University Library
  • Login
A gateway to Melbourne's research publications
Minerva Access is the University's Institutional Repository. It aims to collect, preserve, and showcase the intellectual output of staff and students of the University of Melbourne for a global audience.
View Item 
  • Minerva Access
  • Science
  • School of BioSciences
  • School of BioSciences - Research Publications
  • View Item
  • Minerva Access
  • Science
  • School of BioSciences
  • School of BioSciences - Research Publications
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Predators are attracted to the olfactory signals of prey.

    Thumbnail
    Download
    published version (376.7Kb)

    Citations
    Scopus
    Web of Science
    Altmetric
    57
    54
    Author
    Hughes, NK; Price, CJ; Banks, PB
    Date
    2010-09-30
    Source Title
    PLoS One
    Publisher
    Public Library of Science (PLoS)
    University of Melbourne Author/s
    Hughes, Nelika
    Affiliation
    School of BioSciences
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Document Type
    Journal Article
    Citations
    Hughes, N. K., Price, C. J. & Banks, P. B. (2010). Predators are attracted to the olfactory signals of prey.. PLoS One, 5 (9), pp.1-4. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0013114.
    Access Status
    Open Access
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/11343/256539
    DOI
    10.1371/journal.pone.0013114
    Open Access at PMC
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2948037
    Abstract
    BACKGROUND: Predator attraction to prey social signals can force prey to trade-off the social imperatives to communicate against the profound effect of predation on their future fitness. These tradeoffs underlie theories on the design and evolution of conspecific signalling systems and have received much attention in visual and acoustic signalling modes. Yet while most territorial mammals communicate using olfactory signals and olfactory hunting is widespread in predators, evidence for the attraction of predators to prey olfactory signals under field conditions is lacking. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: To redress this fundamental issue, we examined the attraction of free-roaming predators to discrete patches of scents collected from groups of two and six adult, male house mice, Mus domesticus, which primarily communicate through olfaction. Olfactorily-hunting predators were rapidly attracted to mouse scent signals, visiting mouse scented locations sooner, and in greater number, than control locations. There were no effects of signal concentration on predator attraction to their prey's signals. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This implies that communication will be costly if conspecific receivers and eavesdropping predators are simultaneously attracted to a signal. Significantly, our results also suggest that receivers may be at greater risk of predation when communicating than signallers, as receivers must visit risky patches of scent to perform their half of the communication equation, while signallers need not.

    Export Reference in RIS Format     

    Endnote

    • Click on "Export Reference in RIS Format" and choose "open with... Endnote".

    Refworks

    • Click on "Export Reference in RIS Format". Login to Refworks, go to References => Import References


    Collections
    • Minerva Elements Records [45770]
    • School of BioSciences - Research Publications [1092]
    Minerva AccessDepositing Your Work (for University of Melbourne Staff and Students)NewsFAQs

    BrowseCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects
    My AccountLoginRegister
    StatisticsMost Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors