Functional diversification of vision in fishes

我的研究旨在促进我们对光环境如何影响鲑科鱼类视觉系统结构和功能的理解。在它们的整个生命历程中，鲑鱼在不同的光照环境中移动，从森林覆盖的淡水溪流到开阔的海洋环境。在这个过程中，他们的眼睛暴露在不同程度的紫外线辐射下。鲑科鱼可以用紫外线锥状光感受器检测紫外线辐射，这在调节偏振视觉中起着重要作用，偏振视觉是一种指导导航行为和迁移的感觉能力。然而，对紫外线敏感的鱼类和其他动物对潜在有害的紫外线辐射的脆弱性知之甚少。鲑鱼数量正以惊人的速度下降，同时，由于臭氧变薄、林业和采矿，环境中的紫外线水平也在发生变化。了解环境条件如何支持健康的视觉功能对水生生态系统的管理至关重要。我的研究将研究光环境如何影响鲑科鱼类视觉系统的发育、环境可塑性和功能多样性的进化。我将评估暴露于紫外线辐射如何影响紫外线锥细胞的分布和视网膜的视觉功能。本研究还将探讨甲状腺激素如何调节视网膜在紫外线辐射下的发育变化。比较具有不同生活史策略的不同鲑科鱼类将提供新的信息，了解发育过程中不同的紫外线敏感性模式如何导致不同的视觉功能和行为。这项研究将增强我们对鲑鱼在其生活史中应对各种视觉环境的进化策略的理解。它将有助于解决生物如何在加拿大不断变化的环境中发挥作用的重要方面，例如在林业活动频繁和采矿地区遇到的环境，这些地区对水生生态系统的管理至关重要。

My research is designed to advance our understanding of how the light environment affects the structure and function of the visual system in salmonid fishes. Throughout their life history, salmonids move through diverse light environments, from forest-canopied freshwater streams to the open marine environment. Along the way, their eyes are exposed to varying levels of ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Salmonids can detect UV radiation with UV cone photoreceptors and this plays an important role in mediating polarization vision, a sensory capability that guides navigational behavior and migration. However, little is known about the vulnerability of fish and other animals, with UV sensitivity, to potentially harmful UV radiation. Salmonid populations are declining at an alarming rate at a time when levels of UV light in the environment are also changing due to ozone thinning, forestry and mining. Understanding how environmental conditions support healthy visual function is essential to the management of aquatic ecosystems. My research will examine how the light environment influences the development, environmental plasticity and evolution of functionally diverse visual systems in salmonid fishes. I will assess how exposure to UV radiation affects the distribution of UV cones and visual function in the retina. This research will also explore how thyroid hormone regulates developmental changes in the retina in response to UV radiation. Comparing different salmonid species with distinct life history strategies will provide new information about how different patterns of UV sensitivity during development result in diverse visual function and behavior. This research will enhance our understanding of the evolutionary strategies used by salmonids to cope with the broad array of visual environments they encounter during their life history. It will help address important aspects of how organisms function in changing environments in Canada such as those encountered in areas of heavy forestry activity and mining where management of aquatic ecosystems is critical.