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Journal of Comparative Physiology. A,... Jul 2023Efficient spatial orientation in the natural environment is crucial for the survival of most animal species. Cataglyphis desert ants possess excellent navigational... (Review)
Review
Efficient spatial orientation in the natural environment is crucial for the survival of most animal species. Cataglyphis desert ants possess excellent navigational skills. After far-ranging foraging excursions, the ants return to their inconspicuous nest entrance using celestial and panoramic cues. This review focuses on the question about how naïve ants acquire the necessary spatial information and adjust their visual compass systems. Naïve ants perform structured learning walks during their transition from the dark nest interior to foraging under bright sunlight. During initial learning walks, the ants perform rotational movements with nest-directed views using the earth's magnetic field as an earthbound compass reference. Experimental manipulations demonstrate that specific sky compass cues trigger structural neuronal plasticity in visual circuits to integration centers in the central complex and mushroom bodies. During learning walks, rotation of the sky-polarization pattern is required for an increase in volume and synaptic complexes in both integration centers. In contrast, passive light exposure triggers light-spectrum (especially UV light) dependent changes in synaptic complexes upstream of the central complex. We discuss a multisensory circuit model in the ant brain for pathways mediating structural neuroplasticity at different levels following passive light exposure and multisensory experience during the performance of learning walks.
Topics: Animals; Ants; Learning; Brain; Cues; Walking; Homing Behavior; Desert Climate
PubMed: 36494572
DOI: 10.1007/s00359-022-01600-y -
Royal Society Open Science Oct 2023Wild-type Norway rats reciprocate help received in a well-replicated experimental food-giving task, but the criteria to appraise the received help's value are unclear....
Wild-type Norway rats reciprocate help received in a well-replicated experimental food-giving task, but the criteria to appraise the received help's value are unclear. We tested whether quality or quantity of received help is more important when deciding to return help, and whether partner familiarity and own current need affect this evaluation. We experimentally varied recipients of help's hunger state, and familiar or unfamiliar partners provided either higher caloric food (enhanced quantity; carrots) or food higher in protein and fat (enhanced quality; cheese). Reciprocation of received help was our criterion for the rats' value assessment. Familiarity, food type and hunger state interacted and affected help returned by rats. Rats returned less help to familiar partners than to unfamiliar partners. With unfamiliar partners, rats returned more help to partners that had donated preferred food (cheese) than to partners that had donated less preferred food (carrots), and they returned help earlier if they were satiated and had received cheese. With familiar partners, food-deprived rats that had received cheese returned more help than satiated rats that had received carrots. Our results suggest that Norway rats assess the received help's value based on its quality, their current need and partner familiarity before reciprocating received help.
PubMed: 37885980
DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231253 -
Biology Letters Aug 2023Many groups of animals have evolved social behaviours in different forms, from intimate familial associations to the complex eusocial colonies of some insects. The...
Many groups of animals have evolved social behaviours in different forms, from intimate familial associations to the complex eusocial colonies of some insects. The subfamily Xylocopinae, including carpenter bees and their relatives, is a diverse clade exhibiting a wide range of social behaviours, from solitary to obligate eusociality with distinct morphological castes, making them ideal focal taxa in studying the evolution of sociality. We used ultraconserved element data to generate a broadly sampled phylogeny of the Xylocopinae, including several newly sequenced species. We then conducted ancestral state reconstructions on the evolutionary history of sociality in this group under multiple coding models. Our results indicate solitary origins for the Xylocopinae with multiple transitions to sociality across the tree and subsequent reversals to solitary life, demonstrating the lability and dynamic nature of social evolution in carpenter bees. Ultimately, this work clarifies the evolutionary history of the Xylocopinae, and expands our understanding of independent origins and gains and losses of social complexity.
Topics: Bees; Animals; Phylogeny; Social Behavior; Trees
PubMed: 37643643
DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0252 -
Current Biology : CB Oct 2023Animals form a behavioral decision by evaluating sensory evidence on the background of past experiences and the momentary motivational state. In insects, we still lack...
Animals form a behavioral decision by evaluating sensory evidence on the background of past experiences and the momentary motivational state. In insects, we still lack understanding of how and at which stage of the recurrent sensory-motor pathway behavioral decisions are formed. The mushroom body (MB), a central brain structure in insects and crustaceans, integrates sensory input of different modalities with the internal state, the behavioral state, and external sensory context through a large number of recurrent, mostly neuromodulatory inputs, implicating a functional role for MBs in state-dependent sensory-motor transformation. A number of classical conditioning studies in honeybees and fruit flies have provided accumulated evidence that at its output, the MB encodes the valence of a sensory stimulus with respect to its behavioral relevance. Recent work has extended this notion of valence encoding to the context of innate behaviors. Here, we co-analyzed a defined feeding behavior and simultaneous extracellular single-unit recordings from MB output neurons (MBONs) in the cockroach in response to timed sensory stimulation with odors. We show that clear neuronal responses occurred almost exclusively during behaviorally responded trials. Early MBON responses to the sensory stimulus preceded the feeding behavior and predicted its occurrence or non-occurrence from the single-trial population activity. Our results therefore suggest that at its output, the MB does not merely encode sensory stimulus valence. We hypothesize instead that the MB output represents an integrated signal of internal state, momentary environmental conditions, and experience-dependent memory to encode a behavioral decision.
Topics: Animals; Mushroom Bodies; Neurons; Drosophila; Odorants; Brain; Insecta; Drosophila melanogaster
PubMed: 37657449
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.08.016 -
Science Advances Jul 2023Cognitive performance varies widely across animal species, but the processes underlying cognitive evolution remain poorly known. For cognitive abilities to evolve,...
Cognitive performance varies widely across animal species, but the processes underlying cognitive evolution remain poorly known. For cognitive abilities to evolve, performance must be linked to individual fitness benefits, but these links have been rarely studied in primates even though they exceed most other mammals in these traits. We subjected 198 wild gray mouse lemurs to four cognitive and two personality tests and subsequently monitored their survival in a mark-recapture study. Our study revealed that survival was predicted by individual variation in cognitive performance as well as body mass and exploration. Because cognitive performance covaried negatively with exploration, individuals gathering more accurate information enjoyed better cognitive performance and lived longer, but so did heavier and more explorative individuals. These effects may reflect a speed-accuracy trade-off, with alternative strategies yielding similar overall fitness. The observed intraspecific variation in selective benefits of cognitive performance, if heritable, can provide the basis for the evolution of cognitive abilities in members of our lineage.
Topics: Animals; Primates; Cognition; Happiness; Phenotype; Mammals
PubMed: 37436999
DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adf9365 -
The Journal of Comparative Neurology Aug 2023Honey bees (Apis mellifera) express remarkable social interactions and cognitive capabilities that have been studied extensively. In many cases, behavioral studies were...
Honey bees (Apis mellifera) express remarkable social interactions and cognitive capabilities that have been studied extensively. In many cases, behavioral studies were accompanied by neurophysiological and neuroanatomical investigations. While most studies have focused on primary sensory neuropils, such as the optic lobes or antennal lobes, and major integration centers, such as the mushroom bodies or the central complex, many regions of the cerebrum (the central brain without the optic lobes) of the honey bee are only poorly explored so far, both anatomically and physiologically. To promote studies of these brain regions, we used anti-synapsin immunolabeling and neuronal tract tracings followed by confocal imaging and 3D reconstructions to demarcate all neuropils in the honey bee cerebrum and close this gap at the anatomical level. We demarcated 35 neuropils and 25 fiber tracts in the honey bee cerebrum, most of which have counterparts in the fly (Drosophila melanogaster) and other insect species that have been investigated so far at this level of detail. We discuss the role of cerebral neuropils in multisensory integration in the insect brain, emphasize the importance of this brain atlas for comparative studies, and highlight specific architectural features of the honey bee cerebrum.
Topics: Bees; Animals; Drosophila melanogaster; Brain; Neuropil; Neurons; Mushroom Bodies
PubMed: 37070301
DOI: 10.1002/cne.25486 -
Current Biology : CB Aug 2023Most colours in nature are matte, but across the tree of life glossiness has evolved numerous times, suggesting that glossiness can be beneficial. Recent research finds...
Most colours in nature are matte, but across the tree of life glossiness has evolved numerous times, suggesting that glossiness can be beneficial. Recent research finds that glossiness may confuse observers and protect against predators.
Topics: Color; Ecology
PubMed: 37607483
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2023.07.011 -
Diseases (Basel, Switzerland) Apr 2024Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant global health concern with profound implications for mothers, families, and societies. This systematic review aims to... (Review)
Review
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a significant global health concern with profound implications for mothers, families, and societies. This systematic review aims to synthesize current research findings to understand better how personality traits, as assessed by the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), contribute to the development and progression of PPD. Conducted in January 2024, this review searched major databases like PubMed, PsycINFO, and Scopus up to December 2023, focusing on the NEO-FFI's role in evaluating PPD. Following PRISMA guidelines, studies were selected based on strict criteria, including the exclusive use of NEO-FFI for personality assessment and a focus on postpartum women. A total of seven studies were included after a rigorous two-step screening process, and their data were qualitatively synthesized. The review covered a total of 4172 participants, with a prevalence of clinically significant postpartum depression symptoms ranging from 10.6% to 51.7%. Notably, Neuroticism emerged as a significant predictor of PPD, with odds ratios ranging from 1.07 (95% CI: 0.96-1.20) in some studies to as high as 1.87 (95% CI: 1.53-2.27) in others. In contrast, traits like Extraversion and Conscientiousness generally showed protective effects, with lower scores associated with reduced PPD risk. For instance, Extraversion scores correlated negatively with PPD risk (Beta = -0.171) in one study. However, the impact of other traits such as Openness and Agreeableness on PPD risk was less clear, with some studies indicating negligible effects. The review highlights Neuroticism as a consistent and significant predictor of PPD risk, with varying impacts from other personality traits. The findings suggest potential pathways for targeted interventions in maternal mental health care, emphasizing the need for comprehensive personality evaluations in prenatal and postnatal settings.
PubMed: 38785737
DOI: 10.3390/diseases12050082 -
The Science of the Total Environment Mar 2024Recently, photogranules composed of bacteria and microalgae for carbon-negative nitrogen removal receive extensive attention worldwide, yet which type of bacteria is...
Recently, photogranules composed of bacteria and microalgae for carbon-negative nitrogen removal receive extensive attention worldwide, yet which type of bacteria is helpful for rapid formation of photogranules and whether they depend on signaling communication remain elusive. Varied signaling communication was analyzed using metagenomic method among bacteria and microalgae in via of two types of experimentally verified signaling molecule from bacteria to microalgae, which include indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) during the operation of photo-bioreactors. Signaling communication is helpful for the adaptability of bacteria to survive with algae. Compared with non-signaling bacteria, signaling bacteria more easily adapt to the varied conditions, evidenced by the increased abundance in the operated reactors. Signaling bacteria are easier to enter the phycosphere, and they dominate the interactions between bacteria and algae rather than non-signaling bacteria. The co-abundance groups (CAGs) with signaling bacteria possess higher abundance than that without signaling bacteria (22.27 % and 6.67 %). Importantly, signaling bacteria accessibly interact with microalgae, which possess higher degree centralities and 32.50 % of them are keystone nodes in the network, in contrast to only 18.66 % of non-signaling bacteria. Thauera carrying both IAA and AHLs synthase genes are highly enriched and positively correlated with nitrogen removal rate. Our work not only highlights the essential roles of signaling communication between microalgae and bacteria in the development of photogranules, but also enriches our understanding of microbial sociobiology.
Topics: Quorum Sensing; Microalgae; Bacteria; Acyl-Butyrolactones; Communication
PubMed: 38218496
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.169975 -
Frontiers in Microbiology 2023Honey bees are crucial for our ecosystems as pollinators, but the intensive use of plant protection products (PPPs) in agriculture poses a risk for them. PPPs do not...
Honey bees are crucial for our ecosystems as pollinators, but the intensive use of plant protection products (PPPs) in agriculture poses a risk for them. PPPs do not only affect target organisms but also affect non-targets, such as the honey bee and their microbiome. This study is the first of its kind, aiming to characterize the effect of PPPs on the microbiome of the cuticle of honey bees. We chose PPPs, which have frequently been detected in bee bread, and studied their effects on the cuticular microbial community and function of the bees. The effects of the fungicide Difcor (difenoconazole), the insecticide Steward (indoxacarb), the combination of both (mix A) and the fungicide Cantus Gold (boscalid and dimoxystrobin), the insecticide Mospilan (acetamiprid), and the combination of both (mix B) were tested. Bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal transcribed spacer region gene-based amplicon sequencing and quantification of gene copy numbers were carried out after nucleic acid extraction from the cuticle of honey bees. The treatment with Steward significantly affected fungal community composition and function. The fungal gene copy numbers were lower on the cuticle of bees treated with Difcor, Steward, and PPP mix A in comparison with the controls. However, bacterial and fungal gene copy numbers were increased in bees treated with Cantus Gold, Mospilan, or PPP mix B compared to the controls. The bacterial cuticular community composition of bees treated with Cantus Gold, Mospilan, and PPP mix B differed significantly from the control. In addition, Mospilan on its own significantly changed the bacterial functional community composition. Cantus Gold significantly affected fungal gene copy numbers, community, and functional composition. Our results demonstrate that PPPs show adverse effects on the cuticular microbiome of honey bees and suggest that PPP mixtures can cause stronger effects on the cuticular community than a PPP alone. The cuticular community composition was more diverse after the PPP mix treatments. This may have far-reaching consequences for the health of honey bees.
PubMed: 37965543
DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1271498