ABSTRACT
The study ol the development of spatial orientation lends itself to an ecological approach. First, being spatially oriented is most critical for organisms when they are moving within natural, large-scale environments. All organisms have species-specific needs for achieving and maintaining spatial orientation, whether these be foraging for food, making seasonal migrations, or traveling to engage in economic concerns. To meet these needs, each species has evolved mechanisms or strategies for maintaining orientation that are particularly adapted to their ecology. Second, as organisms mature, the ecological context of their behavior changes and imposes different demands for spatial orientation. Orientation strategies must be developmentally adapted to such ecological changes. Finally, different individuals within a species encounter different ecological demands for orientation. These different demands may play a significant role in the development of individual variations in orientation ability within a species.
