Camouflage and the light environment
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
Department Name: Biosciences
Abstract
Being spotted by a predator can spell the end for an animal. Camouflage is therefore critical to the survival of many species and is one of the most common anti-predator strategies in nature. An animal's camouflage often depends on matching the colours and patterns of its surroundings, but how can it achieve this when the lighting conditions continually alter the background's appearance? The vegetation and textures in a scene create complex shadows and patterns that rapidly disappear when a cloud passes over and diffuses the lighting. Likewise the colours in a scene depend on atmospheric conditions; on a clear day shadows are blue-tinted, and when overcast the lighting colour becomes uniform. Interactions between lighting conditions and three-dimensional habitat structure could therefore be essential for the success of an animal's camouflage and affect its very survival.
A number of camouflage strategies have been identified that help animals stay unseen, and they often depend on specific lighting conditions. For example, counter-shading is a strategy found in many species that have dark backs and pale underbellies. This coloration helps to cancel out the shadows on the animal's underside, making its tell-tale shape less easily recognised. Coloration that creates false textures and depth cues is also found in many species; tactics that mimic illumination by direct sunlight. Background pattern matching can protect animals from predators, but the background patterns will shift and change throughout the day. It is therefore possible that these strategies become ineffective or even counterproductive under diffuse, overcast conditions. Beyond basic colour differences it remains unknown how these camouflage strategies perform in different light environments and habitat structures; understanding this interaction - which could affect the survival of any visually hunted species - will be the focus of my proposed research.
I plan to use an innovative range of experiments to investigate the importance of three-dimensional habitat structure, colour and lighting conditions on camouflage. First, I will determine whether reed warblers can select nest sites with lighting conditions that optimise the camouflage of their eggs, and test whether a mismatch between egg coloration and lighting increases their likelihood of being spotted by predators. Next, I will create artificial nests in the wild, testing how different camouflage strategies perform given the habitat structure and lighting conditions at the time of predation. Finally, I will use an online evolution game that allows computer-generated 'eggs' to evolve under different lighting conditions and against different backgrounds. I predict that the optimal camouflage strategy should switch depending on how light interacts with the three-dimensional structure of a scene. Flat habitats should favour strategies that create false textures and depth cues, and direct lighting should promote counter-shading and red-green colour matching over blue-yellow.
My research will provide fundamental insights into the importance of lighting conditions and the shape of a habitat on the survival of individual animals. These findings would be of immediate value to conservation projects to develop land-use strategies and farming practices that help protect vulnerable species from predation. Humans are changing the lighting conditions of habitats across the world as a consequence of climate change, potentially altering the efficacy of camouflage strategies that had evolved under different lighting regimes. My research therefore has the potential to open up new areas of research in camouflage, environmental change and conservation.
A number of camouflage strategies have been identified that help animals stay unseen, and they often depend on specific lighting conditions. For example, counter-shading is a strategy found in many species that have dark backs and pale underbellies. This coloration helps to cancel out the shadows on the animal's underside, making its tell-tale shape less easily recognised. Coloration that creates false textures and depth cues is also found in many species; tactics that mimic illumination by direct sunlight. Background pattern matching can protect animals from predators, but the background patterns will shift and change throughout the day. It is therefore possible that these strategies become ineffective or even counterproductive under diffuse, overcast conditions. Beyond basic colour differences it remains unknown how these camouflage strategies perform in different light environments and habitat structures; understanding this interaction - which could affect the survival of any visually hunted species - will be the focus of my proposed research.
I plan to use an innovative range of experiments to investigate the importance of three-dimensional habitat structure, colour and lighting conditions on camouflage. First, I will determine whether reed warblers can select nest sites with lighting conditions that optimise the camouflage of their eggs, and test whether a mismatch between egg coloration and lighting increases their likelihood of being spotted by predators. Next, I will create artificial nests in the wild, testing how different camouflage strategies perform given the habitat structure and lighting conditions at the time of predation. Finally, I will use an online evolution game that allows computer-generated 'eggs' to evolve under different lighting conditions and against different backgrounds. I predict that the optimal camouflage strategy should switch depending on how light interacts with the three-dimensional structure of a scene. Flat habitats should favour strategies that create false textures and depth cues, and direct lighting should promote counter-shading and red-green colour matching over blue-yellow.
My research will provide fundamental insights into the importance of lighting conditions and the shape of a habitat on the survival of individual animals. These findings would be of immediate value to conservation projects to develop land-use strategies and farming practices that help protect vulnerable species from predation. Humans are changing the lighting conditions of habitats across the world as a consequence of climate change, potentially altering the efficacy of camouflage strategies that had evolved under different lighting regimes. My research therefore has the potential to open up new areas of research in camouflage, environmental change and conservation.
Planned Impact
Conservation and Land Management:
Few habitats in the UK are not visually altered by human behaviour and land use practices. Understanding how vegetation structure and colour affects individual survival therefore has the potential to impact conservation via land-use policy. I will use my links with the British Trust for Ornithology and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, and will contact other relevant organisations (such as Natural England, the National Trust, RSPB, BirdLife International, BugLife, The Woodland Trust, The Forestry Commission, and The Wildlife Trusts), providing them with reports and inviting delegates to a workshop that will disseminate the findings of the proposed research. A working group will then be formed for exploring the practical applications of the findings in land-use strategies and policy.
Industry:
Visual ecology affects animal behaviour, and the ability to hide from view is essential in a number of sectors. The proposed research will develop new models for determining how coloration affects the conspicuousness of a given target, and how the light environment or surrounding features can affect the appearance or behaviour of an animal. These findings will be of immediate relevance to the defence sector, and I will discuss these with representatives from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, QinetiQ and the Ministry of Defence by creating contacts and meeting delegates at camouflage conferences. Animal welfare in farming and pest control are other areas that could benefit from the project's output, where, for example the light environment could affect the behaviour of prey, or their camouflaged predators (e.g. creating microhabitats where birds are more comfortable to forage for insect pests, or light environments that reduce stress in livestock).
Public:
Humans are highly visual animals and research into animal coloration is often covered extensively by the popular press and wildlife/nature production companies. The public interest in camouflage and willingness to participate in online 'citizen science' games is pivotal to the proposed camouflage evolution experiment. The game will gather valuable empirical data for the project while simultaneously engaging the public interactively, and offering them further information about the research. The game will attract over ten thousand participants online, and a number of stands will be set up in public spaces to interact with the local community. I have considerable experience in disseminating my research through television, radio and printed/online media outlets, and have attended a course on media communication. I will use my links with production companies to investigate opportunities for disseminating research output, and will further publicise my research through press releases, blog posts, social media and school visits (continuing in my role as STEM ambassador). I will also continue to develop my open source image analysis toolbox which allows anyone to turn a digital camera into a powerful tool for measuring the visual world. Creating an online objective image analysis forum and filming additional 'how-to' videos will continue to allow members of the public to engage with science or pursue their own science projects.
Artists:
Impressionist painters of the nineteenth century developed a new appreciation of how light, shadow and surrounding colours can influence the appearance of a scene long before the importance of these factors were investigated by science and industry. The artist Abbott Thayer later developed many theories of camouflage based his observations of nature that we are continuing to study today. Camouflage is a field where artists and scientists can easily learn from one another, and I have links with a number of artists interested in developing work based on animal vision, and software developers interested in augmented reality and seeing the world through the eyes of another species.
Few habitats in the UK are not visually altered by human behaviour and land use practices. Understanding how vegetation structure and colour affects individual survival therefore has the potential to impact conservation via land-use policy. I will use my links with the British Trust for Ornithology and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust, and will contact other relevant organisations (such as Natural England, the National Trust, RSPB, BirdLife International, BugLife, The Woodland Trust, The Forestry Commission, and The Wildlife Trusts), providing them with reports and inviting delegates to a workshop that will disseminate the findings of the proposed research. A working group will then be formed for exploring the practical applications of the findings in land-use strategies and policy.
Industry:
Visual ecology affects animal behaviour, and the ability to hide from view is essential in a number of sectors. The proposed research will develop new models for determining how coloration affects the conspicuousness of a given target, and how the light environment or surrounding features can affect the appearance or behaviour of an animal. These findings will be of immediate relevance to the defence sector, and I will discuss these with representatives from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, QinetiQ and the Ministry of Defence by creating contacts and meeting delegates at camouflage conferences. Animal welfare in farming and pest control are other areas that could benefit from the project's output, where, for example the light environment could affect the behaviour of prey, or their camouflaged predators (e.g. creating microhabitats where birds are more comfortable to forage for insect pests, or light environments that reduce stress in livestock).
Public:
Humans are highly visual animals and research into animal coloration is often covered extensively by the popular press and wildlife/nature production companies. The public interest in camouflage and willingness to participate in online 'citizen science' games is pivotal to the proposed camouflage evolution experiment. The game will gather valuable empirical data for the project while simultaneously engaging the public interactively, and offering them further information about the research. The game will attract over ten thousand participants online, and a number of stands will be set up in public spaces to interact with the local community. I have considerable experience in disseminating my research through television, radio and printed/online media outlets, and have attended a course on media communication. I will use my links with production companies to investigate opportunities for disseminating research output, and will further publicise my research through press releases, blog posts, social media and school visits (continuing in my role as STEM ambassador). I will also continue to develop my open source image analysis toolbox which allows anyone to turn a digital camera into a powerful tool for measuring the visual world. Creating an online objective image analysis forum and filming additional 'how-to' videos will continue to allow members of the public to engage with science or pursue their own science projects.
Artists:
Impressionist painters of the nineteenth century developed a new appreciation of how light, shadow and surrounding colours can influence the appearance of a scene long before the importance of these factors were investigated by science and industry. The artist Abbott Thayer later developed many theories of camouflage based his observations of nature that we are continuing to study today. Camouflage is a field where artists and scientists can easily learn from one another, and I have links with a number of artists interested in developing work based on animal vision, and software developers interested in augmented reality and seeing the world through the eyes of another species.
Organisations
- UNIVERSITY OF EXETER (Fellow, Lead Research Organisation)
- Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (Collaboration)
- University of Sussex (Collaboration)
- Deakin University (Collaboration)
- Griffith University (Collaboration)
- Cornell University (Collaboration)
- University of Queensland (Collaboration)
- Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EXETER (Collaboration)
- University of Bristol (Collaboration)
Publications
Briolat ES
(2021)
Artificial nighttime lighting impacts visual ecology links between flowers, pollinators and predators.
in Nature communications
Briolat ES
(2024)
Adapting genetic algorithms for artificial evolution of visual patterns under selection from wild predators.
in PloS one
Bullough K
(2023)
Artificial light at night causes conflicting behavioural and morphological defence responses in a marine isopod
in Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Caves E
(2020)
A customizable, low-cost optomotor apparatus: A powerful tool for behaviourally measuring visual capability
in Methods in Ecology and Evolution
Hancock GRA
(2022)
CamoEvo: An open access toolbox for artificial camouflage evolution experiments.
in Evolution; international journal of organic evolution
Hancock GRA
(2023)
Habitat geometry rather than visual acuity limits the visibility of a ground-nesting bird's clutch to terrestrial predators.
in Ecology and evolution
Title | Example Motion Modelling Video from The evolution of patterning during movement in a large-scale citizen science game |
Description | The motion dazzle hypothesis posits that high contrast geometric patterns can cause difficulties in tracking a moving target and has been argued to explain the patterning of animals such as zebras. Research to date has only tested a small number of patterns, offering equivocal support for the hypothesis. Here, we take a genetic programming approach to allow patterns to evolve based on their fitness (time taken to capture) and thus find the optimal strategy for providing protection when moving. Our 'Dazzle Bug' citizen science game tested over 1.5 million targets in a touch screen game at a popular visitor attraction. Surprisingly, we found that targets lost pattern elements during evolution and became closely background matching. Modelling results suggested that targets with lower motion energy were harder to catch. Our results indicate that low contrast, featureless targets offer the greatest protection against capture when in motion, challenging the motion dazzle hypothesis. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2020 |
URL | https://rs.figshare.com/articles/media/Example_Motion_Modelling_Video_from_The_evolution_of_patterni... |
Title | Example Motion Modelling Video from The evolution of patterning during movement in a large-scale citizen science game |
Description | The motion dazzle hypothesis posits that high contrast geometric patterns can cause difficulties in tracking a moving target and has been argued to explain the patterning of animals such as zebras. Research to date has only tested a small number of patterns, offering equivocal support for the hypothesis. Here, we take a genetic programming approach to allow patterns to evolve based on their fitness (time taken to capture) and thus find the optimal strategy for providing protection when moving. Our 'Dazzle Bug' citizen science game tested over 1.5 million targets in a touch screen game at a popular visitor attraction. Surprisingly, we found that targets lost pattern elements during evolution and became closely background matching. Modelling results suggested that targets with lower motion energy were harder to catch. Our results indicate that low contrast, featureless targets offer the greatest protection against capture when in motion, challenging the motion dazzle hypothesis. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2020 |
URL | https://rs.figshare.com/articles/media/Example_Motion_Modelling_Video_from_The_evolution_of_patterni... |
Description | The new "QCPA" toolbox has been released, allowing researchers to use calibrated digital imaging to model various aspects of animal vision, and to use this for spatiochromatic analyses (i.e. measuring colour and pattern simultaneously). We/I have set up an entire website and online community to host the software and provide detailed user guides. Our work has highlighted the potential impact of artificial light on the visual ecology of moths, including their ability to detect flowers at night. Broadband amber lights (such as PC amber or high pressure sodium lamps) are predicted to have odd intensity-dependent effects on flower detection. Conversely, the vision of the moths' predators is unlikely to be negatively impacted by the same light sources. Other work has identified the role artificial light plays on the perceived predation risk of Eurasian curlew. Higher levels of artificial light were found to increase flight initiation distances substantially, and our research suggests that this is partially driven by a fear of taking flight in darkness. We have linked the structure of light at night to behavioural and physiological responses in a marine isopod. This work highlights how not only light intensity, but also its structure (e.g. diffuseness/directness) can affect biological systems. I have developed a low-cost spectroradiometer that can measure light at low levels using 3D printed parts, off-the-shelf components and open-source software that links to a smart phone. It costs around £250, and has better low-light sensitivity than typical laboratory spectrometers. We have adapted our camouflage evolution algorithm to generate real-world prey, and have demonstrated the method's practicality using wild birds. |
Exploitation Route | The micaToolbox software is already in use by many researchers, and given its accessibility and scope is likely to be used by many more in the future. The software is primarily used by biologists, but has also been used in biomedicine, dentistry and industry (e.g. fashion industry) Our work on artificial light in moths and curlew paints a complex picture, and describes nuanced effects. Further behavioural work is required to determine how moths are affected by different light sources, and the knock-on implications for the predators and prey of curlew are yet to be determined. The OSpRad low-cost spectroradiometer releases a new tool for researchers, particularly those interested in investigating the effects of artificial light at night. However, the tool is potentially valuable to a wide range of fields that use spectrometry. |
Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Creative Economy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Education Environment Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology Culture Heritage Museums and Collections |
URL | http://www.empiricalimaging.com/ |
Description | Animal vision modelling is used by a number of industries and artists. For example, my animal vision models were used by UGG (the footwear maker) to develop a new line of shoes that showcase different animal vision types. My work was also part of an art installation by Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg's "Pollinator Pathway" project, a collaboration with the Eden Project designed to make gardens attractive to pollinators. |
First Year Of Impact | 2019 |
Sector | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Chemicals,Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Environment,Pharmaceuticals and Medical Biotechnology,Other |
Impact Types | Cultural Societal Economic Policy & public services |
Description | PhD studentship |
Amount | £92,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | GW4 |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2019 |
End | 09/2023 |
Description | The effects of artificial nighttime lighting on moth visual ecology and survival |
Amount | £554,197 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NE/W006359/1 |
Organisation | Natural Environment Research Council |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2022 |
End | 10/2025 |
Title | A colour appearance model based on efficient coding and natural scene statistics |
Description | We currently lack a usable colour appearance model for calculating the luminance or colour of objects that takes into account a range of visual phenomena. This project has developed a new model that uses information about contrast sensitivity functions and assumptions of limited neural bandwidth. The result is an extremely low-level (generalisable) model of colour appearance that can model an extremely wide range of phenomena. Future work will seek to extend the model into animal models. The pre-print is out, but the manuscript is currently under review (PLoS comp. biol. as of March 2023) |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Existing models of animal colour vision are known to fail in many situation, but we lack any other models. Our new model has the potential to impact on vast numbers of future studies that attempt to model animal vision. |
Title | Camouflage Genetic Algorithm |
Description | We have developed a Genetic Algorithm designed specifically to optimise camouflage against a given background. The GA has a number of advanced features that make it ideally suited to tacking camouflage/visual ecology issues. Optimising camouflage is typically very difficult, and indeed it will be impossible to ever reach an optimum as long as tehre are predators that can learn to overcome any common strategy. GAs are therefore well suited to tackling this question because they can optimise multiple aspects of an individual's phenotype, and maintain a population that can can exhibit frequency-dependent effects. |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | This new tool will be used by our lab, but is also available to other researchers for investigating questions relating to camouflage optimisation. |
URL | https://github.com/GeorgeHancock471/CamoEvo_Release_V1.2 |
Title | High sensitivity, low cost spectroradiometer |
Description | I developed a low-cost, high-sensitivity spectroradiometer from off-the-shelf components. This equipment is suitable for measuring the spectrum of low-intensity light levels required for research into artificial light at night. |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Too early to know impacts, but there have been a large number of researchers into ALAN wanting equipment like this, and multiple people asking for the equipment to be made more widely available. Pre-print is out, and a manuscript is under review (as of march 2023) with Journal of Experimental Biol. Ongoing work is developing this into a hyperspectral camera for structural measurements. |
Title | Quantitative colour and pattern analysis framework |
Description | The QCPA framework brings together tools for analysing spatial, chromatic and achromatic aspects of any scene, as perceived by a given visual system. The framework uses models of animal vision throughout to provide a large number of parameters which describe important visual properties of any sample/scene. The framework is built using open-source code and user-friendly workflows. |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Major components of this framework have already been used by one of my collaborators for analysing the evolution of birds of paradise (paper in PLoS Biology). The tools should be released in a couple of weeks, and will hopefully be used in a wide range of fields by a large number of researchers. |
URL | http://www.empiricalimaging.com |
Title | Colour_Results.csv;Isopods_R.pfd;Path_Results.csv;Path_Shadow.csv;path_Speed.csv from Artificial light at night causes conflicting behavioural and morphological defence responses in a marine isopod |
Description | Sea-slater calibrated photography measurements, taken before and after each trial, converted to bluetit cone catch quanta;R markdown script showing the full statistical analysis;Measurements of the sea-slaters' movement;Data showing the proportion of time sea-slaters spent in each zone;Data of the sea-slaters' speed and intermittent movement |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://rs.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Colour_Results_csv_Isopods_R_pfd_Path_Results_csv_Path_Shad... |
Title | Colour_Results.csv;Isopods_R.pfd;Path_Results.csv;Path_Shadow.csv;path_Speed.csv from Artificial light at night causes conflicting behavioural and morphological defence responses in a marine isopod |
Description | Sea-slater calibrated photography measurements, taken before and after each trial, converted to bluetit cone catch quanta;R markdown script showing the full statistical analysis;Measurements of the sea-slaters' movement;Data showing the proportion of time sea-slaters spent in each zone;Data of the sea-slaters' speed and intermittent movement |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
URL | https://rs.figshare.com/articles/dataset/Colour_Results_csv_Isopods_R_pfd_Path_Results_csv_Path_Shad... |
Description | Butterfly wing dazzle |
Organisation | University of Exeter |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I discovered a unique function of the patterns of butterfly wings when taking off, essentially tricking visual motion detectors into thinking the butterfly is moving in different directions to its actual direction of travel. I conceived the study, and wrote the code for analysing motion from videos. |
Collaborator Contribution | My collaborators are providing general expertise on the function of "dazzle" motion camouflage (Laura Kelley), and expertise in human psychophysics analysis (Anna Hughes). |
Impact | Motion detection algorithms for processing high-speed videos, controlling for the receiver's temporal and spatial acuity. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Coevolution between brood parasitic cuckoos and their hosts |
Organisation | Griffith University |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am providing expertise in analysing the appearance of parasitic cuckoo eggs, and producing colour-matched artificial eggs which let us explore the evolutionary function of egg phenotype. |
Collaborator Contribution | This project is being led by a PhD student of Andrea Manica and Will Feeney. They run the field site, and are the experts in brood parasitism. |
Impact | Methods for creating patterned, colour-calibrated artificial eggs, with varied shapes and volumes. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Coevolution between brood parasitic cuckoos and their hosts |
Organisation | University of Cambridge |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am providing expertise in analysing the appearance of parasitic cuckoo eggs, and producing colour-matched artificial eggs which let us explore the evolutionary function of egg phenotype. |
Collaborator Contribution | This project is being led by a PhD student of Andrea Manica and Will Feeney. They run the field site, and are the experts in brood parasitism. |
Impact | Methods for creating patterned, colour-calibrated artificial eggs, with varied shapes and volumes. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Colour appearance modelling based on efficient coding and natural scene statistics |
Organisation | University of Sussex |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I led the development of a novel colour appearance model, with the ultimate goal of being able to reliably model luminance and colour appearance based on a limited number of parameters. |
Collaborator Contribution | I collaborated with Prof. Daniel Osorio on this project. He provided valuable insights and fundamental concepts relating to his expertise in visual neuroscience. |
Impact | We have published a pre-print and the manuscript is currently (march 2023) in review with PloS Comp. Biol. We are currently extending the model to animal vision, and are likely to seek collaboration with other researchers to parametrise and validate the model in non-humans. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Effects of ALAN on antipredator defence strategies |
Organisation | University of Exeter |
Department | Environment and Sustainability Institute |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Led research into various systems, including shorebirds and isopods |
Collaborator Contribution | One of the students was supported by an Erasmus+ traineeship. |
Impact | paper on curlew responses to light levels and landscape of fear (published in Comms. Biol.) currently (March 2023) we have a manuscript nearing submission linking isopod antipredator behaviour and physiology to light structure and microhabitat properties. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Quantitative Colour and Pattern Analysis Framework |
Organisation | Deakin University |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I have helped develop an image analysis framework which combines spatial, chromatic and achromatic visual processing. I have written all of the code 9many thousands of lines), and conceived key elements of the image-processing framework, including noise reduction/edge reconstruction, and image segmentation steps which are all based on models of colour and luminance detection in animals. |
Collaborator Contribution | The conceptual framework behind this analysis has been in development for over 30 years (primarily by Prof. John Endler), and John has continued to provide ideas, clarifications and fixes. Together with the labs of Karen Cheney, Justin Marshall and John Endler (brought together by a shared PhD student, Cedric van den Berg) we have further developed the framework, and performed debugging and testing of the code. |
Impact | The framework we have developed in beta testing phase (ready for advanced release). This framework is a huge undertaking, involving many thousands of lines of code. It provides a comprehensive suite image processing, analysis and visualisation tools. We currently have a manuscript nearly ready for pre-print release (we are on the final edits). We have built a website which hosts a knowledge base (approximately 50 articles spanning >100 pages of text at the moment), a user forum, and video walk-through guides. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Quantitative Colour and Pattern Analysis Framework |
Organisation | University of Queensland |
Country | Australia |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I have helped develop an image analysis framework which combines spatial, chromatic and achromatic visual processing. I have written all of the code 9many thousands of lines), and conceived key elements of the image-processing framework, including noise reduction/edge reconstruction, and image segmentation steps which are all based on models of colour and luminance detection in animals. |
Collaborator Contribution | The conceptual framework behind this analysis has been in development for over 30 years (primarily by Prof. John Endler), and John has continued to provide ideas, clarifications and fixes. Together with the labs of Karen Cheney, Justin Marshall and John Endler (brought together by a shared PhD student, Cedric van den Berg) we have further developed the framework, and performed debugging and testing of the code. |
Impact | The framework we have developed in beta testing phase (ready for advanced release). This framework is a huge undertaking, involving many thousands of lines of code. It provides a comprehensive suite image processing, analysis and visualisation tools. We currently have a manuscript nearly ready for pre-print release (we are on the final edits). We have built a website which hosts a knowledge base (approximately 50 articles spanning >100 pages of text at the moment), a user forum, and video walk-through guides. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | Signal evolution in birds of paradise |
Organisation | Cornell University |
Country | United States |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I contributed to the analysis of bird of paradise visual displays, specifically providing tools for segmenting the displays into discrete colours for subsequent analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | My collaborators ran all other parts of the study (data collection, analysis etc...) |
Impact | We have published a paper in PloS Biology. |
Start Year | 2017 |
Description | Signalling and anti-predator function of guppy eye colour changes |
Organisation | University of Exeter |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I have provided methodological expertise for making colour-matched artificial 3D guppies for behavioural experiments, and novel methods for tracking the movement of guppies. These are essential components for investigating the importance of eye colour changes in guppies. |
Collaborator Contribution | My collaborators run their guppy field and lab study systems, and have contributed all other aspects of the research. |
Impact | One paper in Current Biology to date, and another paper in preparation. We have pioneered new methods for performing predation experiments without killing the prey (by making colour-calibrated robotic prey) |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | The impact of artificial lighting on hawkmoth visual ecology |
Organisation | University of Exeter |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | This project is investigating the effect of different artificial light sources on the visual ecology of hawkmoths, and their predators. We are building up a picture of how artificial light could affect nocturnal pollination, sexual signalling, and visual anti-predator defences. We are providing the conceptual analysis framework for this study and collecting or collating the data. |
Collaborator Contribution | This collaboration is partnered with Kevin Gaston's lab, and Jon Bennie's lab. Kevin and Jon are providing expertise on ecology and artificial lighting. |
Impact | Currently we have assembled large datasets of hawkmoth reflectance spectra, and relevant background reflectance spectra. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Description | The role of camouflage in the survival and conservation of ground-nesting birds |
Organisation | Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT) |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | I am the PI of a NERC CASE PhD project, which is a collaboration with the GWCT and Prof. Innes Cuthill at Bristol. |
Collaborator Contribution | The GWCT is providing access to their field system, data and training for my PhD student. Prof. Cuthill is providing expertise in visual ecology. |
Impact | Development of camouflage evolution genetic algorithm, development of methodologies for studying ground nesting birds. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | The role of camouflage in the survival and conservation of ground-nesting birds |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I am the PI of a NERC CASE PhD project, which is a collaboration with the GWCT and Prof. Innes Cuthill at Bristol. |
Collaborator Contribution | The GWCT is providing access to their field system, data and training for my PhD student. Prof. Cuthill is providing expertise in visual ecology. |
Impact | Development of camouflage evolution genetic algorithm, development of methodologies for studying ground nesting birds. |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | Using imaging techniques to classify cuckoo eggs and chicks |
Organisation | Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic |
Country | Czech Republic |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | I developed techniques for analysing the colours and patterns of cuckoo eggs, and the colours of cuckoo chicks in order to derive biologically useful information, such as the mother of a given egg, or the sex of a chick. The methods involve colour quantisation and egg-specific pattern analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | My collaborators run the study system being used in these studies, and provide system-specific knowledge. |
Impact | One paper in the Journal of Ornithology, and new methods for investigating egg appearance based on pattern. |
Start Year | 2018 |
Title | Quantitative colour and pattern analysis framework |
Description | The QCPA framework brings together tools for analysing spatial, chromatic and achromatic aspects of any scene, as perceived by a given visual system. The framework uses models of animal vision throughout to provide a large number of parameters which describe important visual properties of any sample/scene. The framework is built using open-source code and user-friendly workflows. |
Type Of Technology | Software |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | Major components of this framework have already been used by one of my collaborators for analysing the evolution of birds of paradise (paper in PLoS Biology). The tools should be released in a couple of weeks, and will hopefully be used in a wide range of fields by a large number of researchers. |
URL | http://www.empiricalimaging.com |
Description | School outreach and science in the pub |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | School outreach included giving talks at our department's science of Christmas series (local schools), and also during the pandemic, making an online video of the talk. I also gave talks to general public at two science in the pub events. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019,2020,2021,2022 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KblNzsqQDLQ |