Fachbereich Biowissenschaften der J.W.Goethe-Universität Frankfurt, Haus A, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol. 2011 Jul;197(7):765-72. doi: 10.1007/s00359-011-0640-y. Epub 2011 Mar 31.
Tracks of pigeons, recorded with the help of GPS-receivers from two sites 30 km north and south of the Frankfurt loft, were analyzed in view of an influence of irregular fluctuations of the geomagnetic field. The data obtained were correlated with indices characterizing different aspects of these fluctuations. We found the best correlations with the index quantifying the average amplitude of the magnetic disturbance, and with an index that quantifies the average variability of the magnetic field on the day of release: stronger and more variable fluctuations lead to a counter-clockwise shift of the mean headings during the initial phase at the release site and the following departure phase, but not during the final homing phase leading to the loft. The steadiness of flight was not affected during the initial phase; however, during the later parts of the homing flight, stronger fluctuations, as well as higher variability in the magnetic field led to a marked decrease in steadiness. This continuing effect of magnetic fluctuations indicates that magnetic factors not only affect the beginning, but remain an integral part of the pigeons' navigational processes during the entire homing flight.
利用位于法兰克福鸽舍以北和以南 30 公里的两个地点的 GPS 接收器记录的鸽子轨迹，分析了不规则的地磁场波动的影响。将获得的数据与表征这些波动不同方面的指数相关联。我们发现与量化磁干扰平均幅度的指数以及量化释放日磁场平均可变性的指数相关性最好：更强且更具可变性的波动会导致释放点初始阶段和随后的出发阶段平均航向的逆时针偏移，但不会导致最终归巢阶段进入鸽舍。在初始阶段，飞行的稳定性不受影响；然而，在归巢飞行的后期，更强的波动以及磁场的更高可变性会导致稳定性明显下降。这种持续的磁场波动效应表明，磁因素不仅会影响开始阶段，而且在整个归巢飞行过程中仍然是鸽子导航过程的一个组成部分。
