摘要或動機

本研究是以數位科技改良生物實驗上的傳統比色法，並探討中國樹蟾及台北樹蛙的變色行為。有些兩棲類有變色行為，這是眾所皆知的現象，過去一向採用比色法判斷生物體的體色變化；然而，以人眼去測定色差，會有相當大的主觀誤差。本研究及是探討以數位科技量化並比較實驗對象的變色情形。在研究過程中，用電腦量化數位相機所拍攝的影像，以像素的方式呈現出來，得以取的準確且客觀的實驗數據，並加以解析，也經由此一實驗方式，交叉比較中國樹蟾及台北樹蛙在不同環境和不同時間下的變色情形。結果顯示：樹蛙變色和環境顏色及時間有密切關係，且在短時間內以數位量化的方式解析其變色行為的方法極為可行。The purpose of this study is to investigate the color variation behavior of tree frogs using an image processing technology. It is known that some of the amphibians have the ability to change their skin color under different circumstances. In the past, a conventional “color comparison” method was frequently used whenever it comes to analyzing the color variation of organisms. However, it is realized that evaluation of color difference by human eyes is extremely unreliable. An advanced image processing technology is thus suggested to quantify the variation of skin color of tree frogs under different conditions in this experiment. Accurate quantification can be determined from the pixel number of exhibited digital images during the experiment. The color variation of different species of frogs (Hyla chinensis & Rhacophorus taipeianus) is also compared under different parameters. It is found that the color variation of tree frogs is closely related to the color of back ground as well as time. The proposed digital quantification technique has been successfully demonstrated to be an effective method for analyzing the color variation of frogs within a very short time.