dc.contributor.author |
Wang, Y |
en |
dc.contributor.author |
Pan, Y |
en |
dc.contributor.author |
Parsons, Stuart |
en |
dc.contributor.author |
Walker, Michael |
en |
dc.contributor.author |
Zhang, S |
en |
dc.date.accessioned |
2012-03-12T18:39:13Z |
en |
dc.date.issued |
2007 |
en |
dc.identifier.citation |
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES 274(1627):2901-2905 22 Nov 2007 |
en |
dc.identifier.issn |
0962-8452 |
en |
dc.identifier.uri |
http://hdl.handle.net/2292/13939 |
en |
dc.description.abstract |
Bats have been shown to use information from the Earth's magnetic field during orientation. However, the mechanism underlying this ability remains unknown. In this study we investigated whether bats possess a polarity- or inclination-based compass that could be used in orientation. We monitored the hanging position of adult Nyctalus plancyi in the laboratory in the presence of an induced magnetic field of twice Earth-strength. When under the influence of a normally aligned induced field the bats showed a significant preference for hanging at the northern end of their roosting basket. When the vertical component of the field was reversed, the bats remained at the northern end of the basket. However, when the horizontal component of the field was reversed, the bats changed their positions and hung at the southern end of the basket. Based on these results, we conclude that N plancyi, unlike all other non-mammalian vertebrates tested to date, uses a polarity-based compass during orientation in the roost, and that the same compass is also likely to underlie bats' long-distance navigation abilities. |
en |
dc.publisher |
The Royal Society |
en |
dc.relation.ispartofseries |
Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B - Biological Sciences |
en |
dc.rights |
Items in ResearchSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated. Previously published items are made available in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. Details obtained from http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/1471-2954/ |
en |
dc.rights.uri |
https://researchspace.auckland.ac.nz/docs/uoa-docs/rights.htm |
en |
dc.title |
Bats respond to polarity of a magnetic field. |
en |
dc.type |
Journal Article |
en |
dc.identifier.doi |
10.1098/rspb.2007.0904 |
en |
pubs.begin-page |
2901 |
en |
pubs.volume |
274 |
en |
dc.rights.holder |
Copyright: The Royal Society |
en |
dc.identifier.pmid |
17848365 |
en |
pubs.end-page |
2905 |
en |
dc.rights.accessrights |
http://purl.org/eprint/accessRights/RestrictedAccess |
en |
pubs.subtype |
Article |
en |
pubs.elements-id |
73817 |
en |
pubs.record-created-at-source-date |
2010-09-01 |
en |
pubs.dimensions-id |
17848365 |
en |