The Behaviour and Physiology Research Group (BPRG), led by Steve Simpson, studies the neural, physiological, ecological and evolutionary bases of animal behaviour. The group's emphasis is "bottom-up", in that we are especially concerned with the way in which lower-level processes lead to higher level outcomes. Our approach focuses on the behaviour of individual organisms and involves an interplay between theory and experiment. Most of our experimental work is on insects, although recent work has examined fish, birds and mammals - including humans. Techniques employed include the quantitative analysis of behaviour, neurophysiology, metabolic and digestive physiology, mathematical modelling, computer simulations and laboratory selection experiments.

The hunger, the horror. (2008). New Scientist, May 31, 42-45.

Bazazi, S., Buhl, J., Hale, J. J., Anstey, M. L., Sword, G. A., Simpson, S. J. and Couzin, I. D. (2008). Collective motion and cannibalism in locust migratory bands. Current Biology, 18(10), 735-739.

Simpson, S.J. and Sword, G.A. (2008). Locusts. Current Biology 18(9), R364-366.

Lee, K.P., Simpson, S.J., Clissold, F.J., Brooks, R., Ballard, J.W.O., Taylor, P.W., Soran, N. and Raubenheimer, D. (2008) Lifespan and reproduction in Drosophila: new insights from nutritional geometry. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, U.S.A. 105, 2498-2503.

Warbrick-Smith, J., Behmer, S.T., Lee, K-P.,Raubenheimer, D. and Simpson, S.J. (2006). Evolving resistance to obesity in an insect. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, 103, 14045-14049.

Buhl, J., Sumpter, D.J.T., Couzin, I.C., Hale, J., Despland, E., Miller, E. and Simpson, S.J. (2006). From disorder to order in marching locusts. Science, 312, 1402-1406.

Simpson, S.J., Sword, G.A., Lorch, P.D. and Couzin, I.D. (2006) Cannibal crickets on a forced march for protein and salt. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 103, 4152-4156.

Align in the sand. Perspective. (2006) Science 312, 1320-1322.

March of the locusts. Research Highlights (2006). Nature 441, 670.

Push on the marching crickets. News & Views.(2006) Nature 440, 38.

Couzin, I.D., Krause, J, Franks, N.R. and Levin, S.A. (2005) Effective leadership and decision-making in animal groups on the move. Nature 434, 513-516.

Mayntz, D., Raubenheimer, D., Salomon, M. Toft, S. and Simpson, S.J. (2005) Nutrient-specific foraging in invertebrate predators. Science 307, 111-113.

"Can the locust wars be won?" (2005) Science 306, 1880-1882.

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