Cognitive Ecology in Hummingbirds: The Role of Sexual Dimorphism and Its Anatomical Correlates on Memory

González-Gómez, Paulina L.; Madrid-Lopez, Natalia; Salazar, Juan E.; Suárez, Rodrigo; Razeto‐Barry, Pablo; Mpodozis, Jorge; Bozinovic, Francisco; Vásquez, Rodrigo A.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0090165

Cited by 19 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Experience-dependent changes in neuroanatomy have been documented in birds and mammals (including humans) in relation to exploring new environments or developing new behavioural capacities [ 7 , 8 , 10 – 13 ]. Similar changes have also been seen in short-lived insects [ 5 , 6 , 14 – 16 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between brain plasticity, learning and foraging performance in honey bees

et al. 2018

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Brain structure and learning capacities both vary with experience, but the mechanistic link between them is unclear. Here, we investigated whether experience-dependent variability in learning performance can be explained by neuroplasticity in foraging honey bees. The mushroom bodies (MBs) are a brain center necessary for ambiguous olfactory learning tasks such as reversal learning. Using radio frequency identification technology, we assessed the effects of natural variation in foraging activity, and the age when first foraging, on both performance in reversal learning and on synaptic connectivity in the MBs. We found that reversal learning performance improved at foraging onset and could decline with greater foraging experience. If bees started foraging before the normal age, as a result of a stress applied to the colony, the decline in learning performance with foraging experience was more severe. Analyses of brain structure in the same bees showed that the total number of synaptic boutons at the MB input decreased when bees started foraging, and then increased with greater foraging intensity. At foraging onset MB structure is therefore optimized for bees to update learned information, but optimization of MB connectivity deteriorates with foraging effort. In a computational model of the MBs sparser coding of information at the MB input improved reversal learning performance. We propose, therefore, a plausible mechanistic relationship between experience, neuroplasticity, and cognitive performance in a natural and ecological context.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relationship between brain plasticity, learning and foraging performance in honey bees

et al. 2018

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“…Males are territorial and females are opportunistic, making rapid intrusions into male territories. Males are better than females at remembering nectar location and renewal rate but females have a larger hippocampal formation [36]. Larger hippocampal size may be adaptive since females, being opportunistic, may have larger home ranges.…”

Section: Evolutionary Pressures For Sex Differences In Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in learning — shared principles across taxa

García

Barrios

2018

Current Opinion in Physiology

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Male and female brains exhibit differences in anatomy, neurochemistry and functional connectivity, all of which can influence behaviour. Flexibility through learning is an important aspect of behaviour. Learning enhances survival by allowing animals to modify their behavioural responses to a changing environment based on their previous experiences. However, despite its universality and physiological relevance, learned behaviour has been less well studied than innate behaviour within the context of sexual dimorphism. In this review, we provide a comparative overview of the cellular, molecular and evolutionary mechanisms underlying sex differences in several forms of learning across taxa. Highlights-Learning is a universal property of animals and is subject to sexual dimorphism-Sex differences in learning can be observed at the level of performance, strategy and neural mechanisms-We discuss proximal (cellular and molecular) and ultimate (evolutionary) mechanisms underlying sex differences in learning.-We review recent progress gained from studies performed in several taxa *Highlights (for review)

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“…We evaluated a cognitive trait with a clear fitness value in this species, spatial learning of nectar resources. We conducted a spatial learning task on free-living hummingbirds 40 , 41 , and related its variation to both the ability to acquire and defend a lek territory (as a proxy of reproductive success) and to the structure of mating vocal signals (as a possible honest indicator of cognitive abilities). The latter association could provide an honest index signal for male-male competition and female choice 22 – 24 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Spatial memory is as important as weapon and body size for territorial ownership in a lekking hummingbird

Araya‐Salas

González-Gómez

Wojczulanis‐Jakubas

et al. 2018

Sci Rep

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Advanced cognitive abilities have long been hypothesized to be important in mating. Yet, most work on sexual selection has focused on morphological traits and its relevance for cognitive evolution is poorly understood. We studied the spatial memory of lekking long-billed hermits (Phaethornis longirostris) and evaluated its role in lek territory ownership, the magnitude of its effect compared to phenotypic traits expected to influence sexual selection, and whether its variation is indicated in the structure of mating vocal signal. Spatial memory (the ability to recall the position of a rewarding feeder) was compared between “territorial” and “floater” males. Interestingly, although spatial memory and body size both positively affected the probability of lek territory ownership, our results suggest a stronger effect of spatial memory. Bill tip length (used as weapon in agonistic interactions) also showed a positive but smaller effect. Load lifting during vertical flight, a measure of physical performance relevant to agonistic interactions, had no effect on territory ownership. Finally, both body size and spatial memory were indicated in the structure of male song: body size negatively correlated with song lowest frequency, while spatial memory positively predicted song consistency. Together, our findings lend support for cognition as a sexual selection target.

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Cognitive Ecology in Hummingbirds: The Role of Sexual Dimorphism and Its Anatomical Correlates on Memory

Cited by 19 publications

References 42 publications

Relationship between brain plasticity, learning and foraging performance in honey bees

Relationship between brain plasticity, learning and foraging performance in honey bees

Sex differences in learning — shared principles across taxa

Spatial memory is as important as weapon and body size for territorial ownership in a lekking hummingbird

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