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dc.contributor.authorStokkan, Karl-Arne
dc.contributor.authorFolkow, Lars
dc.contributor.authorDukes, Juliet
dc.contributor.authorNeveu, Magella
dc.contributor.authorHogg, Chris R
dc.contributor.authorSiefken, Sandra Katharina Christiane
dc.contributor.authorDakin, Steven C
dc.contributor.authorJeffery, Glen
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-11T09:27:12Z
dc.date.available2022-05-11T09:27:12Z
dc.date.issued2013-12-22
dc.description.abstractArctic reindeer experience extreme changes in environmental light from continuous summer daylight to continuous winter darkness. Here, we show that they may have a unique mechanism to cope with winter darkness by changing the wavelength reflection from their tapetum lucidum (TL). In summer, it is golden with most light reflected back directly through the retina, whereas in winter it is deep blue with less light reflected out of the eye. The blue reflection in winter is associated with significantly increased retinal sensitivity compared with summer animals. The wavelength of reflection depends on TL collagen spacing, with reduced spacing resulting in shorter wavelengths, which we confirmed in summer and winter animals. Winter animals have significantly increased intra-ocular pressure, probably produced by permanent pupil dilation blocking ocular drainage. This may explain the collagen compression. The resulting shift to a blue reflection may scatter light through photoreceptors rather than directly reflecting it, resulting in elevated retinal sensitivity via increased photon capture. This is, to our knowledge, the first description of a retinal structural adaptation to seasonal changes in environmental light. Increased sensitivity occurs at the cost of reduced acuity, but may be an important adaptation in reindeer to detect moving predators in the dark Arctic winter.en_US
dc.identifier.citationStokkan k.a., Folkow P., Dukes, Neveu M, Hogg CR, Siefken SKC, Dakin, Jeffery G. Shifting mirrors: adaptive changes in retinal reflections to winter darkness in Arctic reindeer. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences. 2013;280(1773)en_US
dc.identifier.cristinIDFRIDAID 1082059
dc.identifier.doi10.1098/rspb.2013.2451
dc.identifier.issn0962-8452
dc.identifier.issn1471-2954
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10037/25073
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherThe Royal Societyen_US
dc.relation.journalProceedings of the Royal Society of London. Biological Sciences
dc.rights.accessRightsopenAccessen_US
dc.rights.holderCopyright 2013 The Author(s)en_US
dc.titleShifting mirrors: adaptive changes in retinal reflections to winter darkness in Arctic reindeeren_US
dc.type.versionpublishedVersionen_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.typeTidsskriftartikkelen_US
dc.typePeer revieweden_US


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