Pub Date : 2024-08-29DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.28.610048
Leo CLEMENT, Sebastian Schwarz, Blandine Mahot-Castaing, Antoine Wystrach
Solitary foraging insects like desert ants rely heavily on vision for navigation. While ants can learn visual scenes, it is unclear what cues they use to decide if a scene is worth exploring at the first place. To investigate this, we recorded the motor behavior of Cataglyphis velox ants navigating in a virtual reality set-up and measured their lateral oscillations in response to various unfamiliar visual scenes under both closed-loop and open-loop conditions. In naturalistic-looking panorama, ants display regular oscillations as observed outdoors, allowing them to efficiently scan the scenery. Manipulations of the virtual environment revealed distinct functions served by dynamic and static cues. Dynamic cues, mainly rotational optic flow, regulated the amplitude of oscillations but not their regularity. Conversely, static cues had little impact on the amplitude but were essential for producing regular oscillations. Regularity of oscillations decreased in scenes with only horizontal, only vertical or no edges but was restored in scenes with both edge types together. The actual number of edges, the visual pattern heterogeneity across azimuths, the light intensity or the relative elevation of brighter regions did not affect oscillations. We conclude that ants use a simple but functional heuristic to determine if the visual world is worth exploring, relying on the presence of at least two different edge orientations in the scene.
像沙漠蚂蚁这样的独居觅食昆虫在很大程度上依赖视觉进行导航。虽然蚂蚁可以学习视觉场景，但目前还不清楚它们是通过什么线索来决定一个场景是否值得一探究竟的。为了研究这个问题，我们记录了 Cataglyphis velox 蚂蚁在虚拟现实装置中导航的运动行为，并测量了它们在闭环和开环条件下对各种陌生视觉场景做出反应时的横向振荡。在自然的全景图中，蚂蚁显示出户外观察到的规律振荡，使它们能够有效地扫描景物。对虚拟环境的操作揭示了动态和静态线索的不同功能。动态线索，主要是旋转光流，可以调节振荡的幅度，但不能调节其规律性。相反，静态线索对振幅的影响很小，但对产生有规律的振荡至关重要。在只有水平边缘、只有垂直边缘或没有边缘的场景中，振荡的规律性会降低，但在同时有两种边缘类型的场景中，振荡的规律性会得到恢复。边缘的实际数量、不同方位角的视觉图案异质性、光照强度或较亮区域的相对高度都不会影响振荡。我们的结论是，蚂蚁使用一种简单但实用的启发式来确定视觉世界是否值得探索，它依赖于场景中至少存在两种不同的边缘方向。
{"title":"Is this scenery worth exploring? Insight into the visual encoding of navigating ants.","authors":"Leo CLEMENT, Sebastian Schwarz, Blandine Mahot-Castaing, Antoine Wystrach","doi":"10.1101/2024.08.28.610048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.28.610048","url":null,"abstract":"Solitary foraging insects like desert ants rely heavily on vision for navigation. While ants can learn visual scenes, it is unclear what cues they use to decide if a scene is worth exploring at the first place. To investigate this, we recorded the motor behavior of Cataglyphis velox ants navigating in a virtual reality set-up and measured their lateral oscillations in response to various unfamiliar visual scenes under both closed-loop and open-loop conditions. In naturalistic-looking panorama, ants display regular oscillations as observed outdoors, allowing them to efficiently scan the scenery. Manipulations of the virtual environment revealed distinct functions served by dynamic and static cues. Dynamic cues, mainly rotational optic flow, regulated the amplitude of oscillations but not their regularity. Conversely, static cues had little impact on the amplitude but were essential for producing regular oscillations. Regularity of oscillations decreased in scenes with only horizontal, only vertical or no edges but was restored in scenes with both edge types together. The actual number of edges, the visual pattern heterogeneity across azimuths, the light intensity or the relative elevation of brighter regions did not affect oscillations. We conclude that ants use a simple but functional heuristic to determine if the visual world is worth exploring, relying on the presence of at least two different edge orientations in the scene.","PeriodicalId":501210,"journal":{"name":"bioRxiv - Animal Behavior and Cognition","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142211780","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-29DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.28.610064
Ralf Schmaelzle, Nolan T Jahn, Gary M Bente
Social gaze is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of nonverbal communication. During conversations, it typically operates subconsciously, following automatic co-regulation patterns. However, deviations from typical patterns, such as avoiding eye contact or excessive gazing, can significantly affect social interactions and perceived relationship quality. The principles and effects of social gaze have intrigued researchers across various fields, including communication science, social psychology, animal biology, and psychiatry. Despite its significance, research in social gaze has been limited by methodological challenges in assessing eye movements and gaze direction during natural social interactions. To address these obstacles, we have developed a new approach combining mobile eye tracking technology with automated analysis tools. In this paper, we introduce, validate, and apply a pipeline for recording and analyzing gaze behavior in dyadic conversations. We present a sample study where dyads engaged in two types of interactions: a get-to-know conversation and a conflictual conversation. Our new analysis pipeline corroborated previous findings, such as people directing more eye gaze while listening than talking, and gaze typically lasting about three seconds before averting. These results demonstrate the potential of our methodology to advance the study of social gaze in natural interactions.
{"title":"Charting the Silent Signals of Social Gaze: Automating Eye Contact Assessment in Face-to-Face Conversations","authors":"Ralf Schmaelzle, Nolan T Jahn, Gary M Bente","doi":"10.1101/2024.08.28.610064","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.28.610064","url":null,"abstract":"Social gaze is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of nonverbal communication. During conversations, it typically operates subconsciously, following automatic co-regulation patterns. However, deviations from typical patterns, such as avoiding eye contact or excessive gazing, can significantly affect social interactions and perceived relationship quality. The principles and effects of social gaze have intrigued researchers across various fields, including communication science, social psychology, animal biology, and psychiatry. Despite its significance, research in social gaze has been limited by methodological challenges in assessing eye movements and gaze direction during natural social interactions. To address these obstacles, we have developed a new approach combining mobile eye tracking technology with automated analysis tools. In this paper, we introduce, validate, and apply a pipeline for recording and analyzing gaze behavior in dyadic conversations. We present a sample study where dyads engaged in two types of interactions: a get-to-know conversation and a conflictual conversation. Our new analysis pipeline corroborated previous findings, such as people directing more eye gaze while listening than talking, and gaze typically lasting about three seconds before averting. These results demonstrate the potential of our methodology to advance the study of social gaze in natural interactions.","PeriodicalId":501210,"journal":{"name":"bioRxiv - Animal Behavior and Cognition","volume":"58 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142211781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rationale: Mescaline is a classical psychedelic compound with a phenylethylamine structure that primarily acts on serotonin 5-HT2A/C receptors, but also binds to 5-HT1A and 5-HT2B receptors. Despite being the first psychedelic ever isolated and synthesized, the precise role of different serotonin receptor subtypes in its behavioral pharmacology is not fully understood. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate how selective antagonists of 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT2C, and 5-HT1A receptors affect the behavioral changes induced by subcutaneous administration of mescaline (at doses of 10, 20, and 100 mg/kg) in rats. Methods: We used adult male Wistar rats in all our experiments. We evaluated locomotor activity using the open field test, and assessed sensorimotor gating deficits by measuring prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle reaction (ASR). Results: While the highest dose of mescaline induced hyperlocomotion, which almost all the other antagonists reversed, the PPI deficits were selectively normalized by the 5-HT2A antagonist. The 5-HT2C antagonist partially reversed the small decrease in locomotor activity induced by lower doses of mescaline. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that mescaline-induced changes in behavior are primarily mediated by the 5-HT2A receptor subtype, with less pronounced contributions from the 5-HT2C receptor. The other antagonists had limited effects.
{"title":"Behavioral pharmacology of mescaline - the role of serotonin 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT2C and 5-HT1A receptors","authors":"Lucie Olejnikova-Ladislavova, Michaela Fujakova-Lipski, Klara Sichova, Hynek Danda, Katerina Syrova, Jiri Horacek, Tomas Palenicek","doi":"10.1101/2024.08.28.610032","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.28.610032","url":null,"abstract":"Rationale: Mescaline is a classical psychedelic compound with a phenylethylamine structure that primarily acts on serotonin 5-HT2A/C receptors, but also binds to 5-HT1A and 5-HT2B receptors. Despite being the first psychedelic ever isolated and synthesized, the precise role of different serotonin receptor subtypes in its behavioral pharmacology is not fully understood.\u0000Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate how selective antagonists of 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B, 5-HT2C, and 5-HT1A receptors affect the behavioral changes induced by subcutaneous administration of mescaline (at doses of 10, 20, and 100 mg/kg) in rats.\u0000Methods: We used adult male Wistar rats in all our experiments. We evaluated locomotor activity using the open field test, and assessed sensorimotor gating deficits by measuring prepulse inhibition (PPI) of acoustic startle reaction (ASR).\u0000Results: While the highest dose of mescaline induced hyperlocomotion, which almost all the other antagonists reversed, the PPI deficits were selectively normalized by the 5-HT2A antagonist. The 5-HT2C antagonist partially reversed the small decrease in locomotor activity induced by lower doses of mescaline.\u0000Conclusion: Our findings suggest that mescaline-induced changes in behavior are primarily mediated by the 5-HT2A receptor subtype, with less pronounced contributions from the 5-HT2C receptor. The other antagonists had limited effects.","PeriodicalId":501210,"journal":{"name":"bioRxiv - Animal Behavior and Cognition","volume":"19 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142211779","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-29DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.28.610172
David Gray, Kasey D Fowler-Finn, Sarina Rossi
Mating signals are targets of conspecific signal recognition and sexual selection, but are also subject to abiotic temperature effects and to biotic interspecific eavesdroppers. In crickets, the male calling song becomes faster at warmer temperatures, and female crickets recognition of male song tracks temperature in a coordinated manner, termed temperature coupling. But female crickets are not the only ecologically relevant listeners: some cricket species are parasitized by Ormia ochracea, a parasitoid fly which finds its cricket hosts by eavesdropping on male cricket song. How temperature affects parasitoid fly phonotaxis to song is largely unexplored, with only one previous study conducted under field conditions. Here we explore six possible patterns of thermal effects on fly responses to cricket song, including temperature coupling, using field playbacks of synthetic Gryllus lineaticeps songs designed to be species-typical at various temperatures. We find that temperature does affect fly response, but that the temperature deviation of songs from ambient does not impact numbers of flies caught. We extend this finding by comparing the temperatures of the air and ground to show that temperature coupling is unlikely to be effective given microhabitat variation and differential rates of cooling in the evening hours when flies are most active. Our results can be interpreted more broadly to suggest (i) temperature effects on intraspecific communication systems may be more tightly coupled than are effects on interspecific eavesdropping, and (ii) variation in thermal microhabitats in the field make it difficult to translate laboratory physiological responses to natural selection in the wild.
{"title":"Temperature effects on interspecific eavesdropping in the wild","authors":"David Gray, Kasey D Fowler-Finn, Sarina Rossi","doi":"10.1101/2024.08.28.610172","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.28.610172","url":null,"abstract":"Mating signals are targets of conspecific signal recognition and sexual selection, but are also subject to abiotic temperature effects and to biotic interspecific eavesdroppers. In crickets, the male calling song becomes faster at warmer temperatures, and female crickets recognition of male song tracks temperature in a coordinated manner, termed temperature coupling. But female crickets are not the only ecologically relevant listeners: some cricket species are parasitized by Ormia ochracea, a parasitoid fly which finds its cricket hosts by eavesdropping on male cricket song. How temperature affects parasitoid fly phonotaxis to song is largely unexplored, with only one previous study conducted under field conditions. Here we explore six possible patterns of thermal effects on fly responses to cricket song, including temperature coupling, using field playbacks of synthetic Gryllus lineaticeps songs designed to be species-typical at various temperatures. We find that temperature does affect fly response, but that the temperature deviation of songs from ambient does not impact numbers of flies caught. We extend this finding by comparing the temperatures of the air and ground to show that temperature coupling is unlikely to be effective given microhabitat variation and differential rates of cooling in the evening hours when flies are most active. Our results can be interpreted more broadly to suggest (i) temperature effects on intraspecific communication systems may be more tightly coupled than are effects on interspecific eavesdropping, and (ii) variation in thermal microhabitats in the field make it difficult to translate laboratory physiological responses to natural selection in the wild.","PeriodicalId":501210,"journal":{"name":"bioRxiv - Animal Behavior and Cognition","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142211774","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-28DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.27.609826
Shawn Dsouza, Kartik Shanker, Maria Thaker
Human induced rapid environmental change has been recognized as a global threat to natural systems and the organisms that inhabit them. Human hunters and fishers interact with animals in natural spaces as predators, and are more effective in capturing prey and reducing populations than natural predators overall. On the other hand, seemingly benign interactions with humans, such as tourism, may also be perceived as threatening and have negative impacts on animal populations. Here, we provide a synthesis of the current knowledge of the combined effects of lethal and non-lethal human interactions on the behavioural responses of animals in natural spaces. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of literature published over the past three decades, and built a dataset to determine the relative effect of lethal and non-lethal human interactions on foraging, vigilance, and movement behaviors of wild animals. Lethal human interactions included hunting, fishing, and retaliatory killing in response to conflict, and non-lethal human interactions were distinguished as active (snorkeling, scuba diving, pedestrians, hiking, and tourists) or passive (roads, human settlements, sonar, and boat traffic). We also considered how the trophic level of the species and body size could influence the effect of human interactions on animal behavior. Our findings show that lethal human interactions had a significant effect on the behaviors of animals, causing animals that are actively hunted by humans to increase vigilance, reduce foraging, and alter movements. Both active and passive non-lethal interactions had weaker and non-significant effects on altering these behaviours of animals. Overall, our meta-analysis shows that the impact of non-lethal human activities in eliciting fear-driven behavioural changes in prey does not seem to have broad empirical support. It also suggests that the intensity of effect of the human super-predator may depend on the trophic level of affected species, or the history of the human-animal interactions in that landscape, In order to understand the nuances of these effects, systematic studies across more species and geographic regions are needed.
{"title":"Are super-predators also super-scary? A systematic review and meta-analysis of animal responses to human interactions","authors":"Shawn Dsouza, Kartik Shanker, Maria Thaker","doi":"10.1101/2024.08.27.609826","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.27.609826","url":null,"abstract":"Human induced rapid environmental change has been recognized as a global threat to natural systems and the organisms that inhabit them. Human hunters and fishers interact with animals in natural spaces as predators, and are more effective in capturing prey and reducing populations than natural predators overall. On the other hand, seemingly benign interactions with humans, such as tourism, may also be perceived as threatening and have negative impacts on animal populations. Here, we provide a synthesis of the current knowledge of the combined effects of lethal and non-lethal human interactions on the behavioural responses of animals in natural spaces. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of literature published over the past three decades, and built a dataset to determine the relative effect of lethal and non-lethal human interactions on foraging, vigilance, and movement behaviors of wild animals. Lethal human interactions included hunting, fishing, and retaliatory killing in response to conflict, and non-lethal human interactions were distinguished as active (snorkeling, scuba diving, pedestrians, hiking, and tourists) or passive (roads, human settlements, sonar, and boat traffic). We also considered how the trophic level of the species and body size could influence the effect of human interactions on animal behavior. Our findings show that lethal human interactions had a significant effect on the behaviors of animals, causing animals that are actively hunted by humans to increase vigilance, reduce foraging, and alter movements. Both active and passive non-lethal interactions had weaker and non-significant effects on altering these behaviours of animals. Overall, our meta-analysis shows that the impact of non-lethal human activities in eliciting fear-driven behavioural changes in prey does not seem to have broad empirical support. It also suggests that the intensity of effect of the human super-predator may depend on the trophic level of affected species, or the history of the human-animal interactions in that landscape, In order to understand the nuances of these effects, systematic studies across more species and geographic regions are needed.","PeriodicalId":501210,"journal":{"name":"bioRxiv - Animal Behavior and Cognition","volume":"12 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142211782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-28DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.27.609931
Eleanor Bath, Jennifer M Gleason
Aggression is a key determinant of fitness in many species, mediating access to mates, food, and breeding sites. Variation in intrasexual aggression across species is likely driven by variation in resource availability and distribution. To date, most studies have focused on male aggression, but female aggression is common and has fitness consequences. While males primarily compete over access to mates, females are likely to compete over resources to maximize offspring quantity and/or quality, such as food or breeding sites. To investigate why reproduction and aggression are often linked, we tested predictions about resource valuation, life-history, and physiological correlates of reproduction. We used machine learning classifiers developed for D. melanogaster to identify and quantify aggressive behaviors displayed in the presence of yeast for mated and unmated females of eight Drosophila species. We found that female aggression was linked to ovariole number across species, suggesting that females that lay more eggs are more aggressive. A need for resources for egg production or oviposition sites or similar physiological mechanisms regulating aggression and reproduction may therefore be drivers of female aggression.
{"title":"Is variation in female aggressiveness across Drosophila species associated with reproductive potential?","authors":"Eleanor Bath, Jennifer M Gleason","doi":"10.1101/2024.08.27.609931","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.27.609931","url":null,"abstract":"Aggression is a key determinant of fitness in many species, mediating access to mates, food, and breeding sites. Variation in intrasexual aggression across species is likely driven by variation in resource availability and distribution. To date, most studies have focused on male aggression, but female aggression is common and has fitness consequences. While males primarily compete over access to mates, females are likely to compete over resources to maximize offspring quantity and/or quality, such as food or breeding sites. To investigate why reproduction and aggression are often linked, we tested predictions about resource valuation, life-history, and physiological correlates of reproduction. We used machine learning classifiers developed for D. melanogaster to identify and quantify aggressive behaviors displayed in the presence of yeast for mated and unmated females of eight Drosophila species. We found that female aggression was linked to ovariole number across species, suggesting that females that lay more eggs are more aggressive. A need for resources for egg production or oviposition sites or similar physiological mechanisms regulating aggression and reproduction may therefore be drivers of female aggression.","PeriodicalId":501210,"journal":{"name":"bioRxiv - Animal Behavior and Cognition","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142211783","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-28DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.27.609847
Sudhakar Deeti, Ken Cheng
Many ant species are able to respond to dramatic changes in local conditions by relocating the entire colony to a new location. While we know that careful learning walks enables the homing behavior of foraging ants to their original nest, we do not know whether additional learning is required to navigate to the new nest location. To answer this question, we investigated the nest relocation behavior of a colony of Australian desert ants Melophorus bagoti that relocated their nest in response to heavy rainfall in the semi-desert terrain of Alice Springs. We identified five types of behavior: exploration between nests (Old-to-New nest and New-to-Old nest), transport from Old to New nest, and re-learning walks at Old and New nests. Initially, the workers performed relearning walks at the Old nest and exploratory walks between the Old and New nests. Once they completed the exploratory walks, the workers transported resources and brood to the new nest. Finally, we observed the workers performing relearning walks at the New nest. While the relearning walks at the Old nest were slow and appear to enable exploratory walks to the New nest, the relearning walks at the new nest were faster and appeared to enable homing from foraging trips. These observations shed insight on how learning helps these ants to respond to sudden changes in their environment.
{"title":"Route Learning and Transport of Resources during Colony Relocation in Australian Desert Ants","authors":"Sudhakar Deeti, Ken Cheng","doi":"10.1101/2024.08.27.609847","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.27.609847","url":null,"abstract":"Many ant species are able to respond to dramatic changes in local conditions by relocating the entire colony to a new location. While we know that careful learning walks enables the homing behavior of foraging ants to their original nest, we do not know whether additional learning is required to navigate to the new nest location. To answer this question, we investigated the nest relocation behavior of a colony of Australian desert ants Melophorus bagoti that relocated their nest in response to heavy rainfall in the semi-desert terrain of Alice Springs. We identified five types of behavior: exploration between nests (Old-to-New nest and New-to-Old nest), transport from Old to New nest, and re-learning walks at Old and New nests. Initially, the workers performed relearning walks at the Old nest and exploratory walks between the Old and New nests. Once they completed the exploratory walks, the workers transported resources and brood to the new nest. Finally, we observed the workers performing relearning walks at the New nest. While the relearning walks at the Old nest were slow and appear to enable exploratory walks to the New nest, the relearning walks at the new nest were faster and appeared to enable homing from foraging trips. These observations shed insight on how learning helps these ants to respond to sudden changes in their environment.","PeriodicalId":501210,"journal":{"name":"bioRxiv - Animal Behavior and Cognition","volume":"7 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142211628","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
For most extensive sensory variables such as speed or numerosity, the discrimination thresholds of human subjects are proportional to the value around which the discrimination is performed, a scaling known as Weber's law. Many theories have been proposed for this law, which all rely on the assumption that neurons are noisy. By contrast, we argue here that noisy neurons are not required to explain Weber's law. Instead, we propose that it is the unavoidable consequence of the statistics of natural sensory inputs. In natural environments, sensory measurements are typically scaled by global variables such as contrast in vision or loudness in audition. These global scaling parameters induce positive correlations among measurements which in turn lead to Weber's scaling. This theory makes testable experimental predictions and accounts for the fact that tuning curves to speed and numerosity in vivo are approximately log normal.
{"title":"Weber's law and natural inference","authors":"Jeffrey Beck, Ingmar Kanitscheider, Guillaume Dehaene, Alexandre Pouget","doi":"10.1101/2024.08.10.607448","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.10.607448","url":null,"abstract":"For most extensive sensory variables such as speed or numerosity, the discrimination thresholds of human subjects are proportional to the value around which the discrimination is performed, a scaling known as Weber's law. Many theories have been proposed for this law, which all rely on the assumption that neurons are noisy. By contrast, we argue here that noisy neurons are not required to explain Weber's law. Instead, we propose that it is the unavoidable consequence of the statistics of natural sensory inputs. In natural environments, sensory measurements are typically scaled by global variables such as contrast in vision or loudness in audition. These global scaling parameters induce positive correlations among measurements which in turn lead to Weber's scaling. This theory makes testable experimental predictions and accounts for the fact that tuning curves to speed and numerosity in vivo are approximately log normal.","PeriodicalId":501210,"journal":{"name":"bioRxiv - Animal Behavior and Cognition","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141933361","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-09DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.09.607331
Ajay Narendra, Anna Seibel, Fiorella Ramirez-Esquivel, Pranav Joshi, Donald James McLean, Luis Robledo-Ospina, Dinesh Rao
Jumping requires a rapid release of energy to propel an animal. Terrestrial animals achieve this by relying on the power generated by muscles, or by storing and rapidly releasing elastic energy. Jumping spiders rely on hydraulic pressure and muscular action to propel their jump. Though males and females of jumping spiders vary in size, sex-specific differences in jumping have never been studied. We investigated sexual dimorphism in the jump kinematics of an Australian Peacock spider, Maratus splendens. We recorded locomotory jumps in males and females using high-speed videography (5000 frames per second). We determined the centre of mass of the animals using microCT and tracked its displacement during a jump. We found that although females weighed more than twice as much as males, both had similar accelerations and take-off velocities. Males had shorter jump take-off duration, steeper take-off angle and experienced higher g-force compared to the females. We examine the jump choreography of male and female spiders and explore the factors behind the differences in their jump kinematics.
{"title":"Sexual Dimorphism in Jump Kinematics and Choreography in Peacock Spiders","authors":"Ajay Narendra, Anna Seibel, Fiorella Ramirez-Esquivel, Pranav Joshi, Donald James McLean, Luis Robledo-Ospina, Dinesh Rao","doi":"10.1101/2024.08.09.607331","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.09.607331","url":null,"abstract":"Jumping requires a rapid release of energy to propel an animal. Terrestrial animals achieve this by relying on the power generated by muscles, or by storing and rapidly releasing elastic energy. Jumping spiders rely on hydraulic pressure and muscular action to propel their jump. Though males and females of jumping spiders vary in size, sex-specific differences in jumping have never been studied. We investigated sexual dimorphism in the jump kinematics of an Australian Peacock spider, Maratus splendens. We recorded locomotory jumps in males and females using high-speed videography (5000 frames per second). We determined the centre of mass of the animals using microCT and tracked its displacement during a jump. We found that although females weighed more than twice as much as males, both had similar accelerations and take-off velocities. Males had shorter jump take-off duration, steeper take-off angle and experienced higher g-force compared to the females. We examine the jump choreography of male and female spiders and explore the factors behind the differences in their jump kinematics.","PeriodicalId":501210,"journal":{"name":"bioRxiv - Animal Behavior and Cognition","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141933362","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-08-09DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.08.607034
Paulina Francisca Calderon Romero, Benjamin Valderrama, Thomaz Bastiaanssen, Patricia Lillo, Daniela Thumala, Gerard Clarke, John F Cryan, Andrea Slachevsky, Christian Gonzalez-Billault, Felipe Court
Ageing is usually associated with physiological decline, increased mental health issues, and cognitive deterioration, alongside specific changes in the gut microbiome. However, the relationship between the neuroactive potential of the gut microbiome and mental health and cognition among the elderly remains less explored. This study examines a cohort of 153 older Chilean adults with cognitive complaints, assessing anthropometric data, mental health via five distinct tests, and gut microbiome composition through 16SV4 sequencing. Our findings reveal associations between anthropometric factors and depression scores in mental tests of participants with their gut microbiome composition. Notably, depression was associated with changes in the abundance of Lachnospiraceae Eubacterium xylanophilum group and Fusobacteriaceae Fusobacterium. Additionally, bacterial pathways involved in metabolising neuroactive compounds such as tryptophan, short-chain fatty acids, p-cresol, glutamate, and nitric oxide were associated with participant age, sex, and cognitive performance. Moreover, participants sex was associated with the neuroactive potential of specific bacteria, suggesting a role of the gut microbiome in sex-related mental health differences in the elderly. Together, to the best of our knowledge, this study demonstrated for the first time the association between the neuroactive potential of the human gut microbiome and mental health status in older individuals with cognitive complaints.
{"title":"The Neuroactive Potential of the Elderly Human Gut Microbiome is Associated with Mental Health Status","authors":"Paulina Francisca Calderon Romero, Benjamin Valderrama, Thomaz Bastiaanssen, Patricia Lillo, Daniela Thumala, Gerard Clarke, John F Cryan, Andrea Slachevsky, Christian Gonzalez-Billault, Felipe Court","doi":"10.1101/2024.08.08.607034","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1101/2024.08.08.607034","url":null,"abstract":"Ageing is usually associated with physiological decline, increased mental health issues, and cognitive deterioration, alongside specific changes in the gut microbiome. However, the relationship between the neuroactive potential of the gut microbiome and mental health and cognition among the elderly remains less explored. This study examines a cohort of 153 older Chilean adults with cognitive complaints, assessing anthropometric data, mental health via five distinct tests, and gut microbiome composition through 16SV4 sequencing. Our findings reveal associations between anthropometric factors and depression scores in mental tests of participants with their gut microbiome composition. Notably, depression was associated with changes in the abundance of Lachnospiraceae Eubacterium xylanophilum group and Fusobacteriaceae Fusobacterium. Additionally, bacterial pathways involved in metabolising neuroactive compounds such as tryptophan, short-chain fatty acids, p-cresol, glutamate, and nitric oxide were associated with participant age, sex, and cognitive performance. Moreover, participants sex was associated with the neuroactive potential of specific bacteria, suggesting a role of the gut microbiome in sex-related mental health differences in the elderly. Together, to the best of our knowledge, this study demonstrated for the first time the association between the neuroactive potential of the human gut microbiome and mental health status in older individuals with cognitive complaints.","PeriodicalId":501210,"journal":{"name":"bioRxiv - Animal Behavior and Cognition","volume":"15 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-08-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141968888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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