Gary Burness - Biology - Trent University

Gary Burness in front of a spruce tree, wearing a blue and purple checkered shirt and glasses, smiling at the camera.

B.Sc. (Memorial)
M.Sc. (Brock)
Ph.D. (University of British Columbia)

Office: LHS C252

Phone: 705-748-1011 ext. 7288

Research interests

Ecological and evolutionary physiology
Animal energetics
Metabolism

My research is at the interface of physiology, ecology and evolution. I use a combination of field-work and laboratory studies to understand how energetic trade-offs influence reproductive fitness. I am particularly interested in the links among an animal’s metabolic rate, life-history strategy, and response to environmental stress.

Teaching

BIOL 1030H: Foundations in Cell and Molecular Biology

BIOL 3830H: Animal Physiology I

BIOL 3840H: Animal Physiology II

Selected publications

*Indicates undergraduate co-author

Tabh JKR, *Hartjes M & G Burness. Endotherms trade body temperature regulation for the stress response. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 290: 20231251

Tabh JKR, Mastromonaco G & G. Burness. (2022). Stress-induced changes in body surface temperature are repeatable, but do not differ between urban and rural birds. Oecologia 198: 663-677.

Tapper S, Nocera JJ & G Burness. (2020). Heat dissipation capacity influences reproductive performance in an aerial insectivore. Journal of Experimental Biology223: jeb222232.

Fischer D, Marrotte RR, Chin EH, Coulson S & G Burness. (2020) Maternal glucocorticoid levels during incubation predict breeding success but not reproductive investment in a free ranging- bird. Biology Open 9: bio045898

*Burrows B, *Ben-Ezra N & G Burness. (2019). Exposure of avian embryos to cycling incubation temperatures reduces adult innate immunity. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology. 92:286-292.

Burness G, *Moher D, *Ben-Ezra N, *Kelly RJ, Hasselquist D & EH Chin. (2018). Maternal immunization increases nestling energy expenditure, immune function, and fledging success in a passerine bird. Biology Open 7: bio028803.

Information for prospective students:

I am always excited to discuss graduate opportunities in my lab with highly motivated students. Because the field of evolutionary physiology is by nature inter-disciplinary, I welcome any inquiries from students with backgrounds in physiology, molecular biology, ecology and/or evolutionary biology. Under my guidance, students develop their own research projects within the general framework of animal energetics, and incorporate both field and lab work, whenever possible.