Danielle L. Levesque

Danielle L. Levesque is an Associate Professor of Mammalogy and Mammalian Health at the University of Maine, affiliated with the School of Biology and Ecology within the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture. She divides her time equally between teaching and research, focusing on the physiological and ecological responses of mammals to climate change. Her work is supported by the Maine Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station under Hatch project ME021911.

Her research interests lie at the intersection of physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. She investigates the flexibility of metabolic rate and body temperature regulation in mammals, particularly through hibernation, torpor, and circadian rhythms. Her lab conducts both field and laboratory studies to understand how evolutionary history shapes energetic strategies in changing environments. Key areas include thermal ecology, heterothermy, and the impacts of climate on mammalian physiology.

The recent publications highlight a consistent focus on thermoregulatory biology, metabolic flexibility, and climate adaptation in mammals. Trends include the study of tropical heterothermy, energetic modeling, and physiological responses to heat and hypoxia. Her work spans both temperate and tropical species, with a special emphasis on tenrecs, chipmunks, and meerkats, using advanced monitoring techniques in free-ranging animals.

Scientific Awards:
None listed in the provided text.

Danielle Levesque advises graduate and undergraduate students through her active research lab. She is involved in the NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) Program on the “Convergence of Social and Biophysical Sciences to Optimize Training in One Health,” indicating interdisciplinary mentoring and grant-supported training. Her research is funded by institutional and federal sources, supporting fieldwork, lab operations, and student involvement.

Levesque leads the Levesque Lab at the University of Maine, which emphasizes field-based physiological research. The lab promotes interdisciplinary science with a social science component through the NSF NRT program. It actively recruits motivated students for research on mammalian and avian responses to climate, reflecting a collaborative and integrative team approach.