Behavioural and Physiological Ecology
About Us
Broadly, the goal of the Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology (BPE) is to investigate the specialised adaptations animals to thrive in various habits and quantify the impact of environmental changes, such as climate change and habitat degradation. We are particularly interested in wildlife that contend with the harshest conditions on the planet. We integrate aspects of thermal biology, energetics, foraging ecology, reproductive behaviour, and biophysical modelling to make predictions of how changes to climate and microclimates will affect wildlife. BPE has been tackling global problems regionally, nationally, and internationally by providing a productive and collaborative research environment for staff and research students.
Field-based studies quantifying the energetics and thermal ecology of wildlife Modelling the direct effects of climate change on wildlife Designing future-proof artificial habitat Insectivorous bats as a method for natural pest control in agriculture If you’re a potential honours, masters, PhD student or a potential post-doctoral researcher interested in joining BPE, please reach out to Zenon Czenze zczenze@une.edu.au
Field-based physiological research that integrates respirometry, biotelemetry, and fine-scale microclimate measurements to quantify how free-living wildlife balance energy and water budgets, identifying thermal thresholds, behavioural trade-offs, and limits to persistence.
Development of mechanistic biophysical and energetics models that integrate experimentally derived thermal tolerances, metabolic constraints, and spatial microclimate data to predict how rising temperatures directly influence species performance, distribution, and long-term population viability.
Designing and experimentally testing artificial habitats that buffer extreme thermal and hydric conditions, using biophysical modelling and empirical performance data to create climate-resilient refuges that enhance survival and persistence under projected warming scenarios.
Quantifying the ecosystem service value of insectivorous bats in agricultural systems by combining dietary analyses, activity monitoring, and pest abundance assessments to evaluate their capacity to suppress economically damaging insects and reduce reliance on chemical pesticides.
Our People Centre members include UNE research staff and postgraduate students, and collaborators from around the world... Centre Director Dr Zenon Czenze Emeritus Director Professor Fritz Geiser Professor Deborah Bower Professor Karl Vernes Professor Paul McDonald Dr. Eric Nordberg Dr Anna Probert Dr Heidi Kolkert Dr Tommy Leung Professor Michael Kearney Dr Katherine Moseby Professor Mark Brigham Professor Craig Willis Professor Andrew McKechnie Professor Stuart Parsons Professor Michał Wojciechowski Professor Gerald Kerth Professor Kathrin Dausmann Professor Tony Hickey Dr Liam McGuire Dr Chris Turbill Dr Shannon Conradie Dr Clare Stawski Dr Matthew Noakes Dr Shannon Currie Dr. Kris Wild Dr. Marc Freeman Dr. Dylan Baloun Dr. Gerhard Körtner Ruvi de Mel Sanjeev Baniya Sharon McGavin Courtney Adams Tina Watters Martin Campbell Taylor Cangemi Kate Rankin Kathleen Stewart
Senior Lecturer
Zoology
Professor
Zoology
Professor
Zoology
Professor
Ecosystem Management
Professor
Zoology
Associate Professor
Ecosystem Management
Senior Lecturer
Zoology
Senior Lecturer
Ecosystem Management
Lecturer
Zoology
Professor
University of Melbourne
Professor
University of New South Wales
Professor
University of Regina, Canada
Professor
University of Winnipeg, Germany
Professor
University of Pretoria, South Africa
Professor
University of Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand
Professor
Nicolaus Copernicus University, Poland
Professor
University of Greifswald, Germany Professor
Professor
University of Hamburg, Germany
Professor
University of Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand
Associate Professor
University of Waterloo
Associate Professor
University of Western Sydney
Senior Lecturer
University of Witwatersrand
Senior Lecturer
University of Sunshine Coast
Lecturer
University of Witwatersrand
Lecturer
University of Western Sydney
Research Fellow
University of Melbourne
Research Fellow
University of Pretoria
Research Fellow
Research Fellow
UNE, PhD (2026)
UNE, PhD (2027)
UNE, PhD (2026)
UNSW, PhD (2027)
UNBC, MSc (2026)
UNE, MSc (2024)
UW, BSc Hon (2026)
UNE, BSc Hon (2024)
UNE, BSc Hon (2024)
