A5016864849- Animal Nutrition and Physiology
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Hemispheric Asymmetry in Neuroscience
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Memory and Neural Mechanisms
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Neurobiology and Insect Physiology Research
- Marine animal studies overview
- Circadian rhythm and melatonin
- Bird parasitology and diseases
- Plant and animal studies
- Electromagnetic Fields and Biological Effects
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Zebrafish Biomedical Research Applications
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Leaf Properties and Growth Measurement
- Comparative Animal Anatomy Studies
- Livestock and Poultry Management
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Magnetic and Electromagnetic Effects
- Cognitive and developmental aspects of mathematical skills
- Child and Animal Learning Development
University of Pisa
2015-2025
Bowling Green State University
2000
Institute for the Dynamics of Environmental Processes
1990-1998
Centro Ricerche FIAT
1996
University of Oxford
1993
University of Parma
1986
Space-based tracking technology using low-cost miniature tags is now delivering data on fine-scale animal movement at near-global scale. Linked with remotely sensed environmental data, this offers a biological lens habitat integrity and connectivity for conservation human health; global network of sentinels change.
Forty years ago, Papi and colleagues discovered that anosmic pigeons cannot find their way home when released at unfamiliar locations. They explained this phenomenon by developing the olfactory navigation hypothesis: loft learn odours carried winds in association with wind direction; once release site, they determine direction of displacement on basis perceived locally orient homeward. In addition to old classical experiments, new GPS tracking data observations activation system displaced...
Pelagic birds, which wander in the open sea most of year and often nest on small remote oceanic islands, are able to pinpoint their breeding colony even within an apparently featureless environment, such as ocean. The mechanisms underlying surprising navigational performance still unknown. In order investigate nature cues exploited for navigation, Cory's shearwaters, Calonectris borealis, nesting Azores were displaced released ocean at about 800 km from colony, after being subjected sensory...
When given repeated training from a location, homing pigeons acquire the ability to use familiar landmarks navigate home. Both control and hippocampal-lesioned succeed in learning for homing. However, landmark representations that guide navigation are strikingly different. Control were initially flights two locations. On subsequent test days locations, all rendered anosmic eliminate of their navigational map phase- or clock-shifted examine extent which learned dependent on sun as compass. We...
Domestic chicks bilaterally or unilaterally lesioned to the hippocampus were trained search for food hidden beneath sawdust by ground-scratching in centre of a large enclosure, correct position being indicated local landmark absence any extra-enclosure visual cues. At test, was removed displaced at distance from its original position. Results showed that sham-operated and with lesion left searched centre, relying on large-scale geometric information provided whereas either right both...
The identification of the sensory cues and mechanisms by which migratory birds are able to reach same breeding wintering grounds year after has eluded biologists despite more than 50 years intensive study. While a number environmental have been proposed play role in navigation birds, arguments still persist about essential for experience based shown adult migrants. To date, few studies tested basis navigational used during actual migration wild: mainly laboratory or homing non-migratory...
Abstract Pelagic seabirds wander the open oceans then return accurately to their habitual nest-sites. We investigated effects of sensory manipulation on oceanic navigation in Scopoli’s shearwaters ( Calonectris diomedea ) breeding at Pianosa island (Italy), by displacing them 400 km from colony and tracking them. A recent experiment Atlantic (Cory’s shearwater, borealis Azores indicated a crucial role olfaction over ocean, but left question whether birds might navigate topographical landmark...
Abstract During migratory journeys, birds may become displaced from their normal route. Experimental evidence has shown that adult can correct for such displacements and return to goal. However, the nature of cues used by perform long distance navigation is still debated. In this experiment we subjected lesser black-backed gulls migrating Finnish/Russian breeding grounds (from >60°N) Africa (to < 5°N) sensory manipulation, determine systems required navigation. We translocated westward...
A large body of evidence has shown that anosmic pigeons are impaired in their navigation. However, the role odours navigation is still subject to debate. While according olfactory hypothesis homing possess a navigational map based on distribution environmental odours, activation proposes odour perception only needed activate mechanism cues another nature. Here we tested experimentally whether artificial sufficient allow navigate, as expected from hypothesis. We transported three groups...
Birds have remained the dominant model for studying mechanisms of animal navigation decades, with much what has been discovered coming from laboratory studies or systems. The miniaturisation tracking technology in recent years now promises opportunities during migration itself (migratory navigation) on an unprecedented scale. Even if are principally being designed other purposes, we argue that attention to salient environmental variables design analysis a study may enable host navigational...
The homing pigeon is the foundational model species used to investigate neural control of avian navigation. olfactory system critically involved in implementing so-called map, locate position relative home from unfamiliar locations. hippocampal formation supports a complementary navigational based on familiar visual landmarks. Insight into navigation has been revolutionised by GPS-tracking technology, which crucial for both detailing critical role environmental odours over areas as well...
The ability of pigeons to find their way home from unfamiliar sites located up hundreds kilometers away is well known, but the mechanisms underlying this remain controversial. One proposed mechanism based on suggestion that are equipped with magnetoreceptors can enable detection either earth's magnetic field and/or anomalies in local terrain over which fly. Recent reports have suggested these upper beak where they innervated by ophthalmic branch trigeminal nerve. Moreover, nerve has been...
Anatomical evidence and conditioning experiments have suggested that magnetoreceptors innervated by the ophthalmic branch of trigeminal nerve are located in upper beak homing pigeons. Following these findings it has been proposed trigeminally-mediated magnetorececeptors able to detect magnetic field intensity, which might be useful for a position finding mechanism pigeons from unfamiliar locations. Recent data shown that, inexperienced pigeons, section does not impair navigational abilities....
Association areas in the avian forebrain are shown to subserve higher cognitive functions, including working memory. One of these areas, neostriatum caudolaterale (NCL) pigeons, has been functionally compared with mammalian prefrontal cortex (PFC) because its prominent role spatial delay and reversal tasks innervation by dopaminergic system that modulates functions. However, whereas PFC maintains memory information different domains, essential NCL demonstrated only for tasks. To investigate...
Anatomical evidence and conditioning experiments have recently suggested that magnetoreceptors are located in the upper beak of homing pigeons, where they innervated by ophthalmic branch trigeminal nerve. These findings raised issue whether trigeminally mediated magnetoreception is involved navigational mechanisms pigeons. Recent data shown that, inexperienced section nerve does not impair abilities, whereas performance pigeons disrupted after olfactory Nevertheless, stimuli available during...
The odorant 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine binds to cow olfactory mucosa homogenate. complex, which can be separated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100, appears made up of four macromolecular species. No significant binding has been measured with respiratory epithelium. disappears after treatment proteolytic enzymes, or in a SDS containing buffer, thus indicating that the receptors are proteins. Complete loss capacity also observed as consequence dialysis: this suggests involvement low...
Abstract It is hypothesized that a central role of the vertebrate hippocampal formation (HF) in behavior learning and operation map‐like representation familiar landmarks landscape features. One critical property map it should enable an individual to re‐orient towards goal location following navigational error. To test this prediction on spatial scale consistent with their naturally occurring behavior, control HF‐lesioned homing pigeons were trained from two locations then subsequently...
A large body of evidence indicates that pigeons use olfactory cues to navigate over unfamiliar areas with a differential contribution the left and right hemispheres. In particular, nostril/olfactory bulb (OB) piriform cortex (Cpi) have been demonstrated be crucially involved in navigation. this study we analysed behaviour-induced activation system, indicated by expression immediate early gene ZENK, under different homing conditions. One experimental group was released from an site, second...
Abstract Shearwaters deprived of their olfactory sense before being displaced to distant sites have impaired homing ability but it is unknown what the role olfaction when birds navigate freely without smell. Furthermore, treatments used induce anosmia and disrupt magneto-reception in displacement experiments might influence non-specific factors not directly related navigation and, as a consequence, results can multiple interpretations. To address this, we GPS-tracked free-ranging foraging...
Homing pigeons rely on familiar landscape features in learning a visual map, which is orchestrated by the forebrain Wulst and hippocampus. Recent global positioning system tracking studies showed that with damage to or hippocampus exhibited still poorly understood, persistent oscillatory flight behaviour, unlike intact whose oscillations decrease experience. To evaluate whether heterogeneity influences extent of these oscillations, we compared behaviour both Wulst-lesioned when flying over...
Abstract One‐month‐old, inexperienced homing pigeons, prior to any opportunity learn a navigational map, were subjected either right or left unilateral ablation of the hippocampal formation (HF). These pigeons then held together with group age‐matched control birds in an outdoor aviary, where they kept for about 3 months map. When subsequently tested map learning at 4 age posthatching, and HF‐ablated equally good orienting homeward from distant, unfamiliar locations, indicating successful...
Experiments have shown that homing pigeons are able to develop navigational abilities even if reared and kept confined in an aviary, provided they exposed natural winds. These other experiments performed on inexperienced birds previous experiences not necessary determine the direction of displacement. While cues used map process for orienting at release site been extensively investigated, final step has received little attention by researchers. Although there is general agreement relevance...
SUMMARY A large body of evidence has shown that pigeons rely on an olfactory-based navigational map when homing from unfamiliar locations. Previous studies released with one nostril occluded highlighted asymmetry in favour the right nostril, particularly concerning initial orientation performance naïve birds. Nevertheless, all experiencing only unilateral olfactory input showed impaired homing, regardless side nostril. So far this phenomenon been documented by observing birds' vanishing...