All behaviors of an organism are rooted in sensory processing of signals from its environment, and nat ural selection shapes sensory adaptations to ensure successful detection of cues that maximize fitness. Sensory dr...All behaviors of an organism are rooted in sensory processing of signals from its environment, and nat ural selection shapes sensory adaptations to ensure successful detection of cues that maximize fitness. Sensory drive, or divergent selection for efficient signal transmission among heterogeneous environ ments, has been a useful hypothesis for describing sensory adaptations, but its current scope has pri marily focused on visual and acoustic sensory modalities. Chemosensation, the most widespread sensory modality in animals that includes the senses of smell and taste, is characterized by rapid evolu tion and has been linked to sensory adaptations to new environments in numerous lineages. Yet, olfac tion and gustation have been largely underappreciated in light of the sensory drive hypothesis. Here, we examine why chemosensory systems have been overlooked and discuss the potential of chemo sensation to shed new insight on the sensory drive hypothesis and vice versa. We provide suggestions for developing a framework to better incorporate studies of chemosensory adaptation that have the po tential to shape a more complete, coherent, and holistic interpretation of the sensory drive.展开更多
Sensory drive, the concept that sensory systems primarily evolve under the influence of environmen tal features and that animal signals are evolutionarily shaped and tuned by these previously existing sensory systems,...Sensory drive, the concept that sensory systems primarily evolve under the influence of environmen tal features and that animal signals are evolutionarily shaped and tuned by these previously existing sensory systems, has been thoroughly studied regarding visual signals across many animals. Much of this work has focused on spectral aspects of vision and signals. Here, I review work on polarized light signals of animals and relate these to what is known of polarization visual systems, polarized light aspects of visual scenes, and polarizationrelated behavior （e.g., orientation, habitatfinding, contrast enhancement）. Other than the broad patterns of scattered polarized light in the sky, most po larization in both terrestrial and aquatic environments results from either reflection or scattering in the horizontal plane. With overhead illumination, horizontal features such as the surfaces of many leaves or of air： water interfaces reflect horizontal polarization, and water scatters horizontally polar ized light under most conditions. Several animal species have been demonstrated to use horizontally polarized light fields or features in critical aspects of their biology. Significantly, most biological sig nals are also horizontally polarized. Here, I present relevant polarizationrelated behavior and discuss the hypothesis that sensory drive has evolutionarily influenced the structure of polarization signals. The paper also considers the evolutionary origin of circular polarization vision and circularly polar ized signals. It appears that this class of signals did not evolve under the influence of sensory drive. The study of signals based on polarized light is becoming a mature field of research.展开更多
It has been 25years since the formalization of the Sensory Drive hypothesis was published in the American Naturalist （1992）. Since then, there has been an explosion of research identifying its utility in contributin...It has been 25years since the formalization of the Sensory Drive hypothesis was published in the American Naturalist （1992）. Since then, there has been an explosion of research identifying its utility in contributing to our understanding of inter- and intra-specific variation in sensory systems and signaling properties. The main tenet of Sensory Drive is that environmental characteristics will influence the evolutionary trajectory of both sensory （detecting capabilities） and signaling （detectable features and behaviors） traits in predictable directions. We review the accumulating evidence in 154 studies addressing these questions and categorized their approach in terms of testing for environmental influence on sensory tuning, signal characteristics, or both. For the subset of studies that examined sensory tuning, there was greater support for Sensory Drive processes shaping visual than auditory tuning, and it was more prevalent in aquatic than terrestrial habitats. Terrestrial habitats and visual traits were the prevalent habitat and sensory modality in the 104 studies showing support for environmental influence on signaling properties. An additional 19 studies that found no supporting evidence for environmental influence on signaling traits were all based in terrestrial ecosystems and almost exclusively involved auditory signals. Only 29 studies examined the complete coevolutionary process between sensory and signaling traits and were dominated by fish visual communication. We discuss biophysical factors that may contribute to the visual and aquatic bias for Sensory Drive evidence, as well as biotic factors that may contribute to the lack of Sensory Drive processes in terrestrial acoustic signaling systems.展开更多
Colorful visual signals are important systems for investigating the effects of signaling environ ments and receiver physiology on signal evolution as predicted by the sensory drive hypothesis. Support for the sensory ...Colorful visual signals are important systems for investigating the effects of signaling environ ments and receiver physiology on signal evolution as predicted by the sensory drive hypothesis. Support for the sensory drive hypothesis on color signal evolution is mostly based on document ing correlations between the properties of signals and habitat conditions under which the signals are given （i.e., a correlational approach） and less commonly on the use of mathematical models that integrate representations of visual environments, signal properties, and sensory systems （i.e., a functional approach）. Here, we used an experimental approach in the field to evaluate signal efficacy of colorful lizard throat fans called dewlaps that show geographic variation in the lizard Anolis cristatellus. We used a remote controlled apparatus to display ＂fake dewlaps＂ to wild lizards to test for adaptive divergence in dewlap brightness （i.e., perceived intensity） among populations in situ. We found evidence of local adaptation in dewlap brightness consistent with the sensory drive hypothesis. Specifically, dewlaps that had the brightness characteristics of local lizards were more likely to be detected than those with the brightness characteristics of nonlocal lizards. Our findings indicate that simplified mathematical representations of visual environments may allow robust estimates of relative detectability or conspicuousness in natural habitats. We have shown the feasibility of evaluating color signal efficacy experimentally under natural conditions and dem onstrate the potential advantages of presenting isolated components of signals to an intended re ceiver to measure their contribution to signal function.展开更多
文摘All behaviors of an organism are rooted in sensory processing of signals from its environment, and nat ural selection shapes sensory adaptations to ensure successful detection of cues that maximize fitness. Sensory drive, or divergent selection for efficient signal transmission among heterogeneous environ ments, has been a useful hypothesis for describing sensory adaptations, but its current scope has pri marily focused on visual and acoustic sensory modalities. Chemosensation, the most widespread sensory modality in animals that includes the senses of smell and taste, is characterized by rapid evolu tion and has been linked to sensory adaptations to new environments in numerous lineages. Yet, olfac tion and gustation have been largely underappreciated in light of the sensory drive hypothesis. Here, we examine why chemosensory systems have been overlooked and discuss the potential of chemo sensation to shed new insight on the sensory drive hypothesis and vice versa. We provide suggestions for developing a framework to better incorporate studies of chemosensory adaptation that have the po tential to shape a more complete, coherent, and holistic interpretation of the sensory drive.
文摘Sensory drive, the concept that sensory systems primarily evolve under the influence of environmen tal features and that animal signals are evolutionarily shaped and tuned by these previously existing sensory systems, has been thoroughly studied regarding visual signals across many animals. Much of this work has focused on spectral aspects of vision and signals. Here, I review work on polarized light signals of animals and relate these to what is known of polarization visual systems, polarized light aspects of visual scenes, and polarizationrelated behavior （e.g., orientation, habitatfinding, contrast enhancement）. Other than the broad patterns of scattered polarized light in the sky, most po larization in both terrestrial and aquatic environments results from either reflection or scattering in the horizontal plane. With overhead illumination, horizontal features such as the surfaces of many leaves or of air： water interfaces reflect horizontal polarization, and water scatters horizontally polar ized light under most conditions. Several animal species have been demonstrated to use horizontally polarized light fields or features in critical aspects of their biology. Significantly, most biological sig nals are also horizontally polarized. Here, I present relevant polarizationrelated behavior and discuss the hypothesis that sensory drive has evolutionarily influenced the structure of polarization signals. The paper also considers the evolutionary origin of circular polarization vision and circularly polar ized signals. It appears that this class of signals did not evolve under the influence of sensory drive. The study of signals based on polarized light is becoming a mature field of research.
文摘It has been 25years since the formalization of the Sensory Drive hypothesis was published in the American Naturalist （1992）. Since then, there has been an explosion of research identifying its utility in contributing to our understanding of inter- and intra-specific variation in sensory systems and signaling properties. The main tenet of Sensory Drive is that environmental characteristics will influence the evolutionary trajectory of both sensory （detecting capabilities） and signaling （detectable features and behaviors） traits in predictable directions. We review the accumulating evidence in 154 studies addressing these questions and categorized their approach in terms of testing for environmental influence on sensory tuning, signal characteristics, or both. For the subset of studies that examined sensory tuning, there was greater support for Sensory Drive processes shaping visual than auditory tuning, and it was more prevalent in aquatic than terrestrial habitats. Terrestrial habitats and visual traits were the prevalent habitat and sensory modality in the 104 studies showing support for environmental influence on signaling properties. An additional 19 studies that found no supporting evidence for environmental influence on signaling traits were all based in terrestrial ecosystems and almost exclusively involved auditory signals. Only 29 studies examined the complete coevolutionary process between sensory and signaling traits and were dominated by fish visual communication. We discuss biophysical factors that may contribute to the visual and aquatic bias for Sensory Drive evidence, as well as biotic factors that may contribute to the lack of Sensory Drive processes in terrestrial acoustic signaling systems.
文摘Colorful visual signals are important systems for investigating the effects of signaling environ ments and receiver physiology on signal evolution as predicted by the sensory drive hypothesis. Support for the sensory drive hypothesis on color signal evolution is mostly based on document ing correlations between the properties of signals and habitat conditions under which the signals are given （i.e., a correlational approach） and less commonly on the use of mathematical models that integrate representations of visual environments, signal properties, and sensory systems （i.e., a functional approach）. Here, we used an experimental approach in the field to evaluate signal efficacy of colorful lizard throat fans called dewlaps that show geographic variation in the lizard Anolis cristatellus. We used a remote controlled apparatus to display ＂fake dewlaps＂ to wild lizards to test for adaptive divergence in dewlap brightness （i.e., perceived intensity） among populations in situ. We found evidence of local adaptation in dewlap brightness consistent with the sensory drive hypothesis. Specifically, dewlaps that had the brightness characteristics of local lizards were more likely to be detected than those with the brightness characteristics of nonlocal lizards. Our findings indicate that simplified mathematical representations of visual environments may allow robust estimates of relative detectability or conspicuousness in natural habitats. We have shown the feasibility of evaluating color signal efficacy experimentally under natural conditions and dem onstrate the potential advantages of presenting isolated components of signals to an intended re ceiver to measure their contribution to signal function.
