DAVE SHUTLER
Text vesion of research in my lab
Picture version here.
Professor, Department of Biology, 
Acadia University, 
Wolfville, NS, Canada  B4P 2R6
902-585-1354     FAX -1059
dave.shutler [at] acadiau.ca
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This is a partial review of my lab's research program (beginning with my active projects, followed by student research).  If you are a prospective student, what follows is not intended to restrict you if you have your own ideas, especially if you bring a funded project.  This information does, however, provide some indication of what interests me, and of projects where opportunities for outside funding may be better.
 

ACTIVE PROJECTS

Reproductive ecology of tree swallows

Tree swallows are cavity-nesters that readily use nest boxes.  Team Shutler studies reproductive biology of these birds relative to parasites, pesticide use, and other ecological conditions in orchards around Wolfville.  We also collaborate with Bob Clark at Canadian Wildlife Service, Saskatoon using data from his population of tree swallows, and Andre Desrochers (Univ Laval).  More recently, collaborations have been initiated with Golondrinas de las Americas, a "consortium" of swallow biologists that extends to South America.

Reproductive ecology of Leach's storm-petrels

Acadia University owns most of Bon Portage Island, Nova Scotia.  The Island is home to a colony of approximately 50,000 pairs of Leach’s storm-petrels. Recently, Team Shutler began collaborative research with colleagues from University of California (Davis) and Harvard to unravel a series of questions about this species' biology.

Bee diseases

In collaboration with Dick Rogers (Bayer Crop Science), Kirk Hillier (Acadia), and Shelley Adamo (Dalhousie), Team Shutler studies economically important bee diseases (e.g., Nosema, Varroa mites), and their interaction with immunity, neural function, and behaviour.
 

CURRENT STUDENT CANDIDATES
 
Geoff Williams, PhD.  Bee parasites.  Co-supervisor:  Sandra Walde (Dalhousie).  Collaborator:  Dick Rogers (Bayer Crop Science).

Lise Charbonneau, MSc.   Bee parasites.  Co-supervisor:  Kirk Hillier.  Collaborators:  Dick Rogers (Bayer Crop Science).
Megan Colwell, MSc.   Bee nutrition.  Collaborators:  Dick Rogers (Bayer Crop Science) & Kirk Hillier.
Cate Little, MSc.  Bee immunity.  Collaborators:  Dick Rogers (Bayer Crop Science) & Shelley Adamo (Dalhousie).
Holly Lightfoot, MSc.   Radar study of avian migration.  Lead supervisor:  Phil Taylor.
Ingrid Pollet, MSc.  Leach's storm-petrels.  Co-supervisors:  Phil Taylor, Marty Leonard (Dalhousie).

Chelsea Ryan, BSc (Hons).  Immunity in Leach's storm-petrels.

FORMER STUDENT RESEARCHERS

MSc
Adam Campbell, 2005.  Collaborator:  Al Hanson, CWS.  Yarrow and tree swallow fleas.
Katie Dalley, 2007.  Lead supervisor:  Phil Taylor.  Reproductive success of boreal forest birds.
Elisabeth Frost, MSc.  Bee learning.  Co-supervisor:  Kirk Hillier.
Meg Hainstock, 2005, Governor General's Award for best MSc thesis at Acadia.  Collaborator:  Dick Rogers,
Wildwood Labs Inc.  Parental care and nestling begging in experimentally enlarged tree swallow broods.
Adrian McGinn, 2002.  Body size and nest initiation date in birds.
Nic McLellan, 2005.  Collaborators:  John Chardine, CWS; Rosemary Curley, PEI Gov't; Andrew Boyne, CWS;
Kevin Teather UPEI; Neil Burgess, CWS.  Diets and parasites of ring-billed gulls.
Melissa Smith, 2002.   Offspring sex ratios and parental investment in tree swallows.
Sarah Spencer, 2006.  Collaborator:  Mike O'Brien, DNR.  Mercury in Nova Scotia river otters.
Emily Turner-Brannen, 2007.  Lead supervisor:  Julia Green-Johnson.  Probiotics.

BSc (Hons)
Julia Carr, 2002.  Co-supervisor:  Don Stewart.  Parental investment in tree swallows.
Kathryn Cleveland, 2008.   Queen Annapolisa & Mate choice in Leach's storm-petrels.
Megan Colwell, 2010.  Undertaking behaviour in bees.
Krystyna Cowan, 2006.  Co-supervisors:  Don Stewart & Tom Herman.  Nematodes in shrews.
Daniel Deveau, 2011.  Age versus learning in honeybees.
Evan Fairn, 2004.  Ectoparasites of ring-billed gulls.
Jenelle King, 2003.  Behaviour of common eiders (Somateria mollisima) around their nests.
Tara Lapointe, 2006.  Collaborator:  Al Hanson, CWS.  Consequences of Nova Scotia eelgrass decline for waterbirds.
Holly Lightfoot, 2010.  Corticosterone in Leach's storm-petrels.
Cate Little, 2007.  Feather mites on tree swallows.
Amy Lowe, yanked from BSc (Hons) program by Vet College in PEI.
Kate MacCulloch, 2004.  Co-supervisor:  Brian Wilson.  Nest site selection in tree swallows.
Georgia McNeil, 2009.  Immunity in Leach's storm-petrels.
Emily Mills, 2011.  Immunity versus growth in Leach's storm-petrels.
Joseph Muise, 2003.  Co-supervisor:  Don Stewart.  Feather mites and extra-pair copulations in tree swallows.
Samantha Munroe, 2010.  Co-supervisors:  Trevor Avery and Mike Dadswell.  Ectoparasites of Atlantic sturgeons.  
Paul O'Connell, 2003.  Lead supervisor:  Brian Wilson.  Relaxin in gulls, and common eiders.
Stephen Robinson, 2007.  Co-supervisor:  Todd Smith, Acadia.  Leucocyte profiles of infected frogs and ducks.
Andrew Russell, 2007.  Does flower symmetry matter to nectarivorous insects?
Michelle Sampson, 2008.  Maritime distribution of Nosema in bees.
Annika Samuelsen, 2006.  Co-supervisor:  Brian Wilson.  Corticosterone and ectoparasites of Leach's storm-petrels.
Miranda Saroli, 2010.  Co-supervisor:  Cliff Stanley.  Geophagy in Peruvian parrots.  
Ben Taylor, 2008.  Deformed wing virus in honey bees.
Krista Thomas, 2000.   Effects of fleas on begging, growth, and parental feeding of nestling tree swallows.
Emma Vaasjo, 2010.  Immunity in Leach's storm-petrels.

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Updated Nov 2011