
Camouflage is one of the most widely observed adaptations of animals to their visual environment as a vast array of animals conceal themselves by matching the colour, pattern and/or shape of their surroundings; whether this is to hide from predators or ambush their prey. This apparent abundance of camouflage highlights its importance as a anti-predator defence while its ironically ‘conspicious’ relationship to the surrounding envrionment makes it a useful tool for understanding the ecology of animals.
The Exeter Visual Ecology lab has a long history of camouflage research and utilises a range of experimental, computational and field research to help understand the adaptive function of different camouflage adaptations and how the visual environment drives the evolution of these adaptations.
While our lab tackles a wide range of camouflage research questions, currently our focuses include:
- Lighting, 3D structure and camouflage.
- Viewing angle and acuity.
- Trade-offs in animal colour change.
- Motion camouflage.
- Generalist vs specialist camouflage.
