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SUMMARY:The Sensory Ecology of Navigation - Marie Dacke\, Lund University
DTSTART:20250311T130000Z
DTEND:20250311T140000Z
UID:TALK229282@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Henry North
DESCRIPTION: A rapidly growing body of work indicates that neuronal networ
 ks are modulated in a context-dependent manner. This means\, for example\,
  that the visual environment that surrounds an orienting animal should als
 o influence the function of its compass. In insects\, sky compass signals 
 are relayed via several intermediate structures to the central complex\; a
  brain area that acts as an internal compass for orientation. This area of
  the brain also plays a role for walking\, memory and other integrative pr
 ocesses. How this multimodal role is managed at the cellular level is not 
 known\, but what we do know\, is that a given neuron in this part of the b
 rain responds differently depending on the animal’s behavioural state or
  available compass input. It can be concluded that to truly understand how
  a celestial compass works\, we benefit from studies it in unconstrained a
 nimals that orient in their natural environment. Dung beetles orient in so
 me of the most visually challenging habitats on earth: including dark nigh
 ts\, forests\, and cities. In addition\, they exhibit a singular and extre
 mely robust orientation behaviour. A beetle’s drive to roll its dung bal
 l along a single bearing is so strong that it can be evoked at any time of
  day in any setting. In this talk\, I will present unexpected findings on 
 the function of the insect compass\, driven primarily by observations in t
 he field.
LOCATION:Part II Lecture Theatre\, Department of Zoology
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