Light and life: an introduction -- The physical nature of light: the interaction of light with matter and molecules of life -- Biochromes: pigments and photoreception -- The cell membrane: molecular structure -- Specialized cellular membranes for photoreception: the chloroplast in photosynthesis -- Phototactic behavior: searching for light -- Emergence of an imaging eye -- Visual pigments -- Vertebrate eyes: structure and visual excitation -- Bird and fish eyes -- Spectral sensitivity and color vision -- Invertebrate eyes: variations in structural design for vision -- Polarized light in nature: detection by animals -- Light that controls behavior: extraocular photoreception -- Bioengineering: biomimetics
Summary
This comparative survey of how animals detect light and image in their world includes discussions of photoreceptors, light emitters and optics. It focuses on the evolution of different types of optical systems, describing how these systems have developed into more complex designs
Analysis
Organisms Effects of Light
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 229-251) and index
