Conceptual approaches to avian navigation systems

Summary The general basis of migratory orientation in birds is most probably an endogenous time-and-direction program. Directions are selected with respect to celestial and geomagnetic clues. Using these clues, a bird may reach a large population-specific area; however, it will hardly be able to find a particular location, for instance its previous breeding site. Homing to a familiar site over several hundred kilometres of unfamiliar terrain appears to be based on the smelling of atmospheric trace compounds. Conceptual approaches to the mechanism of olfactory navigation have as yet only reached an early state of speculation.     

Initial orientation of homing pigeons: different sensitivity to altered magnetic fields in birds of different countries

Summary In experiments performed in Italy, altered magnetic fields were effective in biasing the initial orientation of Italian pigeons but not that of German pigeons raised in Italy, suggesting a genetic difference between the two bird stocks.We are grateful to Dr H. G. Wallraff who kindly supplied the German pigeons used in our experiments and gave useful suggestions.     

The sun compass

Summary The sun compass was discovered by G. Kramer in caged birds showing migratory restlessness. Subsequent experiments with caged brids employing directional training and clock shifts, carried out by Hoffmann and by Schmidt-Koenig, showed that sun azimuth is used and sun altitude ignored. McDonald found the accuracy to be ±3^o–±5^o. According to Hoffmann and to Schmidt-Koenig, caged birds trained at medium northern latitudes were able to allow for the sun's apparent movement north of the arctic circle but not in equatorial and trans-equatorial latitudes.In homing experiments, and employing clock shifts, Schmidt-Koenig demonstrated that the sun compass is used by homing pigeons during initial orientation. This finding supports the existence of a map and compass navigational system. Pigeons living in equatorial latitudes utilize the sun compass even under the extreme solar conditions of equinox (Ranvaud, Schmidt-Koenig, Ganzhorn et al.). The use of the sun compass during zenith passage of the sun is being investigated.     

Overcast tests with clock-shifted pigeons

In order to investigate the pigeon's compass mechanism, a series of overcast tests with clock-shifted birds were run at two familiar release sites. While controls were able to assume a correct homeward direction, the experimental birds' initial orientation cannot be explained either on the basis of a time-compensated sun compass or of a time-independent magnetic compass. Speculative explanations of our paradoxical results are attempted.     

Spatiotemporal programs and genetics of orientation

Summary A number of migratory bird species have endogenous annual rhythms that regulate the entire annual cycle including the migratory portion. Moreover, captive migrants display inherited migratory activity; this could theoretically also be used by free-living migrants as a time-program for migration. Finally, this heritable migratory activity is oriented in a seasonally appropriate direction even in naive birds. These, characteristics should enable inexperienced migrants isolated from contact with experienced conspecifics to utilize a heritable vector-navigation program to migrate from the breeding grounds to the winter quarters. That is, migrants should reach goal areas they have never experienced by migrating in programmed directions, for as long a period as the genetically fixed time-program for migratory activity induces them to do so. The time-course of migration as established by trapping stations, theoretical influences of environmental variables on migratory programs, and also compensatory behavior and migratory backup measures, are discussed. The present evidence supports the view that a large number of migrants are essentially brought to their wintering areas by vector-navigation systems.     

Wind and orientation of migrating birds: A review

Summary Migratory flights are strongly affected by wind, and birds have developed many adaptations to cope with wind effects. By day, overland migrants at high altitudes may often allow crosswinds to drift their tracks laterally from the preferred heading. In contrast, many birds at low altitude adjust their headings to compensate for drift, and may overcompensate to allow for previous drift. The relative motion of landscape features is probably used to sense drift, at least by day. By night, some overland migrants compensate fully for drift but others do not; no pattern is obvious. Over the sea, compensation is rarely if ever total; wave patterns may allow partial compensation. Other adaptations can include reduction of drift by flying at times and/or altitudes without strong crosswinds. Some birds recognize the need to change course to allow for previous wind displacement, and reorient at least roughly toward the original route or destination. Some juveniles en route to previously-unvisited wintering grounds seem to have this ability, but corroboration is needed. Such reorientation may not require a true navigation ability. However, some birds have unexplained abilities to sense the wind while aloft.     

A magnetic pulse leads to a temporary deflection in the orientation of migratory birds

Migratory Australian Silvereyes were treated with a strong magnetic pulse designed to alter the magnetization of the small magnetite particles that are found in birds' heads. Prior to the treatment, the birds preferred the northeasterly migratory direction. The pulse initially resulted in a 90° clockwise shift of orientation; however, within about a week, the birds seemed to return to their original headings. These findings, which seem to suggest an involvement of magnetite in migratory orientation, are in contrast with previous findings which indicated that it is a light-dependent process. They are discussed in view of the current concepts on magnetoreception and on the role of magnetic information in avian orientation.     

Magnetic inclination compass: A basis for the migratory orientation of birds in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere

We conducted orientation experiments with Silvereyes,Zosterops lateralis, Australian passerine migrants, to see whether birds living in the Southern Hemisphere in a magnetic field with an upward inclination orient in the same way as birds in the Northern Hemisphere that experience a downward inclination of the magnetic field. Tested indoors in the local geomagnetic field, the birds preferred southerly directions corresponding to their migratory direction in spring. In a magnetic field with a reversed vertical component, they reversed their directional tendencies. This shows that the magnetic compass of Silvereyes also functions as an inclination compass based on the inclination of the field lines instead of the polarity.     

Evolutionary aspects of orientation and migration in birds

Summary Evolutionary aspects of avian migratory orientation and navigation are reviewed. A theoretical approach to the evolution of complex (endogenously programmed) migratory behavior is presented using the comparative method of ordering a progression in existing behavioral characteristics from dispersal, to facultative migration, to obligate migration.     

Is there directional smelling?

The aim of the present study was to establish the crucial precondition for directional smelling, i.e. the ability of humans to discriminate between odorous stimuli perceived either from the right or from the left side. When the pure odorants hydrogen sulphide or vanillin were used as stimulants localization was random. On the other hand stimulation with carbon dioxide or menthol yielded identification rates of more than 96%. These results established the fact that directional orientation, considering single momentary odorous sensations, can only be assumed, when the olfactory stimulants simultaneously excite the trigeminal somatosensory system.     

虚拟场景漫游中用户关注度的内隐测量方法

目前测量用户关注度的主要方法是使用眼动仪,但其可靠性差、复杂度高且价格昂贵,难以有效应用于3D漫游场景的处理.本文提出一种易于嵌入到虚拟场景中的用户关注度软件测量方法,将用户操作虚拟摄像机漫游场景看作关注度内隐表达过程,通过物体相对摄像机中心的距离、遮挡情况和投影面积,并结合观察时间,就可以进行有效测量.通过用户学习分析,表明我们的方法具有很好的测量准确性、可靠性,并方便使用.将其应用于游戏场景物体关注度的评估中,获得了很好的效果.     

Genetic transmission of migratory behavior into a nonmigratory bird population

Summary Crossbreeding experiments with blackcaps from a nonmigratory population (of the Cape Verde Islands) and a migratory population (from southern Germany) demonstrated that the urge to migrate as well as orientation behavior can be transmitted rapidly into a nonmigratory bird population and thus have a substantial genetic basis.     

卫星导航接收机抗欺骗干扰极大似然检测性能分析

欺骗干扰给卫星导航接收机带来巨大威胁,而现有的文献均把欺骗干扰识别作为抗欺骗干扰的主要研究方向,而涉及欺骗干扰抑制方面的文献很少.本文针对卫星导航接收机抗产生式欺骗干扰问题,根据接收机具有不同干扰先验信息的3种情形,分别提出并证明了3个命题.这些命题给出了极大似然检测器在干扰背景下对真实卫星数据的检测性能界.命题表明,在具备干扰信道先验信息时,极大似然检测器具有良好的抗产生式欺骗干扰性能.仿真实验验证了理论分析的正确性和有效性.     

Long-term memory in territorial grasshoppers

Summary Males ofLigurotettix spp. grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acrididae, Gomphocerinae), territorial species that defend individual host plant shrubs, home to their territories by memorizing landmarks. Thus, the insects can navigate efficiently toward high quality shrubs which are chemically distinctive and recognizable via gustation, but indistinguishable from a distance.     

Sex pheromone communication in the lepidoptera: New research progress

Summary Significant progress has been made recently in research on lepidopterous sex pheromones. Advances in understanding the biochemical, neurobiological, and behavioral events that results in both successful and unsuccessful pheromone communication have allowed researchers to gain new insights into the genetic control and evolution of phermone systems.     

Spatial variation in response to odorants on the rat olfactory epithelium

Summary We have measured the electro-olfactogram produced by four odorants, nicotine, i-pentyl acetate, i-pentanoic acid and cineole from twelve positions on an in vitro preparation of rat olfactory tissue. Each odorant shows a different pattern of response over the twelve positions which can be explained by differences in olfactory receptor populations between regions of the rat olfactory epithelium.The result for nicotine is further evidence that there are olfactory receptors which are stimulated by nicotine when it is presented as a vapour.     

Common antigenic properties of a g-type (goose) and a c-type (duck) egg white lysozyme: Antibody responses in rabbits and mice

Embden goose (GEWL) and Barbary duck (DEWL) egg white lysozymes possess different amino acid sequences corresponding to the g-type and c-type, respectively. GEWL was shown to be a better immunogen than DEWL in both rabbits and mice. The antigenicity of the two lysozymes was tested using different technique (i.e. indirect ELISA, inhibition tests and immunoabsorption experiments). Injection of either GEWL or DEWL into rabbits and mice induced both specific antibodies and cross-reacting antibodies. Moreover, anti-GEWL antibodies, in contrast to anti-DEWL antibodies, did not cross-react with hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL), a c-type lysozyme. While the structure of GEWL was not modified after binding to plastic, DEWL was denaturated, but it did keep some native epitopes. It was concluded that g-type and c-type lysozymes, which have different amino acid sequences, exhibit strong common antigenic properties.     

Effects of acid precipitation on reproduction in birds

Summary Acidification in aquatic habitats reduces the reproductive success of both piscivorous and non piscivorous birds, mainly by reducing the food supply. Piscivorous birds find some compensation in an increased transparency of the water, non piscivorous birds in less competition for invertebrate prey by fish. Acidification in forests often has large impacts on insect populations but how this affects forest birds is unknown. Some woodpeckers and nuthatches temporarily benefit from an increase in standing dead timber. In advanced stages of forest dieback the breeding density of forest birds is very much reduced, but species of open woodland increase. Calcium deficiency reduces the reproductive output of some passerine species, but the extent of this phenomenon is unknown. Increased exposure to toxic metals has reduced the reproductive success of some lake dwelling species. It is difficult to assess the effect of acid precipitation on birds since acidification affects ecosystems in many ways, the evidence is largely correlative and reliable estimates of the population size are often lacking. Future studies should concentrate on carefully selected indicator species suitable for detailed data collection.Interested readers may also wish to refer to EXPERIENTIA's April and May 1986 issues featuring the 2-part Multi-author Review The Ecological Effects of Acid Deposition coordinated by O. Ravera.