Behavioural, evolutionary and physiological ecology
About
Ecologists often begin by asking how interactions between individual and the environment result in differential survival & reproductive output of organisms depending on their size, age, sex & which traits they possess. These can result in predictable changes in population size and composition that, at broader scales, generates variation in gene flow among populations and differences in species ranges. Natural selection operates whenever there is variation in reproductive output because organisms differ in their ‘fit’ with the environment. Evolutionary change feeds back to affect future ecological interactions. Research at the Research School of Biology covers all aspects of the ecology-evolution cycle. Our key research strengths include: ecophysiology of plants and mammals; behavioural ecology of crabs, birds, insects, reptiles & fish; sensory ecology of crabs & insects; functional ecology of fish & plants; evolutionary genetics of microbes, fungi and reptiles; and the epigenetics of bees. We also have a strong international reputation for developing theory in evolution & ecology that transcends specific study taxa.
Projects
News
Red deer on a Scottish island are providing scientists with some of the first evidence that wild animals are evolving to give birth earlier in the year as the climate warms.
Warmer temperatures linked to climate change are having a big impact on the breeding habits of one of Australia’s most recognisable bird species, according to researchers at The Australian National University (ANU).
Five years ago, an ANU biologist proved that most female songbirds sing, but it’s a finding that many people are struggling to accept.
New research from Australia and Finland could help explain one of nature's strangest quirks - why some animals forego mating to help other animals procreate.
A recent study found that juvenile blue-tongue lizards have adult-like learning ability which might give them the edge they need to survive all by themselves.
Dan Noble and his research group explore how early developmental experiences impact physiology and metabolic function, and subsequently life history, using model lizard species.
Events
Koalas are eucalyptus folivore specialists that are heavily reliant on their gut microbiome to breakdown their high fibre, low protein diet. Here I will discuss our recent work investigating the koala gut microbiome; its role in koala health, nutrition and ecology.