Research Information

I am a doctoral student in the Department of Biological Sciences and am a member of the Centre for Wildlife Ecology. My principal supervisor is Dr. David Lank, and I am co-supervised by Dr. Ron Ydenberg.

Long-distance migrants experience a range of environments with different selective regimes and have evolved a diversity of traits to survive and reproduce under these variable conditions. Determining the identity of selective forces and how different individuals, populations, and species respond to them defines the study of the evolutionary ecology of migration.

Avian migrants exhibit a range of behaviour concerned with the spatial and temporal aspects of migration. I am using the Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) as a model system in which to investigate the forces influencing variation in behaviour and the evolution of migratory strategies. Western Sandpipers exhibit latitudinal segregation by sex, age, size, and reproductive life-history strategy during the non-breeding season, and exhibit variation in migration route, migration schedule, and the timing of moult.

Population estimates suggest that shorebird populations are declining, the reasons for which are unclear. Conservation is challenging because many species are long distance migrants using wintering, migratory stopover, and breeding sites spanning thousands of kilometres. My proposed research will make a significant contribution towards developing effective methods for mapping connectivity in these species, identifying sites of particular management concern, and understanding the functional links between sites used at different points in the annual cycle.

My specific goals are to:

1) determine the geographic origins and degree of migratory connectivity of wintering, migratory, and breeding populations of sandpipers using stable isotope analysis.

2) investigate the potential of multiple hypotheses to explain differences in sandpiper migration route, migration schedule, and non-breeding distribution.

3) investigate the ability of multiple hypotheses to explain differences in the timing of moult and determine how differences in moult strategy affect stopover duration.

4) explore the extent to which selective forces influencing migratory strategies of Western Sandpipers also influence the strategies of Semipalmated and Least Sandpipers.

5) determine whether differences in non-breeding habitat carry-over to affect reproductive success of Western Sandpipers.

Publications

Franks, S. E. , D. B. Lank, D. R. Norris, B. K. Sandercock, C. M. Taylor, and T. K. Kyser. (2009) Stable isotope analysis discriminates age classes of Western, Least, and Semipalmated sandpipers when plumage methods are unreliable. Journal of Field Ornithology 80:51-63.

Academic conferences

Franks, S. and D. B. Lank (2010) Explaining variation in the timing of flight feather moult: Feather Condition or Predation Danger? Joint meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union, Cooper Ornithological Society, and the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, San Diego , CA .

Franks, S. and D. B. Lank. (2009) Variability in the timing of annual cycle events in three long-distance migratory sandpiper species. 3 rd Western Hemisphere Shorebird Group meeting, Mazatlan , Mexico .

Franks, S. and D. B. Lank. (2008) Variability in the timing of annual cycle events in three long-distance migratory sandpiper species. 32 nd annual meeting of the Waterbird Society, South Padre Island, TX.

Franks, S. , D. B. Lank, D. R. Norris, C. M. Taylor, and T. K. Kyser. (2008) Stable isotope analysis allows cryptic yearling identification in Western, Least, and Semipalmated sandpipers. Joint meeting of the American Ornithologists' Union, Cooper Ornithological Society, and the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, Portland, OR.

Franks, S . and D.B. Lank. (2007) Moult and migration in least, semipalmated, and western sandpipers at a mid-continent stopover site. 26 th annual meeting of the Society of Canadian Ornithologists, Lake Opinicon, ON.

CV (September 2010) [PDF]

Photos from the winter 2008-09 field season

Photos from spring and fall migration in the Fraser River Delta

Photos from 2006 and 2007 fall migration in Kansas

More. . .