ABSTRACT
Biological systems and their surrounding environment are closely related to each other. The specificity of this relationship is said to be a major characteristic that sustains life. In this chapter, the authors discuss mainly how electromagnetic phenomena generated from atmospheric activity relate to biological systems. In addition, they focus on electroreception and magnetoreception. They have a connection with the change of electromagnetic fields in nature. Electroreception is the ability to detect external electric field. Magnetoreception is the ability to sense changes in a magnetic field to perceive direction, position, and navigation. The natural origins of the electromagnetic waves include the earth, the sun, atmosphere, and cosmic phenomena. The earth generates a magnetic field. Lightning strikes occur in the atmosphere which produces the electric field variation. Static electric fields are derived from the earth’s atmosphere as a part of global electric circuit.
