1
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Chapman KE, Smith MT, Gaston KJ, Hempel de Ibarra N. Bumblebee nest departures under low light conditions at sunrise and sunset. Biol Lett 2024; 20:20230518. [PMID: 38593853 PMCID: PMC11003773 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0518] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Only a few diurnal animals, such as bumblebees, extend their activity into the time around sunrise and sunset when illumination levels are low. Low light impairs viewing conditions and increases sensory costs, but whether diurnal insects use low light as a cue to make behavioural decisions is uncertain. To investigate how they decide to initiate foraging at these times of day, we observed bumblebee nest-departure behaviours inside a flight net, under naturally changing light conditions. In brighter light bees did not attempt to return to the nest and departed with minimal delay, as expected. In low light the probability of non-departures increased, as a small number of bees attempted to return after spending time on the departure platform. Additionally, in lower illumination bees spent more time on the platform before flying away, up to 68 s. Our results suggest that bees may assess light conditions once outside the colony to inform the decision to depart. These findings give novel insights into how behavioural decisions are made at the start and the end of a foraging day in diurnal animals when the limits of their vision impose additional costs on foraging efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine E. Chapman
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
| | - Michael T. Smith
- Department of Computer Science, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - Kevin J. Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall, UK
| | - Natalie Hempel de Ibarra
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Psychology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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2
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Vijayan S, Balamurali GS, Johnson J, Kelber A, Warrant EJ, Somanathan H. Dim-light colour vision in the facultatively nocturnal Asian giant honeybee, Apis dorsata. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20231267. [PMID: 37554033 PMCID: PMC10410228 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.1267] [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: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
We discovered nocturnal colour vision in the Asian giant honeybee Apis dorsata-a facultatively nocturnal species-at mesopic light intensities, down to half-moon light levels (approx. 10-2 cd m-2). The visual threshold of nocturnality aligns with their reported nocturnal activity down to the same light levels. Nocturnal colour vision in A. dorsata is interesting because, despite being primarily diurnal, its colour vision capabilities extend into dim light, while the 'model' European honeybee Apis mellifera is reported to be colour-blind at twilight. By employing behavioural experiments with naturally nesting A. dorsata colonies, we show discrimination of the trained colour from other stimuli during the day, and significantly, even at night. Nocturnal colour vision in bees has so far only been reported in the obligately nocturnal carpenter bee Xylocopa tranquebarica. The discovery of colour vision in these two bee species, despite differences in the extent of their nocturnality and the limitations of their apposition compound eye optics, opens avenues for future studies on visual adaptations for dim-light colour vision, their role in pollination of flowers at night, and the effect of light pollution on nocturnal activity in A. dorsata, a ubiquitous pollinator in natural, agricultural and urban habitats in the Asian tropics and sub-tropics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajesh Vijayan
- School of Biology, IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - G. S. Balamurali
- School of Biology, IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, University of Lund, Sölvegatan 35, Lund 22362, Sweden
| | - Jewel Johnson
- School of Biology, IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
| | - Almut Kelber
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, University of Lund, Sölvegatan 35, Lund 22362, Sweden
| | - Eric J. Warrant
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, University of Lund, Sölvegatan 35, Lund 22362, Sweden
| | - Hema Somanathan
- School of Biology, IISER-TVM Centre for Research and Education in Ecology and Evolution (ICREEE), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Thiruvananthapuram, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
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3
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Rother L, Müller R, Kirschenmann E, Foster JJ, Kaya-Zeeb S, Thamm M, Pfeiffer K. Walking bumblebees see faster. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230460. [PMID: 37192665 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The behavioural state of animals has profound effects on neuronal information processing. Locomotion changes the response properties of visual interneurons in the insect brain, but it is still unknown if it also alters the response properties of photoreceptors. Photoreceptor responses become faster at higher temperatures. It has therefore been suggested that thermoregulation in insects could improve temporal resolution in vision, but direct evidence for this idea has so far been missing. Here, we compared electroretinograms from the compound eyes of tethered bumblebees that were either sitting or walking on an air-supported ball. We found that the visual processing speed strongly increased when the bumblebees were walking. By monitoring the eye temperature during recording, we saw that the increase in response speed was in synchrony with a rise in eye temperature. By artificially heating the head, we show that the walking-induced temperature increase of the visual system is sufficient to explain the rise in processing speed. We also show that walking accelerates the visual system to the equivalent of a 14-fold increase in light intensity. We conclude that the walking-induced rise in temperature accelerates the processing of visual information-an ideal strategy to process the increased information flow during locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Rother
- Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Robin Müller
- Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Erwin Kirschenmann
- Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - James J Foster
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, 78457 Konstanz, Germany
| | - Sinan Kaya-Zeeb
- Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Markus Thamm
- Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Keram Pfeiffer
- Department of Behavioral Physiology and Sociobiology, Biocenter, University of Würzburg, 97074 Würzburg, Germany
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4
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Karbassioon A, Yearlsey J, Dirilgen T, Hodge S, Stout JC, Stanley DA. Responses in honeybee and bumblebee activity to changes in weather conditions. Oecologia 2023; 201:689-701. [PMID: 36790571 PMCID: PMC10038957 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-023-05332-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
Insect pollination, and in particular pollination by bees, is a highly valued ecosystem service that ensures plant reproduction and the production of high-quality crops. Bee activity is known to be influenced by the weather, and as the global climate continues to change, the flying frequency and foraging behaviour of bees may also change. To maximise the benefits of pollination in a changing world, we must first understand how current weather conditions influence the activity of different bee species. This is of particular interest in a country such as Ireland where inclement weather conditions are nominally sub-optimal for foraging. We observed honeybee (Apis mellifera) and buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) activity across a variety of weather conditions at seven apple orchards to determine how four weather variables (temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, wind) influenced the flight activity of each species. Each orchard contained three honeybee and three bumblebee colonies, and so we were able to observe a colony of each species concurrently in the same weather conditions. Overall, honeybees were more sensitive to changes in weather than bumblebees and could be more predisposed to future changes in within-day weather conditions. Our results indicate bumblebees could compensate for low honeybee activity in inclement conditions, which supports the theory that pollinator diversity provides resilience. This may be particularly important in management of pollinators in crops that flower in the spring when weather is more variable, and to allow varied responses to global climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arrian Karbassioon
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland.
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Jon Yearlsey
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Tara Dirilgen
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Simon Hodge
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jane C Stout
- School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Dara A Stanley
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
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5
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Stöckl AL, Foster JJ. Night skies through animals' eyes-Quantifying night-time visual scenes and light pollution as viewed by animals. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:984282. [PMID: 36274987 PMCID: PMC9582234 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.984282] [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] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A large proportion of animal species enjoy the benefits of being active at night, and have evolved the corresponding optical and neural adaptations to cope with the challenges of low light intensities. However, over the past century electric lighting has introduced direct and indirect light pollution into the full range of terrestrial habitats, changing nocturnal animals' visual worlds dramatically. To understand how these changes affect nocturnal behavior, we here propose an animal-centered analysis method based on environmental imaging. This approach incorporates the sensitivity and acuity limits of individual species, arriving at predictions of photon catch relative to noise thresholds, contrast distributions, and the orientation cues nocturnal species can extract from visual scenes. This analysis relies on just a limited number of visual system parameters known for each species. By accounting for light-adaptation in our analysis, we are able to make more realistic predictions of the information animals can extract from nocturnal visual scenes under different levels of light pollution. With this analysis method, we aim to provide context for the interpretation of behavioral findings, and to allow researchers to generate specific hypotheses for the behavior of nocturnal animals in observed light-polluted scenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lisa Stöckl
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Zukunftskolleg, Universität Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - James Jonathan Foster
- Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
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6
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Balogun I, Eluyeba O, Adedoja O, Samways MJ, Polašek O, Kehinde T. Open habitats in a tropical biodiversity hotspot support pollinator diversity in both protected and unprotected areas. Biotropica 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.13118] [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)
- Ibukun Balogun
- Department of Zoology Obafemi Awolowo University Ile‐Ife Nigeria
| | | | - Opeyemi Adedoja
- Department of Conservation and Marine Sciences Cape Peninsula University of Technology Cape Town South Africa
- Department of Entomology and Nematology University of Florida Gainesville Florida USA
| | - Michael J. Samways
- Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology Stellenbosch University Stellenbosch South Africa
| | - Ozren Polašek
- Croatian Centre for Global Health, Medical School University of Split Split Croatia
| | - Temitope Kehinde
- Department of Zoology Obafemi Awolowo University Ile‐Ife Nigeria
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7
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Goyal P, van Leeuwen JL, Muijres FT. Bumblebees land rapidly by intermittently accelerating and decelerating toward the surface during visually guided landings. iScience 2022; 25:104265. [PMID: 35521517 PMCID: PMC9065724 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104265] [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: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many flying animals parse visual information to control their landing, whereby they can decelerate smoothly by flying at a constant radial optic expansion rate. Here, we studied how bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) use optic expansion information to control their landing, by analyzing 10,005 landing maneuvers on vertical platforms with various optic information, and at three dim light conditions. We showed that bumblebees both decelerate and accelerate during these landings. Bumblebees decelerate by flying at a constant optic expansion rate, but they mostly accelerate toward the surface each time they switched to a new, often higher, optic expansion rate set-point. These transient acceleration phases allow bumblebees to increase their approach speed, and thereby land rapidly and robustly, even in dim twilight conditions. This helps explain why bumblebees are such robust foragers in challenging environmental conditions. The here-proposed sensorimotor landing control system can serve as bio-inspiration for landing control in unmanned aerial vehicles. Bumblebees land by intermittently decelerating and accelerating toward a surface Acceleration and deceleration phases result from a single visual-motor controller The accelerations toward the surface allow bees to maximize their landing speed Bumblebees adjust their sensorimotor control response to fly slower in dim light
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Affiliation(s)
- Pulkit Goyal
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Johan L van Leeuwen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Florian T Muijres
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, the Netherlands
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8
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Sargent C, Ebanks B, Hardy ICW, Davies TGE, Chakrabarti L, Stöger R. Acute Imidacloprid Exposure Alters Mitochondrial Function in Bumblebee Flight Muscle and Brain. FRONTIERS IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 1:765179. [PMID: 38468884 PMCID: PMC10926543 DOI: 10.3389/finsc.2021.765179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Mitochondria are intracellular organelles responsible for cellular respiration with one of their major roles in the production of energy in the form of ATP. Activities with increased energetic demand are especially dependent on efficient ATP production, hence sufficient mitochondrial function is fundamental. In bees, flight muscle and the brain have particularly high densities of mitochondria to facilitate the substantial ATP production required for flight activity and neuronal signalling. Neonicotinoids are systemic synthetic insecticides that are widely utilised against crop herbivores but have been reported to cause, by unknown mechanisms, mitochondrial dysfunction, decreasing cognitive function and flight activity among pollinating bees. Here we explore, using high-resolution respirometry, how the neonicotinoid imidacloprid may affect oxidative phosphorylation in the brain and flight muscle of the buff-tailed bumblebee, Bombus terrestris. We find that acute exposure increases routine oxygen consumption in the flight muscle of worker bees. This provides a candidate explanation for prior reports of early declines in flight activity following acute exposure. We further find that imidacloprid increases the maximum electron transport capacity in the brain, with a trend towards increased overall oxygen consumption. However, intra-individual variability is high, limiting the extent to which apparent effects of imidacloprid on brain mitochondria are shown conclusively. Overall, our results highlight the necessity to examine tissue-specific effects of imidacloprid on respiration and energy production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe Sargent
- School of Biosciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Brad Ebanks
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Ian C. W. Hardy
- School of Biosciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, United Kingdom
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, United Kingdom
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - T. G. Emyr Davies
- Department of Biointeractions and Crop Protection, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa Chakrabarti
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, United Kingdom
- Medical Research Council Versus Arthritis Centre for Musculoskeletal Ageing Research, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Reinhard Stöger
- School of Biosciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, Loughborough, United Kingdom
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9
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Tasman K, Rands SA, Hodge JJL. Using radio frequency identification and locomotor activity monitoring to assess sleep, locomotor, and foraging rhythmicity in bumblebees. STAR Protoc 2021; 2:100598. [PMID: 34169292 PMCID: PMC8209741 DOI: 10.1016/j.xpro.2021.100598] [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] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Bumblebees are a key pollinator. Understanding the factors that influence the timing of sleep and foraging trips is important for efficient foraging and pollination. Here, we illustrate how individual locomotor activity monitoring and colony-wide radio frequency identification tracking can be combined to analyze the effects of agrochemicals like neonicotinoids on locomotor and foraging rhythmicity and sleep quantity/quality in bumblebees. We also highlight aspects of the design that can be adapted for other invertebrates or agrochemicals, allowing broader application of these techniques. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Tasman et al. (2020). Easy and reliable way of testing circadian rhythmicity and sleep in invertebrates Covers colony care, equipment adaptation, and setup and experimental protocol This protocol can be used to study the effects of any water soluble/liquid insecticide The multiple ways to adapt the protocol for other organisms are highlighted
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiah Tasman
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
| | - Sean A Rands
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Life Sciences Building, Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TQ, UK
| | - James J L Hodge
- School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol, Biomedical Sciences Building, University Walk, Bristol BS8 1TD, UK
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10
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Hall K, Robert T, Gaston KJ, Hempel de Ibarra N. Onset of morning activity in bumblebee foragers under natural low light conditions. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:6536-6545. [PMID: 34141238 PMCID: PMC8207423 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Foraging on flowers in low light at dusk and dawn comes at an additional cost for insect pollinators with diurnal vision. Nevertheless, some species are known to be frequently active at these times. To explore how early and under which light levels colonies of bumblebees, Bombus terrestris, initiate their foraging activity, we tracked foragers of different body sizes using RFID over 5 consecutive days during warm periods of the flowering season. Bees that left the colony at lower light levels and earlier in the day were larger in size. This result extends the evidence for alloethism in bumblebees and shows that foragers differ in their task specialization depending on body size. By leaving the colony earlier to find and exploit flowers in low light, larger-sized foragers are aided by their more sensitive eyes and can effectively increase their contributions to the colony's food influx. The decision to leave the colony early seems to be further facilitated by knowledge about profitable food resources in specific locations. We observed that experience accrued over many foraging flights determined whether a bee started foraging under lower light levels and earlier in the morning. Larger-sized bees were not more experienced than smaller-sized bees, confirming earlier observations of wide size ranges among active foragers. Overall, we found that most foragers left at higher light levels when they could see well and fly faster. Nevertheless, a small proportion of foragers left the colony shortly after the onset of dawn when light levels were below 10 lux. Our observations suggest that bumblebee colonies have the potential to balance the benefits of deploying large-sized or experienced foragers during dawn against the risks and costs of foraging under low light by regulating the onset of their activity at different stages of the colony's life cycle and in changing environmental conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katie Hall
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, PsychologyUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
| | - Théo Robert
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, PsychologyUniversity of ExeterExeterUK
- Present address:
Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Biosciences InstituteNewcastle UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Kevin J. Gaston
- Environment and Sustainability InstituteUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
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11
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Goyal P, Cribellier A, de Croon GC, Lankheet MJ, van Leeuwen JL, Pieters RP, Muijres FT. Bumblebees land rapidly and robustly using a sophisticated modular flight control strategy. iScience 2021; 24:102407. [PMID: 33997689 PMCID: PMC8099750 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
When approaching a landing surface, many flying animals use visual feedback to control their landing. Here, we studied how foraging bumblebees (Bombus terrestris) use radial optic expansion cues to control in-flight decelerations during landing. By analyzing the flight dynamics of 4,672 landing maneuvers, we showed that landing bumblebees exhibit a series of deceleration bouts, unlike landing honeybees that continuously decelerate. During each bout, the bumblebee keeps its relative rate of optical expansion constant, and from one bout to the next, the bumblebee tends to shift to a higher, constant relative rate of expansion. This modular landing strategy is relatively fast compared to the strategy described for honeybees and results in approach dynamics that is strikingly similar to that of pigeons and hummingbirds. The here discovered modular landing strategy of bumblebees helps explaining why these important pollinators in nature and horticulture can forage effectively in challenging conditions; moreover, it has potential for bio-inspired landing strategies in flying robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pulkit Goyal
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Antoine Cribellier
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Guido C.H.E. de Croon
- Control and Simulation, Faculty of Aerospace Engineering, Delft University of Technology, 2629 HS Delft, the Netherlands
| | - Martin J. Lankheet
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Johan L. van Leeuwen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Remco P.M. Pieters
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - Florian T. Muijres
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University and Research, 6708 WD Wageningen, the Netherlands
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12
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Baird E, Tichit P, Guiraud M. The neuroecology of bee flight behaviours. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2020; 42:8-13. [PMID: 32818691 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2020.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2020] [Revised: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/23/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
By combining functional, ecological and evolutionary perspectives, neuroecology can provide key insights into understanding how behaviour and the underlying sensory and neural processes are shaped by ecology and evolutionary history. Bees are an ideal system for neuroecological studies because they represent a numerous and diverse insect group that inhabit a broad range of environments. Flight is central to the evolutionary success of bees and is the key to their survival and fitness but this review of recent work on fundamental flight behaviours in different species - landing, collision avoidance and speed control - reveals striking differences. We discuss the potential ecological and evolutionary drivers behind this variation but argue that to understand their adaptive value future work should include multidisciplinary approaches that integrate neuroscience, ecology, phylogeny and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Baird
- Department of Zoology, Stockholm University, Sweden; Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden.
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13
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Speed of phototransduction in the microvillus regulates the accuracy and bandwidth of the rhabdomeric photoreceptor. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1008427. [PMID: 33196643 PMCID: PMC7704055 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 11/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Phototransduction reactions in the rhabdomeric photoreceptor are profoundly stochastic due to the small number of participating molecules and small reaction space. The resulting quantum bumps (QBs) vary in their timing (latency), amplitudes and durations, and these variabilities within each cell are not correlated. Using modeling and electrophysiological recordings, we investigated how the QB properties depend on the cascade speed and how they influence signal transfer. Parametric analysis in the model supported by experimental data revealed that faster cascades elicit larger and narrower QBs with faster onsets and smaller variabilities than slower cascades. Latency dispersion was stronger affected by modification of upstream than downstream activation parameters. The variability caused by downstream modifications closely matched the experimental variability. Frequency response modeling showed that corner frequency is a reciprocal function of the characteristic duration of the multiphoton response, which, in turn, is a non-linear function of QB duration and latency dispersion. All QB variabilities contributed noise but only latency dispersion slowed and spread multiphoton responses, lowering the corner frequency. Using the discovered QB correlations, we evaluated transduction noise for dissimilar species and two extreme adaptation states, and compared it to photon noise. The noise emitted by the cascade was non-additive and depended non-linearly on the interaction between the QB duration and the three QB variabilities. Increased QB duration strongly suppressed both noise and corner frequency. This trade-off might be acceptable for nocturnal but not diurnal species because corner frequency is the principal determinant of information capacity. To offset the increase in noise accompanying the QB narrowing during light adaptation and the response-expanding effect of latency dispersion, the cascade accelerates. This explains the widespread evolutionary tendency of diurnal fliers to have fast phototransduction, especially after light adaptation, which thus appears to be a common adaptation to contain stochasticity, improve SNR and expand the bandwidth.
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14
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Sandoval-Molina MA, Flórez-Gómez NA, Pérez-Botello AM, Hinojosa-Díaz IA, Reyes-Tovar JM, Ayala R. Effects of floral display and abiotic environment on the foraging activity of bees on Kallstroemia pubescens (Zygophyllaceae). ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2020.1755371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Mario A. Sandoval-Molina
- Instituto de Ecología A.C., Red de Ecología Funcional, Carretera Antigua a Coatepec 351, El Haya, Xalapa, Veracruz C.P. 91070, México
- Research Group in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Department of Natural Sciences, Autonomous University of the State of Mexico, Mexico, Carretera Toluca-Tlachaloya, km 18, Cerrillo Piedras Blancas, Toluca, Estado de México, C.P. 50200, México
| | - Nathalia A. Flórez-Gómez
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Tercer Circuito s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Copilco, Coyoacán, A.P. 70-153, Ciudad de México C.P. 04510, México
| | - Antar M. Pérez-Botello
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Puerto de Abrigo s/n, Sisal, Yucatán, C.P. 97356, México
| | - Ismael A. Hinojosa-Díaz
- Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Tercer Circuito s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Copilco, Coyoacán, A.P. 70-153, Ciudad de México C.P. 04510, México
| | - Jessica M. Reyes-Tovar
- Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Tercer Circuito s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, Copilco, Coyoacán, A.P. 70-153, Ciudad de México C.P. 04510, México
| | - Ricardo Ayala
- Estación de Biología Chamela, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Apartado Postal 21, San Patricio, Jalisco 48980, México
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15
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Obstacle avoidance in bumblebees is robust to changes in light intensity. Anim Cogn 2020; 23:1081-1086. [PMID: 32772201 PMCID: PMC7700065 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01421-z] [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: 05/09/2020] [Revised: 07/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Flying safely and avoiding obstacles in low light is crucial for the bumblebees that forage around dawn and dusk. Previous work has shown that bumblebees overcome the limitations of their visual system—typically adapted for bright sunlight—by increasing the time over which they sample photons. While this improves visual sensitivity, it decreases their capacity to resolve fast motion. This study investigates what effect this has on obstacle avoidance in flight, a task that requires the bees to reliably detect obstacles in the frontal visual field and to make a timely diversion to their flight path. In both bright and dim light, bumblebees avoided the 5 cm diameter obstacle at a consistent distance (22 cm) although in dim light they approached it more slowly from a distance of at least at least 80 cm. This suggests that bumblebees have an effective strategy for avoiding obstacles in all light conditions under which they are naturally active, and it is hypothesised that this is based on a time-to-contact prediction.
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16
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de Vries LJ, van Langevelde F, van Dooremalen C, Kornegoor IG, Lankheet MJ, van Leeuwen JL, Naguib M, Muijres FT. Bumblebees land remarkably well in red-blue greenhouse LED light conditions. Biol Open 2020; 9:bio046730. [PMID: 32376606 PMCID: PMC7295593 DOI: 10.1242/bio.046730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Red-blue emitting LEDs have recently been introduced in greenhouses to optimise plant growth. However, this spectrum may negatively affect the performance of bumblebees used for pollination, because the visual system of bumblebees is more sensitive to green light than to red-blue light. We used high-speed stereoscopic videography to three-dimensionally track and compare landing manoeuvres of Bombus terrestris bumblebees in red-blue light and in regular, broad-spectrum white light. In both conditions, the landing approaches were interspersed by one or several hover phases, followed by leg extension and touchdown. The time between leg extension and touchdown was 25% (0.05 s) longer in red-blue light than in white light, caused by a more tortuous flight path in red-blue light. However, the total landing duration, specified as the time between the first hover phase and touchdown, did not differ between the light conditions. This suggests that the negative effects of red-blue light on the landing manoeuvre are confined to the final phase of the landing.This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana J de Vries
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Frank van Langevelde
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation Group, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, 6708PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Coby van Dooremalen
- Bees@wur, Business Unit Biointeractions & Plant Health, Wageningen University & Research, Droevendaalsesteeg 1, 6708PB Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ilse G Kornegoor
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Martin J Lankheet
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Johan L van Leeuwen
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marc Naguib
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Florian T Muijres
- Experimental Zoology Group, Wageningen University & Research, De Elst 1, 6708WD Wageningen, The Netherlands
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17
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Meresman Y, Husak JF, Ben-Shlomo R, Ribak G. Morphological diversification has led to inter-specific variation in elastic wing deformation during flight in scarab beetles. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2020; 7:200277. [PMID: 32431909 PMCID: PMC7211849 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.200277] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
Insect wing shapes and the internal wing-vein arrangement are remarkably diverse. Although the wings lack intrinsic musculature to adjust shape actively, they elastically deform due to aerodynamic and inertial loads during flapping. In turn, the deformations alter the shape of the wing profile affecting the aerodynamic force. To determine how changes in wing-vein arrangement affect elastic wing deformation during free flight, we compared elastic wing deformations between free-flying rose chafers (Protaetia cuprea) and dung beetles (Scarabaeus puncticollis), complementing the comparison with wing static bending measurements. The broader relevance of the results to scarab beetle divergence was examined in a geometric morphometric (GM) analysis of wing-vein arrangement in 20 species differing in phylogeny and ecology. Despite rose chafers and dung beetles demonstrating similar flapping kinematics and wing size, the rose chafer wings undergo greater elastic deformation during flapping. GM analyses corrected for phylogenetic relatedness revealed that the two beetles represent extremes in wing morphology among the scarab subfamilies. Most of the differences occur at the distal leading edge and the proximal trailing edge of the wing, diversifying the flexibility of these regions, thereby changing the pattern of elastic wing deformation during flapping. Changes to local wing compliance seem to be associated with the diversification of scarab beetles to different food sources, perhaps as an adaptation to meet the demands of diverse flight styles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y. Meresman
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
| | - J. F. Husak
- Department of Biology, University of St. Thomas, Saint Paul, MN 55105, USA
| | - R. Ben-Shlomo
- Department of Biology and the Environment, University of Haifa-Oranim, Tivón, Israel
| | - G. Ribak
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, Israel National Center for Biodiversity Studies, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel
- Author for correspondence: G. Ribak e-mail:
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18
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Nuutila J, Honkanen AE, Heimonen K, Weckström M. The effect of vertical extent of stimuli on cockroach optomotor response. J Exp Biol 2020:jeb.204768. [PMID: 34005539 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.204768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Using tethered American cockroaches walking on a trackball in a spherical virtual reality environment, we tested optomotor responses to horizontally moving black-and-white gratings of different vertical extent under six different light intensities. We found that shortening the vertical extent of the wide-field stimulus grating within a light level weakened response strength, reduced average velocity, and decreased angular walking distance. Optomotor responses with the vertically shortened stimuli persisted down to light intensity levels of 0.05 lx. Response latency seems to be independent of both the height of the stimulus and light intensity. The optomotor response started saturating at the light intensity of 5 lx, where the shortest behaviourally significant stimulus was 1°. This indicates that the number of vertical ommatidial rows needed to elicit an optomotor response at 5 lx and above is in the single digits, maybe even just one. Our behavioural results encourage further inquiry into the interplay of light intensity and stimulus size in insect dim-light vision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juha Nuutila
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Anna E Honkanen
- Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Kyösti Heimonen
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland
| | - Matti Weckström
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FIN-90014, Oulu, Finland
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19
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Tocco C, Dacke M, Byrne M. Eye and wing structure closely reflects the visual ecology of dung beetles. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2019; 205:211-221. [PMID: 30830308 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-019-01324-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
An important resource partitioning strategy allowing dung beetles to coexist in the same habitat, while utilising the same food, is species' separation of activity times. After establishing the diel activity period of three closely related, co-occurring dung beetles, we examined their eye and wing morphology. Absolute and relative eye size, and facet size were greater in the nocturnal Escarabaeus satyrus, followed by the crepuscular Scarabaeus zambesianus and then the diurnal Kheper lamarcki. The diurnal K. lamarcki had the highest wing aspect ratio (long, narrow wings), followed by the crepuscular S. zambesianus and the nocturnal E. satyrus (short, broad wings), suggesting that dim-light active species fly slower than diurnal species. In addition, the two species active in dim light had a lower wing loading than the diurnal species, indicating the need for greater manoeuvrability in the dark. Analyses of wing shape revealed that the diurnal K. lamarcki wing had a proportionally larger jugal and anal region than both dim light species. Our results show that different species of dung beetles have a combination of optical and morphological wing adaptations to support their foraging activities in diverse light conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Tocco
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa.
| | - Marie Dacke
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa.,Lund Vision Group, Department of Biology, Lund University, 223 62, Lund, Sweden
| | - Marcus Byrne
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, 2050, South Africa
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20
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Spatial Encoding of Translational Optic Flow in Planar Scenes by Elementary Motion Detector Arrays. Sci Rep 2018; 8:5821. [PMID: 29643402 PMCID: PMC5895815 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-24162-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2018] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Elementary Motion Detectors (EMD) are well-established models of visual motion estimation in insects. The response of EMDs are tuned to specific temporal and spatial frequencies of the input stimuli, which matches the behavioural response of insects to wide-field image rotation, called the optomotor response. However, other behaviours, such as speed and position control, cannot be fully accounted for by EMDs because these behaviours are largely unaffected by image properties and appear to be controlled by the ratio between the flight speed and the distance to an object, defined here as relative nearness. We present a method that resolves this inconsistency by extracting an unambiguous estimate of relative nearness from the output of an EMD array. Our method is suitable for estimation of relative nearness in planar scenes such as when flying above the ground or beside large flat objects. We demonstrate closed loop control of the lateral position and forward velocity of a simulated agent flying in a corridor. This finding may explain how insects can measure relative nearness and control their flight despite the frequency tuning of EMDs. Our method also provides engineers with a relative nearness estimation technique that benefits from the low computational cost of EMDs.
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21
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Honkanen A, Immonen EV, Salmela I, Heimonen K, Weckström M. Insect photoreceptor adaptations to night vision. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 372:rstb.2016.0077. [PMID: 28193821 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Night vision is ultimately about extracting information from a noisy visual input. Several species of nocturnal insects exhibit complex visually guided behaviour in conditions where most animals are practically blind. The compound eyes of nocturnal insects produce strong responses to single photons and process them into meaningful neural signals, which are amplified by specialized neuroanatomical structures. While a lot is known about the light responses and the anatomical structures that promote pooling of responses to increase sensitivity, there is still a dearth of knowledge on the physiology of night vision. Retinal photoreceptors form the first bottleneck for the transfer of visual information. In this review, we cover the basics of what is known about physiological adaptations of insect photoreceptors for low-light vision. We will also discuss major enigmas of some of the functional properties of nocturnal photoreceptors, and describe recent advances in methodologies that may help to solve them and broaden the field of insect vision research to new model animals.This article is part of the themed issue 'Vision in dim light'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Honkanen
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Esa-Ville Immonen
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Iikka Salmela
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Kyösti Heimonen
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Matti Weckström
- Nano and Molecular Systems Research Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
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22
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Stöckl AL, Kihlström K, Chandler S, Sponberg S. Comparative system identification of flower tracking performance in three hawkmoth species reveals adaptations for dim light vision. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2017; 372:rstb.2016.0078. [PMID: 28193822 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Flight control in insects is heavily dependent on vision. Thus, in dim light, the decreased reliability of visual signal detection also prompts consequences for insect flight. We have an emerging understanding of the neural mechanisms that different species employ to adapt the visual system to low light. However, much less explored are comparative analyses of how low light affects the flight behaviour of insect species, and the corresponding links between physiological adaptations and behaviour. We investigated whether the flower tracking behaviour of three hawkmoth species with different diel activity patterns revealed luminance-dependent adaptations, using a system identification approach. We found clear luminance-dependent differences in flower tracking in all three species, which were explained by a simple luminance-dependent delay model, which generalized across species. We discuss physiological and anatomical explanations for the variance in tracking responses, which could not be explained by such simple models. Differences between species could not be explained by the simple delay model. However, in several cases, they could be explained through the addition on a second model parameter, a simple scaling term, that captures the responsiveness of each species to flower movements. Thus, we demonstrate here that much of the variance in the luminance-dependent flower tracking responses of hawkmoths with different diel activity patterns can be captured by simple models of neural processing.This article is part of the themed issue 'Vision in dim light'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L Stöckl
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, Lund, Sweden
| | - Klara Kihlström
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sölvegatan 35, Lund, Sweden
| | - Steven Chandler
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Simon Sponberg
- School of Physics, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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23
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Stöckl A, Smolka J, O'Carroll D, Warrant E. Resolving the Trade-off Between Visual Sensitivity and Spatial Acuity-Lessons from Hawkmoths. Integr Comp Biol 2017; 57:1093-1103. [PMID: 28992251 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The visual systems of many animals, particularly those active during the day, are optimized for high spatial acuity. However, at night, when photons are sparse and the visual signal competes with increased noise levels, fine spatial resolution cannot be sustained and is traded-off for the greater sensitivity required to see in dim light. High spatial acuity demands detectors and successive visual processing units whose receptive fields each cover only a small area of visual space, in order to reassemble a finely sampled and well resolved image. However, the smaller the sampled area, the fewer the photons that can be collected, and thus the worse the visual sensitivity becomes-leading to the classical trade-off between sensitivity and resolution. Nocturnal animals usually resolve this trade-off in favour of sensitivity, and thus have lower spatial acuity than their diurnal counterparts. Here we review results highlighting how hawkmoths, a highly visual group of insects with species active at different light intensities, resolve the trade-off between sensitivity and spatial resolution. We compare adaptations both in the optics and retina, as well as at higher levels of neural processing in a nocturnal and a diurnal hawkmoth species, and also give a perspective on the behavioral consequences. We broaden the scope of our review by drawing comparisons with the adaptive strategies used by other nocturnal and diurnal insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Stöckl
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund 22362, Sweden
| | - Jochen Smolka
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund 22362, Sweden
| | | | - Eric Warrant
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Lund 22362, Sweden
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24
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Narendra A, Kamhi JF, Ogawa Y. Moving in Dim Light: Behavioral and Visual Adaptations in Nocturnal Ants. Integr Comp Biol 2017; 57:1104-1116. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icx096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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25
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Visual acuity of the honey bee retina and the limits for feature detection. Sci Rep 2017; 7:45972. [PMID: 28383025 PMCID: PMC5382694 DOI: 10.1038/srep45972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Visual abilities of the honey bee have been studied for more than 100 years, recently revealing unexpectedly sophisticated cognitive skills rivalling those of vertebrates. However, the physiological limits of the honey bee eye have been largely unaddressed and only studied in an unnatural, dark state. Using a bright display and intracellular recordings, we here systematically investigated the angular sensitivity across the light adapted eye of honey bee foragers. Angular sensitivity is a measure of photoreceptor receptive field size and thus small values indicate higher visual acuity. Our recordings reveal a fronto-ventral acute zone in which angular sensitivity falls below 1.9°, some 30% smaller than previously reported. By measuring receptor noise and responses to moving dark objects, we also obtained direct measures of the smallest features detectable by the retina. In the frontal eye, single photoreceptors respond to objects as small as 0.6° × 0.6°, with >99% reliability. This indicates that honey bee foragers possess significantly better resolution than previously reported or estimated behaviourally, and commonly assumed in modelling of bee acuity.
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26
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Prŷs-Jones OE, Kristjánsson K, Ólafsson E. Hitchhiking with the Vikings? The anthropogenic bumblebee fauna of Iceland – past and present. J NAT HIST 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2016.1234655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Erling Ólafsson
- The Icelandic Institute of Natural History, Reykjavik, Iceland
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27
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Reber T, Dacke M, Warrant E, Baird E. Bumblebees Perform Well-Controlled Landings in Dim Light. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:174. [PMID: 27683546 PMCID: PMC5021987 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00174] [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: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
To make a smooth touchdown when landing, an insect must be able to reliably control its approach speed as well as its body and leg position—behaviors that are thought to be regulated primarily by visual information. Bumblebees forage and land under a broad range of light intensities and while their behavior during the final moments of landing has been described in detail in bright light, little is known about how this is affected by decreasing light intensity. Here, we investigate this by characterizing the performance of bumblebees, B. terrestris, landing on a flat platform at two different orientations (horizontal and vertical) and at four different light intensities (ranging from 600 lx down to 19 lx). As light intensity decreased, the bees modified their body position and the distance at which they extended their legs, suggesting that the control of landing in these insects is visually mediated. Nevertheless, the effect of light intensity was small and the landings were still well controlled, even in the dimmest light. We suggest that the changes in landing behavior that occurred in dim light might represent adaptations that allow the bees to perform smooth landings across the broad range of light intensities at which they are active.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marie Dacke
- Department of Biology, Lund University Lund, Sweden
| | - Eric Warrant
- Department of Biology, Lund University Lund, Sweden
| | - Emily Baird
- Department of Biology, Lund University Lund, Sweden
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28
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Stöckl A, O’Carroll D, Warrant E. Neural Summation in the Hawkmoth Visual System Extends the Limits of Vision in Dim Light. Curr Biol 2016; 26:821-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2016.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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29
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Chakravarthi A, Baird E, Dacke M, Kelber A. Spatial Vision in Bombus terrestris. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:17. [PMID: 26912998 PMCID: PMC4753314 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Bombus terrestris is one of the most commonly used insect models to investigate visually guided behavior and spatial vision in particular. Two fundamental measures of spatial vision are spatial resolution and contrast sensitivity. In this study, we report the threshold of spatial resolution in B. terrestris and characterize the contrast sensitivity function of the bumblebee visual system for a dual choice discrimination task. We trained bumblebees in a Y-maze experimental set-up to associate a vertical sinusoidal grating with a sucrose reward, and a horizontal grating with absence of a reward. Using a logistic psychometric function, we estimated a resolution threshold of 0.21 cycles deg−1 of visual angle. This resolution is in the same range but slightly lower than that found in honeybees (Apis mellifera and A. cerana) and another bumblebee species (B. impatiens). We also found that the contrast sensitivity of B. terrestris was 1.57 for the spatial frequency 0.090 cycles deg−1 and 1.26 for 0.18 cycles deg−1.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily Baird
- Department of Biology, Lund University Lund, Sweden
| | - Marie Dacke
- Department of Biology, Lund University Lund, Sweden
| | - Almut Kelber
- Department of Biology, Lund University Lund, Sweden
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30
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Smolka J, Baird E, el Jundi B, Reber T, Byrne MJ, Dacke M. Night sky orientation with diurnal and nocturnal eyes: dim-light adaptations are critical when the moon is out of sight. Anim Behav 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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31
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Hempel de Ibarra N, Langridge KV, Vorobyev M. More than colour attraction: behavioural functions of flower patterns. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2015; 12:64-70. [PMID: 27064650 PMCID: PMC4804388 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2015.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Flower patterns are thought to influence foraging decisions of insect pollinators. However, the resolution of insect compound eyes is poor. Insects perceive flower patterns only from short distances when they initiate landings or search for reward on the flower. From further away flower displays jointly form larger-sized patterns within the visual scene that will guide the insect's flight. Chromatic and achromatic cues in such patterns may help insects to find, approach and learn rewarded locations in a flower patch, bringing them close enough to individual flowers. Flight trajectories and the spatial resolution of chromatic and achromatic vision in insects determine the effectiveness of floral displays, and both need to be considered in studies of plant-pollinator communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Hempel de Ibarra
- University of Exeter, Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Department of Psychology, Exeter, UK
| | - Keri V Langridge
- University of Exeter, Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Department of Psychology, Exeter, UK
| | - Misha Vorobyev
- University of Auckland, School of Optometry and Vision Science, Auckland, New Zealand
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Baird E, Fernandez DC, Wcislo WT, Warrant EJ. Flight control and landing precision in the nocturnal bee Megalopta is robust to large changes in light intensity. Front Physiol 2015; 6:305. [PMID: 26578977 PMCID: PMC4623526 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2015.00305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Like their diurnal relatives, Megalopta genalis use visual information to control flight. Unlike their diurnal relatives, however, they do this at extremely low light intensities. Although Megalopta has developed optical specializations to increase visual sensitivity, theoretical studies suggest that this enhanced sensitivity does not enable them to capture enough light to use visual information to reliably control flight in the rainforest at night. It has been proposed that Megalopta gain extra sensitivity by summing visual information over time. While enhancing the reliability of vision, this strategy would decrease the accuracy with which they can detect image motion-a crucial cue for flight control. Here, we test this temporal summation hypothesis by investigating how Megalopta's flight control and landing precision is affected by light intensity and compare our findings with the results of similar experiments performed on the diurnal bumblebee Bombus terrestris, to explore the extent to which Megalopta's adaptations to dim light affect their precision. We find that, unlike Bombus, light intensity does not affect flight and landing precision in Megalopta. Overall, we find little evidence that Megalopta uses a temporal summation strategy in dim light, while we find strong support for the use of this strategy in Bombus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Baird
- Department of Biology, Lund University Lund, Sweden
| | - Diana C Fernandez
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge Lethbridge, AB, Canada
| | - William T Wcislo
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Panama City, Republic of Panama
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