Pilakouta Lab
predicting responses to climate change
from molecules to populations and ecosystems
about the lab
Our research group, led by Dr Natalie Pilakouta, is based in the Centre for Biological Diversity at University of St Andrews. The overarching aim of our work is to improve our ability to predict population responses to human-induced environmental changes and, in particular, climate change. We are also interested in linking these population responses to the underlying molecular mechanisms and their effects on ecosystem-level processes.
Working towards this goal, our research integrates behavioural ecology, evolutionary biology, and ecophysiology, using a wide range of methods, such as experimental evolution, field-based studies, molecular biology techniques, and theoretical approaches. We work mainly on fish and insect study systems, but our work is question-driven rather than species-driven. We also use meta-analytic techniques to answer questions with a broad taxonomic scope. If you are interested in joining the lab, click here for more information and any open positions.
news
September 2024 ― Hot off the press! Check out our new paper in Proceedings of the Royal Society B on the multiplicative effects of chronic and acute thermal stressors on animal fertility
September 2024 ― New paper in Animal Behaviour showing that heatwaves during early development can have long-term effects on parental care in adulthood
September 2024 ― This month, we welcome Hannah Hughes and Caitlin Tennant who have joined the lab for their Honours projects
August 2024 ― A warm welcome to Jakob Wiil (PhD student) and Isobel Grieve (MRes student) who have just joined the lab!
July 2024 ― Natalie was interviewed for and featured in a Nature news feature on the importance of publishing null results
July 2024 ― Natalie gave an invited talk at the Society for Experimental Biology (SEB) Conference in Prague, Czechia
April 2024 ― Natalie has taken on the role of Deputy Director of Research in the School of Biology
February 2024 ― New paper in Ecological Solutions and Evidence, which is the result of a large collaborative effort to produce a systematic map of studies testing the relationship between temperature and animal reproduction
January 2024 ― Welcome to Oli Green who has joined the lab for his MSc project!