The vertical light-gradient and its potential impact on animal distribution and behavior

Forskningsoutput: TidskriftsbidragArtikel i vetenskaplig tidskriftPeer review

Sammanfattning

The visual environment provides vital cues allowing animals to assess habitat quality, weather conditions or measure time of day. Together with other sensory cues and physiological conditions, the visual environment sets behavioral states that make the animal more prone to engage in some behaviors, and less in others. This master-control of behavior serves a fundamental and essential role in determining the distribution and behavior of all animals. Although it is obvious that visual information contains vital input for setting behavioral states, the precise nature of these visual cues remains unknown. Here we use a recently described method to quantify the distribution of light reaching animals’ eyes in different environments. The method records the vertical gradient (as a function of elevation angle) of intensity, spatial structure and spectral balance. Comparison of measurements from different types of environments, weather conditions, times of day, and seasons reveal that these aspects can be readily discriminated from one another. The vertical gradients of radiance, spatial structure (contrast) and color are thus reliable indicators that are likely to have a strong impact on animal behavior and spatial distribution.

Originalspråkengelska
Artikelnummer951328
TidskriftFrontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Volym10
DOI
StatusPublished - 2022 aug. 11

Ämnesklassifikation (UKÄ)

  • Etologi
  • Zoologi

Fingeravtryck

Utforska forskningsämnen för ”The vertical light-gradient and its potential impact on animal distribution and behavior”. Tillsammans bildar de ett unikt fingeravtryck.

Citera det här