A behavioral study of vibrational sensitivity in the pigeon (Columba livia)

Summary The pigeon (Columba livia) has a well-developed ability to detect weak vibrations. Using the method of heart-rate conditioning the vibrational sensitivity was determined for four pigeons at an error probability of P<0.025. The threshold-frequency relationships indicate that the greatest sensitivity to vibrational stimuli is found in the frequency range from 300 to 1,000 Hz with thresholds of about 0.1 m; lowest threshold is 0.04 m at 500 Hz (Fig. 4). Pigeons can respond not only to the frequency of a stimulus, but also to its intensity. The interval decrement (in %) of ECG is a positive correlative function of the stimulus intensity, the calculated values being approximately 4–5% per order of magnitude of the stimulus amplitude (in m) at best frequencies (Fig. 5). The value of vibration detection for birds is discussed.Abbreviation ECG electrocardiogram     

The spectral sensitivity of single units in the nucleus rotundus of pigeon, Columba livia

Responses to diffuse monochromatic light were recorded from single units in the diencephalon of pigeon. Units were both excited and inhibited by light stimulation. Intensity-response functions based on latency measures to the first spike after stimulation were used to generate action spectra. One class of spectral sensitivity functions presumably from rods, showed peak sensitivities near 500 nm: these functions were unaffected by changing criterion values used to generate the functions. A second class of cone functions showed multiple peak sensitivities at 540 nm and 600–620 nm. These units shifted their peak sensitivities with a change in criterion values. Unit response types tended to be localized differentially in the nucleus rotundus. Excitatory units were located in the dorsal half of the nucleus, while inhibitory units were located in the ventral half, with a few exceptions. An attempt was made to integrate the present findings with previous behavioral, electrophysiological, photochemical, and anatomical data in the pigeon.     

Vascular reactivity of the brain in the pigeon Columba livia

In experiments on awake relatively unrestrained pigeons, studies have been made on the reactions of the cerebrovascular bed to fixed functional loads of physical (orthostasis) and chemical (inhalation of hypoxic and hypercapnic gas mixtures) nature. Using hydrogen clearance method, the increase in the intensity of local cerebral blood flow in different structures of the telencephalon during inhalation of the mentioned gas mixtures was demonstrated. Bilateral vagotomy resulted in inversed reactions. Influence of functional loads was accompanied by changes in rheoencephalographic parameters. The data obtained suggest the existence of an evident reactivity of cerebral vessels in birds which is controlled by neurogenic mechanism of regulation of vascular tone.     

Environmental variation and quantitative genetic prameters in the feral pigeon, Columba livia

The estimation of quantitative genetic parameters and modes of selection in natural populations can provide critical information concerning both past and current evolution of mean phenotypes. We examine the influence of environmental variation on the genetic variance-covariance matrix ( G ) of external morphological traits in feral pigeons, and the degree of correspondence between phenotypic (r_p) and genetic correlations (r_g) of these characters. Our results suggest that adverse environmental conditions affect heritability, and that the correspondence between seasonal estimates of G based on midparent scores is low. There is, however, a strong correspondence between r_p and r_g. We suggest that, if environmental variation is relatively common, estimates of quantitative genetic parameters for prospective selection studies must be undertaken at each selection episode.     

Circadian regulation of visually evoked potentials in the domestic pigeon, Columba livia

The avian circadian and visual systems are integrally related and together influence many aspects of birds' behavior and physiology. Certainly, light cycles and their visual perception are the major zeitgebers for circadian rhythms, but do circadian rhythms affect vision? To assess whether visual function is regulated on a circadian basis, flash-evoked electroretinograms (ERGs) and vision-evoked potentials (VEPs) from the optic tectum (TeO) were recorded simultaneously in domestic pigeons at different circadian phases in a light-dark regime (LD) and in constant darkness (DD), while feeding activity was measured to determine circadian phase. In both LD and DD, the amplitudes of ERG b-waves were higher during the day than at night and latencies of a- and b-waves were longer at night. The median effective intensity for ERG a-wave was marginally higher during the day than during the night, indicating greater sensitivity at night, but this rhythm did not persist in DD. The amplitudes of TeO VEPs were also greater during the day, and latencies were greater at night in LD and DD. Together, the data indicate that a circadian clock regulates pigeon visual function at several integrative levels.     

Detection of changes in atmospheric pressure by the homing pigeon,Columba livia

Summary Homing pigeons were tested for their ability to detect air pressure changes in an otherwise constant environment chamber. Ten of 12 birds tested did respond to the pressure changes. The 50% threshold of detection was 10 mm H₂O or less, which is approximately equivalent to a change in altitude of 10 m or less. Performance was better in a chamber with artificial background noise than in an abnormally quiet chamber.We thank Drs. D. R. Griffin, K. Adler, and J. Hatch for reading and criticizing an early draft of this paper. This work was supported by an NSF Graduate Fellowship to M. Kreithen, a grant from the Cornell Office of Sponsored Research, and NSF Research Grants GB 13046 X and GB 35199 X to W. T. Keeton.     

家鸽Caveolin-1基因全长cDNA的克隆、序列和组织表达分析

窖蛋白(Caveolin)是一类构成细胞膜上胞膜窖主要结构的标志蛋白,由Caveolin基因家族编码而成。Caveolin-1基因是Caveolin基因家族的成员之一。该实验采用RT-PCR与RACE(rapid amplification of cDNA ends)技术成功地克隆了家鸽Caveolin-1基因的全长cDNA。该cDNA全长2605bp,包含537bp的完整编码区,编码178个氨基酸;分析发现家鸽Caveolin-1基因编码区与牛、家犬、鸡、褐家鼠等核苷酸同源性为80.1%～93.4%,氨基酸同源性高达85.4%～97.2%;半定量RT-PCR分析表明该基因在家鸽各种组织广泛表达,脂肪中表达量最高,各种肌肉中表达量次之,肝脏中表达量最低。此结果说明家鸽Caveolin-1基因可能与脂肪、肌肉中的某些代谢途径有关。     

Characterization of baroreflex gain in the domestic pigeon (Columba livia)

Birds have a remarkable capacity to regulate circulation yet little is known about the avian baroreflex. Although both linear regression and curve-fitting techniques are frequently used to assess baroreflex function in mammals, only the former technique has been used in birds. We characterized baroreflex gain in domestic pigeons (Columba livia) and compared gain values derived from applying linear regression to ramp changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) to values derived from fitting a four-parameter sigmoidal function to steady-state alterations in MAP. We found that, unlike mammals, pigeons do not display circadian patterns in MAP, HR or gain derived from bolus injections of vasoactive drugs. The pressor, but not depressor response, was attenuated by administration of the NMDA-antagonist ketamine, suggesting that central processing of the baroreflex may be similar in birds and mammals despite anatomical differences in arterial baroreceptive zones. Because graded infusions of vasoactive drugs could not consistently produce a plateau in the HR response, fitting data to a sigmoidal curve was difficult. Thus, we propose that variations of the Oxford method and linear regression analysis are superior method to assess baroreflex gain in pigeons than curve fitting.     

Protein polymorphism in a feral population of the pigeon Columba livia domestica

Sixteen enzymatic and non-enzymatic proteins of the pigeon Columba livia domestica were examined electrophoretically. These proteins were presumed to be under control by 22 loci. Of the 22 loci, 6 were defined as polymorphic and 15 as monomorphic. Another locus was variable, but the variation was not genetically interpretable. Average heterozygosity calculated over 21 loci was 0.075.