Adaptive Mechanisms in the Ecology of Vision

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xix

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2. General Principles

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. Light and photoreception: Physical principles

      • E. Loew

      Pages 3-23

   3. Light and photoreception: Visual pigments and photoreception

      • S. N. Archer

      Pages 25-42

3. Biophysical Adaptations

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 43-49

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   2. Compound eye structure: Matching eye to environment

      • M. F. Land

      Pages 51-71

   3. Vertebrate optical structure

      • J. G. Sivak, M. E. Andison, M. T. Pardue

      Pages 73-94

   4. A review of vertebrate and invertebrate ocular filters

      • R. H. Douglas, N. J. Marshall

      Pages 95-162

   5. Vertebrate photoreceptors

      • N. A. Locket

      Pages 163-196

   6. The extraretinal photoreceptors of non-mammalian vertebrates

      • J. Shand, R. G. Foster

      Pages 197-222

   7. The regulation of vertebrate biological clocks by light

      • R. G. Foster, I. Provencio

      Pages 223-243

4. Biochemical and Physiological Adaptations

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 245-250

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   2. Adaptation of visual pigments to the aquatic environment

      • J. C. Partridge, M. E. Cummings

      Pages 251-283

   3. Visual adaptations in crustaceans: Spectral sensitivity in diverse habitats

      • J. Marshall, J. Kent, T. Cronin

      Pages 285-327

   4. Functional organization of the outer retina in aquatic and terrestrial vertebrates: comparative aspects and possible significance to the ecology of vision

      • M. B. A. Djamgoz, S. Vallerga, H-J. Wagner

      Pages 329-382

   5. Inner retinal signal processing: adaptation to environmental light

      • L. J. Frishman, J. G. Robson

      Pages 383-412

   6. Ecological aspects of vertebrate visual ontogeny

      • L. Beaudet, C. W. Hawryshyn

      Pages 413-437

   7. Molecular biology of photoreceptor spectral sensitivity

      • J. K. Bowmaker, D. M. Hunt

      Pages 439-462

5. Behaviour and Communication

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 463-466

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   2. Visual systems, behaviour, and environment in cephalopods

      • W. R. A. Muntz

      Pages 467-483

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.

• Adaptation
• Crustacea
• Mammalia
• ecology
• environment
• neurobiology
• ontogeny

• International Marine Centre, Oristano, Sardinia, Italy

  S. N. Archer, S. Vallerga

• Department of Biology, Imperial College, London, UK

  M. B. A. Djamgoz

• Department of Physiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, USA

  E. R. Loew

• School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK

  J. C. Partridge

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