Placyk Research

Placyk Lab Research

Research conducted in the Placyk lab has four main foci: 1) molecular ecology, 2) the effect of nature and nurture on phenotypic traits, 3) chemical ecology, and 4) conservation biology. While most of our past work has been done with reptiles and amphibians, we are interested in graduate students and collaborators working on ANY organism with an emphasis on one of the lab's four foci.

1) Molecular ecology

Placyk lab molecular ecology research conducted to date has primarily focused on hybridization, population genetics, and the phylogenetics and systematics of reptiles and amphibians. Specifically, the lab is interested in the evolutionary history of organisms in terms of their phylogeography and the conservation of threatened and endangered species. The phylogeographic data is used to understand how animals have adjusted to past climate change and can help to better understand the possible effects of global warming on species distributions. We also use data collected in our lab to assist conservationists and various government agencies in the management of species of conservation concern. Such data permits the best decisions for reintroductions, relocations, and breeding programs. Current and past projects include work with box turtles (Terrapene sp.), the Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum), the common gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis), Butler's gartersnake (T. butleri), the plains gartersnake (T. radix), California tiger salamanders (Ambystoma californiense), map turtles (Graptemys sp.) and southern flying squirrels (Glaucomys volans).

The Placyk molecular ecology lab at the University of Texas at Tyler is fully equipped with brand new state-of-the-art molecular genetics equipment. The lab is capable of carrying out work with AFLPs, SNPs, microsats, allozymes, mtDNA sequences, nuclear sequences, and other markers. All sequencing is done in-house to minimize cost and the time needed to get results.

Call for Tissue Samples -- We are always interested in tissue samples from the Texas horned lizard, false, Mississippi, Ouachita, and Sabine map turtles, and any species or subspecies of Terrapene, Thamnophis, Nerodia, Storeria. These can come from anywhere in the range of these groups. If you are interested in assisting with tissue sample collection, let us know and we will send you a tissue sample collection kit.

Representative molecular ecology publications from the Placyk lab:

Fitzpatrick, B. M., J. S. Placyk, Jr., M. L. Niemiller, G. S. Casper, and G. M. Burghardt. 2008. Distinctiveness in the face of gene flow: hybridization between specialist and generalist gartersnakes. Molecular Ecology 17:4107-4117 .

Placyk, J. S., Jr., G. M. Burghardt, R. L. Small, R. B. King, G. S. Casper, and J. W. Robinson. 2007. Post-glacial recolonization of Michigan by the common gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis) inferred from mtDNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 43:452-467.

2) The effect of nature and nurture on phenotypic traits

The Placyk lab is interested in how both genetics and environment influence morphological, behavioral, and life-history traits. Most phenotypic characteristics are the result of a combination between underlying genetics and environmental influences and our research attempts to tease the influence of those two variables apart. We are also interested in how genes and environment interact, phenotypic plasticity, and norms of reaction/reaction norms. Most work in this area has focused on traits related to selection pressures associated with prey (e.g., foraging behavior, head morphology) and predators (e.g., antipredator behavior, antipredator-related morphology) and on reproductive life-history traits (e.g., neonate characteristics, litter characteristics, size at maturity), but we are also interested in how environmental contaminants influence phenotypic traits, especially behavior.

Representative nature and nurture publications from the Placyk lab:

Placyk, J. S., Jr. in prep. Variation in life-history traits of insular and mainland populations of an income breeder, the common gartersnake (Thamnophis sirtalis).

Placyk, J. S., Jr. 2006. Historical processes, evolutionary change, and phenotypic plasticity: Geographic variation in behavior morphology, and life-history traits of common gartersnake, Thamnophis sirtalis, populations. Ph.D. dissertation. University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

3) Chemical ecology

The Placyk lab is founded on its early chemical ecology roots and research in this area continues to this day. Most work in this area has focused on the role of the vomeronasal system in mediating various behaviors, but research examining the roles of gustation, olfaction, and vision are also carried out. Specifically, we are interested in how animals use their chemical senses and other special senses to detect and avoid predators, find and identify mates and other conspecifics, distinguish between conspecifics and heterospecifics, and detect and consume prey.

Above illustration by Dr. David Kirshner

Representative chemical ecology and other special senses publications from the Placyk lab:

Placyk, J. S., Jr. 2002. The effect of predatory and nonpredatory snake cues on the foraging behavior of the zigzag salamander (Plethodon dorsalis). Southeastern Biologist 49:144-145.

Placyk, J. S., Jr. and B. M. Graves. 2002. Prey detection by vomeronasal chemoreception in a plethodontid salamander. Journal of Chemical Ecology 28:1017-1036.

Placyk, J. S., Jr. and B. M. Graves. 2001. A new technique for observing redback salamanders, Plethodon cinereus, in the absence of visual stimuli. Herpetological Review 32:94-95.

Placyk, J. S., Jr. and B. M. Graves. 2001. Foraging behavior of the red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) under various lighting conditions. Journal of Herpetology 35:521-524.

Placyk, J. S., Jr. 2000. Sensory mediation of foraging behavior in Plethodon cinereus, the redback salamander. M.S. Thesis. Northern Michigan University.

4) Conservation biology

The Placyk lab is interested and involved in a variety of conservation biology projects and questions, and all members of the lab that study reptiles and amphibians are members of Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC). While much of our conservation work is tackled in our molecular ecology lab, we are also involved in traditional ecological, behavioral, morphological, and natural history-oriented conservation projects. Active research in the area of conservation biology include studies with the North American box turtles (Terrapene sp.), Texas horned lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum), Butler's gartersnake (Thamnophis butleri ), the Sabine map turtle (Graptemys ouachitensis sabinensis).

Representative conservation biology publications from the Placyk lab:

Placyk, J. S., Jr. and B. A. Harrington. 2004. Prey abundance and habit use by migratory shorebirds at coastal stopover sites in Connecticut. Journal of Field Ornithology 75:223-231.

Miscellaneous Publications:

Placyk, J. S., Jr. and G. M. Burghardt. 2005. Geographic variation in the frequency of scarring and tail stubs in eastern gartersnakes (Thamnophis s. sirtalis) from Michigan, USA. Amphibia-Reptilia 26:353-358.

Placyk, J. S., Jr. 2004. Herpetological research at the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee. Tennessee Herpetological Society Newsletter 2:5-6.

Placyk, J. S., Jr. 2003. Funding opportunities for students researching amphibians and reptiles. Tennessee Herpetological Society Newsletter 1:3-4.

Placyk, J. S., Jr. and J. C. Gillingham. 2002. Biogeography of the herpetofauna of the Beaver Archipealgo: A synthesis and reevaluation. Bulletin of the Chicago Herpetological Society 37:210-215.

Placyk, J. S., Jr., M. J. Seider, and J. C. Gillingham. 2002. New herpetological records for High and Hog Islands of the Beaver Archipelago, Charlevoix County, Michigan. Herpetological Review 33:230.

Placyk, J. S., Jr. and B. M. Graves. 2001. Plethodon cinereus. Site Attachment. Herpetological Review 32:246.

Placyk, J. S., Jr., L. Torretti, and B. M. Graves. 2000. Plethodon cinereus. Intraspecific Aggregation. Herpetological Review 31:167.

Current graduate students:

Jamie Cantrell

Jamie Cantrell is an aspiring ornithologist having done field work with birds for years. Jamie completed a B.S. in Environmental Biology with a minor in Chemistry in 2005 at The University of Southern Mississippi. She came to UT-Tyler in the Fall of 2007 to work with Dr. Darrell Pogue on a project examining the winter ecology of chipping sparrows (Spizella passerina). Unfortunately, Dr. Pogue passed away soon after Jamie arrived and she was welcomed into the Placyk lab to continue her research. Her Master's research is centered at Camp Maxey, where she will be examining bird abundance and diversity and the effect of vegetative metrics on habitat selection. Contact Jamie

Sheri Sanders

Sheri Sanders came to the Placyk lab in the Fall of 2008 with a B.S. in both Environmental Science and Management and Zoology from Michigan State University. Sheri's research is focusing on better understanding the phylogenetics and ecology of the Sabine map turtle (G. o. sabinensis) and the Ouachita map turtle (G. o. ouachitensis), whose taxonomic status have been questioned for years. She will use morphological, behavioral, genetic, and ecological data to help support or reject past phylogenetic analyses and will make suggestions on clumping or splitting these taxa based on her data. She is also interested in niche-partitioning and competitive exclusion theory in reference to the sympatric Sabine map turtle (G. o. sabinensis) and Mississippi map turtle (G. pseudogeographica kohnii) Contact Sheri

Julia Sonn

Julia Sonn is an aspiring herpetologist and ecologist who has studied reptiles and amphibians for years. She completed a B.S. in Biology at the University of Arkansas in 2006. After performing herpetological fieldwork for a number of state, federal, and private agencies/instiutions for three years, she came to UT-Tyler in the fall of 2009 to study ecology, ecotoxicology, and herpetology. Her master's project is on the effects of agricultural practices on mosquito populations and in turn, their effects on amphibian and reptile populations. Dr. Placyk coadvises Julia with Dr. Troy Anderson. Contact Julia

Katie Patrick

Katie Patrick graduated in the Spring of 2009 from Iowa State University with a B.S. in Animal Ecology. Her previous research focused on the population ecology of Mourning Doves and occurrence of West Nile Virus across a land-use gradient. Katie’s interests are broad, including avian ecology and evolution, life-history traits, and conservation. In the Placyk lab, Katie plans to study the influence of genetics and environment on behavioral and life-history traits of avian species. Katie is also currently employed by the Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas. Contact Katie

If you are interested in joining the lab as a graduate student, please contact us.

Current and past undergraduates:

Bradley Martin - Box turtle conservation genetics - current

Matt Mosely - Ribbon snake life-history - past

Elwyn Welch - Map turtle phylogenetics and ecology - past

If you are interested in joining the lab as an undergraduate, please contact Dr. Placyk.

2009 Turtle Survival Alliance Meeting

In August of 2009, the Placyk Lab attended the Turtle Survival Alliance (TSA) meeting in St. Louis, Missouri with 200 of the world's leading turtle conservation experts. Here are some pictures from that gathering: