Sensory Ecology, Information, and Decision-Making

Abstract This chapter presents an introduction to sensory ecology. It explains the key concept of information, including what this is and how animals gather and use information from their environment and from other individuals. It illustrates that the ecology of a species shapes the form and function of its sensory systems to best acquire and process information, and that the specific sensory information available to animals varies greatly between and even within species, owing to what sensory systems they have and how they work. It shows that our own perceptions of the world are probably very different from many other species. The chapter also introduces important considerations and pitfalls in studying behavioural ecology.