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鱼视觉系统的结构和功能的理解。在它们的生活史中，鲑鱼通过不同的光环境，从森林覆盖的淡水溪流到开放的海洋环境。沿着，他们的眼睛暴露在不同程度的紫外线（UV）辐射。鲑科动物可以用紫外线锥光感受器检测紫外线辐射，这在介导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，对于具有紫外线敏感性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。鲑鱼种群正在以惊人的速度下降，而环境中的紫外线水平也因臭氧层变薄、森林和采矿而发生变化。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鱼功能多样的视觉系统的发育，环境可塑性和进化。我将评估暴露于紫外线辐射如何影响视网膜中紫外线视锥细胞的分布和视觉功能。这项研究还将探索甲状腺激素如何调节视网膜对紫外线辐射的反应。 比较不同的鲑鱼物种与不同的生活史策略将提供新的信息，如何在不同的视觉功能和行为的发展过程中的不同模式的紫外线敏感性。这项研究将增强我们对鲑鱼所使用的进化策略的理解，以科普他们在生活史中遇到的各种视觉环境。 它将有助于解决生物体如何在加拿大不断变化的环境中发挥作用的重要方面，例如在林业活动和采矿活动密集的地区遇到的问题，在这些地区，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.