Evo-Eco Hsu Group in NCKU
Welcome!
This is the website of the Evo-Eco Hsu Group. Our group is founded by Yu-Hsun Hsu in the Department of Life Sciences at National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan, in mid-2019.
We are fascinated by the variations in animals, from between species to within individuals, and how the role that these variations play in a changing environment. Among the enormous number of topics in ecology and evolution, our recent focus is the relationship between phenotypes and genotypes with environments with spatial variations, the evolution of mating systems, and their roles in animal adaptation. Visit our Research Page to find out more.
We are constantly recruiting PhD students and occasionally for post-docs. Don't hesitate to contact us via yuhsunhsu@ncku.edu.tw if you're interested in mating systems, the evolution of extra-pair mating and speciation.
"If you haven't written it, you haven't done it."
"Precise, clear and brief - always follow these rules for both thinking and writing."
"Methods matter."
News
June 2024:
Another work on extra-pair mating from the House Sparrow Team is now available online. Well done, Antje, Alfredo and Jamie!
May 2024:
Echo and Dr. Justin D. Yeh presented their collaborated work on the theoretical modelling of the evolution of extra-pair mating at the Workshop of Sexual Selection in a Changing World in Erice, Italy. Discussing this work with several behavioural ecologists and theoretical biologists gave us quite a few insightful feedbacks for further extension!
Echo gave a talk on the overview of the damselfly project at the conference of "1st "Genomic Big Bang — Evolution, Biodiversity, and Sustainable Bio-Innovation" at NCKU. Discussing this with researchers from Taiwan, Japan, and the United States was great. Several directions to extend this study were formed through the discussions.
Apr 2024:
Shalini is kicking off her field survey this year. May the force be with you!!!
Jan 2024:
We successfully secured the 2nd year funding for the cross-college grant. Join us if you're interested in species distribution modelling and/or ecological modelling and its application!
We spent the last day of this semester on the final report of Shalini and Yi-Hsuan's proposal. Thanks to Justin and Ming for joining the review committee and the after-course chat. New topics are generated in this discussion, so contact us if you're interested in the evolution of mating systems and the evolution of extra-pair mating at a PhD or post-doc!
News in 2023
Dec 2023:
Shalini is presenting her study of waterbirds in India in the BSGC 2023.
Our cross-college collaboration works well, and our first manuscript from this project is now submitted. Well done, guys!
Sep 2023:
Shalini is selected to present her work at the Biological Science Graduate Congress 2023 in Universiti Malaya with a full travel grant from our college. Congrats!
Aug 2023:
We had some lovely farewells for Andy and Paggy because they are both leaving for their Master's programs in Computer science and information engineering and Environmental engineering (Yep, see how broadly graduates from Life Sciences can explore!). It has been wonderful to work with you and best luck to both of you!
July 2023:
Peilun is kicking off his fieldwork for damselfly this year. Happy damselflying!
June 2023:
Peilun is presenting his latest findings at the Research Day of the College of Bioscience and Biotechnology (CBB) next Monday. Join us if you are around the campus!
May 2023:
We're hiring part-time workers with responsibility and carefulness to help with some measurements. The working hours can be flexible, so it's suitable for undergrads (preferably students in NCKU). Please contact Pei-Lun (L56104137@gs.ncku.edu.tw) if you're interested.
Take's study (collaborated with Echo and I-Ching) is officially published! Check it on the Publication page and contact us if you're keen to participate in the extended projects.
Apr 2023:
Shalini is heading out for her field survey this Spring. Keep safe and happy birding!!
Our cross-disciplinary project is announced to be funded. A new experience is now sailing ahead!
Mar 2023:
Take's (Dr. Takefumi Nakazawa) study (collaborated with Echo and Dr I-Ching Chen) of sexual match/mismatch hypothesis is now accepted by Oikos! In this study, we emphasized the importance and lack of study of sexual MMH through both literature reviews and theoretical modelling. Can't wait for it to be officially published!
Jan 2023:
Happy New Year for the Year of Rabbit!
News in 2022
Nov 2022:
Echo's invited book chapter is now published online! As the only chapter about infidelity in non-human animals in this handbook, Echo provided an overview of the supportive and non-supportive evidence of hypotheses related to extra-pair mating and pointed out the current knowledge gaps. May this be a nice starting point for those who are new to the studies of extra-pair matings in animals!
October 2022:
We're looking for volunteers to join us in the shorebird survey in Yilan this Autumn. Contact Shalini is you're interested in!
Shalini starts her field survey in Yilan. Look forward to some nice birdy news from her!
September 2022:
We're seeking two part-time research assistants. Contact us if you're interested in joining us!
August 2022:
Our new member, Shalini Jain, has started her PhD in our group. Welcome, Shalini!
Echo has started another multiple-year NSTC grant. Research funding secured (for now). Hooray!!
July 2022:
Andreas (in person), Pei-Chen (virtual) and Pei-Lun (virtual) are presenting their finding at the International Society of Behavioral Ecology (ISBE) Congress 2022 at Stockholm, Sweden. Join their presentations and discuss with them if you're attending as well!
Echo is awarded with the Teaching Excellency Award in National Cheng Kung University. Congrats!
Andreas is visiting Professor Tamás Székely in the University of Debrecen in Hungary from mid-to-late July, before he attends to ISBE in person.
We ended up with our preliminary field survey of the breeding shorebirds in southern Taiwan this year. Good work, Andreas!
June 2022:
We're looking for volunteers to participate in our fieldwork on breeding shorebirds and damselfly in Taiwan. Please fill in the form if you're interested in!
We're heading out for our first damselfly survey this year. May the force be with us!!!