Sarah Knutie – Finch in a pinch: effects of environmental change on endemic birds in the Galapagos Islands

Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Faculty Affiliate
University of Connecticut Institute for Systems Geonomics

The overarching theme of the Knutie Lab is to understand how birds defend themselves against disease-causing parasites, particularly in response to environmental change. Her talk will take us to the Galapagos Islands, where she uses experimental field studies to determine the effects of an invasive parasitic nest fly on endemic birds, whether these naive birds can defend themselves against the parasite, and how recent urbanization is affecting bird-parasite relationships. She will also talk about unique management strategies for the parasite to help conserve endemic birds.

Dr. Sarah Knutie is an Assistant Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Faculty Affiliate at the University of Connecticut Institute for Systems Genomics. She is a National Geographic Explorer, and serves as Faculty Advisor for the UConn chapter of the Ecological Society of America’s flagship and award-winning SEEDS program, which aims to increase participation and leadership by underrepresented students in the field of ecology. Her research interests include disease biology, ecotoxicology, host-microbe interactions, environmental change, immunology, and animal behavior.
Dr. Knutie has a BS from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, a MSc from the University of Tulsa, and a PhD from the University of Utah.