Biochromatics - MS107036

• Title: Biochromatics
• Czech title: Biochromatics
• Guaranteed by: Department of Philosophy and History of Science (31-107)
• Faculty: Faculty of Science
• Actual: from 2025
• Semester: winter
• E-Credits: 3
• Examination process: winter s.:combined
• Hours per week, examination: winter s.:2/0, Ex [HT]
• Capacity: unlimited
• Min. number of students: unlimited
• 4EU+: no
• Virtual mobility / capacity: no
• State of the course: taught
• Language: English
• Guarantor: Mgr. Jindřich Brejcha, Ph.D.
• Teacher(s): Mgr. Jindřich Brejcha, Ph.D.

Annotation

Biochromatics is the study of how organisms produce and utilize color, encompassing both the underlying
mechanisms and the ecological and evolutionary significance of coloration. This course introduces students to the
diverse strategies organisms ose to create color, including pigment-based and structural mechanisms, as well as
dynamic changes in coloration.

Students will explore key topics such as the biochemical pathways of pigment synthesis, the physics of structural
colors, and the interactions between color and the environment. The course also examines the roles of coloration
in communication, camouflage, mate selection and other biological functions.

Combining perspectives from biology, chemistry and physics, this interdisciplinary course provides a
comprehensive understanding of the science of color in nature and its broader applications. It is suitable for
students interested in natural sciences and those seeking to understand the intricate processes that shape the
visual diversity of life.

Last update: Joseph Jacques, Mgr., Ph.D. (14.05.2025)

Course completion requirements

Essay

For the essay, students will read a recent scientific paper related to biochromatics and write a two-page A4 analysis. The essay should summarize the paper's main findings, discuss methods, and assess its implications in the context of biological coloration. This assignment will help students engage with current research and improve their scientific writing.

Exam

During the oral exam, students will first discuss their essay. Afterward, I will ask one question related to the topics covered in the lessons. Students will need to demonstrate their understanding by answering the question and connecting the course concepts to the content of the paper, methods and results discussed earlier.

Last update: Joseph Jacques, Mgr., Ph.D. (14.05.2025)

Syllabus

Lesson 1: Introduction to Biochromatics

• Overview of biological coloration: pigments and structural colors

• Evolutionary significance and functions of color

Lesson 2: Pigments in the Natural World

• Types of pigments: melanins, carotenids, psittacofulvins, pterins and others

• Biochemistry and distribution across taxa

Lesson 3: Biochemical Pathways of Pigment Production

• Enzymes and genetic pathways involved in pigment synthesis

• Case studies: Melanin pathway and psittacofulvin synthesis in parrots

Lesson 4: Structural Colors - Physics in Biology

• Mechanisms of light scattering, diffraction and interference

• Examples: Irridescence in butterflies and non-iridescent blues in birds

Lesson 5: Structural Colors - Nanostructures and Beyond

• Photonic crystals and multilayer reflectors

• Case studies: Morpho butterflies and lizards

Lesson 6: Dynamic Coloration and Color Change

• Cromatophores, iridophores and leucophores

• Mechanisms in cephalopods, chameleons and fish

Lesson 7: Combined Mechanisms - Pigments and Structures

• How pigments and nanostructures interact to produce complex colors

• Examples: Green coloration, violet

Lesson 8: Color Vision and Perception in Organisms

• How animals perceive and interpret colors

• Influence of vision on the evolution of coloration strategies

• Metamerism

Lesson 9: Ecological Roles of Coloration

• Camouflage, mimicry, warning coloration and mating signals

• Case studies: Aposematism in poison dart frogs, mimicry in butterflies

Lesson 10: Evolutionary Perspectives in Coloration

• Natural and sexual selection in the evolution of color traits

• Adaptive radiations and convergent evolution

Lesson 11: Coloration in Plants and Microorganisms

• Pigments in flowers, fruits and microorganisms

• Ecological and biochemical roles

Lesson 12: Applications and Biomimicry

• How human technologies mimic natural coloration

• Future directions in the study of biochromatics

Last update: Joseph Jacques, Mgr., Ph.D. (14.05.2025)