Keep a level head to know the way ahead: How rodents travel on inclined surfaces?

Hagbi, Zohar; Segev, Elad; Eilam, David

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2022.104424

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Vipers were going straight up the dune, and not diagonally to the slope. Going straight up or down as a response to an increasing slope was demonstrated in rodents and lizards [ 19 , 25 ]. Both groups avoid moving diagonally on a tilted surface.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, both field and laboratory studies have shown that animals avoid moving diagonally to the slope [ 19 , 25 ]. This may facilitate three-dimensional navigation by receiving balanced vestibular cues [ 25 ] or help to avoid unbalanced muscular activity [ 19 ]. Additionally, the species' natural habitat plays a role in their reaction to the slope: species that live naturally in a complex environment are better at vertical exploration than those that live on plains [ 26 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The effect of slope on animal movement and behaviour was studied in several vertebrate groups [10,20,[22][23][24]. For example, both field and laboratory studies have shown that animals avoid moving diagonally to the slope [19,25]. This may facilitate three-dimensional navigation by receiving balanced vestibular cues [25] or help to avoid unbalanced muscular activity [19].…”

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confidence: 99%

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Snakes on a slope: strong anti-gravitactic responses and differential habitat use in the Saharan horned viper ( Cerastes cerastes ) in the Negev desert

2023

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The way species use their habitat dictates their intra- and interspecific interactions. We studied the effects of the microhabitat type and slope on the movement behaviour of the Saharan horned viper ( Cerastes cerastes ) in its natural habitat. This viper occurs in sand dunes and moves mostly by sidewinding. Additionally, we studied the microhabitat preference of desert rodents—the vipers' main prey. We placed the vipers on different natural dune slopes and recorded their behaviour. We found a strong anti-gravitactic response: vipers moved more frequently towards the top of the dune than in any other direction, despite a decrease in stride length with increasing slope. The foraging-related behaviour of the vipers was concentrated in the dune semi-stable areas rather than its stable or shifting sand areas. We measured rodent activity by placing seed trays in the dune allowing the rodents to collect seeds. Rodent activity was the highest in the shifting sands, closely followed by the semi-stable microhabitat. These results suggest the vipers use the semi-stable microhabitat mainly for foraging and may use the shifting sand areas as commuting routes between such areas. This study may be of use for conservation efforts of psammophilic species in desert dunes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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Snakes on a slope: strong anti-gravitactic responses and differential habitat use in the Saharan horned viper ( Cerastes cerastes ) in the Negev desert

2023

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“…When a rodent is introduced into an open-field it soon establishes a home-base—a location in which it stays for extended periods and from which it takes excursions (round-trips) to explore the environment [ 21 ]. Home-base behavior was shown to be preserved in rats tested in large environments either alone or together with conspecifics [ 22 ], in rats that were tested in a three-dimensional lattice [ 7 ], in an open-field with a five-level pyramid in its center [ 8 ], on a cascade of bricks [ 10 ], and in an open-field that was inclined at various angles from 0° to 90° [ 23 ]. Many of the animals that were tested in these apparatuses tended to establish their home-base on the lower sectors.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rodents Prefer Going Downhill All the Way (Gravitaxis) Instead of Taking an Uphill Task

Ben-Shaul

Hagbi

Dorfman

et al. 2022

Biology

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We directly tested whether, when given the choice to ascend or descend, rodents would favor traveling downwards or upwards. The test incorporated different rodent species that dwell in different habitats and display different life and motor styles. Testing was performed in a three-dimensional Y-maze in which the basis was horizontal and, by rotating it, one arm of the maze could be pointing upwards at a certain angle and the other arm pointed downwards at the same angle. All the tested species displayed a general preference for descent, with rodents from complex habitats being less affected by inclination compared with rodents from flatlands. Unlike laboratory rats, wild species traveled greater distances along the lower compared to the upper maze arm. All the rodents initially tended to travel the entire length of the inclined maze arms, but such complete trips decreased with the increase in inclination. When introduced into the maze from top or bottom, flatland dwellers traveled mainly in the entry arm. Overall, when given the choice to ascend or descend, all the tested species displayed a preference to descend, perhaps as attraction to the ground, where they usually have their burrows.

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Can rats and ants exchange information between the horizontal and vertical domains?

et al. 2022

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Keep a level head to know the way ahead: How rodents travel on inclined surfaces?

Cited by 4 publications

References 39 publications

Snakes on a slope: strong anti-gravitactic responses and differential habitat use in the Saharan horned viper ( Cerastes cerastes ) in the Negev desert

Snakes on a slope: strong anti-gravitactic responses and differential habitat use in the Saharan horned viper ( Cerastes cerastes ) in the Negev desert

Rodents Prefer Going Downhill All the Way (Gravitaxis) Instead of Taking an Uphill Task

Can rats and ants exchange information between the horizontal and vertical domains?

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