Answer:
Evolution is the process that allows the appearance and elaboration of signals, but the key question is: what selective forces led - and lead - to the appearance of color characteristics and chromatic patterns ?, not only in the scope of a species concrete - such as the black bib of the common sparrow (Passer domesticus) - but also within each family or even within a wider framework, for example the light colored spots that we see in the outer feathers of the tail of the bird species Dr. Senar explains the methods and results of the experiments performed so that the reader can compare their interpretation with the scientific advocacy, but also involve other alternative hypotheses. For example, the supposed signals of dominance Do they represent correlations with age and sex, which in turn correlate with dominance? And what can we say about deception, of those signs that exaggerate the status of an individual? The presentation of the different alternatives offers the reader the opportunity to detect the complexity of the selective forces and the difficulty of designing clear and conclusive experiments. In a similar way, the author presents the multiple hypotheses that address sexual selection and delayed maturation of plumage, thus facilitating the reader, understanding of the different topics discussed and a better appreciation of the elegant experiments that have been used to formulate and defend some of these hypotheses. Camouflage is treated in a separate chapter, but Dr. Senar not only focuses on the colors of the prey, which affects the object of investigations, but also on the color of predators, whose study has been the subject of much attention minor The interpretation of color as a bioindicator is an innovative approach that is proposed towards the end of the book. This is the first time that this possibility was raised, but, as the author points out, if the birds determine the quality of the habitat by the color of the potential couple that lives in it, there is no doubt that we should also be able to determine the quality of a habitat using similar means. Experiments that allow us to evaluate this approach are described throughout the book.
