Tracking how magnetism affects animal behavior

Date:
February 23, 2023
Source:
Springer
Summary:
Scientists summarize the methods used to explore how the Earth's
magnetic field influences the behavior of a wide variety of animal
species. This review is an ideal starting point for scientists who
wish to enter this fascinating but still poorly-understood topic
in modern sensory biology.


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FULL STORY ==========================================================================
For over 50 years, scientists have observed that the behaviour of
a wide variety of animals can be influenced by the Earth's magnetic
field. However, despite decades of research, the exact nature of this
'magnetic sense' remains elusive. Will Schneider and Richard Holland
from Bangor University in Wales and their co-worker Oliver Lindecke
from the Institute for Biology, Oldenburg, Germany have now written a comprehensive overview of this cross-disciplinary field, with an emphasis
on the methodology involved. This work is now published in the journal
EPJ Special Topics.


==========================================================================
This magnetic sense, or 'magnetoreception', was first noticed in birds,
and particularly in migratory songbirds. It has now been observed
in many other species including mammals, fish and insects. However,
the exact relationship between the magnetic field and the behaviour is difficult to pin down because it can be masked by other environmental
factors. Experiments must be very carefully designed if their results
are to be statistically sound.

"We aim to provide a balanced overview for researchers who wish to enter
this exciting area of sensory biology," explains Schneider. He and his co-authors outlined a range of methods that are used to deduce whether an animal's behaviour is affected by a magnetic field. These include using
GPS to mark animals' alignment with the Earth's field during normal
activities, such as cows grazing; observing behaviour after tissues
thought to be responsible for magnetoreception have been removed, or
genes knocked out; and attaching small magnets on or near the animals'
bodies to disrupt the mechanism. Further work by animal physiologists, neuroscientists, geneticists and others will also be necessary to truly understand this phenomenon.

And this research is not only of academic interest. "Understanding animal magnetoreception will help us to protect animals released into unknown environments in the wild," adds Lindecke.

* RELATED_TOPICS
o Plants_&_Animals
# Wild_Animals # Behavioral_Science #
Animal_Learning_and_Intelligence # Zoology
o Earth_&_Climate
# Atmosphere # Earth_Science # Geology #
Near-Earth_Object_Impacts
* RELATED_TERMS
o Earth_science o Geophysics o Molecular_biology o Game_theory
o Dolphin o Mirror_neuron o Biology o Cave

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Springer. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Will T. Schneider, Richard A. Holland, Oliver Lindecke. Over 50
years of
behavioural evidence on the magnetic sense in animals: what has
been learnt and how? The European Physical Journal Special Topics,
2023; DOI: 10.1140/epjs/s11734-022-00755-8 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/02/230223132931.htm

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