Spatial and temporal resolution of the white-tailed deer visual system

Vision in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) plays an important role in how deer perceive and interact with their environment. Although many aspects of deer vision have been investigated through the use of behavioral and electrophysiological methods, other aspects, such as temporal and spatial resolution, have not been investigated. I used electrophysiological methods to assess critical flicker fusion in deer to obtain an estimate of temporal resolution. My results suggest deer vision is highly adapted to visual processing of temporal information, allowing enhanced detection of movement, particularly during crepuscular periods. To estimate visual acuity, I trained deer to a visual stimulus to obtain an estimate of the spatial resolving capacity of the visual system. My results indicated deer were able to discriminate 4 cycles/degree, suggesting they are limited in the ability to discriminate fine detail of stationary objects and are finely adapted for movement detection and negotiating complex habitats.