Applied Studies of Raptor Sensory Ecology are Rare

Light and noise often act as pollutants, but can also be used as tools for managing wildlife (e.g., sensory deterrents). Given that raptors are among the most threatened groups of birds, we expected there to be a moderate amount of applied research on their sensory ecology. We searched Web of Science and Google Scholar to quantify and classify the research that has been conducted on the applied sensory ecology of raptors. Of 32 studies assessing the effects of sensory pollution on raptors, we found that 10 studies examined effects of light pollution and 24 studies examined effects of noise pollution. Most of the studies regarding sensory pollution were of owls (21 studies). The United States was the site of the most noise pollution studies (seven studies) whereas Spain and Poland (two studies each) were sites of the most studies of light pollution. We found only seven studies that directly collected data regarding sensory deterrents. With so few studies examining applied aspects of the sensory ecology of raptors, we argue that effects of sensory pollution are poorly understood and the efficacy of sensory deterrents is largely unknown. Light and noise pollution are spreading across much of the globe. Applied research on the sensory ecology of raptors must be made a priority if wildlife managers are to conserve this imperiled group of birds

Editorial : Q & A John A. Endler

John A. Endler is a Professor of Sensory Ecology and Evolution at Deakin University and an Adjunct professor of Zoology at James Cook University, both in Australia. He regards himself as a 19th century natural historian who uses 21st century techniques to answer questions generated originally from field observations. His research is in the area of overlap among Evolutionary Biology, Sensory Ecology, Behavioural Ecology, Animal Behaviour, Neuroethology and Biophysics. He enjoys combining field work, field experiments, lab work, and theoretical methods as well as constructing electromechanical-optical equipment and software for himself and students

Sensory Ecology: See Me, Hear Me

SummaryThe animal world is replete with vibrant colours: these are often used as display signals and selection has solved a fundamental problem in information transfer by enhancing the detectability of these signals against the backgrounds on which they are perceived by the particular sensory systems of their receivers

Sensory Ecology: Giant Eyes for Giant Predators?

SummaryMathematical models suggest the enormous eyes of giant and colossal squid evolved to see the bioluminescence induced by the approach of predatory whales

Sensory Ecology: Echolocation Calls Are Used for Communication

SummaryNoctule bats locate tree roosts faster by eavesdropping on the echolocation calls of conspecifics. Increasing evidence suggests that echolocation is important not only for orientation and finding prey, but also for communication

Multimodal interactions in insect navigation

Animals travelling through the world receive input from multiple sensory modalities that could be important for the guidance of their journeys. Given the availability of a rich array of cues, from idiothetic information to input from sky compasses and visual information through to olfactory and other cues (e.g. gustatory, magnetic, anemotactic or thermal) it is no surprise to see multimodality in most aspects of navigation. In this review, we present the current knowledge of multimodal cue use during orientation and navigation in insects. Multimodal cue use is adapted to a species’ sensory ecology and shapes navigation behaviour both during the learning of environmental cues and when performing complex foraging journeys. The simultaneous use of multiple cues is beneficial because it provides redundant navigational information, and in general, multimodality increases robustness, accuracy and overall foraging success. We use examples from sensorimotor behaviours in mosquitoes and flies as well as from large scale navigation in ants, bees and insects that migrate seasonally over large distances, asking at each stage how multiple cues are combined behaviourally and what insects gain from using different modalities

Applications of Sensory Ecology for Wildlife Damage Management

Human-wildlife conflicts typically involve fundamental processes associated with the feeding behavior and/or the spatial behavior of wildlife. Thus, most human-wildlife conflicts arise from wildlife consuming products and/or wildlife occupying places valued by humans. For mammals, taste is the most important sensory cue for selecting nutrients and avoiding toxins. Most birds use both flavor (i.e. taste, odor, texture) and visual cues for their food selection process. We previously learned that an ultraviolet visual cue can enhance the repellency of an anthraquinone-based repellent for blackbirds, starlings, Canada geese and wild turkeys. Although the ultraviolet cue is not itself aversive, novel repellent formulations including ultraviolet cues have provided repellent efficacy at reduced concentrations of the repellent active ingredient. Ultraviolet repellent formulations are currently being developed for the protection of ripening agricultural crops from bird depredation. With regard to spatial behavior, exteroceptive sensory cues (e.g. visual, auditory, tactile cues) are reliably used for patch selection. We suggest that sensory cues and their paired consequences can be exploited for the development and application of effective strategies for wildlife damage management

Annotated Curriculum Vitae

An annotated curriculum vitae is provided highlighting my accomplishments during my time as a McNair Scholar. Peer-reviewed publications, presentations, grants and awards, and research expeditions are listed and described. Additionally, a brief description of my research interests and long term goals is provided. The annotated curriculum vitae ends with a statement on the importance of studying sensory ecology

Fruit scent and observer colour vision shape food-selection strategies in wild capuchin monkeys

The senses play critical roles in helping animals evaluate foods, including fruits that can change both in colour and scent during ripening to attract frugivores. Although numerous studies have assessed the impact of colour on fruit selection, comparatively little is known about fruit scent and how olfactory and visual data are integrated during foraging. We combine 25 months of behavioural data on 75 wild, white-faced capuchins (Cebus imitator) with measurements of fruit colours and scents from 18 dietary plant species. We show that frequency of fruit-directed olfactory behaviour is positively correlated with increases in the volume of fruit odours produced during ripening. Monkeys with red-green colour blindness sniffed fruits more often, indicating that increased reliance on olfaction is a behavioural strategy that mitigates decreased capacity to detect red-green colour contrast. These results demonstrate a complex interaction among fruit traits, sensory capacities and foraging strategies, which help explain variation in primate behaviour.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-019-10250-9Published versio

Does the taste matter? Taste and medicinal perceptions associated with five selected herbal drugs among three ethnic groups in West Yorkshire, Northern England

In recent years, diverse scholars have addressed the issue of the chemosensory perceptions associated with traditional medicines, nevertheless there is still a distinct lack of studies grounded in the social sciences and conducted from a cross-cultural, comparative perspective. In this urban ethnobotanical field study, 254 informants belonging to the Gujarati, Kashmiri and English ethnic groups and living in Western Yorkshire in Northern England were interviewed about the relationship between taste and medicinal perceptions of five herbal drugs, which were selected during a preliminary study. The herbal drugs included cinnamon (the dried bark of Cinnamomum verum, Lauraceae), mint (the leaves of Mentha spp., Lamiaceae), garlic (the bulbs of Allium sativum, Alliaceae), ginger (the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, Zingiberaceae), and cloves (the dried flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum, Myrtaceae). The main cross-cultural differences in taste perceptions regarded the perception the perception of the spicy taste of ginger, garlic, and cinnamon, of the bitter taste of ginger, the sweet taste of mint, and of the sour taste of garlic. The part of the study of how the five selected herbal drugs are perceived medicinally showed that TK (Traditional Knowledge) is widespread among Kashmiris, but not so prevalent among the Gujarati and especially the English samples. Among Kashmiris, ginger was frequently considered to be helpful for healing infections and muscular-skeletal and digestive disorders, mint was chosen for healing digestive and respiratory troubles, garlic for blood system disorders, and cinnamon was perceived to be efficacious for infectious diseases. Among the Gujarati and Kashmiri groups there was evidence of a strong link between the bitter and spicy tastes of ginger, garlic, cloves, and cinnamon and their perceived medicinal properties, whereas there was a far less obvious link between the sweet taste of mint and cinnamon and their perceived medicinal properties, although the link did exist among some members of the Gujarati group. Data presented in this study show how that links between taste perceptions and medicinal uses of herbal drugs may be understood as bio-cultural phenomena rooted in human physiology, but also constructed through individual experiences and culture, and that these links can therefore be quite different across diverse cultures