Welcome to the CL•I•M•E lab! We are a group of ecologists and physiologists studying the diverse ways that ectothermic animals such as reptiles and insects respond to environmental change. By combining experiments, fieldwork and theoretical models, we seek to understand how animals function in their environments and how ecological and evolutionary processes shape their responses. Ultimately, we aim to use this knowledge to complement and improve predictions of species’ vulnerability to global change.

We are based in the beautiful Stellenbosch University campus at the southern tip of Africa and benefit from the close proximity of mountains, ocean, and amazing animal and plant diversity. The region is not immune to land transformation and degradation, with diverse gradients of urbanization and societal issues. These contrasts reinforce the importance of combining multiple stressors (e.g. climate, biological invasions and land use) when assessing the impacts of global change on these organisms.