Profile image of Peter Biro

A/Prof. Peter Biro

STAFF PROFILE

Position

Associate Professor In Behavioural Ecology

Faculty

Faculty of Sci Eng & Built Env

Department

School of Life & Env Sciences

Campus

Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus

Contact

pete.biro@deakin.edu.au
+61 3 522 72426

Biography

2011 to present:  Assoc. Prof. and ARC Future Fellow, Deakin University

2010 Senior Lecturer and ARC Future Fellow, UNSW.

2009 Lecturer, University of Technology, Sydney (UTS), Australia.

2006 Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Fellow, UTS.

2006 Endeavour Research Fellow, UTS.

2003 NSERC Postdoctoral fellow, University of Manitoba, Canada.

Read more on Peter's profile

Research interests

Research interests

  • animal behavior, physiology, population ecology, statistics

 

My research is currently exploring linkages between animal physiology, behaviour, life-history, and natural and human-caused selection in fish and other organisms.

In particular, I want to know what promotes the existence (& maintenance) of consistent individual differences in behavior, often termed ‘personality’ or ‘temperament’, and what this means for predator-prey interactions, and for practical issues such as sampling bias and the effects of human harvesting of animal populations.

Units taught

Animal Behaviour SLE224

Animal Diversity SLE204

Statistics SLE251

Research groups

Postdoctoral fellows


Dr Kerry Fanson (2012  - present)         Metabolism and animal personality

Dr Vincent Careau  (2013 - present)     Behavior, metabolism, thermal sensitivity

Dr Bart Adriaenssens (2010-2011)      Metabolism and animal personality

 

Research Associates

Francesca Santostefano    Guppy personality, honest signals and mating effort

 

Students

David Mitchell  (PhD 2015 - present)  Evolutionary and developmental effects of predation risk on behavior

Portia Sampson    (honours 2011)   Growth-personality links in crayfish, and implications for fishing harvest

Publications

Filter by

2024

The effect of mitochondrial recombination on fertilization success in blue mussels

G Bramwell, A Schultz, G Jennings, U Nini, C Vanbeek, P Biro, C Beckmann, A Dujon, F Thomas, C Sherman, B Ujvari

(2024), Vol. 913, Science of the Total Environment, C1

journal article

Behavioural ecology meets oncology: quantifying the recovery of animal behaviour to a transient exposure to a cancer risk factor

Hiske Klaassen, Sophie Tissot, Jordan Meliani, Justine Boutry, Anna Miltiadous, Peter Biro, David Mitchell, Beata Ujvari, Aaron Schultz, Frédéric Thomas, Antoine Dujon

(2024), Vol. 291, pp. 1-11, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, C1

journal article
2023

Multilevel repeatability shows selection may act on both personality and predictability, but neither is state dependent

T Cornwell, D Mitchell, C Beckmann, A Joynson, P Biro

(2023), Vol. 195, pp. 85-92, Animal Behaviour, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1

journal article

Developing seed- and shoot-based restoration approaches for the seagrass, Zostera muelleri

Y Tan, R Coleman, P Biro, O Dalby, E Jackson, L Govers, J Heusinkveld, P Macreadie, M Flindt, J Dewhurst, C Sherman

(2023), Vol. 31, pp. 1-13, Restoration Ecology, London, Eng., C1

journal article

The impact of food availability on tumorigenesis is evolutionarily conserved

S Tissot, L Guimard, J Meliani, J Boutry, A Dujon, J Capp, J Tökölyi, P Biro, C Beckmann, L Fontenille, N Do Khoa, R Hamede, B Roche, B Ujvari, A Nedelcu, F Thomas

(2023), Vol. 13, Scientific Reports, C1

journal article

Time-specific convergence and divergence in individual differences in behavior: Theory, protocols and analyzes

J Stamps, P Biro

(2023), Vol. 13, pp. 1-19, Ecology and Evolution, London, Eng., C1

journal article
2022

A novel perspective suggesting high sustained energy expenditure may be net protective against cancer

P Biro, F Thomas, B Ujvari, C Beckmann

(2022), Vol. 10, pp. 170-176, Evolution, Medicine and Public Health, Oxford, Eng., C1

journal article

Cancer Susceptibility as a Cost of Reproduction and Contributor to Life History Evolution

A Dujon, J Boutry, S Tissot, J Lemaître, A Boddy, A Gérard, A Alvergne, A Arnal, O Vincze, D Nicolas, M Giraudeau, M Telonis-Scott, A Schultz, P Pujol, P Biro, C Beckmann, R Hamede, B Roche, B Ujvari, F Thomas

(2022), Vol. 10, pp. 1-18, Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Lausanne, Switzerland, C1

journal article

Weak evidence that asset protection underlies temporal or contextual consistency in boldness of a terrestrial crustacean

D Beveridge, D Mitchell, C Beckmann, P Biro

(2022), Vol. 76, pp. 1-10, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, Berlin, Germany, C1

journal article
2021

Macronutrient composition and availability affects repeatability of fly activity through changes in among- and within-individual (residual) variation

B Fanson, K Fanson, P Biro

(2021), Vol. 35, pp. 387-399, Evolutionary Ecology, C1

journal article

Understanding the unexplained: The magnitude and correlates of individual differences in residual variance

D Mitchell, C Beckmann, P Biro

(2021), Vol. 11, pp. 7201-7210, Ecology and Evolution, England, C1

journal article

Genetic structure and gene flow in the Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea)

C Beckmann, R Major, G Frankham, S Thomas, P Biro, B Ujvari, L Neaves

(2021), Vol. 121, pp. 160-165, Emu, C1

journal article

Autumn lipid reserves, overwinter lipid depletion, and high winter mortality of rainbow trout in experimental lakes

P Biro, J Post, C Beckmann

(2021), Vol. 78, pp. 738-743, Canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences, Ottawa, Ont., C1

journal article
2020

Spontaneous activity rates and resting metabolism: support for the allocation model of energy management at the among-individual level

P Biro, F Thomas, B Ujvari, B Adriaenssens, C Beckmann

(2020), Vol. 126, pp. 32-39, Ethology, Chichester, Eng., C1

journal article

Rare and unique adaptations to cancer in domesticated species: An untapped resource?

F Thomas, M Giraudeau, N Dheilly, F Gouzerh, J Boutry, C Beckmann, P Biro, R Hamede, J Abadie, S Labrut, M Bieuville, D Misse, G Bramwell, A Schultz, G Le Loc'h, O Vincze, B Roche, F Renaud, T Russell, B Ujvari

(2020), Vol. 13, pp. 1605-1614, Evolutionary Applications, C1

journal article

Temporal autocorrelation: A neglected factor in the study of behavioral repeatability and plasticity

D Mitchell, A Dujon, C Beckmann, P Biro

(2020), Vol. 31, pp. 222-231, Behavioral Ecology, Oxford, Eng., C1

journal article

Integration of physiology, behaviour and life history traits: personality and pace of life in a marine gastropod

T Cornwell, I McCarthy, P Biro

(2020), Vol. 163, pp. 155-162, Animal Behaviour, C1

journal article

Can Energetic Capacity Help Explain Why Physical Activity Reduces Cancer Risk?

P Biro, F Thomas, B Ujvari, C Beckmann

(2020), Vol. 6, pp. 829-837, Trends in Cancer, United States, C1

journal article

Ecological and Evolutionary Consequences of Anticancer Adaptations

J Boutry, A Dujon, A Gerard, S Tissot, N Macdonald, A Schultz, P Biro, C Beckmann, R Hamede, D Hamilton, M Giraudeau, B Ujvari, F Thomas

(2020), Vol. 23, iScience, United States, C1

journal article
2019

Meta-analytic insights into factors influencing the repeatability of hormone levels in agricultural, ecological, and medical fields

K Fanson, P Biro

(2019), Vol. 316, pp. R101-R109, American Journal of Physiology - Regulatory Integrative and Comparative Physiology, United States, C1

journal article

The influence of environmental gradients on individual behaviour: Individual plasticity is consistent across risk and temperature gradients

T Cornwell, I McCarthy, C Snyder, P Biro

(2019), Vol. 88, pp. 511-520, Journal of Animal Ecology, England, C1

journal article

Obesity paradox in cancer: Is bigger really better?

B Ujvari, C Jacqueline, D Misse, V Amar, J Fitzpatrick, G Jennings, C Beckmann, S Rome, P Biro, R Gatenby, J Brown, L Almeida, F Thomas

(2019), Vol. 12, pp. 1092-1095, Evolutionary Applications, England, C1

journal article

Behavioral, energetic, and color trait integration in male guppies: Testing the melanocortin hypothesis

F Santostefano, K Fanson, J Endler, P Biro

(2019), Vol. 30, pp. 1539-1547, Behavioral Ecology, C1

journal article
2018

Cancer Is Not (Only) a Senescence Problem

F Thomas, F Vavre, T Tissot, M Vittecoq, M Giraudeau, F Bernex, D Misse, F Renaud, N Raven, C Beckmann, R Hamede, P Biro, B Ujvari

(2018), Vol. 4, pp. 169-172, Trends in Cancer, United States, C1

journal article

Metabolic scope as a proximate constraint on individual behavioral variation: effects on personality, plasticity, and predictability

P Biro, T Garland, C Beckmann, B Ujvari, F Thomas, J Post

(2018), Vol. 192, pp. 142-154, American naturalist, Chicago, Ill., C1

journal article

Chronic exposure to increased water temperature reveals few impacts on stress physiology and growth responses in juvenile Atlantic salmon

J Tromp, P Jones, M Brown, J Donald, P Biro, L Afonso

(2018), Vol. 495, pp. 196-204, Aquaculture, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1

journal article

Bayesian updating during development predicts genotypic differences in plasticity

J Stamps, P Biro, D Mitchell, J Saltz

(2018), Vol. 72, pp. 2167-2180, Evolution, United States, C1

journal article
2017

Curvilinear telomere length dynamics in a squamate reptile

B Ujvari, P Biro, J Charters, G Brown, K Heasman, C Beckmann, T Madsen

(2017), Vol. 31, pp. 753-759, Functional ecology, London, Eng., C1

journal article

Cancer: A disease at the crossroads of trade-offs

C Jacqueline, P Biro, C Beckmann, A Moller, F Renaud, G Sorci, A Tasiemski, B Ujvari, F Thomas

(2017), Vol. 10, pp. 215-225, Evolutionary Applications, England, C1

journal article

Changes in diet associated with cancer: An evolutionary perspective

F Thomas, S Rome, F Mery, E Dawson, J Montagne, P Biro, C Beckmann, F Renaud, R Poulin, M Raymond, B Ujvari

(2017), Vol. 10, pp. 651-657, Evolutionary Applications, England, C1

journal article

Is behavioural plasticity consistent across different environmental gradients and through time?

D Mitchell, P Biro

(2017), Vol. 284, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, England, C1

journal article

Avian nest abandonment prior to laying-a strategy to minimize predation risk?

M Flegeltaub, P Biro, C Beckmann

(2017), Vol. 158, pp. 1091-1098, Journal of ornithology, Berlin, Germany, C1

journal article

The importance of cancer cells for animal evolutionary ecology

F Thomas, C Jacqueline, T Tissot, M Henard, S Blanchet, G Loot, E Dawson, F Mery, F Renaud, J Montagne, C Beckmann, P Biro, R Hamede, B Ujvari

(2017), Vol. 1, pp. 1592-1595, Nature Ecology and Evolution, England, C1

journal article
2016

Cancer and life-history traits: lessons from host-parasite interactions

B Ujvari, C Beckmann, P Biro, A Arnal, A Tasiemski, F Massol, M Salzet, F Mery, C Boidin-Wichlacz, D Misse, F Renaud, M Vittecoq, T Tissot, B Roche, R Poulin, F Thomas

(2016), Vol. 143, pp. 533-541, Parasitology, Cambridge, Eng., C1

journal article

Individual boldness traits influenced by temperature in male Siamese fighting fish

M Forsatkar, M Nematollahi, P Biro, C Beckmann

(2016), Vol. 165, pp. 267-272, Physiology and Behavior, United States, C1

journal article

Personality and individual differences in plasticity

J Stamps, P Biro

(2016), Vol. 12, pp. 18-23, Current opinion in behavioral sciences, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1

journal article

Stress-induced peak (but not resting) metabolism correlates with mating display intensity in male guppies.

P Biro, K Fanson, F Santostefano

(2016), Vol. 6, pp. 6537-6545, Ecology and evolution, Chichester, Eng., C1

journal article

Towards powerful experimental and statistical approaches to study intraindividual variability in labile traits

D Mitchell, B Fanson, C Beckmann, P Biro

(2016), Vol. 3, Royal Society Open Science, England, C1

journal article

Adaptation

C Atherton

(2016), pp. 1-1, Axon : creative explorations, Canberra, A.C.T., J3

Non-Traditional Research Output
2015

Fishing directly selects on growth rate via behaviour: implications of growth-selection that is independent of size.

P Biro, P Sampson

(2015), Vol. 282, pp. 1-6, Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological sciences, London, Eng, C1

journal article

Using repeatability to study physiological and behavioural traits: ignore time-related change at your peril

P Biro, J Stamps

(2015), Vol. 105, pp. 223-230, Animal behaviour, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1

journal article

Hierarchical analysis of avian re-nesting behavior: mean, across-individual, and intra-individual responses

C Beckmann, P Biro, K Martin

(2015), Vol. 69, pp. 1631-1638, Behavioral ecology and sociobiology, New York, N.Y., C1

journal article
2014

Individual and sex-specific differences in intrinsic growth rate covary with consistent individual differences in behaviour

P Biro, B Adriaenssens, P Sampson

(2014), Vol. 83, pp. 1186-1195, Journal of Animal Ecology, England, C1

journal article

Individual variation in thermal performance curves: swimming burst speed and jumping endurance in wild-caught tropical clawed frogs

V Careau, P Biro, C Bonneaud, E Fokam, A Herrel

(2014), Vol. 175, pp. 471-480, Oecologia, Heidelberg, Germany, C1

journal article

Individual (co)variation in thermal reaction norms of standard and maximal metabolic rates in wild-caught slimy salamanders

V Careau, M Gifford, P Biro

(2014), Vol. 28, pp. 1175-1186, Functional ecology, Oxford, England, C1

journal article
2013

Are most samples of animals systematically biased? Consistent individual trait differences bias samples despite random sampling

P Biro

(2013), Vol. 171, pp. 339-345, Oecologia, Heidelberg, Germany, C1

journal article

How does temperature affect behaviour? Multilevel analysis of plasticity, personality and predictability in hermit crabs

M Briffa, D Bridger, P Biro

(2013), Vol. 86, pp. 47-54, Animal behaviour, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1

journal article

On the validity of a single (boldness) assay in personality research

C Beckmann, P Biro

(2013), Vol. 119, pp. 937-947, Ethology, London, England, C1

journal article

Predictability as a personality trait : consistent differences in intraindividual behavioral variation

P Biro, B Adriaenssens

(2013), Vol. 182, pp. 621-629, American naturalist, Chicago, Ill., C1

journal article

Personality and plasticity: Consistent responses within-, but not across-temperature situations in crabs

P Biro, J O'Connor, L Pedini, P Gribben

(2013), Vol. 150, pp. 799-811, Behaviour, Leiden, The Netherlands, C1-1

journal article
2012

Boldness, trappability and sampling bias in wild lizards

A Carter, R Heinsohn, A Goldizen, P Biro

(2012), Vol. 83, pp. 1051-1058, Animal behaviour, Oxford, England, C1

journal article

Do rapid assays predict repeatability in labile (behavioural) traits?

P Biro

(2012), Vol. 83, pp. 1295-1300, Animal behaviour, Oxford, England, C1

journal article

Introgression of domesticated alleles into a wild trout genotype and the impact on seasonal survival in natural lakes

W Vandersteen, P Biro, L Harris, R Devlin

(2012), Vol. 5, pp. 76-88, Evolutionary applications, Hoboken, N. J., C1

journal article

Unpredictable animals : individual differences in intraindividual variability (IIV)

J Stamps, M Briffa, P Biro

(2012), Vol. 83, pp. 1325-1334, Animal behaviour, Oxford, England, C1

journal article
2010

'Personality' in two species of temperate damselfish

A Eriksson, D Booth, P Biro

(2010), Vol. 420, pp. 273-276, Marine ecology progress series, Oldendorf, Germany, C1-1

journal article

Small within-day increases in temperature affects boldness and alters personality in coral reef fish

P Biro, C Beckmann, J Stamps

(2010), Vol. 277, pp. 71-77, Royal society of London. Proceedings B. Biological sciences, London, England, C1-1

journal article

Do consistent individual differences in metabolic rate promote consistent individual differences in behavior?

P Biro, J Stamps

(2010), Vol. 25, pp. 653-659, Trends in ecology and evolution, London, England, C1-1

journal article
2009

Performance of tropical fish recruiting to temperate habitats: role of ambient temperature and implications of climate change

W Figueira, P Biro, D Booth, V Valenzuela

(2009), Vol. 384, pp. 231-239, Marine ecology progress series, Oldendorf, Germany, C1-1

journal article
2008

Repeatability of foraging tactics in young brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis

P Biro, M Ridgway

(2008), Vol. 122, pp. 40-44, Canadian field-naturalist, Ottawa, Ont., C1-1

journal article

Rapid depletion of genotypes with fast growth and bold personality traits from harvested fish populations

P Biro, J Post

(2008), Vol. 105, pp. 2919-2922, National academy of sciences. Proceedings, Washington, D. C., C1-1

journal article

Are animal personality traits linked to life-history productivity?

P Biro, J Stamps

(2008), Vol. 23, pp. 361-368, Trends in ecology and evolution, London, England, C1-1

journal article

Early microhabitat use by age 0 year brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis in lakes

P Biro, C Beckmann, M Ridgway

(2008), Vol. 73, pp. 226-240, Journal of fish biology, Oxford, England, C1-1

journal article
2007

Direct manipulation of behaviour reveals a mechanism for variation in growth and mortality among prey populations

P Biro, M Abrahams, J Post

(2007), Vol. 73, pp. 891-896, Animal behaviour, Oxford, England, C1-1

journal article

Mechanisms for climate-induced mortality of fish populations in whole-lake experiments

P Biro, J Post, D Booth

(2007), Vol. 104, pp. 9715-9719, National academy of sciences. Proceedings, Washington, D. C., C1-1

journal article

Estimation of gillnet efficiency and selectivity across multiple sampling units : A hierarchical Bayesian analysis using mark-recapture data

P Askey, J Post, E Parkinson, E Rivot, A Paul, P Biro

(2007), Vol. 83, pp. 162-174, Fisheries research, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, C1-1

journal article
2006

Asymmetric impact of piscivorous birds on size-structured fish populations

C Beckmann, P Biro, J Post

(2006), Vol. 84, pp. 1584-1593, Canadian journal of zoology, Ottawa, Ont., C1-1

journal article

Behavioural trade-offs between growth and mortality explain evolution of submaximal growth rates

P Biro, M Abrahams, J Post, E Parkinson

(2006), Vol. 75, pp. 1165-1171, Journal of animal ecology, Oxford, England, C1-1

journal article
2005

Ontogeny of energy allocation reveals selective pressure promoting risk-taking behaviour in young fish cohorts

P Biro, J Post, M Abrahams

(2005), Vol. 272, pp. 1443-1448, Royal society of London. Proceedings B. Biological sciences, London, England, C1-1

journal article
2004

Over-winter lipid depletion and mortality of age-0 rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

P Biro, A Morton, J Post, E Parkinson

(2004), Vol. 61, pp. 1513-1519, Canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences, Ottawa, Ont., C1-1

journal article

Predators select against high growth rates and risk-taking behaviour in domestic trout populations

P Biro, M Abrahams, J Post, E Parkinson

(2004), Vol. 271, pp. 2233-2237, Royal society of London. Proceedings B. Biological sciences, London, England, C1-1

journal article
2003

Density-dependent mortality is mediated by foraging activity for prey fish in whole-lake experiments

P Biro, J Post, E Parkinson

(2003), Vol. 72, pp. 546-555, Journal of animal ecology, Oxford, England, C1-1

journal article

From individuals to populations : prey fish risk-taking mediates mortality in whole-system experiments

P Biro, J Post, E Parkinson

(2003), Vol. 84, pp. 2419-2431, Ecology, Ithaca, N.Y., C1-1

journal article

Population consequences of a predator-induced habitat shift by trout in whole-lake experiments

P Biro, J Post, E Parkinson

(2003), Vol. 84, pp. 691-700, Ecology, Tempe, Az., C1-1

journal article
1998

Staying cool: behavioral thermoregulation during summer by young-of-year brook trout in a lake

P Biro

(1998), Vol. 127, pp. 212-222, Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, Abingdon, Eng., C1-1

journal article
1997

The central-place territorial model does not apply to space-use by juvenile brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis in lakes

P Biro, M Ridgway, D Noakes

(1997), Vol. 66, pp. 837-845, Journal of animal ecology, Oxford, England, C1-1

journal article
1996

Does the rate of foraging attempts predict ingestion rate for young-of-the-year brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the field?

P Biro, M Ridgway, R McLaughlin

(1996), Vol. 53, pp. 1814-1820, Canadian journal of fisheries and aquatic sciences, Ottawa, Ont., C1-1

journal article

Does the rate of foraging attempts predict ingestion rate for young-of-the-year brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) in the field?

P Biro, M Ridgway, R McLaughlin

(1996), Vol. 53, pp. 1814-1820, Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, Ottowa, Ont., C1-1

journal article
1995

Individual variation in foraging movements in a lake population of young-of-the-year brook charr (Salvelinus fontinalis)

P Biro, M Ridgway

(1995), Vol. 132, pp. 57-74, Behaviour, Leiden, The Netherlands, C1-1

journal article
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Maintenance of Behavioral Variation under Predation Risk: Effects on Personality, Plasticity, and Predictability

David Mitchell, Christa Beckmann, Peter Biro

(), AMERICAN NATURALIST, C1

journal article

Funded Projects at Deakin

Australian Competitive Grants

Linkages between productivity and consistent behavioural traits in fish: implications for harvesting, climate impacts, and selective breeding for aquaculture

A/Prof Peter Biro

ARC Fellowships - Future Fellowships

  • 2013: $97,935
  • 2012: $188,508
  • 2011: $147,018

Can consistent individual differences in metabolic rate explain animal personality? Implications for fish and aquaculture in a warming climate

A/Prof Peter Biro

ARC - Discovery Projects

  • 2013: $77,774
  • 2012: $74,893
  • 2011: $75,166

Industry and Other Funding

STUDENT APPLICATION Life history and breeding ecology of the Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus)

A/Prof Peter Biro, Ms Clara Gabrielle Claude A. M. Borrel

Geelong Field Naturalists Club

  • 2023: $3,750

STUDENT APPLICATION: Cooperation, coordination and communication within the family in avian species

A/Prof Peter Biro, Ms Clara Gabrielle Claude A. M. Borrel

ESA - Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment - 20 571 098 795

  • 2023: $7,500

STUDENT APPLICATION - Threats, nesting site selection, life history and breeding ecology of the Spotted Pardalote (Pardalotus punctatus)

A/Prof Peter Biro, Ms Clara Gabrielle Claude A. M. Borrel

BirdLife Australia Research Awards - 75 149 124 774

  • 2023: $2,500

Supervisions

Principal Supervisor
2019

David Mitchell

Thesis entitled: Individuals to populations: Linking hierarchical levels of phenotypic assortment.

Doctor of Philosophy (Life & Env), School of Life and Environmental Sciences