Color in Nature

Color in Nature

Author: Justin Marshall

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2024-10-22

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 0691258619

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A marvelously illustrated guide to color in the natural world Recent years have seen tremendous strides in the fields of vision, visual ecology, and our own multilayered experience of color in life and the world. These advances have been driven by astonishing discoveries in neuroscience and evolutionary biology as well as psychology and design. This beautifully illustrated book unlocks nature’s colorful purpose, revealing how creatures see color as well as shedding light on the important part that it plays in animal behavior, from reproduction and communication to aggression and defense. Color in Nature also places the human experience and uses of color in the context of all the colors around us, both in the natural world and in the world that we humans create for our own pleasure and purpose. A wide-ranging survey of a vibrant and compelling topic, Color in Nature will open your eyes to new ways of perceiving the world. Features a wealth of stunning color illustrations Explains what color is and how it happens Covers the physics, genetics, chemistry, physiology, and psychology of animal color perception Discusses colors humans don’t see or rarely use Sheds light on the evolution of colors for mating, hunting, fighting, deceiving, and hiding Provides insights into color blindness, bio-inspired colors, and people’s appreciation for art and design


Floral Mimicry

Floral Mimicry

Author: Steven D. Johnson

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 197

ISBN-13: 0198732694

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Thie is the first definitive book on floral mimicry, providing a wider treatise on floral adaptation and plant evolution.


Ecology of Sensing

Ecology of Sensing

Author: Friedrich G. Barth

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-06-29

Total Pages: 344

ISBN-13: 3662226448

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Sense organs serve as a kind of biological interface between the environment and the organism. Therefore, the relationship between sensory systems and ecology is very close and its knowledge of fundamental importance for an understanding of animal behavior. The sixteen chapters of this book exemplify the diversity of the constraints and opportunities associated with the sensation of stimuli representing different forms of energy. The book stresses the events taking place in the sensory periphery where the animal is exposed to and gets in touch with its natural habitat and acquires the information needed to organize its interaction with its environment. Ecology of Sensing brings together the leading experts in the field.


The Mind of a Bee

The Mind of a Bee

Author: Lars Chittka

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2022-07-26

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 0691180474

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A rich and surprising exploration of the intelligence of bees Most of us are aware of the hive mind—the power of bees as an amazing collective. But do we know how uniquely intelligent bees are as individuals? In The Mind of a Bee, Lars Chittka draws from decades of research, including his own pioneering work, to argue that bees have remarkable cognitive abilities. He shows that they are profoundly smart, have distinct personalities, can recognize flowers and human faces, exhibit basic emotions, count, use simple tools, solve problems, and learn by observing others. They may even possess consciousness. Taking readers deep into the sensory world of bees, Chittka illustrates how bee brains are unparalleled in the animal kingdom in terms of how much sophisticated material is packed into their tiny nervous systems. He looks at their innate behaviors and the ways their evolution as foragers may have contributed to their keen spatial memory. Chittka also examines the psychological differences between bees and the ethical dilemmas that arise in conservation and laboratory settings because bees feel and think. Throughout, he touches on the fascinating history behind the study of bee behavior. Exploring an insect whose sensory experiences rival those of humans, The Mind of a Bee reveals the singular abilities of some of the world’s most incredible creatures.