesis). In this study, we examined both of these hypotheses by surgically deactivating either the magnetic or olfactory sensory systems in experienced white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) captured in southern Ontario, Canada, during spring migration. Treated, sham-treated, and intact birds were then displaced 2,200 km west to Saskatchewan, Canada. Tracking their initial post-displacement migration using an array of automated VHF receiving towers, we found no evidence in any of the groups for compensatory directional response towards their expected breeding grounds. Our results suggest that white-throated sparrows may fall back to a simple constant-vector orientation strategy instead of performing true navigation after they have been geographically displaced to an unfamiliar area during spring migration. Such a basic strategy may be more common than currently thought in experienced migratory birds and its occurrence could be determined by habitat preferences or range size.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dmitry Kishkinev
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
- School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, LL57 2UW Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
| | - Dominik Heyers
- AG Neurosensorik / Animal Navigation, Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Bradley K. Woodworth
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Greg W. Mitchell
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, K1H 0H3, Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Keith A. Hobson
- Wildlife Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, S7N 3H5 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, N6A 5B7, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - D. Ryan Norris
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, N1G 2W1 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
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Friesen MR, Beggs JR, Gaskett AC. Sensory-based conservation of seabirds: a review of management strategies and animal behaviours that facilitate success. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2016; 92:1769-1784. [PMID: 27807946 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Sensory-based conservation harnesses species' natural communication and signalling behaviours to mitigate threats to wild populations. To evaluate this emerging field, we assess how sensory-based manipulations, sensory mode, and target taxa affect success. To facilitate broader, cross-species application of successful techniques, we test which behavioural and life-history traits correlate with positive conservation outcomes. We focus on seabirds, one of the world's most rapidly declining groups, whose philopatry, activity patterns, foraging, mate choice, and parental care behaviours all involve reliance on, and therefore strong selection for, sophisticated sensory physiology and accurate assessment of intra- and inter-species signals and cues in several sensory modes. We review the use of auditory, olfactory, and visual methods, especially for attracting seabirds to newly restored habitat or deterring birds from fishing boats and equipment. We found that more sensory-based conservation has been attempted with Procellariiformes (tube-nosed seabirds) and Charadriiformes (e.g. terns and gulls) than other orders, and that successful outcomes are more likely for Procellariiformes. Evolutionary and behavioural traits are likely to facilitate sensory-based techniques, such as social attraction to suitable habitat, across seabird species. More broadly, successful application of sensory-based conservation to other at-risk animal groups is likely to be associated with these behavioural and life-history traits: coloniality, philopatry, nocturnal, migratory, long-distance foraging, parental care, and pair bonds/monogamy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R Friesen
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Jacqueline R Beggs
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Anne C Gaskett
- Centre for Biodiversity and Biosecurity, School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
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Safi K, Gagliardo A, Wikelski M, Kranstauber B. How Displaced Migratory Birds Could Use Volatile Atmospheric Compounds to Find Their Migratory Corridor: A Test Using a Particle Dispersion Model. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:175. [PMID: 27799899 PMCID: PMC5065961 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Olfaction represents an important sensory modality for navigation of both homing pigeons and wild birds. Experimental evidence in homing pigeons showed that airborne volatile compounds carried by the winds at the home area are learned in association with wind directions. When displaced, pigeons obtain information on the direction of their displacement using local odors at the release site. Recently, the role of olfactory cues in navigation has been reported also for wild birds during migration. However, the question whether wild birds develop an olfactory navigational map similar to that described in homing pigeons or, alternatively, exploit the distribution of volatile compounds in different manner for reaching the goal is still an open question. Using an interdisciplinary approach, we evaluate the possibilities of reconstructing spatio-temporally explicit aerosol dispersion at large spatial scales using the particle dispersion model FLEXPART. By combining atmospheric information with particle dispersion models, atmospheric scientists predict the dispersion of pollutants for example, after nuclear fallouts or volcanic eruptions or wildfires, or in retrospect reconstruct the origin of emissions such as aerosols. Using simple assumptions, we reconstructed the putative origin of aerosols traveling to the location of migrating birds. We use the model to test whether the putative odor plume could have originated from an important stopover site. If the migrating birds knew this site and the associated plume from previous journeys, the odor could contribute to the reorientation towards the migratory corridor, as suggested for the model scenario in displaced Lesser black-backed gulls migrating from Northern Europe into Africa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamran Safi
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for OrnithologyRadolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of KonstanzKonstanz, Germany
| | | | - Martin Wikelski
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for OrnithologyRadolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of KonstanzKonstanz, Germany
| | - Bart Kranstauber
- Department of Migration and Immuno-Ecology, Max Planck Institute for OrnithologyRadolfzell, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of KonstanzKonstanz, Germany
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