New research explores scent communication in polar bears

The authors also suggest that scent communication in polar bears may be compromised if climate-change driven sea ice losses in the Arctic intensify. This research was undertaken by the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, Polar Bears International and U.S. Geological Survey in Alaska.

“Effective communication is essential for successful reproduction in solitary, wide-ranging animals,” said Dr. Megan Owen, lead author of the Journal of Zoology study.

“Developing an understanding of how communication is tied to the environment may enhance our ability to predict the impacts of rapid environmental change on populations.”

This chemical form of communication was likely shaped by the environmental constraints of Arctic sea ice. Scientists worry that this communication may be impacted if scent trails are disrupted due to the increased fracturing of sea ice from climate change.

Polar bears are largely solitary animals, coming together for brief periods for reproduction. As in many similar species, scent is thought to play a critical role in social communication, both in terms of avoiding potentially aggressive individuals as well as finding potential mates.

“Scent communication is instrumental in both managing aggression and motivating reproductive interest in solitary species,” said Owen. “Scent communication plays a vital role in regulating social behavior, and this is particularly important during the breeding season.”

Bringing species back from the brink of extinction is the goal of San Diego Zoo Global. As a leader in conservation, the work of San Diego Zoo Global includes onsite wildlife conservation efforts (representing both plants and animals) at the San Diego Zoo, San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, as well as international field programs on six continents. The important conservation and science work of these entities is made possible by the San Diego Zoo Global Wildlife Conservancy and is supported in part by the Foundation of San Diego Zoo Global.

http://zoo.sandiegozoo.org/

Media Contact

Christina Simmons EurekAlert!

All latest news from the category: Ecology, The Environment and Conservation

This complex theme deals primarily with interactions between organisms and the environmental factors that impact them, but to a greater extent between individual inanimate environmental factors.

innovations-report offers informative reports and articles on topics such as climate protection, landscape conservation, ecological systems, wildlife and nature parks and ecosystem efficiency and balance.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Lighting up the future

New multidisciplinary research from the University of St Andrews could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting. Researchers at the Organic Semiconductor Centre in the School of Physics and…

Researchers crack sugarcane’s complex genetic code

Sweet success: Scientists created a highly accurate reference genome for one of the most important modern crops and found a rare example of how genes confer disease resistance in plants….

Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica’s ice sheets….

Partners & Sponsors