Foraging Ecology Predicts Learning Performance in Insectivorous Bats

Abstract

Bats are unusual among mammals in showing great ecological diversity even among closely related species and are thus well suited for studies of adaptation to the ecological background. Here we investigate whether behavioral flexibility and simple- and complex-rule learning performance can be predicted by foraging ecology. We predict faster learning and higher flexibility in animals hunting in more complex, variable environments than in animals hunting in more simple, stable environments. To test this hypothesis, we studied three closely related insectivorous European bat species of the genus Myotis that belong to three different functional groups based on foraging habitats: M. capaccinii, an open water forager, M. myotis, a passive listening gleaner, and M. emarginatus, a clutter specialist. We predicted that M. capaccinii would show the least flexibility and slowest learning reflecting its relatively unstructured foraging habitat and the stereotypy of its natural foraging behavior, while the other two species would show greater flexibility and more rapid learning reflecting the complexity of their natural foraging tasks. We used a purposefully unnatural and thus species-fair crawling maze to test simple- and complex-rule learning, flexibility and re-learning performance. We found that M. capaccinii learned a simple rule as fast as the other species, but was slower in complex rule learning and was less flexible in response to changes in reward location. We found no differences in re-learning ability among species. Our results corroborate the hypothesis that animals’ cognitive skills reflect the demands of their ecological niche.

Social learning within and across species: information transfer in mouse-eared bats

“…Once rewarded at an unlit box, it fell back to sample the boxes more randomly. This supports the hypothesis that M. myotis is a behaviourally flexible species (Clarin et al 2013). When the final flight was more similar to the general experimental procedure and differed from it only in that there was no reinforcement by a demonstrating bat (as was the case for all observers during the first year of experimentation), the performance in the final flights was a continuation of the performance shown before (Fig.…”

Cognitive ecology: ecological factors, life‐styles, and cognition

“…However, no differences in spatial exploration were found between fish from complex (benthic) and simple (limnetic) habitats but the former learned navigating a maze faster than the latter . Likewise, bats from simple and complex habitats did not differ in their spatial exploration but the latter learned a complex rule faster than the former . Also, fish from complex habitats had a better spatial memory than fish from simple habitats and several studies from different types of complex and simple habitats show that fish from complex habitats have larger brains as have bats .…”

“…121 Likewise, bats from simple and complex habitats did not differ in their spatial exploration but the latter learned a complex rule faster than the former. 122 Also, fish from complex habitats had a better spatial memory than fish from simple habitats 123 and several studies from different types of complex and simple habitats show that fish from complex habitats have larger brains 22,123 as have bats. 124 Finally, larger brains have been found in frugivorous langurs (Strepsirrhini) as compared to folivorous ones but this result was also influenced by phylogeny.…”

Vocal motor experiences consolidate the vocal motor circuitry and accelerate future vocal skill development

“…2 & 3). Such apparent motor savings (29) are biologically relevant for numerous skills in a multitude of species, ranging from periodic foraging skills in dolphins (39), bats (40), and monkeys (41) to courtship displays in crabs (42) and songbirds (43). As the use of these specialized skills is interrupted over longer periods, e.g.…”