Wegmann, Johanna

Desert ants (Cataglyphis nodus) are central-place foragers that search for food individually without relying on fixed pheromone trails. Their navigation relies strongly on path integration, integrating information from sky polarization patterns and other visual cues.

My PhD project investigates how polarized light signals are integrated with other visual inputs to guide navigation-relevant decisions. I use a laboratory-based virtual reality setup that allows precise manipulation of visual environments and ensures highly reproducible navigational conditions. In parallel, I complement these experiments with physiological approaches in the genetic model organism Drosophila melanogaster to dissect the underlying mechanisms of visual information processing.

In addition, I have recently worked on side projects related to foraging decision-making and food preference, which further inform my interest in how animals evaluate and integrate sensory information to optimize behavior.

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