Objective Many animal species can detect the electric fields in their environment. Electroreception has mainly been studied in aquatic vertebrates; fish like sharks and rays, gymnotid and mormirid electric fish, the lamprey, the platypus, the coelacanth, and one mammalian species, a dolphin. We have discovered that bumblebees can detect and learn about the weak electric fields that arise when they approach a flower. This is the first example of electroreception in a non-conductive medium, aerial electroreception (AE). Recently, we showed that AE can be achieved through the electro-mechanical coupling of mechanosensory hairs to the weak electric field surrounding the animal. This is much like the hair-raising sensation humans used to experience by browsing an arm near to a cathodic television set. Yet, humans cannot sense the weak electric fields surrounding a flower, so this potentially informative physical quantity had escaped scientific attention. To date, little is known about AE, its sensory ecology and evolution.I propose to study the biophysical basis of AE, addressing how and why it works, establishing its adaptive value and exploring its diversity. To achieve this, I will lead research to further understand AE in honeybees and bumblebees, our existing model systems, but also extend research to other arthropods bearing putative electrosensory structures. I will do so using state-of-the-art vibration measurement technology, biologically-relevant electric field generation, sensitive Ampere-meters and electrometers, and behavioural methods. The proposed research will transform our knowledge of electroreception. It will characterize novel detection mechanisms, reveal their adaptive diversity and establish their sensory ecological functions in terrestrial animals. The planned work is poised to be foundational, opening up an entire field of research into this novel, but potentially widespread, sensory modality. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological scienceszoologymammalogycetologynatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyentomologyapidologynatural sciencesbiological sciencesecologyecosystemsnatural sciencesphysical sciencesopticslaser physicsnatural sciencesbiological scienceszoologyinvertebrate zoology Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme Topic(s) ERC-2016-ADG - ERC Advanced Grant Call for proposal ERC-2016-ADG See other projects for this call Funding Scheme ERC-ADG - Advanced Grant Host institution UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL Net EU contribution € 2 294 320,00 Address BEACON HOUSE QUEENS ROAD BS8 1QU Bristol United Kingdom See on map Region South West (England) Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area Bristol, City of Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 2 294 320,00 Beneficiaries (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by Net EU contribution Expand all Collapse all UNIVERSITY OF BRISTOL United Kingdom Net EU contribution € 2 294 320,00 Address BEACON HOUSE QUEENS ROAD BS8 1QU Bristol See on map Region South West (England) Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Bristol/Bath area Bristol, City of Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 2 294 320,00
