In many animals, nearly every important task, whether it be locomotion, communication, feeding, or mating, is governed by the availability of visual information. The theory of sensory drive predicts that sensory signals, sensory receptors and behaviors will adapt jointly to enable animals to see well, despite variable or challenging light environments. Yet, two important aspects of this theory are under-explored: the effect of actual light variation in natural environments (most studies only consider gross averages), and the ability of animals to improve what they view by choosing the best locations and angles within the habitat. Furthermore, more research is needed on synthesizing the complex interactions of morphology, behavior, and ecology to maintain visual performance.
In this study anecologically diverse, yet uniquely easy to study, group of Hawaiian Megalagrion damselflies will be used to investigate constraints and trade-offs in the insect compound eye visual system, to identify alternative designs by which visual performance can be maximized, and to expand the predictive power of current models of sensory system evolution. The study of sensory systems will be advanced by:
-exploring habitat light at scales relevant to the individual; -studying the effects of large differences in habitat light; -exploring the interaction of behavior and morphology in both signalers and receivers; -measuring actual performance in the field as well as under controlled laboratory conditions; -exploring the effects of scaling (variation in eye size with increasing body size); -understanding morphological integration in the eye as well as regional variations across the eye; and -synthesizing the complex interactions between morphology, ecology, behavior, and performance.
Furthermore, this work will involve undergraduate and graduate students and will contribute to conservation efforts for this threatened endemic Hawaiian insect group, and contribute to the development of artificial visual sensory systems.
