Temperature-induced shifts and temperature compensation in the tuning of motion-sensitive neurons of bumblebees

In the past, the influence of temperature on sensory systems and neuronal coding was investigated in different insect species. Most studies described a temperature dependency of neuronal responses. Yet, some behavioural processes require robust encoding of information.

Here we investigated the influence of temperature on the tuning of wide-field motion-sensitive neurons in the central brain of bumblebees. Using multi-unit recordings, we examined neuronal tuning properties to translational motion by presenting moving gratings at two head temperature conditions. While the tuning of most neurons showed a temperature dependency, some neurons stayed unaffected within the tested temperature range.

In a third group of neurons the tuning was not affected by temperature for one movement-direction of the stimulus, while the response to the opposite direction was temperature-dependent. These different response types might serve different behavioural functions. Neurons that are involved in the control of self-motion might require temperature dependent response properties, because bumblebees fly faster at higher temperatures and therefore experience faster optic flow.

Other behaviours that rely on optic flow (e.g. measuring distance travelled) require a robust, temperature-independent encoding of optic flow information. Hence, neurons that respond largely independently of temperature are required for this task. Our findings suggest a function-dependent level of temperature compensation in different populations of motion-sensitive neurons.