Magnetic sense of direction in woodmice for route-based navigation

Mather, Janice G.; Baker, R. Robin

doi:10.1038/291152a0

Cited by 130 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…So far, the European robin is the only species where a radical pair mechanism has been identified; yet the functional mode as an inclination compass, which is to be expected if radical pair processes are involved, has been found in all avian species tested for it. In mammals, a magnetic compass was first indicated in woodmice, Apodemus sylvaticus (Mather & Baker 1981); in the following years, magnetic compass orientation was reported in other species of rodents (Mather 1985;August et al 1989;Burda et al 1990Burda et al , 1991, horses (Baker 1989a) and humans (Baker 1989b). However, mole-rats are the only species where the functional mode has been analysed and where the underlying physical processes are indicated (Marhold et al 1997a,b; this study).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The magnetic compass mechanisms of birds and rodents are based on different physical principles

Thalau

Ritz

Burda

et al. 2006

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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Recently, oscillating magnetic fields in the MHz-range were introduced as a useful diagnostic tool to identify the mechanism underlying magnetoreception. The effect of very weak high-frequency fields on the orientation of migratory birds indicates that the avian magnetic compass is based on a radical pair mechanism. To analyse the nature of the magnetic compass of mammals, we tested rodents, Ansell's mole-rats, using their tendency to build their nests in the southern part of the arena as a criterion whether or not they could orient. In contrast to birds, their orientation was not disrupted when a broad-band field of 0.1-10 MHz of 85 nT or a 1.315 MHz field of 480 nT was added to the static geomagnetic field of 46 000 nT. Even increasing the intensity of the 1.315 MHz field (Zeeman frequency in the local geomagnetic field) to 4800 nT, more than a tenth of the static field, the mole-rats remained unaffected and continued to build their nests in the south. These results indicate that in contrast to that of birds, their magnetic compass does not involve radical pair processes; it seems to be based on a fundamentally different principle, which probably involves magnetite.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The magnetic compass mechanisms of birds and rodents are based on different physical principles

Thalau

Ritz

Burda

et al. 2006

J. R. Soc. Interface.

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“…After a passive unidirectional shift in a sealed chamber and under a reversed magnetic field, these animals changed their homing direction by following, at least partially, the earth's magnetic shift. However, when visual cues were available at the test site, the animals relied on these locationbased references for choosing the homing direction and ignored the earth's magnetic reference (32). Note that this experiment showed that the mice used the earth's magnetic field to estimate the direction of the outward journey and then chose the homing direction through compass-assisted route reversal rather than through path integration.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A subterranean mammal uses the magnetic compass for path integration

Kimchi

Etienne²,

Terkel³

2004

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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Path integration allows animals to navigate without landmarks by continuously processing signals generated through locomotion. Insects such as bees and ants have evolved an accurate path integration system, assessing and coding rotations with the help of a general directional reference, the sun azimuth. In mammals, by contrast, this process can take place through purely idiothetic (mainly proprioceptive and vestibular) signals. However, without any stable external reference for measuring direction, path integration is highly affected by cumulative errors and thus has been considered so far as valid only for short-distance navigation. Here we show through two path integration experiments (homing and shortcut finding) that the blind mole rat assesses direction both through internal signals and by estimating its heading in relation to the earth's magnetic field. Further, it is shown that the greater the circumvolution and length of the traveled path, the more the animal relies on the geomagnetic field. This path integration system strongly reduces the accumulation of errors due to inaccuracies in the estimation of rotations and thus allows the mole rat to navigate efficiently in darkness, without the help of any landmark, over both short and long distances.

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“…, honey honey bees bees (28, (28, 50), 50), salmon salmon (60), (60), salamanders salamanders (57), (57), homing homing pigeons pigeons (28, (28, 68), 68), (2,3, robins robins (74), (74), mice mice (51), (51), and and possibly possibly humans humans (2,3,30 [7][8][9]. (7)(8)(9).…”

Section: Human Beingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic Guidance of Organisms

Frankel¹

1984

Annual Review of Biophysics and Biomolecular Structure

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Magnetic sense of direction in woodmice for route-based navigation

Cited by 130 publications

References 7 publications

The magnetic compass mechanisms of birds and rodents are based on different physical principles

The magnetic compass mechanisms of birds and rodents are based on different physical principles

A subterranean mammal uses the magnetic compass for path integration

Magnetic Guidance of Organisms

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