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Biological Sciences - Tenure-Track Faculty
724 Rieveschl Hall
513-556-9736
michal.polak@uc.edu

Education

PhD, Arizona State University, 1996.

Research Interests

My research combines the study of selection, quantitative genetics and ecology to study evolutionary processes in contemporary populations. The traits we study are behavioral, morphological and physiological, and of special interest are those that mediate interactions with parasites, and that are under the influence of sexual selection.

Much of our research uses various species of Drosophila, a genus with a rich tradition of research in many areas of evolutionary biology and genetics.

My research program emphasizes integration of laboratory experimentation with field studies. Field sites at which research has been conducted include the Great Smoky Mountains, the Sonoran Desert ecosystem, Australia, Costa Rica, Fiji, New Caledonia, and Mexico.

To learn more about research going on in the Polak Lab, please visit our Home Page.

Peer Reviewed Publications

Polak,Michal (2008). The developmental instability - Sexual selection hypothesis: A general evaluation and case study. Evolutionary Biology, 35(3), 208, 230.

Cooperman, A.F., Polak, M., Evans, C.S.,, & Taylor, P. (2007). Different sexual traits show covariation among genotypes: implications for sexual selection. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY, 18, 311-317.

Jaenike, J., Polak, M., Fiskin, A., Helou, M., & Minhas, M. (2007). Interspecific transmission of endosymbiotic Spiroplasma by mites. BIOLOGY LETTERS, 3, 23-25.

Luong, L., Heath, B., & Polak, M. (2007). Host inbreeding increases susceptibility to ectoparasitism. JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, 20, 79-86.

Luong, L., & Polak, M. (2007). Environment-dependent tradeoffs between ectoparasite resistance and larval competitive ability in the Drosophila-Macrocheles system. Heredity, 99, 632-640.

Luong, L., & Polak, M. (2007). Costs of resistance in the Drosophila-Macrocheles system: A negative genetic correlation between ectoparasite resistance and reproduction. Evolution, 61, 1391-1402.

Polak, M., Luong, L.T.,, & Starmer, W. (2007). Parasites physically block host copulation: A potent mechanism of parasite-mediated sexual selection. BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY, 18, 952-957.

Polak, M., & Taylor, P. (2007). A primary role of developmental instability in sexual selection. PROC. ROYAL SOCIETY, LONDON B, 274, 3133-3140.

Polak, M., & Starmer, W. (2005). Environmental origins of sexually selected variation and a critique of the fluctuating asymmetry-sexual selection hypothesis. Evolution, 59, 577-585.

Halliday, R., Walter, D., & Polak, M. (2005). A new species of Gamasodes Oudemans from Australia (Acari: Parasitidae). ZOOTAXA, 1001, 17-30.

McEvey, S., & Polak, M. (2005). Mycodrosophila (Diptera: Drosophilidae) of Fiji and Vanuatu with a description of nine new species. FIJI ARTHROPODS II: BISHOP MUSEUM OCCASIONAL PAPERS, 84, 35-67.

Polak, M., Kroeger, D., Cartwright, I., & Ponce de Leon, C. (2004). Genotype-specific responses of fluctuating asymmetry and of preadult survival to lead and temperature stress in Drosophila melanogaster. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION, 127, 145-155.

Polak, M., Starmer, W., & Wolf, L. (2004). Sexual selection for size and symmetry in a diversifying secondary sexual character in Drosophila bipectinata Duda (Diptera: Drosophilidae). EVOLUTION, 58, 597-607.

Polak, M., & Stillabower, E. (2004). The relationship between genotype, developmental stability and mating performance: Disentangling the epigenetic causes. PROC. ROYAL SOCIETY, LONDON B, 271, 1815-1821.

Starmer, W., Polak, M., Pitnick, S., McEvey S., Wolf, L., & Barker, J. (2003). Phylogenetic, geographical and temporal analysis of female reproductive tradeoff in Drosophila. EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, 33, 139-171.

Polak, M (2003). Heritability of resistance against ectoparasitism in the Drosophila-Macrocheles system. JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, 16, 74-82.

Polak,M., Opoka,R., Cartwright,I. L. (2002). Response of fluctuating asymmetry to arsenic toxicity: support for the developmental selection hypothesis. Environmental Pollution, 118(1), 19, 28.

Starmer,W. T., Patten,M., Polak,M. (2002). The statistics of detecting positional fluctuating asymmetry. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 77(4), 491, 498.

Polak,M., Starmer,W. T. (2001). The quantitative genetics of fluctuating asymmetry. Evolution, 55(3), 498, 511.

Polak,M., Wolf,L. L., Starmer,W. T., Barker,J. S. F. (2001). Function of the mating plug in Drosophila hibisci Bock. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 49(2-3), 196, 205.

Wolf,L. L., Starmer,W. T., Polak,M., Barker,J. S. F. (2000). Genetic architecture of a wing size measure in Drosophila hibisci from two populations in eastern Australia. Heredity, 85(6), 521, 529.

Starmer,W. T., Polak,M., Wolf,L. L., Barker,J. S. F. (2000). Reproductive characteristics of the flower-breeding Drosophila hibisci Bock (Drosophilidae) in eastern Australia: within-population genetic determinants of ovariole number. Heredity, 84(1), 90, 96.

Wolf,L. L., Polak,M., Barker,J. S. F., Bowles,J., Starmer,W. T. (2000). Reproductive characteristics of Drosophila hibisci in the Northern Territory, Australia. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 71(3), 549, 562.

Starmer,W. T., Polak,M., Wolf,L. L., Barker,J. S. F. (1998). Reproductive characteristics of the flower breeding Drosophila hibisci bock (Drosophilidae) in eastern Australia: Genetic and environmental determinants of ovariole number. Evolution, 52(3), 806, 815.

Polak,M., Starmer,W. T. (1998). Parasite-induced risk of mortality elevates reproductive effort in male Drosophila. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London Series B-Biological Sciences, 265(1411), 2197, 2201.

Polak,M. (1998). Effects of ectoparasitism on host condition in the Drosophila-Macrocheles system. Ecology, 79(5), 1807, 1817.

Polak,M., Starmer,W. T., Barker,J. S. F. (1998). A mating plug and male mate choice in Drosophila hibisci Bock. Animal Behaviour, 56, 919, 926.

Polak,M. (1994). Large-Size Advantage and Assessment of Resource Holding Potential in Male Polistes Fuscatus (F) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). Animal Behaviour, 48(5), 1231, 1234.

Polak,M. (1993). Landmark Territoriality in the Neotropical Paper Wasps Polistes-Canadensis (L) and P-Carnifex (F) (Hymenoptera, Vespidae). Ethology, 95(4), 278, 290.