Animal navigation in the marine environment is believed to be guided by different sensory cues over different spatial scales. Geomagnetic cues are thought to guide long-range navigation, while visual or olfactory cues allow animals to pinpoint precise locations, but the complete behavioral sequence is not yet understood. Terra Ceia Bay is a primary nursery area for blacktip sharks, Carcharhinus…

As a goal-directed behavior, foraging for nectar functions on the basis of a sequence of innate stereotyped movements mainly regulated by sensory input. The operation of this inherited program is shaped by selective pressures acting on its efficiency, which is largely dependent upon the way the system handles sensory information. Flowers offer a wealth of signals, from odors acting as distant …

This review provides an overview of two complementary approaches to identify biologically active compounds for studies in chemical ecology. The first is activity-guided fractionation and the second is metabolomics, particularly focusing on a new liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry-based method called isotopic ratio outlier analysis. To illustrate examples using these approaches, we review…

Male moths locate females by navigating along her pheromone plume, often flying hundreds of meters en route. As the first male to find a calling female is most apt to be her mate, this can be termed ‘‘a race to find the female’’ and it is assumed to be under strong selective pressure for efficiency and rapidity. Locating a distant, odor-linked resource involves two strategies. The firs…

We are currently experiencing shifts in climate at rates not previously recorded. One important aspect of this change is a tendency toward extremes—extremes in temperature and moisture, both within and among years. Numerous studies focus on the physiological consequences of environmental change, especially in terms of ectothermic taxa’s thermal regime and use of habitat. For many species, t…

Previous to the 1980’s, the prevailing neuroscience dogma held that no new neurons were produced in the brains of adult mammals. Now, we understand that the production of new neurons, or neurogenesis, is a common and plastic process in the adult brain. To date, however, researchers have not come to a unified understanding of the functional significance of neurogenesis. Several factors have b…

Migration in animals has evolved as an adaptation to environmental variability across space and through time. The availability of reliable sensory cues and guidance mechanisms used in navigating among disparate locations is an essential component of this behavior. An ‘‘inherited magnetic map’’ is navigational solution that has evolved in some marine animals that, without prior experienc…

At the end of the 19th century, the suggestion was made by several scientists, including J. M. Baldwin, that behavioral responses to environmental change could both rescue populations from extinction (Baldwin Effect) and influence the course of subsequent evolution. Here we provide the historical and theoretical background for this argument and offer evidence of the importance of these ideas fo…

Vocal responses to anthropogenic noise have been documented in several species of songbird. However, only a few studies have investigated whether these adjustments are made in ‘‘real time’’ or are longer-term responses to particular soundscapes. Furthermore, increased ambient noise often is accompanied by structural changes to the habitat, including the introduction of noisy roadways an…

In the context of global change the possible loss of biodiversity has been identified as a major concern. Biodiversity could be seriously threatened as a direct consequence of changes in availability of food, changing thermal conditions, and loss and fragmentation of habitat. Considering the magnitude of global change, an understanding of the mechanisms involved in coping with a changing envir…