<p>Researchers have long assumed that black widow coloration functions as a warning signal to avian predators. However adult female black widow coloration does not resemble typical warning coloration in two distinct ways. First, black widows are less colorful than most other documented aposematic species. Second, the hourglass shape of an adult female varies both between species and within a site. Here I examine the ultimate causes and consequences of North American black widow coloration. </p><p>In chapter two I present data that suggest that black widow coloration not only functions as an aposematic signal to avian predators, but has also been selected to be inconspicuous to insect prey. In choice experiments with wild birds, I found that the red-and-black coloration of black widows deters potential predators: wild birds were ~3 times less likely to attack a black widow model with a red hourglass than one without. Using visual-system appropriate models, I also found that a black widow's red-and-black color combo is more apparent to a typical bird than typical insect (Euclidean color distance ~2.2 times greater for birds than insects). Additionally, an ancestral reconstruction revealed that red dorsal coloration is ancestral in black widows and that at some point some North American black widows lost their red dorsal coloration (while maintaining the ventral hourglass). Behaviorally, differences in red dorsal coloration between two North American species are accompanied by differences in microhabitat that affects how often a bird will view a black widow's dorsal region. All observations are consistent with a cost-benefit tradeoff of being conspicuous to potential predators while being inconspicuous to prey. I suggest that avoiding detection by prey --- combined with Müllerian mimicry --- may help explain why red-and-black aposematic signals occur frequently in nature.</p><p>In chapter three, I examine the variation in hourglass shape. Classical aposematic theory predicts near uniformity in warning signal appearance because a uniform signal is easier to learn to avoid than a variable signal. However the shape of the hourglass of North American black widows appears to vary both within and between sites in ways that are inconsistent with classical aposematic theory. Using 133 black widows of three different species from nine sites across the United States, I quantified the variation in hourglass shape and examined how Müllerian mimicry, species type, and condition each influenced hourglass shape. A principle components analysis revealed that 84.5% of the variation in hourglass shape can be explained by principle components 1, 2, and 3, which corresponded to hourglass size (PC1), the separation between hourglass parts (PC2), and the slenderness of the hourglass (PC3). Both a black widow's condition and species significantly predicted hourglass shape; however I found no support for localized Müllerian mimicry within different geographical regions. My results suggest a relaxed role for selection on hourglass shape. I discuss several hypotheses that could explain the variation in hourglass morphology including that potential predators may avoid any red markings rather than an exact shape (categorical rather than continuous perception).</p><p>In chapter four I expand on my work from chapter two to examine the eavesdropper's perspective on private communication channels. Private communication may benefit signalers by reducing the costs imposed by potential eavesdroppers such as parasites, predators, prey, or rivals. It is likely that private communication channels are influenced by the evolution of signalers, intended receivers, and potential eavesdroppers, but most studies only examine how private communication benefits signalers. Here, I address this shortcoming by examining visual private communication from a potential eavesdropper's perspective. Specifically, I ask if a signaler would face fitness consequences if a potential eavesdropper could detect its signal more clearly. By integrating studies on private communication with those on the evolution of vision, I suggest that published studies find few taxon-based constraints that could keep potential eavesdroppers from detecting most hypothesized forms of visual private communication. However, I find that private signals may persist over evolutionary time if the benefits of detecting a particular signal do not outweigh the functional costs a potential eavesdropper would suffer from evolving the ability to detect it.</p> / Dissertation

Diplomová práce pojednává o chaotických dynamických systémech se zvláštním zaměřením na jejich synchronizaci. Proces synchronizace je aplikován použitím dvou různých metod, a to - metodou úplné synchronizace na dva Lorenzovy systémy a metodou negativní zpětné vazby na dva Rösslerovy systémy. Dále je prozkoumána možná aplikace synchronizace chaotických systémů v oblasti soukromé komunikace, která je doplněná algoritmy v prostředí MATLAB.

This dissertation documents works on two projects, which are broadly related to photonic integration using III-V semiconductor platform for fiber-based optical communication. Our principal project aims to demonstrate continuous variable quantum key distribution (CV-QKD) with InP-based photonic integrated cir cuit at the 1550 nanometer of optical wavelength. CV QKD protocols, in which the key is encoded in the quadrature variables of light, has generated immense interest over the years because of its compatibility with the existing telecom infrastructure. In this thesis, we have proposed a design of a photonic inte grated circuit potentially capable of realizing this protocol with coherent states of light. From the practical perspective, we have basically designed an optical transmitter and an optical receiver capable of carrying out coherent communi cation via the optical fiber. Initially, we established a mathematical model of the transceiver system based on the optical transfer matrix of the foundry spe cific (Fraunhofer Heinrich Hertz Institute-Germany) building blocks. We have shown that our chip design is versatile in the sense that it can support multiple modulation schemes. Based on the mathematical model, we estimated the link budget to assess the feasibility of on-chip implementation of our protocol. Then we ran a circuit level simulation using the process design kit provided by our foundry to put our analysis on a better footing. The encouraging result from this step prompted us to generate the mask layout for our transceiver chips, which we eventually submitted to the foundry. The other project in the thesis grew out of a collaboration with one of our industry partners. The goal of the project is to enhance the performance of a distributed feedback laser emitting at the 1310 nanometer of optical wavelength by optimizing its design. To that end, we first derived the expression for transmission and reflection spectrum for the laser cavity. Those expressions contained parameters which needed to be obtained from the transverse and the longitudinal mode analysis of the laser. We performed the transverse mode analysis and the longitudinal mode analysis with commercially available numerical solvers. Those mode profiles critically depend on the grating physical parameters. Therefore by tweaking grating dimensions one can control the transmission characteristics of the laser.