Light and Colour under the Sea
In the International Year of the Reef 2018, Dr Anjani Ganase speculates how the loss of colour (through bleaching) on coral reefs might affect resident fish populations. Follow IYOR-T&T ( @IYORTT ) and AnjGanase ( @AnjGanase ) on twitter Have a look around, and see if you can distinguish the shades and intensities of colours that surround you in different levels of light. Remind yourself how vulnerable you feel in the dark. We have evolved sensitivity to colour and intensities of light, a quality crucial for survival. In order to forage for food efficiently, primates must distinguish between red and green colouration, so that in the forests we can pick out the ripe fruits, and also identify any danger lurking among the foliage (Gerl and Morris 2008). For many animals, colour along with other cues, assisted in mating; consider the plumage display of male birds or changes that indicate the females are fertile. For modern man, not being able to colour coordinate m...