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Digest: How environmental light conditions shape the evolution of visual systems in birds.

Tatjana M Washington
Published in: Evolution; international journal of organic evolution (2024)
How do varying environmental light conditions influence the evolution of avian visual systems? Fröhlich et al. (2024) demonstrate that nocturnal birds evolved broader corneas and slightly longer axial lengths than their diurnal counterparts, increasing light capture efficiency. Nocturnal species also tended to maintain or reduce the size of brain regions responsible for vision, i.e., the optic tectum and the visual wulst. These results highlight adaptive trends in nocturnal species, where evolutionary improvement in low-light performance of eyes may be accompanied by compromised brain function.
Keyphrases
  • blood pressure
  • obstructive sleep apnea
  • resting state
  • optical coherence tomography
  • sleep apnea
  • white matter
  • sleep quality
  • functional connectivity
  • physical activity
  • genetic diversity