People in the Uy Lab

J. Albert C. Uy

Assistant Professor

Department of Biology

Syracuse University

Syracuse, NY 13244

I was born and raised near Manila, the capital of
the Philippines. I moved to the U.S. in my early teens,
and obtained an undergraduate degree in Integrative
Biology from the University of California, Berkeley in
1994. I then proceeded with graduate work in Gerry
Borgia's lab at the University of Maryland, College
Park. For my dissertation work, I focused on two
major topics: 1) sexual selection and speciation, and
2) patterns of mate searching in bowerbirds. I
finished in 2000, and received an NSF Bioinformatic
postdoctoral fellowship to work with John Endler at
the Univeristy of California, Santa Barbara. During
this time, I started my work on plumage evolution in
manakins, which is now a major long-term project in
the Uy lab. In 2002, I accepted a faculty position at
San Francisco State University then moved to
Syracuse University in the Fall of 2004.

ADAM C. STEIN, FALL 2002 -

Ph.D. Student

e-mail: acstein@syr.edu

Signal Evolution and Speciation in Bearded Manakins

I received a BA in Marine Biology from
University of California, Santa Cruz in 1994. While
at UCSC, I worked for three years with an
ongoing marine mammal diving physiology
research project at Long Marine Laboratory. The
study involved pinnipeds and cetaceans working
both in lab and in the open ocean. I received
intensive training in marine animal physiology,
training, and care as well as experience in the
construction, set up, repair, and usage of field
assay equipment. After graduation, I spent nearly
ten years working as an animal trainer and care
giver with a multitude of species at several zoos
and marine parks. Although I have a solid
background in animal behavior, I have always
wanted to explore a more quantifiable way of
studying animals and their natural habitats.

BRANDAIS ROUMASSET, FALL 2003 -

M.S. Student

e-mail: bcroumas@syr.edu

Phylogeography of the common paradise kingfisher complex Tanysiptera galatea ssp.

HOME

LAB MASCOT

Hobbes

Setting up a mist net in
Papua New Guinea (2000).

UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS

TOM S. POPE, FALL 2005 -

Lab Technician

e-mail: tspope@syr.edu

GRADUATE STUDENTS

LAB TECHNICIAN

Office: 104J Lyman Hall

Lab: 104 Lyman Hall

Phone: (315) 443-7091

e-mail: jauy@syr.edu

Although my work in the past few years has focused on the behavioral
ecology of birds, I welcome students interested in working on other taxa. Current
projects in the Uy lab involve a diversity of organisms, including birds, fish and
spiders.

Link to Al's CV

JORGE LUIS HURTADO-GONZALES, SPRING 2006 -

Ph.D. Student

e-mail: jlhurtad@syr.edu

RYAN C. MACKIE, SPRING 2006-

email: rcmackie@syr.edu

Intrasexual communication in the live-bearer Brachyrhaphis episcopi

Adam with a lemon-collared
manakin

Jorge in the field.

A still unresolved question in evolutionary biology is how genetic variation is
maintained in natural populations. During the last 40 years most studies testing
the adaptive significance of color have used organisms in which color is a
condition-dependent trait. However, there are many species in which color and
other characters are not condition-dependent. Poecilia parae, the Guyanese
pentamorphic livebearer, is an appropriate study system to address this
problem because these tropical freshwater fish are strikingly variable in color
patterns. There are five distinct male color morphs: two with carotenoid-based
colors (red and yellow), one with structural color (blue), one with elaborate
dorsal fins and vertical strips, and one resembling juvenile females. These color
traits are Y-linked. Using a combination of field observations and laboratory
experiments, my dissertation focuses on understanding the maintenance of
genetic color polymorphism among males in P. parae. I am investigating how
behavioral and ecological factors may contribute to the persistence of such
polymorphism in natural populations. For instance, are the relative influence of
differential predation and differential mating success influencing the
persistence of color polymorphism in P. parae?

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

With an extensive background in fish biology
and husbandry, my primary responsibilities in
the Uy lab are to maintain several fish stocks
and run behavioral, molecular and
microbiological experiments. I also oversee the
work of undergraduate researchers in the lab. I
have an A.S. in Liberal Arts-Science-Biology
Concentration from Morrisville State College and
a B.S. in Environmental and Forest Biology from
SUNY ESF. I worked as a Fish & Wildlife
Technician for the New York State Department of
Environmental Conservation prior to joining the
lab. My special interests lie in the fields of
ecology and microbiology. I hope to assist in
advancing our understanding of organisms and
gain valuable experience in research and
laboratory techniques.

I am a junior Psychology and Biology
major at Syracuse University. I became
interested in working with
Brachyrhaphis episcopi while taking
Biology 421 with Dr. Uy last fall.

This semester I will be working on the
signals responsible for establishing
dominance within female schools of
Brachyrhaphis episcopi. I look forward
to gaining experience while working in
the lab, and hope to continue my
research next year.

The diversity of life, in particular that of Avifauna,
has always fascinated me. Since the age of
fourteen, I have worked in zoological collections
with a diverse group of bird species from around
the world. This exposure led me to ponder the
evolutionary processes that led to this diversity.
My dissertatin project focuses on speciation in
bearded manakins (Manacus manacus ssp.) of
Central and South America. In particular, I wish
to understand the role of divergent natural and
sexual selection in rapid speciation.

Prior to joining the lab, I received a B.S. in
zoology from Northern Arizona University,
where I worked with Dr. Russell P. Balda on
exploring the spatial memory abilities of Corvids.
After my undergraduate degree (awarded May
1999), I joined several field projects in Arizona,
Australia, and South and Central America. I look
forward to strengthening my understanding of
science, and hope to make an important
contribution to the scientific community.

ELLEN M. WISNER, FALL 2006-

Ph.D. Student

e-mail: emwisner@syr.edu

The Effects of Human Development on the Operation of Sexual Selection in the
Common Yellowthroat

JAMES BALYSZAK, SPRING 2006

email: jabalysz@mailbox.syr.edu

Parasites, plumage expression and mate choice in manakins

James studied the relationship between
parasitic infection of erythrocites and the
expression of elaborate display traits in golden-
collared manakins.

James is now in Florida exploring opportunities
to work with an environmental organization.

MARK J. KIELECKI. FALL 2005-SPRING 2006

email: mjkielec@syr.edu

Mate choice in the live-bearer Brachyrhaphis episcopi

Currently a graduate student in the
Communication Science & Disorders program at
Syracuse University, Mark worked in the Uy lab
during his senior year. He tested the possible role
of male body size and gonopodium (intromittent
organ) length in female choice. Results of his work
can be accessed in the link below.

Mark's Poster Outlining His Results

LAB ALUMNI

I am a junior Biology major here at SU, working in
Al's lab under the auspices of the Distinction in
Biology program. I am keenly interested in topics
like animal behavior, evolution, wildlife
management, and ecology. My work in the lab will
most likely involve attempting to explain the
polymorphism in a population of guppies. These
are fish that exhibit various different color forms
despite apparent gene flow. My work here in the
lab will extend until the end of my senior year.

DANIEL T. BALDASSARRE, FALL 2006-

email: dtbaldas@syr.edu

Sexual selection in polymorphic guppies

Link to Adam's Department Website

Adam's paper on the cover of Evolution

Hobbes is a 3
year-old Newfie
and a regular
fixture in the Uy
lab.

Adam's paper in Behavioral Ecology

CARLOS N. MONTALVO, FALL 2006-

I received my B.S. degree in Biology from
Centre College (Danville KY) in May 2002.
During my time at Centre College, I had
the opportunity to conduct research with
Dr. Robert Ziemba on the hybrid zone
dynamics and mating behavior of two
local crayfish species (Orconectes
juvenilis and Orconectes cristavarius). It
was because of this research that I
became interested in behavioral ecology
and sexual selection.

Since joining the Uy lab, I have developed
and begun working on a new project
testinghow humans affect communication
systems in animals. More specifically I am
looking at how human disturbances affect
signals used in sexual selection in the
common yellowthroat.

NOMAN KHAN. FALL 2006-

Feather-degrading microbes and the evolution of dark plumage

Noman is a senior Biology major. His project looks at the potential role of melanin in
preventing the degradation of feathers.

I am a junior biology major also working
under the Distinction in Biology program.
My research in the lab is directed toward
understanding how water conditions
affect the presence of pigmentation
polymorphism and an associated
oncogene in Xiphophorus fish.

EDITH M. DOOLEY. SPRING 2007 -

Human development and song evolution

DAVID KELLEY. FALL 2006 -

Sexual conflict and the evolution of condition-dependent
female preference

Dave is a computer science major working in the Pitnick
and Uy labs. He is interested in modelling the evolution of
adaptive, condition-dependent female mating preferences.

I am embarking on research
concerning the breeding behavior
of the common yellowthroat,
which will be conducted locally in
the field. I spent last semester
studying ecology, conservation,
and doing field research in South
Africa. This experience solidified
my excitement about natural
history, life history strategies as
well as conservation of
biodiversity and ecosystem

ecology.

Adam with a lemon-collared
manakin

Ellen in the field.