Modelling sensory limitation: the role of tree selection, memory and information transfer in bats' roost searching strategies.
Sensory limitation plays an important role in the evolution of animal behaviour. Animals have to find objects of interest (e.g. food, shelters, predators). When sensory abilities are strongly limited, animals adjust their behaviour to maximize chances for success. Bats are nocturnal, live in complex...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2012-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3441568?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1828770531897245696 |
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| author | Ireneusz Ruczyński Kamil A Bartoń |
| author_facet | Ireneusz Ruczyński Kamil A Bartoń |
| author_sort | Ireneusz Ruczyński |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sensory limitation plays an important role in the evolution of animal behaviour. Animals have to find objects of interest (e.g. food, shelters, predators). When sensory abilities are strongly limited, animals adjust their behaviour to maximize chances for success. Bats are nocturnal, live in complex environments, are capable of flight and must confront numerous perceptual challenges (e.g. limited sensory range, interfering clutter echoes). This makes them an excellent model for studying the role of compensating behaviours to decrease costs of finding resources. Cavity roosting bats are especially interesting because the availability of tree cavities is often limited, and their quality is vital for bats during the breeding season. From a bat's sensory point of view, cavities are difficult to detect and finding them requires time and energy. However, tree cavities are also long lasting, allowing information transfer among conspecifics. Here, we use a simple simulation model to explore the benefits of tree selection, memory and eavesdropping (compensation behaviours) to searches for tree cavities by bats with short and long perception range. Our model suggests that memory and correct discrimination of tree suitability are the basic strategies decreasing the cost of roost finding, whereas perceptual range plays a minor role in this process. Additionally, eavesdropping constitutes a buffer that reduces the costs of finding new resources (such as roosts), especially when they occur in low density. We conclude that natural selection may promote different strategies of roost finding in relation to habitat conditions and cognitive skills of animals. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T14:08:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4b02d1e53a434139b8a55f021295d840 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T14:08:46Z |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-4b02d1e53a434139b8a55f021295d8402022-12-22T01:03:33ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032012-01-0179e4489710.1371/journal.pone.0044897Modelling sensory limitation: the role of tree selection, memory and information transfer in bats' roost searching strategies.Ireneusz RuczyńskiKamil A BartońSensory limitation plays an important role in the evolution of animal behaviour. Animals have to find objects of interest (e.g. food, shelters, predators). When sensory abilities are strongly limited, animals adjust their behaviour to maximize chances for success. Bats are nocturnal, live in complex environments, are capable of flight and must confront numerous perceptual challenges (e.g. limited sensory range, interfering clutter echoes). This makes them an excellent model for studying the role of compensating behaviours to decrease costs of finding resources. Cavity roosting bats are especially interesting because the availability of tree cavities is often limited, and their quality is vital for bats during the breeding season. From a bat's sensory point of view, cavities are difficult to detect and finding them requires time and energy. However, tree cavities are also long lasting, allowing information transfer among conspecifics. Here, we use a simple simulation model to explore the benefits of tree selection, memory and eavesdropping (compensation behaviours) to searches for tree cavities by bats with short and long perception range. Our model suggests that memory and correct discrimination of tree suitability are the basic strategies decreasing the cost of roost finding, whereas perceptual range plays a minor role in this process. Additionally, eavesdropping constitutes a buffer that reduces the costs of finding new resources (such as roosts), especially when they occur in low density. We conclude that natural selection may promote different strategies of roost finding in relation to habitat conditions and cognitive skills of animals.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3441568?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Ireneusz Ruczyński Kamil A Bartoń Modelling sensory limitation: the role of tree selection, memory and information transfer in bats' roost searching strategies. PLoS ONE |
| title | Modelling sensory limitation: the role of tree selection, memory and information transfer in bats' roost searching strategies. |
| title_full | Modelling sensory limitation: the role of tree selection, memory and information transfer in bats' roost searching strategies. |
| title_fullStr | Modelling sensory limitation: the role of tree selection, memory and information transfer in bats' roost searching strategies. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modelling sensory limitation: the role of tree selection, memory and information transfer in bats' roost searching strategies. |
| title_short | Modelling sensory limitation: the role of tree selection, memory and information transfer in bats' roost searching strategies. |
| title_sort | modelling sensory limitation the role of tree selection memory and information transfer in bats roost searching strategies |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3441568?pdf=render |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ireneuszruczynski modellingsensorylimitationtheroleoftreeselectionmemoryandinformationtransferinbatsroostsearchingstrategies AT kamilabarton modellingsensorylimitationtheroleoftreeselectionmemoryandinformationtransferinbatsroostsearchingstrategies |