VI
Introductory Remarks
with the uptake and use of stimuli representing different forms of energy. The
book brings together experts for the different sensory modalities. It stresses the
events taking place way out in the sensory periphery where the organism is
exposed to and comes into contact with its environment. The approach taken is
more adequately described by Ecology of Sensing than by sensory ecology
because the primary concern is sensory biology in relation to ecology, instead of
the other way around.
Sections II to VII of the book are devoted to different stimulus modalities,
whereas Section I covers aspects of general relevance for our topic. Thus, in the
first chapter David Dusenbery develops a big picture of sensory ecology, leaving
no doubt about the value of a rigorous quantitative understanding of the
underlying physics. He demonstrates how much can be learned by applying basic
physical principles to phenomena as complex as the motility of bacteria, the
mechanism of gradient detection, and the employment of pheromones for mate
attraction. Similarly rigorous physical approaches are found in the chapters
contributed by Henry Bennet-Clark (II.l) and Joseph Humphrey, Friedrich Barth,
and Karl Voss (Ill.l ). The second chapter by Lars Chittka and Adriana Briscoe
takes insect color vision to draw our attention to another general issue relevant to
the ecology of sensing. This issue is the widespread habit of sensory ecologists
(and many others) to rely on adaptive explanations without demonstrating the
impact of an "adaptive" trait on fitness and without considering alternative
explanations offered by evolutionary biology. In short, a good match between the
functional properties of a sense organ or a sensory system and behaviorally
relevant natural stimulus patterns should not be called "adaptation" without proper
analysis.
The following sections of the book are devoted to sensory systems serving
different stimulus modalities. They start with three chapters under the heading
Sound and Hearing (Section II). Henry Bennet-Clark elaborates on impedance
matching. This is a topic of fundamental importance in both acoustic signaling and
hearing. It stresses the physics at the interfaces between the animal and its
environment, which is crucial for a quantitative understanding of the chain of
processes in acoustic communication. Heiner Romer focuses on the question of
how the active space of acoustic communication can be increased, emphasizing
the role played by the transmission channel in animals differing greatly in size
(from grasshoppers to elephants), living in different natural environments, and
using air or water for sound transmission. Hans Winkler concludes this section
with a chapter on birds, the animal group likely to rely most extensively on
acoustic communication. The reader will be given answers to questions asked
about the specific consequences of ecology for signal transmission, signal
properties, broadcasting tactics, and natural habitat use.
The section on Medium Flow and Vibrations (Section Ill) is devoted to
arthropod motion-sensing hair sensilla, vertebrate vibration communication, and
the fish lateral line. In a joint effort of engineering, biology, and mathematics,
Joseph Humphrey, Friedrich Barth, and Karl Voss try to better understand the
Introductory Remarks
with the uptake and use of stimuli representing different forms of energy. The
book brings together experts for the different sensory modalities. It stresses the
events taking place way out in the sensory periphery where the organism is
exposed to and comes into contact with its environment. The approach taken is
more adequately described by Ecology of Sensing than by sensory ecology
because the primary concern is sensory biology in relation to ecology, instead of
the other way around.
Sections II to VII of the book are devoted to different stimulus modalities,
whereas Section I covers aspects of general relevance for our topic. Thus, in the
first chapter David Dusenbery develops a big picture of sensory ecology, leaving
no doubt about the value of a rigorous quantitative understanding of the
underlying physics. He demonstrates how much can be learned by applying basic
physical principles to phenomena as complex as the motility of bacteria, the
mechanism of gradient detection, and the employment of pheromones for mate
attraction. Similarly rigorous physical approaches are found in the chapters
contributed by Henry Bennet-Clark (II.l) and Joseph Humphrey, Friedrich Barth,
and Karl Voss (Ill.l ). The second chapter by Lars Chittka and Adriana Briscoe
takes insect color vision to draw our attention to another general issue relevant to
the ecology of sensing. This issue is the widespread habit of sensory ecologists
(and many others) to rely on adaptive explanations without demonstrating the
impact of an "adaptive" trait on fitness and without considering alternative
explanations offered by evolutionary biology. In short, a good match between the
functional properties of a sense organ or a sensory system and behaviorally
relevant natural stimulus patterns should not be called "adaptation" without proper
analysis.
The following sections of the book are devoted to sensory systems serving
different stimulus modalities. They start with three chapters under the heading
Sound and Hearing (Section II). Henry Bennet-Clark elaborates on impedance
matching. This is a topic of fundamental importance in both acoustic signaling and
hearing. It stresses the physics at the interfaces between the animal and its
environment, which is crucial for a quantitative understanding of the chain of
processes in acoustic communication. Heiner Romer focuses on the question of
how the active space of acoustic communication can be increased, emphasizing
the role played by the transmission channel in animals differing greatly in size
(from grasshoppers to elephants), living in different natural environments, and
using air or water for sound transmission. Hans Winkler concludes this section
with a chapter on birds, the animal group likely to rely most extensively on
acoustic communication. The reader will be given answers to questions asked
about the specific consequences of ecology for signal transmission, signal
properties, broadcasting tactics, and natural habitat use.
The section on Medium Flow and Vibrations (Section Ill) is devoted to
arthropod motion-sensing hair sensilla, vertebrate vibration communication, and
the fish lateral line. In a joint effort of engineering, biology, and mathematics,
Joseph Humphrey, Friedrich Barth, and Karl Voss try to better understand the