Polarized skylight does not calibrate the compass system of a migratory bat
In a recent study, Greif et al. (Greif et al. Nat Commun 5, 4488. ( doi:10.1038/ncomms5488 )) demonstrated a functional role of polarized light for a bat species confronted with a homing task. These non-migratory bats appeared to calibrate their magnetic compass by using polarized skylight at dusk,...
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crroyalsociety:10.1098/rsbl.2015.0525 2024-09-15T18:30:37+00:00 Polarized skylight does not calibrate the compass system of a migratory bat Lindecke, Oliver Voigt, Christian C. Pētersons, Gunārs Holland, Richard A. 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0525 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0525 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0525 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Biology Letters volume 11, issue 9, page 20150525 ISSN 1744-9561 1744-957X journal-article 2015 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0525 2024-08-12T04:27:50Z In a recent study, Greif et al. (Greif et al. Nat Commun 5, 4488. ( doi:10.1038/ncomms5488 )) demonstrated a functional role of polarized light for a bat species confronted with a homing task. These non-migratory bats appeared to calibrate their magnetic compass by using polarized skylight at dusk, yet it is unknown if migratory bats also use these cues for calibration. During autumn migration, we equipped Nathusius' bats, Pipistrellus nathusii , with radio transmitters and tested if experimental animals exposed during dusk to a 90° rotated band of polarized light would head in a different direction compared with control animals. After release, bats of both groups continued their journey in the same direction. This observation argues against the use of a polarization-calibrated magnetic compass by this migratory bat and questions that the ability of using polarized light for navigation is a consistent feature in bats. This finding matches with observations in some passerine birds that used polarized light for calibration of their magnetic compass before but not during migration. Article in Journal/Newspaper Pipistrellus nathusii The Royal Society Biology Letters 11 9 20150525 |
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Open Polar |
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The Royal Society |
op_collection_id |
crroyalsociety |
language |
English |
description |
In a recent study, Greif et al. (Greif et al. Nat Commun 5, 4488. ( doi:10.1038/ncomms5488 )) demonstrated a functional role of polarized light for a bat species confronted with a homing task. These non-migratory bats appeared to calibrate their magnetic compass by using polarized skylight at dusk, yet it is unknown if migratory bats also use these cues for calibration. During autumn migration, we equipped Nathusius' bats, Pipistrellus nathusii , with radio transmitters and tested if experimental animals exposed during dusk to a 90° rotated band of polarized light would head in a different direction compared with control animals. After release, bats of both groups continued their journey in the same direction. This observation argues against the use of a polarization-calibrated magnetic compass by this migratory bat and questions that the ability of using polarized light for navigation is a consistent feature in bats. This finding matches with observations in some passerine birds that used polarized light for calibration of their magnetic compass before but not during migration. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lindecke, Oliver Voigt, Christian C. Pētersons, Gunārs Holland, Richard A. |
spellingShingle |
Lindecke, Oliver Voigt, Christian C. Pētersons, Gunārs Holland, Richard A. Polarized skylight does not calibrate the compass system of a migratory bat |
author_facet |
Lindecke, Oliver Voigt, Christian C. Pētersons, Gunārs Holland, Richard A. |
author_sort |
Lindecke, Oliver |
title |
Polarized skylight does not calibrate the compass system of a migratory bat |
title_short |
Polarized skylight does not calibrate the compass system of a migratory bat |
title_full |
Polarized skylight does not calibrate the compass system of a migratory bat |
title_fullStr |
Polarized skylight does not calibrate the compass system of a migratory bat |
title_full_unstemmed |
Polarized skylight does not calibrate the compass system of a migratory bat |
title_sort |
polarized skylight does not calibrate the compass system of a migratory bat |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0525 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0525 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0525 |
genre |
Pipistrellus nathusii |
genre_facet |
Pipistrellus nathusii |
op_source |
Biology Letters volume 11, issue 9, page 20150525 ISSN 1744-9561 1744-957X |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0525 |
container_title |
Biology Letters |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
9 |
container_start_page |
20150525 |
_version_ |
1810472080037117952 |