Research and Publications
Current Research
Behavioral Ecology, Ecology, Evolutionary Biology
1). Behavioral ecology of reproduction in the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica). Current studies are designed to test alternate hypotheses on the causation and functionsof hatching asynchrony. My current project is designed to test the "egg viability hypothesis". For more details click here.
2) Characterization of stock ponds and their role in the winter ecology of Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) in Northeast Texas. Research sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on mallard utilization of stock ponds in Northeast Texas. Currently two projects are underway. The first evaluates the feeding habits and body condition of female mallards utilizing stock ponds in late winter. A detailed description of this project can be found here. The second project, which has just been initiated, will characterize food availability in these stock ponds by evaluating vegetation and invertebrate abundance. Two other projects evaluating water quality and chemistry are planned in the near future.
3) Stabilimenta in the Golden Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia): a test of the insect attraction hypothesis. By manipulating stabilimentum color and UV reflectivity, we are testing the hypothesis that these web structures serve to attract insects into the spider's web. Details are available here.
4) Karyotypic studies among species of Zonotrichia and Junco. We are evaluating chromosomal evolution using measurements from the karyotypes of Juncos (Junco hyemalis), White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis), White-crowned
Sparrows (Zonotrichia leucophrys), and Harris' Sparrows (Zonotrichia querula). From these data a cladogram will be constructed and compared to cladograms derived from studies using morphological characters and selectively neutral molecular markers. From these comparisons we hope to determine whether chromosome morphology is selectively neutral (i.e.. evolves parallel to neutral molecular markers).
General Research Interests
1) Behavioral ecology and reproductive strategies. See Current Research above or click here or click here or click here.2) Community, population, and restoration ecology: Ecology and management of tall-grass prairie ecosystems in northeast Texas, habitat and resource partitioning among Indigo and Painted Buntings, behavior and activity patterns of the Red-eared Slider.
Selected Publications
Full Journal Papers
Kopachena, J.G. 1987. Variations in the temporal spacing of Franklin's gull (Larus pipixcan) flocks. Canadian Journal of Zoology 65: 2450-2457.
Kopachena, J.G. 1991. Food dispersion, predation, and the relative advantage of colonial nesting. Colonial Waterbirds 14: 7-12.
Kopachena, J.G. and C.J. Crist. 2000. Micro-habitat features associated with Painted and Indigo Buntings in northeast Texas. Texas Journal of Science 52: 133-144.
Kopachena, J.G. and C.J. Crist. 2000. Macro-habitat features associated with Painted and Indigo Buntings in northeast Texas. Wilson Bulletin 112: 108-114
Kopachena, J.G. and Evans, R.M. 1990. Flock recruitment in Franklin's Gulls. Colonial Waterbirds 13: 92-95.
Kopachena, J.G. and Falls, J.B. 1991. An experimental study of brood division in white-throated sparrows. Animal Behaviour 42: 395-402.
Kopachena, J.G. and Falls, J.B. 1993. Post-fledging parental care in the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). Canadian Journal of Zoology 71:227-232.
Kopachena, J.G. and Falls, J.B. 1993. Re-evaluation of morph-specific variations in parental behaviour of White-throated Sparrows. Wilson Bulletin 105: 48-59.
Kopachena, J.G. and Falls, J.B. 1993. Aggressive performance as a behavioral correlate of plumage polymorphism in the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). Behaviour 124: 249-266.
Kopachena, J.G. and Kollar, C.S. 1999. A herpetological survey of three old-field sites at Cooper Lake. Texas Journal of Science 51:211-224.
Kopachena, J.G., A.J. Buckley, and G.A. Potts. 2000. Effects of the American Swallow Bug (Oeciacus vicarius) on reproductive success in the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica). Texas Journal of Science 52: 33-47.
Kopachena, J.G., A.J. Buckley, and G.A. Potts. 2000. Some observations on the effects of the Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis invicta) on the reproductive success of Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) in northeast Texas. Southwestern Naturalist 45(4): in press.
Student Masters Theses
Crist, C.J. 1998. An evaluation of habitat selection among Painted Buntings (Passerina ciris) and Indigo Buntings (Passerina cyanea). Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University - Commerce.
Dees, D. 1998. The significance of spot patterns in the Convergent Lady Beetle. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University - Commerce.
Mays, M.Y. 1998. A comparison of the karyotypes of Junco hyemalis, Zonotrichia querula, and Z. leucophrys. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University - Commerce.
Wakoson, A.H. 1996 Chromosomal polymorphism in white-throated sparrows. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University - Commerce.
Wilkinson, J.R.. 1997. Comparison of fecundity, longevity and larval viability in four lines of Drosophila melanogaster. Masters Thesis, Texas A&M University - Commerce.
Student Honors Theses
Healy, J.M. 1997. Distribution of arsenic residues at the Commerce, Texas, SuperFund Site. Honors Thesis, Texas A&M University - Commerce.
Kollar, C.M. 1995. A herpetological survey of three degraded tall-grass prairie sites around Cooper Lake. Honors Thesis, East Texas State University.
Miller, T.M. 1997. A study of movement patterns and basking behavior of a turtle population inhabiting a northeast Texas pond. Honors Thesis, Texas A&M University - Commerce.
Student Theses (in progress)
Dawson, L. E. Chromosomal evaluation of phylogenetic relationships among the Zonotrichia. MSc Thesis, expected date of completion: December 2000.
Strickland, K. A test of the egg viability hypothesis in Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica). Honors Thesis, expected date of completion: May, 2002.
Simpson, E. A test of the nest protection hypothesis in the Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe). Masters Thesis, expected date of completion: May, 2002.
Wise, F.R. A comparison of the bacterial flora of nestling of Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) and Eastern Phoebes (Sayornis phoebe). Honors Thesis, expected date of completion: December 2000.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Crist, C.J., and Kopachena, J.G. 1998. An evaluation of gross habitat features around the song perches of Indigo and Painted Buntings in Northeast Texas. Proceedings of
the 101st annual meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, 5 March - 7 March, 1998, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX.
Crist, C.J., and Kopachena, J.G. 1997. A comparison of habitat selection by male Painted and Indigo Buntings. Proceedings of the 100th annual meeting of the Texas
Academy of Science, 6 March - 8 March, 1997, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville TX.
Crist, C.J., and Kopachena, J.G. 1997. A comparison of habitat selection by male Painted and Indigo Buntings. Annual District Convention of the Tri-Beta Biological
Honors Society, 12 April - 14 April, 1997, University of Oklahoma Field Station, Lake Texoma, Oklahoma.
Fulmer, J.R., Lee, D.R., and Kopachena, J.G. 1998. A microbiological study of in vitro soil and water microhabitats of ponds using a Winogradky method.
Proceedings of the 101st annual meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, 5 March - 7 March, 1998, The University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler, TX.
Healy, J.M., and Kopachena, J.G. 1997. Distribution of arsenic residues at the Commerce, Texas, SuperFund site. Proceedings of the 100th annual meeting of the
Texas Academy of Science, 6 March - 8 March, 1997, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville TX.
Healy, J.M., and Kopachena, J.G. 1997. Distribution of arsenic residues at the Commerce, Texas, SuperFund site. Annual District Convention of the Tri-Beta
Biological Honors Society, 12 April - 14 April, 1997, University of Oklahoma Field Station, Lake Texoma, Oklahoma.
Kennedy, M., Price, D.M., Betts, J.G., and Kopachena, J.G. 1996. Analysis of biomass and productivity of the goldenrod (Solidago sp.). Annual District
Convention of the Tri-Beta Biological Honors Society, 12 April - 14 April, 1996, University of Oklahoma Field Station, Lake Texoma, Oklahoma.
Kollar, Cynthia M., and Kopachena, Jeffrey G. 1996. A herpetological survey of three degraded tall-grass prairies around Cooper Lake. Proceedings of the 99th annual
meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, 29 February - 2 March, 1996, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston TX. p. 124.
Kollar, Cynthia M., and Kopachena, Jeffrey G. 1996. A herpetological survey of three degraded tall-grass prairies around Cooper Lake. National Council on
undergraduate Research Meeting, University of North Carolina at Asheville, Asheville, North Carolina.
Kollar, Cynthia M., and Kopachena, Jeffrey G. 1996. A herpetological survey of three degraded tall-grass prairies around Cooper Lake. Annual District Convention. Beta
Beta Beta Biological Honors Society, University of Oklahoma Field Station, Oklahoma.
Kopachena, J.G. 1985. Spatial and temporal aspects of Franklin's gull flocks. Special Symposium: The ecology and behavior of gulls. Joint Meeting of the Colonial
Waterbird Group and the Pacific Seabird Group. 6 December 1985, San Francisco, California.
Kopachena, J.G. 1995. Polymorphisms in White-throated Sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis) - genetically based reproductive strategies? Proceedings of the 98th
annual meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, 3 March, 1995, Baylor University, Waco, TX.
Kopachena, Jeffrey G. 1996. Physical correlates of nest departure in a ground-nesting bird: the white-throated sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis. Proceedings of the 99th
annual meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, 29 February - 2 March, 1996, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Galveston TX.
Kopachena, J.G. and Falls, J.B. 1988. Post-fledging parental care in the white- throated Sparrow. Ontario Ethology and Ecology Colloquium. 18 April 1988, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario.
Kopachena, J.G. and Falls, J.B. 1989. Behavioral correlates of polymorphism in the White-throated Sparrow. Ontario Ethology and Ecology Colloquium. 15 April 1989, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario.
Kopachena, J.G. and Falls, J.B. 1989. Behavioral correlates of polymorphism in the White-throated Sparrow. 101st Stated Meeting, American Ornithologists Union. 9 August 1989, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Kopachena, J.G., Buckley, A.J., and Potts, G.A. 1999. Effect of the American Swallow Bug (Oeciacus vicarius) on reproductive success in the Barn Swallow.
Proceedings of the 102nd annual meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, 4 March - 6 March, 1999, Texas Lutheran University, Seguin, Texas.
Kopachena, J.G., Robinson, K.E., Wing, M., Cooke, F., and Holden, J.J.A. 1993. Characterization of a chromosomal polymorphism with phenotypic effect in the
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis). Annual Meeting of the Genetics Society of Canada. 11-14 June 1993, Lac Du Lage, Quebec.
Wilkinson, J.R., and Kopachena, J.G. 1997. Comparison of fecundity, longevity and larval viability in Drosophila. Proceedings of the 100th annual meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, 6 March - 8 March, 1997, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville TX.
Simpson, E.M., and Kopachena, J.G. 2001. A test of the nest protection hypothesis in the Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe). Proceedings of the 104nd annual meeting of
the Texas Academy of Science, 2 March - 3 March, 2001, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas.
