The 7th Congress of Animal Ecophysiology (CEPA7) was held at the IUEM from 28 to 30 October 2025, bringing together nearly a hundred scientists, engineers, teacher-researchers and students from nine countries. All discussed the same question: how do organisms cope with global change?

Over three days, the congress offered a comprehensive overview of modern ecophysiology, combining experimental, field and modelling approaches and exploring a wide variety of model species: from oysters, mussels, abalones and clams to fish, amphibians, reptiles, insects, birds and mammals. This richness reflects a dynamic, intergenerational and collaborative community, keen to link fundamental mechanisms and applied issues for species management and conservation.

Discussions highlighted the plasticity of physiological responses to temperature, hypoxia, pollutants and infectious agents, as well as the complexity of intergenerational effects and multiple stresses that shape the adaptation of organisms. Several presentations illustrated the contribution of new technologies, such as sensors, on-board respirometry, transcriptomics and imaging, which now make it possible to track animal responses from the cellular level to behaviour in situ.

Beyond the presentations, CEPA7 was above all a time for sharing, learning and transmission, with strong involvement from students and young researchers, confirming the vitality and cohesion of a rapidly expanding community. Everyone left with the same conviction: ecophysiology is an essential lever for understanding, anticipating and supporting changes in natural and anthropised environments.