Ecology of Colour Vision

Dr. Vorobyev is a head of Ecology of Colour Vision laboratory. The main theme of his research is the relationship between colour vision systems and colourful patterns of plant and animals. He uses psychophysical methods to study colour vision of man and animals. To understand the ecological significance of diversity of colour vision systems he combines mathematical modelling with measuring spectra of biologically important objects - flowers, fruits, birds’ plumage and fish skin.

Plants often use brightly coloured flowers to advertise a reward of nectar and pollen to insects and birds that pollinate them. Birds use colourful plumage to attract mates. Similarly, colourful patterns of fish skin are used to communicate with other fish. Animals also use coloured patterns to protect themselves. A coloured pattern may help conceal or disguise an animal, or advertise that it is toxic. The main theme of our research is the relationship between colour vision systems and colourful patterns of plant and animals. We use psychophysical methods to study colour vision of man and animals. To understand the ecological significance of diversity of colour vision systems we combine mathematical modelling with measuring spectra of biologically important objects - flowers, fruits, birds’ plumage and fish skin.

Dr Vorobyev’s work has attracted over 2200 citations (ISI h-index: 24; average citations per paper: 38).

To look at objects through animal eyes, we use mathematical modelling and encode the signals of animal photoreceptors using Blue, Green and Red primaries of a computer monitor.
A fish as it is seen though the eyes of a fish. Light is absorbed and scattered in water. Therefore fish colours depend on direction and distance from which they are viewed.
 

Available master and PhD projects:

1. Colour vision of reef fish. Reef fish uses colour for both camouflage and advertisement. The aim of the project is to reveal the relationship between colour vision of reef fish and fish colours using tropical trigger fish (Picasso fish) as a model system.

2. Human colour opponency. Colour opponent processing in humans and in other trichromatic primates could have evolved as an adaptation to optimal encoding of natural environment. The aim of this project is reveal the properties of colour opponent coding in humans and to compare these properties the properties of optimal colour opponency.

3. Colour perception in colour deficient people. Approximately 6% of male population are colour deficient. Often colour deficient people do not realise that their colour perception is different from that of colour normal observers until they undergo special tests. The aim of this project is to reveal the mechanisms which allow colour deficient people to compensate for their inability to see some colours and even to be superior to colour normal people in some visual tasks.
 

Dr Misha Vorobyev
Building 503, Room 369
85 Park Rd,
Grafton
Phone: +64 9 3737599 ext 86591
Fax: +64 9 373 7058
Email: m.vorobyev@auckland.ac.nz

1. Chromatic and achromatic vision birds and fish.
2. Insect colour vision in relation to flower colours.
3. Ecological relevance of primate colour vision.
4. Neural noise and encoding of visual information.

View information on research collaboration and publications.