Volatile organic compounds in preen oil and feathers – a review
Alves Soares T, Caspers BA, Loos H (2024)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2024
Journal
DOI: 10.1111/brv.13059
Abstract
For a long time birds were assumed to be anosmic or at best microsmatic, with olfaction a poorly understood and seldom investigated part of avian physiology. The full viability of avian olfaction was first discovered through its functions in navigation and foraging. Subsequently, researchers have investigated the role of olfaction in different social and non-social contexts, including reproduction, kin recognition, predator avoidance, navigation and foraging. In parallel to the recognition of the importance of olfaction for avian social behaviour, there have been advances in the techniques and methods available for the sampling and analysis of trace volatiles and odourants, leading to insights into the chemistry underlying chemical communication in birds. This review provides (i) an overview of the current state of knowledge regarding the volatile chemical composition of preen oil and feathers, its phylogenetic coverage, chemical signatures and their potential functions, and (ii) a discussion of current methods used for the isolation and detection of volatiles. Finally, lines for future research are proposed.
Authors with CRIS profile
Tatjana Alves Soares
Lehrstuhl für Aroma- und Geruchsforschung
Helene Loos
Lehrstuhl für Aroma- und Geruchsforschung
Additional Organisation(s)
Involved external institutions
Germany (DE)How to cite
APA:
Alves Soares, T., Caspers, B.A., & Loos, H. (2024). Volatile organic compounds in preen oil and feathers – a review. Biological Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.13059
MLA:
Alves Soares, Tatjana, Barbara A. Caspers, and Helene Loos. "Volatile organic compounds in preen oil and feathers – a review." Biological Reviews (2024).
BibTeX: Download