Sensitivity to biologically relevant odours may exceed the sum of component thresholds |
| |
Authors: | Matthias Laska Robyn Hudson Hans Distel |
| |
Institution: | (1) Zoologisches Institut der Universität, Poppelsdorfer Schlo, D-5300 Bonn, Federal Republic of Germany;(2) Present address: Institut für Medizinische Psychologie, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Goethestr. 31, D-8000 München 2, Federal Republik of Germany |
| |
Abstract: | Summary In four fruit-eating bats sniff-rate analysis revealed the threshold value for natural banana odour to be 1 × 10–4 vol% of head-space while the threshold values for its major components were found to be 3–6 orders of magnitude higher; even the total of molecules present at the threshold dilution of banana odour was 2 orders of magnitude below the lowest threshold values obtained for single components. Thus, the responsiveness of the bats to threshold concentration of natural banana odour is discussed as an example of synergism of stimuli. |
| |
Keywords: | complex odours perception olfactory thresholds components superadditivity Mammalia Chiroptera Phyllostomatidae Carollia perspicillata |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |