Energetics Research Group
Overview of research activity
Reseach activity of the energetics group focuses almost entirely on aspects of energy expenditure by vertebrate animals - in particular the causes of variation in energy demands, and also the consequences of such variability e.g. obesity and ageing.
Historically work of the group has concerned mostly studies of the energetics and biology of bats (n = 69 papers between 1985 and 2001) and general animal energetics - including the development of isotope based methods to measure free-living energy demands and other components of energy budgets, quantification of free-living expenditures of a diversity of animals, and elucidation of limits to sustainable energy expenditure (n = 79 papers between 1985 and 2001).
In addition to these major research aspects we have also worked on several other topics - notably the energetics of flight (9 papers between 1991 and 2001) and foraging energetics (6 papers between 1985 and 2001).
The only component of our research profile that has not historically concerned energetics is our research on sea turtle biology (8 papers between 1991 and 2001).
Current research interest is directed in three major areas.
(a) The variation in energy demands of free-living animals, the nature and consequences of sustainable limits in these energy demands, and the physiological basis of life history trade-offs.
(b) The associations between energy demands and ageing - in particular effects mediated via free-radical damage
(c) The consequences of variations in energy expenditure for the development of obesity. In particular the genetic and genomic basis of observed variations. Staff in the research group are also members of the Aberdeen Centre for Energy Regulation and Obesity (ACERO)
We retain more minor levels of research activity in the study of bat behaviour and sea turtles, the latter work becoming increasing focussed on energetic aspects.