Research

My laboratory's research is on the evolutionary and behavioral ecology of birds. Of particular interest is the evolution of reproductive life histories. We ask questions about the influence of variables such as costs of reproduction, genetic conflicts of interest, and phylogenetic constraints on the evolution of characters like clutch size, offspring sex ratio, and sibling competition. Since 1984 we have pursued a major field research effort in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador on boobies. These birds provide excellent opportunities for experimental approaches to issues in evolutionary and behavioral ecology because they are tolerant of humans. They are also great for comparative studies since closely related species have different life histories.

In a laboratory emphasis, we are using molecular sexing techniques to test hypotheses dealing with the evolution of sex ratio in birds. We have also been involved in conservation issues in the Galápagos, through studies of the demography and genetics of threatened and endangered bird species.

Recent Publications (grad students in bold) (all publications)

MS Müller, JF Brennecke, ET Porter, MA Ottinger, and DJ Anderson. 2008. Perinatal androgens and adult behavior vary with nestling social system in siblicidal boobies. PLOS One3(6): e2460. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0002460. [pdf]

TJ Maness and DJ Anderson.  2008.  Mate rotation by female choice and coercive divorce in Nazca boobies (Sula granti).  Animal Behaviour 76:1267-1277. [pdf]

DJ Anderson, KP Huyvaert, JA Awkerman, CB Proaño, WB Milstead, G Jiménez-Uzcátegui, S Cruz, and JK Grace. 2008. Population Status of the Critically Endangered Waved Albatross (Phoebastria irrorata), 1999-2007. Endangered Species Research doi: 10.3354/esr00089. [pdf]

Suryan, RM, DJ Anderson, SA Shaffer, DD Roby, Y Tremblay, DP Costa, PR Sievert, F Sato, K Ozaki, GR Balogh, and N Nakamura. 2008. Wind, waves, and wing-loading. PLoS One 3(12): e4016 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.000401

Browne, RA,  EI Collins, and DJ Anderson.  2008. Genetic structure of Galápagos populations of the yellow warbler.  Condor 110:549-553

JA Awkerman, GC Whittow, and DJ Anderson.  2008.  Black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes).  In The Birds of North America, No. 65 (A. Poole and F. Gill, eds.).  Philadelphia: The Academy of Natural Sciences.

P Helsen, RA Browne, DJ Anderson, and P Verdyck.  2008. Galápagos Opuntia (Prickly Pear) Cacti: Extensive Morphological Diversity, Low Genetic Variability.  Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, in press.

V Apanius, MA Westbrock, and DJ Anderson. 2008. Parental effort, plastic offspring growth, and immunoglobin G homeostasis in a long-lived seabird, the Nazca Booby Sula granti. Ornithological Monographs 65. [pdf]

HM Townsend and DJ Anderson. 2007. Long-term assessment of costs of reproduction in Nazca boobies (Sula granti) using multi-state mark-recapture models. Evolution 61:1956-1968. [pdf]

HM Townsend and DJ Anderson. 2007. Production of insurance eggs in Nazca boobies: costs, benefits, and variable parental quality. Behavioral Ecology 18:841-848. [pdf]

HM Townsend, TJ Maness, and DJ Anderson. 2007. Offspring growth and parental care in sexually dimorphic Nazca Boobies (Sula granti). Canadian Journal of Zoology 85:686-694. [pdf]

TJ Maness and DJ Anderson. 2007. Serial monogamy and sex ratio bias in Nazca boobies. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B 274:2047-2054.

TJ Maness, MA Westbrock, and DJ Anderson. 2007. Ontogenic sex ratio variation in Nazca Boobies ends in male-biased adult sex ratio. Waterbirds 30:10-16. [pdf]

JA Awkerman, MA Westbrock, KP Huyvaert, and DJ Anderson. 2007. Female-biased sex ratio arises after parental care in sexually dimorphic waved albatross. Auk 124:1336-1346.

JA Awkerman, K Hobson, and DJ Anderson. 2007. Isotopic (δ 15N and δ 13C) evidence for intersexual foraging differences and temporal variation in habitat use in waved albatrosses. Canadian Journal of Zoology 85:273-279. [pdf]