| Wendy Schelsky | ||||
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Email: schelsky@illinois.edu Title: Visiting Avian Ecologist
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| Research |
My research is integrative and I approach it from both an ecological and evolutionary perspective by studying populations and communities using both molecular tools and rigorous ecological experiments. I am interested in combining both basic and applied science in my research questions. My primary focus is on life-history evolution, specifically life history traits related to predation and parasitism. I am particularly interested in the factors affecting mating systems, parental care, and dispersal behavior and how those interact to influence genetic diversity and structure within populations. I have studied questions related to life-history evolution in both temperate and tropical species. My current research focuses on how the ecology of multiple parasites can interact to affect host fitness and survival. I am investigating how Brown-headed Cowbirds, an obligate brood parasite, can upset the typical balance between the host, the Prothonotary Warbler, and its nest ectoparasite, the blowfly. I am also studying the effects of forest fragmentation on avian communities and their Haemosporidian blood parasites. I am currently developing research to examine the role of parasites in mate choice as well as the factors affecting inbreeding in Prothonotary Warblers. |
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| Selected publications |
Robinson, S., W. Schelsky, and J. Hoover. 2013. Does landscape structure contribute to the long-term maintenance of generalized parasitism in cowbirds? Chinese Birds 4: 31-38. McKim-Louder, M. I., J. P. Hoover, T. J. Benson, and W. M. Schelsky. 2013. Juvenile survival is a Neotropical migratory songbird is lower than expected. PLoS ONE 8(2)e56059 Steadman, D. W., J. R. Montambault, S. K. Robinson, S. N. Oswalt, T. J. Brandeis, A. G. Londono, M. J. Reetz, W. M. Schelsky, N. A. Wright, J. P. Hoover, J. Jankowski, A. W. Kratter, A. E. Martinez,and J. Smith 2009. Relative abundance, habitat use, and long-term population changes of wintering and resident landbirds on St. John, U. S. Virgin Islands. The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 12: 41-53 Schelsky, W. 2004. Research and conservation of forest dependent tinamou species in Amazonia Peru. Neotropical Ornithology 15: 317-321 Wikelski, M., L. Spinney, W. Schelsky, A. Scheuerlein, and E. Gwinner. 2003. Slow pace of life in tropical sedentary birds: a common-garden experiment on four stonechat populations from four different latitudes. Proceedings of the Royal Society London B 1531: 2383-2388. Bildstein, K. L., W. Schelsky, J. Zalles and S. Ellis. 1998. Conservation status of tropical raptors. Journal Raptor Research 32:3-18. |
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| Program Affiliates |
Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences (NRES) |
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| Professional society involvement and activities |
International Society for Behavioral Ecology | |||
| Education | PhD, Biology, University of Florida, 2010 MS, Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2003 BS, Biological Sciences, Colorado State University,1995 | |||
Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois
INRS State Scientific Surveys
