ecophysiology Biologging Lab
Studying cardiac Physiology and Movement Ecology of small mammals & Birds
Dr Shannon E Currie - Lecturer in Native Animal Biology
About The Lab
The general aims of my research are to gain a deeper understanding of how animals cope physiologically with energetic challenges both in controlled settings and in the wild. Specifically, by studying how animals budget their time and most importantly, energy, my work seeks to understand how animals survive or perish when faced with current and changing ecological, behavioural and climatic pressures.
My future research is focused on the integration of new technologies (ECG, Acceleration, Temperature and GPS) to enable a more comprehensive assessment of the physiology and energy budgets of animals in their natural habitat.
Future Projects
If you’re a student or postdoc interested in collaborating - send me an email and I’ll be happy to discuss how we could work together!
Past Collaborations
In 2023 I ended my Research Fellowship at Universität Hamburg working in the Functional Ecology Lab with Dr Kathrin Dausmann. I had a glorious time working on hibernation and urban ecology of a spikey but endearing species- hedgehogs!
I was fortunate enough to receive an Alexander von Humboldt Postdoctoral Fellowship and conducted my second postdoc working in the Voigt Bat Lab at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research.
In 2017 I finished up my first postdoc position in the Yovel Bat Lab at Tel Aviv University and returned at the start of this year to carry out some additional research.
I have also maintained a strong collaboration with my PhD supervisor and mentor Prof Fritz Geiser and other members of the Torpor Lab, Dr Clare Stawski, Dr Anna Doty, and Dr Julia Nowack.
Projects:
Cardiac physiology and hibernation ecophysiology in free-living Hedgehogs
Energetics and biomechanics of bat flight
Heart rate, acceleration and energy expenditure in captive and free-flying Egyptian fruit bats
Cardiac electrophysiology, thermal biology and energetics of torpor in Australian bats
Physiological responses of small mammals to fire cues
Post-fire recovery of small marsupials
Heart rate logging and energy expenditure in Sugar Gliders under controlled and semi-natural conditions
Photo Credit: Sasha Danilovich-Bergman