Ebook: Adaptive Mechanisms in the Ecology of Vision

John Lythgoe was one of the pioneers of the 'Ecology of Vision', a subject that he ably delineated in his classic and inspirational book published some 20 years ago [1]. At heart, the original book aimed generally to identify inter-relationships between vision, animal behaviour and the environment. John Lythgoe excelled at identifying the interesting 'questions' in the ecology of an animal that fitted the 'answers' presented by an analysis of the visual system. Over the last twenty years, however, since Lythgoe's landmark publication, much progress has been made and the field has broadened considerably. In particular, our understanding of the 'adaptive mechanisms' underlying the ecology of vision has reached considerable depths, extending to the molecular dimension, partly as a result of development and application of new techniques. This complements the advances made in parallel in clinically oriented vision research [2]. The current book endeavours to review the progress made in the ecology of vision field by bringing together many of the major researchers presently active in the expanded subject area. The contents deal with theoretical and physical considerations of light and photoreception, present examples of visual system structure and function, and delve into aspects of visual behaviour and communi­ cation. Throughout the book, we have tried to emphasise one of the major themes to emerge within the ecology of vision: the high degree of adaptability that visual mechanisms are capable of undergoing in response to diverse, and dynamic, environments and behaviours.

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The field of the ecology of vision has grown considerably since John Lythgoe first wrote his original book on the subject in 1979. John Lythgoe was instrumental in founding the subject that has inspired vision researchers to relate the functioning of the visual system with the visual requirements demanded by the environment and behaviour of the animal in it.
This book represents a timely and much needed review of the wealth of research that has been carried out in the last twenty years. It deals with theoretical and physical considerations of light and photoreception, practical examples of visual system structure and function and aspects of visual behaviour and communication. Importantly, the book emphasises one of the main themes to have emerged from studies of the ecology of vision: that the visual system is extremely adaptable when confronted with changing environmental and behavioural conditions. Finally, this updated review is a multi-author collection of leading experts currently working in the field of visual ecology, a requirement that reflects the high level of current research activity.
The book approaches the visual system from many different areas of biology including neurobiology, sensory biology, cellular biology and behavioural biology. Consequently, the book will be of interest to workers both within and outside the field of vision research and also to undergraduate and graduate students interested in vision.

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The field of the ecology of vision has grown considerably since John Lythgoe first wrote his original book on the subject in 1979. John Lythgoe was instrumental in founding the subject that has inspired vision researchers to relate the functioning of the visual system with the visual requirements demanded by the environment and behaviour of the animal in it.
This book represents a timely and much needed review of the wealth of research that has been carried out in the last twenty years. It deals with theoretical and physical considerations of light and photoreception, practical examples of visual system structure and function and aspects of visual behaviour and communication. Importantly, the book emphasises one of the main themes to have emerged from studies of the ecology of vision: that the visual system is extremely adaptable when confronted with changing environmental and behavioural conditions. Finally, this updated review is a multi-author collection of leading experts currently working in the field of visual ecology, a requirement that reflects the high level of current research activity.
The book approaches the visual system from many different areas of biology including neurobiology, sensory biology, cellular biology and behavioural biology. Consequently, the book will be of interest to workers both within and outside the field of vision research and also to undergraduate and graduate students interested in vision.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xix
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Light and photoreception: Physical principles....Pages 3-23
Light and photoreception: Visual pigments and photoreception....Pages 25-42
Front Matter....Pages 43-49
Compound eye structure: Matching eye to environment....Pages 51-71
Vertebrate optical structure....Pages 73-94
A review of vertebrate and invertebrate ocular filters....Pages 95-162
Vertebrate photoreceptors....Pages 163-196
The extraretinal photoreceptors of non-mammalian vertebrates....Pages 197-222
The regulation of vertebrate biological clocks by light....Pages 223-243
Front Matter....Pages 245-250
Adaptation of visual pigments to the aquatic environment....Pages 251-283
Visual adaptations in crustaceans: Spectral sensitivity in diverse habitats....Pages 285-327
Functional organization of the outer retina in aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates: comparative aspects and possible significance to the ecology of vision....Pages 329-382
Inner retinal signal processing: adaptation to environmental light....Pages 383-412
Ecological aspects of vertebrate visual ontogeny....Pages 413-437
Molecular biology of photoreceptor spectral sensitivity....Pages 439-462
Front Matter....Pages 463-466
Visual systems, behaviour, and environment in cephalopods....Pages 467-483
Optical structure and visual fields in birds: their relationship with foraging behaviour and ecology....Pages 485-508
Behavioural ecology and retinal cell topography....Pages 509-535
Flower advertisement for insects: Bees, a case study....Pages 537-553
Bioluminescence....Pages 555-581
The behavior of animals around twilight with emphasis on coral reef communities....Pages 583-628
Back Matter....Pages 651-668
Vision and Behavior in Primates....Pages 629-650

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The field of the ecology of vision has grown considerably since John Lythgoe first wrote his original book on the subject in 1979. John Lythgoe was instrumental in founding the subject that has inspired vision researchers to relate the functioning of the visual system with the visual requirements demanded by the environment and behaviour of the animal in it.
This book represents a timely and much needed review of the wealth of research that has been carried out in the last twenty years. It deals with theoretical and physical considerations of light and photoreception, practical examples of visual system structure and function and aspects of visual behaviour and communication. Importantly, the book emphasises one of the main themes to have emerged from studies of the ecology of vision: that the visual system is extremely adaptable when confronted with changing environmental and behavioural conditions. Finally, this updated review is a multi-author collection of leading experts currently working in the field of visual ecology, a requirement that reflects the high level of current research activity.
The book approaches the visual system from many different areas of biology including neurobiology, sensory biology, cellular biology and behavioural biology. Consequently, the book will be of interest to workers both within and outside the field of vision research and also to undergraduate and graduate students interested in vision.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xix
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Light and photoreception: Physical principles....Pages 3-23
Light and photoreception: Visual pigments and photoreception....Pages 25-42
Front Matter....Pages 43-49
Compound eye structure: Matching eye to environment....Pages 51-71
Vertebrate optical structure....Pages 73-94
A review of vertebrate and invertebrate ocular filters....Pages 95-162
Vertebrate photoreceptors....Pages 163-196
The extraretinal photoreceptors of non-mammalian vertebrates....Pages 197-222
The regulation of vertebrate biological clocks by light....Pages 223-243
Front Matter....Pages 245-250
Adaptation of visual pigments to the aquatic environment....Pages 251-283
Visual adaptations in crustaceans: Spectral sensitivity in diverse habitats....Pages 285-327
Functional organization of the outer retina in aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates: comparative aspects and possible significance to the ecology of vision....Pages 329-382
Inner retinal signal processing: adaptation to environmental light....Pages 383-412
Ecological aspects of vertebrate visual ontogeny....Pages 413-437
Molecular biology of photoreceptor spectral sensitivity....Pages 439-462
Front Matter....Pages 463-466
Visual systems, behaviour, and environment in cephalopods....Pages 467-483
Optical structure and visual fields in birds: their relationship with foraging behaviour and ecology....Pages 485-508
Behavioural ecology and retinal cell topography....Pages 509-535
Flower advertisement for insects: Bees, a case study....Pages 537-553
Bioluminescence....Pages 555-581
The behavior of animals around twilight with emphasis on coral reef communities....Pages 583-628
Back Matter....Pages 651-668
Vision and Behavior in Primates....Pages 629-650
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