Researcher, PhD
Rachael Morgan

I am a fish physiologist interested in how fish cope with climate change. My research combines lab and field experiments to understand how fish respond to changing temperatures and fluctuating oxygen levels.

Research Interests

My work explores how fish can buffer the effects of climate change through acclimation and adaptation. I am particularly interested in the extent to which fish can use these two processes to mitigate the effects of high temperature and hypoxia. Much of my research has focused on tropical fish, which often live at the edge of their tolerance limits and regularly experience extreme temperatures and severe hypoxia. By studying these species, I aim to identify the physiological mechanisms that limit performance under extreme conditions, and the physiological adaptations that have evolved to allow fish to live in these environments. Going forward I am expanding my research to also include local fish species which may not have specific adapations to cope with extreme and fluctuating environmental conditions but that are increasingly being exposed to them in the wild.

Experimental approach

To have a mechanistic understanding of what is limiting fish performance under environmental change, I believe it is essential to know what is happening across different levels of the organism. To address my research questions, I therefore carry out laboratory experiments that use a combination of physiological and behavioural techniques, such as intermittent flow-through respirometry, thermal tolerance tests, swim performance measures and behavioural assays.

Current projects

In the heat of the night - Is late-night hypoxia acting as a bottleneck for coral reef-dwelling fish?