Testing olfactory foraging strategies in an Antarctic seabird assemblage

The Journal of Experimental Biology
Gabrielle A NevittPhil Trathan

Abstract

Procellariiform seabirds (petrels, albatrosses and shearwaters) forage over thousands of square kilometres for patchily distributed prey resources. While these birds are known for their large olfactory bulbs and excellent sense of smell, how they use odour cues to locate prey patches in the vast ocean is not well understood. Here, we investigate species-specific responses to 3-methyl pyrazine in a sub-Antarctic species assemblage near South Georgia Island (54 degrees 00 ' S, 36 degrees 00 ' W). Pyrazines are scented compounds found in macerated Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba), a primary prey item for many seabird species in this region. To examine behavioural attraction to this odour, we presented birds with either scented or 'unscented' vegetable oil slicks at sea. As a positive control for our experiments, we also compared birds' responses to a general olfactory attractant, herring oil. Responses to pyrazine were both highly species specific and consistent with results from earlier studies investigating responses to crude krill extracts. For example, Cape petrels (Daption capense), giant petrels (Macronectes sp.) and white-chinned petrels (Procellaria aequinoctialis) were sighted at least 1.8-4 times as often at pyrazine-...Continue Reading

References

Dec 12, 2002·Journal of Chemical Ecology·Mark E Hay, Julia Kubanek
Mar 26, 2003·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Gabrielle A Nevitt, Karen Haberman
Apr 19, 2003·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Gregory B CunninghamGabrielle A Nevitt
Jul 1, 1993·The American Naturalist·V Bretagnolle

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Citations

May 22, 2010·Journal of Comparative Physiology. A, Neuroethology, Sensory, Neural, and Behavioral Physiology·Samuel P Caro, Jacques Balthazart
Jun 21, 2008·Journal of Chemical Ecology·Jennifer L DeBose, Gabrielle A Nevitt
Mar 8, 2008·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Gabrielle A NevittHenri Weimerskirch
Sep 2, 2011·Integrative and Comparative Biology·Gabrielle A Nevitt
Dec 7, 2006·Biology Letters·Gabrielle A Nevitt, Francesco Bonadonna
Apr 25, 2014·PloS One·Jacqueline M DoyleJ Andrew DeWoody
Mar 5, 2014·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Matthew S Savoca, Gabrielle A Nevitt
Sep 23, 2008·Behavioural Brain Research·Jacques Balthazart, Mélanie Taziaux
Jul 30, 2015·Molecular Biology and Evolution·Imran KhanAgostinho Antunes
Jul 15, 2006·Current Opinion in Neurobiology·Barrie J Frost, Henrik Mouritsen
Apr 30, 2011·Vision Research·Gabriel E Machovsky CapuskaDavid Raubenheimer
Aug 5, 2014·The Science of the Total Environment·Lora A Morandin, Patrick D O'Hara
Sep 2, 2017·Science Advances·Matthew S SavocaGabrielle A Nevitt
Nov 24, 2018·Science·Matthew Savoca
Oct 27, 2015·Movement Ecology·Rachael A OrbenScott A Shaffer
Feb 15, 2014·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Gaia Dell'AricciaFrancesco Bonadonna
Jan 22, 2008·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Terence W O'DwyerGabrielle A Nevitt
Sep 23, 2008·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Gregory B CunninghamPeter G Ryan
Jul 15, 2011·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Kyran L B WrightPeter G Ryan
May 21, 2008·The Journal of Experimental Biology·Gabrielle A Nevitt
May 20, 2006·The Journal of Experimental Biology·F BonadonnaG A Nevitt

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