Dr Julia Nowack
School of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Faculty: Faculty of Science
Email address: J.Nowack@ljmu.ac.uk
Telephone: 0151 231 2415
Lecturer in Mammalian Physiology
I am generally interested in various research questions related to eco-physiology of mammals (and other animals), in particular thermoregulation and energy expenditure. This includes (but is not limited to) energy saving adaptations such as torpor use, heat production mechanisms such as nonshivering thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue or muscle, as well as individual differences in physiological and behavioural traits that influence animal survival.
Please visit my personal website for a much clearer overview of my research and publications: julianowack.com
Languages
German
English
Degrees
2013, University of Hamburg, Germany, PhD
Academic appointments
Lecturer in Mammalian Physiology, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, 2018 - present
Postgraduate training
Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship, Austria, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 2016 - 2018
Endeavour Research Fellow, Australia, University of Western Sydney, 2016 - 2016
Postdoctoral Fellow, Australia, University of New England, 2014 - 2016
Highlighted publications
Nowack J, Vetter SG, Stalder G, Painer J, Kral M, Smith S, Minh HL, Jurcevic P, Bieber C, Arnold W, Ruf T. 2019. Muscle nonshivering thermogenesis in a feral mammal Scientific Reports, 9 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Stawski C, Geiser F. 2017. More functions of torpor and their roles in a changing world Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 187 :889-897 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Delesalle M, Stawski C, Geiser F. 2016. Can hibernators sense and evade fires? Olfactory acuity and locomotor performance during deep torpor Naturwissenschaften (The Science of Nature), 103 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Cooper CE, Geiser F. 2016. Cool echidnas survive the fire Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Rojas AD, Körtner G, Geiser F. 2015. Snoozing through the storm: torpor use during a natural disaster Scientific Reports, 5 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Editorial/letter to the editor
Giroud S, Nord A, Storey KB, Nowack J. 2020. Editorial: Coping With Environmental Fluctuations: Ecological and Evolutionary Perspectives Frontiers in Physiology, 11 DOI Author Url Publisher Url
Reibelt LM, Nowack J. 2015. Community-based conservation in Madagascar, the `cure-all´ solution? Madagascar Conservation & Development,
Journal article
Nowack J, Dill V, Dausmann KH. 2020. Open-flow respirometry under field conditions: How does the airflow through the nest influence our results? JOURNAL OF THERMAL BIOLOGY, 92 DOI Author Url
Dausmann KH, Levesque DL, Wein J, Nowack J. 2020. Ambient temperature cycles affect daily torpor and hibernation patterns in Malagasy tenrecs Frontiers in Physiology, 11 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Levesque DL, Reher S, Dausmann KH. 2020. Variable climates lead to varying phenotypes: ‘weird’ mammalian torpor and lessons from non-Holarctic species Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 8 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Arnold LC, Habe M, Troxler J, Nowack J, Vetter SG. 2019. Rapid establishment of teat order and allonursing in wild boar (Sus scrofa) Ethology, 125 :940-948 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Boyles JG, Levesque DL, Nowack J, Wojciechowski MS, Stawski C, Fuller A, Smit B, Tattersall GJ. 2019. An oversimplification of physiological principles leads to flawed macroecological analyses Ecology and Evolution, 9 :12020-12025 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Tarmann I, Hoelzl F, Smith S, Giroud S, Ruf T. 2019. Always a price to pay: hibernation at low temperatures comes with a trade-off between energy savings and telomere damage. Biology Letters, 15 :20190466-20190466 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Scheun J, Geiser F, Ganswindt A, Nowack J. 2019. Non-invasive evaluation of stress hormone responses in a captive population of sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) Australian Mammalogy, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Scheun J, Greeff D, Nowack J. 2019. Urbanisation as an important driver of nocturnal primate sociality Primates: journal of primatology, 60 :375-381 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Vetter SG, Stalder G, Painer J, Kral M, Smith S, Minh HL, Jurcevic P, Bieber C, Arnold W, Ruf T. 2019. Muscle nonshivering thermogenesis in a feral mammal Scientific Reports, 9 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Geiser F, Stawski C, Doty AC, Cooper CE, Nowack J. 2018. A burning question: what are the risks and benefits of mammalian torpor during and after fires? Conservation Physiology, 6 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Stawski C, Körtner G, Geiser F. 2018. Physiological and behavioral responses of an arboreal mammal to smoke and charcoal-ash substrate Physiology and Behavior, 184 :116-121 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Giroud S, Arnold W, Ruf T. 2017. Muscle Non-shivering Thermogenesis and Its Role in the Evolution of Endothermy Frontiers in Physiology, 8 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Geiser F, Stawski C, Wacker CB, Nowack J. 2017. Phoenix from the Ashes: Fire, Torpor, and the Evolution of Mammalian Endothermy Frontiers in Physiology, 8 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Scheun J, Bennett NC, Nowack J, Laver PN, Ganswindt A. 2017. Putative drivers of adrenocortical activity in captive African lesser bushbaby ( Galago moholi ) Canadian Journal of Zoology, 95 :787-795 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Stawski C, Geiser F. 2017. More functions of torpor and their roles in a changing world Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 187 :889-897 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Stawski C, Hume T, Körtner G, Currie SE, Nowack J, Geiser F. 2017. Post-fire recovery of torpor and activity patterns of a small mammal Biology Letters, 13 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Scheun J, Bennett NC, Nowack J, Ganswindt A. 2017. Reproductive behaviour, testis size and faecal androgen metabolite concentrations in the African lesser bushbaby Journal of Zoology, 301 :263-270 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Streicher U, Nowack J, Stalder G, Walzer C, Nadler T, Ruf T. 2017. Hibernation in pygmy lorises (Nycticebus pygmaeus)–what does it mean? Vietnamese Journal of Primatology, 5 :51-57 Public Url
Stawski C, Nowack J, Körtner G, Geiser F. 2017. A new cue for torpor induction: charcoal, ash and smoke The Journal of Experimental Biology, 220 :220-226 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Levesque DL, Nowack J, Stawski C. 2016. Modelling mammalian energetics: the heterothermy problem Climate Change Responses, 3 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Delesalle M, Stawski C, Geiser F. 2016. Can hibernators sense and evade fires? Olfactory acuity and locomotor performance during deep torpor Naturwissenschaften (The Science of Nature), 103 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url
Stawski C, Körtner G, Nowack J, Geiser F. 2016. Phenotypic plasticity of post-fire activity and thermal biology of a free-ranging small mammal Physiology & Behavior, 159 :104-111 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Cooper CE, Geiser F. 2016. Cool echidnas survive the fire Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 283 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J, Geiser F. 2016. Friends with benefits: the role of huddling in mixed groups of torpid and normothermic animals The Journal of Experimental Biology, 219 :590-596 DOI
Scheun J, Nowack J, Bennett NC, Ganswindt A. 2016. Female reproductive activity and its endocrine correlates in the African lesser bushbaby, Galago moholi Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 186 :255-264 DOI
Scheun J, Bennett NC, Ganswindt A, Nowack J. 2015. The hustle and bustle of city life: monitoring the effects of urbanisation in the African lesser bushbaby The Science of Nature, 102 DOI
Nowack J, Rojas AD, Körtner G, Geiser F. 2015. Snoozing through the storm: torpor use during a natural disaster Scientific Reports, 5 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Stawski C, Körtner G, Nowack J, Geiser F. 2015. The importance of mammalian torpor for survival in a post-fire landscape Biology Letters, 11 :20150134-20150134 DOI
Nowack J, Dausmann KH. 2015. Can heterothermy facilitate the colonization of new habitats? Mammal Review, 45 :117-127 DOI
Doty A, Stawski C, Nowack J, Bondarenco A, Geiser F. 2015. Increased lyrebird presence in a post-fire landscape Australian Journal of Zoology, 63 :9-9 DOI
Kobbe S, Nowack J, Dausmann KH. 2014. Torpor is not the only option: seasonal variations of the thermoneutral zone in a small primate Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 184 :789-797 DOI
Scheun J, Bennett NC, Ganswindt A, Nowack J. 2014. Spicing up the menu: evidence of fruit feeding in Galago moholi Primates, 55 :359-363 DOI
Nowack J, Dausmann KH, Mzilikazi N. 2013. Nonshivering thermogenesis in the African lesser bushbaby, Galago moholi Journal of Experimental Biology, 216 :3811-3817 DOI
Nowack J, Mzilikazi N, Dausmann KH. 2013. Torpor as an emergency solution in Galago moholi: heterothermy is triggered by different constraints Journal of Comparative Physiology B, 183 :547-556 DOI
Nowack J, Wippich M, Mzilikazi N, Dausmann KH. 2013. Surviving the Cold, Dry Period in Africa: Behavioral Adjustments as an Alternative to Heterothermy in the African Lesser Bushbaby (Galago moholi) International Journal of Primatology, 34 :49-64 DOI
Nowack J, Mzilikazi N, Dausmann KH. Torpor on Demand: Heterothermy in the Non-Lemur Primate Galago moholi PLoS ONE, 5 :e10797-e10797 DOI
Other
Nowack J. 2019. Birds don't mind the light - if it's dim enough JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY, 222 DOI Author Url
Nowack J. 2019. Sit tight: nest temperature affects infection resistance of chicks JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY, 222 DOI Author Url
Nowack J. 2019. A spider's decision depends on its thirst JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY, 222 DOI Author Url
Nowack J. 2018. Risking the land of milk and honey JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY, 221 DOI Author Url
Nowack J. 2018. Whisper in the dark JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY, 221 DOI Author Url
Nowack J. 2018. What eyes can tell The Journal of Experimental Biology, 221 :jeb169961-jeb169961 DOI
Nowack J. 2018. Beating the heat through the beak Journal of Experimental Biology, 221 DOI Publisher Url Public Url
Nowack J. 2017. Fighting the cold as pigs do The Journal of Experimental Biology, 220 :3403-3404 DOI
Nowack J. 2017. Juvenile marsupials need the sun to warm up The Journal of Experimental Biology, 220 DOI
Nowack J. 2017. Juvenile marsupials need the sun to warm up The Journal of Experimental Biology, 220 :2301-2301 DOI
Nowack J. 2017. Too much hibernation isn't always good for you The Journal of Experimental Biology, 220 :1167-1168 DOI
Nowack J. 2017. Basking behavior reveals vulnerability to climate change The Journal of Experimental Biology, 220 :137-138 DOI
Nowack J. Pacifishs have nothing to fight for Journal of Experimental Biology, 222 DOI Author Url
Chapters
Dausmann K, Nowack J, Kobbe S, Mzilikazi N. 2012. Afrotropical Heterothermy: A Continuum of Possibilities Ruf T, Bieber C, Arnold W, Millesi E. Living in a Seasonal World Springer. Berlin, Heidelberg DOI
Editorial boards:
Folia Primatologica, Editorial Board Member. 2020
Frontiers Research Topic: Coping with Environmental Fluctuations: Ecological and Evolutionary Perspectives, Topic Editor, https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/9922/coping-with-environmental-fluctuations-ecological-and-evolutionary-perspectives. 2019
Scientific Reports, Editorial Board Member. 2018
Other Professional Activity:
Mentor The Girls Network. 2020
Writing for the "Outside JEB" section of the Journal of Experimental Biology.
Teaching qualification:
PgCAP. 2019
Other invited event:
5th International Course on Comparative Physiology of Respiration, Jaboticabal - São Paulo - Brazil, http://www.iccpr2019.com/. 2019
Fellowships:
Feodor Lynen Research Fellowship, Humboldt Foundation. 2016
Endeavour Research Fellowship, Australian Government. 2016