The evolution of visual systems is constrained by a trade-off between spati
al and temporal resolution. In this article we aim at identifying the cause
s of the trade-off at the retinal level in both artificial and natural visu
al systems. We start by selecting two factors that limit the values of spat
ial and temporal resolution. Then we show in two experiments on the evoluti
on of an artificial system that the two factors induce trade-off curves con
necting the evolved values of spatial and temporal resolution. A comparison
of the experimental results with the resolution evolved in natural visual
systems leads us to the conclusion that in natural systems the same factors
are responsible for the observed trade-off.