Complex bird clocks
The circadian pacemaking system of birds comprises three major components: (i) the pineal gland, which rhythmically synthesizes and secretes melatonin; (ii) a hypothalamic region, possibly equivalent to the mammalian suprachiasmatic nuclei; and (iii) the retinae of the eyes. These components jointly...
Published in: | Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences |
---|---|
Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
The Royal Society
2001
|
Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2001.0959 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rstb.2001.0959 |
id |
crroyalsociety:10.1098/rstb.2001.0959 |
---|---|
record_format |
openpolar |
spelling |
crroyalsociety:10.1098/rstb.2001.0959 2024-06-02T08:00:01+00:00 Complex bird clocks Gwinner, Eberhard Brandstatter, Roland 2001 http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2001.0959 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rstb.2001.0959 en eng The Royal Society https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences volume 356, issue 1415, page 1801-1810 ISSN 0962-8436 1471-2970 journal-article 2001 crroyalsociety https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2001.0959 2024-05-07T14:16:43Z The circadian pacemaking system of birds comprises three major components: (i) the pineal gland, which rhythmically synthesizes and secretes melatonin; (ii) a hypothalamic region, possibly equivalent to the mammalian suprachiasmatic nuclei; and (iii) the retinae of the eyes. These components jointly interact, stabilize and amplify each other to produce a highly self–sustained circadian output. Their relative contribution to overt rhythmicity appears to differ between species and the system may change its properties even within an individual depending, for example, on its state in the annual cycle or its photic environment. Changes in pacemaker properties are partly mediated by changes in certain features of the pineal melatonin rhythm. It is proposed that this variability is functionally important, for instance, for enabling high–Arctic birds to retain synchronized circadian rhythms during the low–amplitude zeitgeber conditions in midsummer or for allowing birds to adjust quickly their circadian system to changing environmental conditions during migratory seasons. The pineal melatonin rhythm, apart from being involved in generating the avian pacemaking oscillation, is also capable of retaining day length information after isolation from the animal. Hence, it appears to participate in photoperiodic after–effects. Our results suggest that complex circadian clocks have evolved to help birds cope with complex environments. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic birds Arctic The Royal Society Arctic Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences 356 1415 1801 1810 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
The Royal Society |
op_collection_id |
crroyalsociety |
language |
English |
description |
The circadian pacemaking system of birds comprises three major components: (i) the pineal gland, which rhythmically synthesizes and secretes melatonin; (ii) a hypothalamic region, possibly equivalent to the mammalian suprachiasmatic nuclei; and (iii) the retinae of the eyes. These components jointly interact, stabilize and amplify each other to produce a highly self–sustained circadian output. Their relative contribution to overt rhythmicity appears to differ between species and the system may change its properties even within an individual depending, for example, on its state in the annual cycle or its photic environment. Changes in pacemaker properties are partly mediated by changes in certain features of the pineal melatonin rhythm. It is proposed that this variability is functionally important, for instance, for enabling high–Arctic birds to retain synchronized circadian rhythms during the low–amplitude zeitgeber conditions in midsummer or for allowing birds to adjust quickly their circadian system to changing environmental conditions during migratory seasons. The pineal melatonin rhythm, apart from being involved in generating the avian pacemaking oscillation, is also capable of retaining day length information after isolation from the animal. Hence, it appears to participate in photoperiodic after–effects. Our results suggest that complex circadian clocks have evolved to help birds cope with complex environments. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Gwinner, Eberhard Brandstatter, Roland |
spellingShingle |
Gwinner, Eberhard Brandstatter, Roland Complex bird clocks |
author_facet |
Gwinner, Eberhard Brandstatter, Roland |
author_sort |
Gwinner, Eberhard |
title |
Complex bird clocks |
title_short |
Complex bird clocks |
title_full |
Complex bird clocks |
title_fullStr |
Complex bird clocks |
title_full_unstemmed |
Complex bird clocks |
title_sort |
complex bird clocks |
publisher |
The Royal Society |
publishDate |
2001 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2001.0959 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rstb.2001.0959 |
geographic |
Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Arctic |
genre |
Arctic birds Arctic |
genre_facet |
Arctic birds Arctic |
op_source |
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences volume 356, issue 1415, page 1801-1810 ISSN 0962-8436 1471-2970 |
op_rights |
https://royalsociety.org/journals/ethics-policies/data-sharing-mining/ |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2001.0959 |
container_title |
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B: Biological Sciences |
container_volume |
356 |
container_issue |
1415 |
container_start_page |
1801 |
op_container_end_page |
1810 |
_version_ |
1800744032921452544 |