Reproduction/reproductive behavior , mate recognition

Abstract Mate recognition is an essential component of successful reproductive behavior, and in rodent species, is primarily guided by the perception of social odors in the environment. Importantly, there is substantial evidence that species or sexual odor preferences may be regulated by early olfactory experience, although considerable variability in the plasticity of these behaviors has been observed. The current chapter summarizes what is known regarding the role of early olfactory experience in the development of adult odor preferences, synthesizing data across species, sex, and behavioral paradigms. 

Successful reproductive behavior relies on the ability to identify and approach appropriate mating partners within the environment. Critically, mate recognition requires identifying species and sex characteristics of possible mates. As in many mammalian species, rodents use odor cues as the primary mechanism for mate recognition (Johnston 1983). Thus, sexually mature rodents typically display strong behavioral preferences for conspecific odors from opposite-sex individuals compared to odors from the same-sex or heterospecific individuals (Johnston 1983). 

In fish the olfactory sense is important, in a species-specific way, during various situations and behaviors. Chemical cues released from heterospecific and conspe-cific individuals provide information about the presence of food items, predators, competitors, mates and allow the recognition of kin (e.g. reviews Hara 1994 Olsen 1999). Several species of fish are dependent on the olfactory sense to detect sex pheromones during reproduction (review Stacey and Sorensen 2006). Pollutants can have effects on one or more links in the chemical communication chain between the individuals (see Fig. 26.2). The chemicals can affect the sender of the pheromone or the individual that detects the signal, the receiver. It is also possible that the pheromone is affected by biotic and abiotic factors, such as bacteria, organic materials and pH, when released into the water. 

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