I am interested in the evolution and ecology of birds in Southeast Asia. Most of my recent work has been focused in two areas: (1) Population genetics and phylogenetics of closely related species. (2) The effect of forest disturbance and plantation development on native birds. Personally, I work almost exclusively in Malaysian Borneo, but I have students and colleagues working on projects from China to Indonesia. Our main goal is to understand forces that are related to the diversification of birds in the region. C.V. |
Education
Yale University: Ph.D. Biology, 1986; M.S. Biology, 1981; B.S. Geology & Geophysics, 1974
Ph.D. Dissertation
“A Study of the Evolution and Phylogeny of Herons (Ardeidae) using DNA-DNA Hybridization.”
Advisor:
C.G. Sibley
Selected Publications
2018 | Burner, R.C., A.R. Styring, and F.H. Sheldon. Faunal overlap produces low-to-mid elevation richness peak in birds on Bornean mountains. Journal of Tropical Ecology. In press. | |
2018 | Campillo, L.C., C.H. Oliveros, F.H. Sheldon, and R.G. Moyle. Genomic data resolve gene tree discordance in spiderhunters (Nectariniidae, Arachnothera). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 120:151-157. | link |
2018 | Pegan, T.M., Gulson-Castillo, E.R., Biun, A., Byington, J.I., Moyle, R.G., Tuh, F.Y.Y., Wood, E.M., Winkler, D.W. and Sheldon, F.H. An assessment of avifauna in a recovering lowland forest at Kinabalu National Park, Malaysian Borneo. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 66:110-131. | link |
2018 | Shakya, S.B., T. Haryoko, R.C. Burner, D. Prawiradilaga, and F.H. Sheldon. Preliminary assessment of community composition and phylogeographic relationships of the birds of the Meratus Mountains, Southeastern Borneo, Indonesia. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 138:45-66. | link |
2018 | Styring, A.R., J. Unggang, A. Jukie, O. Tateh, N. Megam, and F.H. Sheldon. Bird community interactions between native forest fragments and Acacia mangium plantation in Borneo. Wilson Journal of Ornithology. In press. | |
2017 | Moyle, R.G., J.D. Manthey, P.A. Hosner, M.A. Rahman, M. Lakim, and F.H. Sheldon. A genome-wide assessment of stages of elevational parapatry in Bornean passerine birds reveals no introgression: implications for processes and patterns of speciation. PeerJ 5:e3335. | link |
2017 | Manthey, J.D., R.G. Moyle, D.F. Gawin, M.A. Rahman, M.F.S. Ramji, and F.H. Sheldon. Genomic phylogeography of the endemic Mountain Blackeye of Borneo (Chlorocharis emiliae): montane and lowland populations differ in patterns of Pleistocene diversification. Journal of Biogeography 44:2272–2283. | link |
2017 | Lim, H.C., D.F. Gawin, S.B. Shakya, M.G. Harvey, M.A. Rahman, and F.H. Sheldon. Sundaland’s east-west rain forest population structure: variable manifestations in four polytypic bird species examined using RAD-Seq and plumage analyses. Journal of Biogeography 44: 2259–2271. | link |
2017 | Chua, V.L., B.T. Smith, M.A. Rahman, M. Lakim, D.M. Prawiradilaga, R.G. Moyle, and F.H. Sheldon. Evolutionary and ecological forces influencing population diversification in Bornean montane passerines. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 113:139-149. | link |
2017 | Reddy, S., R.T. Kimball, A. Pandey, P. Hosner, M.J. Braun, S.J. Hackett, K.L. Han, J. Harshman, C.J. Huddleston, S. Kingston, B.D. Marks, K.J. Miglia, W.A. Moore, F.H. Sheldon, T. Yuri, C.C. Witt, E.L. Braun. Why do phylogenomic data sets yield conflicting trees? Data type influences the avian tree of life more than taxon sampling. Systematic Biology 66:857-879. | link |
2016 | Burner, R.C., V.L. Chua, M.L. Brady, P. Van Els, P.O.M. Steinhoff, M.A. Rahman, and F.H. Sheldon. An ornithological survey of Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo. Wilson Journal of Ornithology 128:242-254. | link |
2016 | Cibois, A., and F.H. Sheldon. Comment on Jukema et al. “Geographic variation in morphometrics, molt, and migration suggests ongoing subspeciation in Pacific Golden-Plovers (Pluvialis fulva)”. The Auk: Advances in Ornithology 133:129-130. | link |
2016 | Styring, A.R., R. Ragai, and F.H. Sheldon. Foraging ecology and occurrence of seven sympatric babbler species (Aves: Timaliidae) in the lowland rainforest of Borneo and peninsular Malaysia. Current Zoology 62:345-355. | link |
2015 | Sheldon, F.H. Gazetteer and site-based history of ornithology in Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University. | link |
2015 | Chua, V. L., Q. Phillipps, H. C. Lim, S. S. Taylor, D. F. Gawin, M. A. Rahman, R. G. Moyle, and F. H. Sheldon. Phylogeography of three endemic birds of Maratua Island, a potential archive of Bornean biogeography. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 63:259-269. | link |
2015 | Lim, H.C., F. Zou, and F.H. Sheldon. Genetic differentiation in two widespread, open-forest bird species of Southeast Asia (Copsychus saularis and Megalaima haemacephala): Insights from ecological niche modeling. Current Zoology online. | link |
2015 | Sheldon, F.H., H.C. Lim, and R.G. Moyle. Return to the Malay Archipelago: the biogeography of Sundaic rainforest birds. Journal of Ornithology online, DOI 10.1007/s10336-015-1188-3. | link |
2014 | Gawin, D.F., M.A. Rahman, M.F.S. Ramji, B.T. Smith, H.C. Lim, R.G. Moyle, and F.H. Sheldon. Patterns of avian diversification in Borneo: the case of the endemic Mountain Black-eye (Chlorocharis emiliae). The Auk: Advances in Ornithology 131:86-99. | link |
2014 | Jarvis, E.D., et al. Whole-genome analyses resolve early branches in the tree of life of modern birds. Science 346:1320-1331. | link |
2014 | Lim, H.C., V.L. Chua, P.M. Benham, C.H. Oliveros, M.A. Rahman, R.G. Moyle, and F.H. Sheldon*. Divergence history of the Rufous-tailed Tailorbird (Orthotomus sericeus) of Sundaland: Implications for the biogeography of Palawan and the taxonomy of island species in general. Auk:Advances in Ornithology 131:629-642. | link |
2014 | Sheldon, F.H., G. Davison, A. Wong, and R.G. Moyle. Birds in peatswamp at Klias Forest Reserve and environs, Sabah, Malaysian Borneo. Occasional Papers of the Museum of Natural Science, Louisiana State University 83:1-29 | link |
2014 | Zhang, G., et al. Comparative genomics reveals insights into avian genome evolution and adaptation. Science 346:1311-1320. | link |
2013 | Li, S., F. Zou, Q. Zhang, and F.H. Sheldon. Species richness and guild composition in rubber plantations compared to secondary forest on Hainan Island, China. Agroforestry Systems 87:1117-1128. | link |
2013 | Mahood, S.P., A.J.I. John, J.C. Eames, C.H. Oliveros, R.G. Moyle, H. Chamnan, C.M. Poole, H. Nielsen, and F.H. Sheldon. 2013. A new species of lowland tailorbird (Passeriformes: Cisticolidae: Orthotomus) from the Mekong floodplain of Cambodia. Forktail 29:1-14. | link |
2013 | Senior, M.J.M., K.C. Hamer, S.H. Bottrell, D.P. Edwards, T.M. Fayle, J.M. Lucey, P.J. Mayhew, R.J. Newton, K.S.H. Peh, F.H. Sheldon, C. Stewart, A.R. Styring, M.D. Thom, P. Woodcock, and J.K. Hill. Trait-dependent declines of species following conversion of rain forest to oil palm plantations. Biodiversity and Conservation 22:253-268. | link |
2013 | Sheldon, F.H., C.E. Brown, M.A. Rahman, K.T. Guan, and R.G. Moyle. Ornithology of the Kelabit Highlands of Sarawak, Malaysia. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology. 61:1-27. | link |
2013 | Yuri, T., R.T. Kimball, J. Harshman, R.C.K. Bowie, M.J. Braun, J. L. Chojnowski, S. Hackett, K.-L. Han, C.J. Huddleston, W.S. Moore, S. Reddy, F.H. Sheldon, D.W. Steadman, C.C. Witt, and E.L. Braun. Parsimony and model-based analyses of indels in avian nuclear genes reveal congruent and incongruent phylogenetic signals. Biology 2:419-444 | link |
2012 | Dor, R., M.D. Carling, I.J. Lovette, F.H. Sheldon, and D.W. Winkler. Species trees for the tree swallows (Genus Tachycineta): an alternative phylogenetic hypothesis to the mitochondrial gene tree. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 65:317-322. | link |
2012 | Harris, J.B.C., D.L. Yong, F.H. Sheldon, A.J. Boyce, J.A. Eaton, H. Bernard, A. Biun, A. Langevin, T.E. Martin, and D. Wei. Using diverse data sources to detect elevational range changes of birds on Mount Kinabalu, Malaysian Borneo. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 25:197-247. | link |
2012 | Sheldon, F.H., C.H. Oliveros, S.S. Taylor, B. McKay, H.C. Lim, M.A. Rahman, H. Mays, and R.G. Moyle. Molecular phylogeny and insular biogeography of the lowland tailorbirds of Southeast Asia (Cisticolidae: Orthotomus). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 65:54-63. | link |
2012 | Wu, Y., J.H. Huang, M. Zhang, S. Luo, Y. Zhang, F. Lei, F.H. Sheldon, and F. Zou. Genetic divergence and population demography of the Hainan endemic black-throated laughingthrush (Aves: Timaliidae, Garrulax chinensis monachus) and adjacent mainland subspecies. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 65:482-489. | link |
2011 | Braun, E.L., R.T. Kimball, K.-L. Han, N.R. Iuhasz, A.J. Bonilla, J.L. Chojnowski, J.V. Smith, R.C.K. Bowie, M J. Braun, S.J. Hackett, J. Harshman, C.J. Huddleston, B.D. Marks, K.J. Miglia, W.S. Moore, S. Reddy, F.H. Sheldon, C.C. Witt & T. Yuri. Homoplastic microinversions and the avian tree of life. BMC Evolutionary Biology 11:141. | link |
2011 | Han, K.-L., E.L. Braun, R.T. Kimball, S. Reddy, R.C.K. Bowie, M.J. Braun, J.L. Chojnowski, S. Hackett, J. Harshman, C.J. Huddleston, B.D. Marks, K.J. Miglia, W.S. Moore, F.H. Sheldon, D.W. Steadman, C.C. Witt, and T. Yuri. Are transposable element insertions homoplasy free? An examination using the avian tree of life. Systematic Biology 60:375-386. | link |
2011 | Lim, H.C., M.A. Rahman, S.L.H. Lim, R.G. Moyle, F.H. Sheldon. Revisiting Wallace’s haunt: coalescent simulations and comparative niche modeling reveal historical mechanisms that promoted avian population divergence in the Malay Archipelago. Evolution 65:321-334. | link |
2011 | Lim, H.C., and F.H. Sheldon. Multilocus analysis of the evolutionary dynamics of rainforest bird populations in Southeast Asia. Molecular Ecology20:3414-3438. | link |
2011 | Moyle, R. G., S. S. Taylor, C. H. Oliveros, H. C. Lim, C. L. Haines, M. A. Rahman and F. H. Sheldon. Diversification of an endemic Southeast Asian genus: Phylogenetic relationships of the spiderhunters (Aves: Nectariniidae: Arachnothera). Auk 128:777-788. | link |
2011 | Sheldon, F.H., and A.R. Styring. Bird diversity differs between industrial tree plantations on Borneo: implications for conservation planning. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 59:269-283. | link |
2011 | Styring, A.R., R. Ragai, J. Unggang, R. Stuebing, P.A. Hosner, and F.H. Sheldon. Bird community assembly in two Bornean tree plantations: effects of forest age and structure. Forest Ecology and Management 261:531-544. | link |
2010 | Amaral, F.S.R., F.H. Sheldon, A. Gamauf, E. Haring, M.J. Riesing, L.F. Silveira, and A. Wajntal. Priority of Geranoaetus Kaup, 1844 over Tachytriorchis Kaup, 1844 (Aves: Accipitridae) based on the first reviser principle. Zootaxa 2534:67-68. | link |
2010 | Amaral, F.S.R., F.H. Sheldon, and A. Wajntal. Towards an assessment of character interdependence in avian RNA phylogenetics: a general secondary structure model for the avian mitochondrial 16S rRNA. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 56:498-506. | link |
2010 | Dor, R., R.J. Safran, F.H. Sheldon, D.W. Winkler, and I.J. Lovette. Phylogeny of the genus Hirundo and the barn swallow subspecies complex. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 56:409-418. | link |
2010 | Hosner, P.A., F.H. Sheldon, H.C. Lim, and R.G. Moyle. Phylogeny and biogeography of the Asian trogons (Aves: Trogoniformes) inferred from nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 57:1219-1215. | link |
2010 | Lim, H.C., F.H. Sheldon, and R.G. Moyle. Extensive color polymorphism in the Southeast Asian oriental dwarf kingfisher Ceyx erithaca: a result of gene flow during population divergence? Journal of Avian Biology 41:305-318. | link |
2010 | . Lim, H.C., Zou, F., Taylor, S.S., Marks, B.D., Moyle, R.G., Voelker, G., and Sheldon, F.H. Phylogeny of magpie-robins and shamas (Aves: Turdidae: Copsychus and Trichixos): implications for island biogeography in Southeast Asia. Journal of Biogeography 37:1894-1906. | link |
2010 | Lohman, D.J., K.K. Ingram, D.M. Prawiradilaga, K. Winker, F.H. Sheldon, R.G. Moyle, P.K.L. Ng, P.S. Ong, L.K. Wang, T.M. Braile, D. Astutic, and R. Meier. 2009. Cryptic genetic diversity in “widespread” Southeast Asian bird species suggests that Philippine avian endemism is gravely underestimated. Biological Conservation. 143: 1885-1890. | link |
2010 | Sheldon, F.H., A.R. Styring, and P.A. Hosner. Bird species richness in a Bornean exotic tree plantation: a long-term perspective. Biological Conservation 143:399-407. | link |
2009 | Amaral, F.S.R., F.H. Sheldon, A. Gamauf, E. Haring, M.J. Riesing, L.F. Silveira, and A. Wajntal, A. Patterns and processes of diversification in a widespread and ecologically diverse avian group, the buteonine hawks (Aves, Accipitridae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 53:703-715. | link |
2009 | Kimball, R.T., Braun, E.L., Barker, F.K., Bowie, R.C.K., Braun, M.J., Chojnowski, J.L., Hackett, S., Han, K.-L., Harshman, J., Heimer-Torres, V., Holznagel, W., Huddleston, C.J., Marks, B.D., Miglia, K.J., Moore, W.S., Reddy, S., Sheldon, F.H., Smith, J.V., Witt, C.C. & Yuri, T. A well-tested set of primers to amplify regions spread across the avian genome. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 50:654-660. | link |
2009 | Sheldon, F.H., H.C. Lim, J. Nais, M. Lakim, A. Tuuga, P. Malim, J. Majuakim, A. Lo, M. Schilthuizen, P.A. Hosner, R.G. Moyle. Observations on the ecology, distribution, and biogeography of forest birds in Sabah, Malaysia. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 57:577-586. | link |
2009 | Sheldon, F.H., D. J. Lohman, H.C. Lim, F. Zou, S.M. Goodman, D.M. Prawiradilaga, K. Winker, T.M. Braile, and R.G. Moyle. Phylogeography of the magpie-robin species complex (Aves: Turdidae: Copsychus) reveals a Philippine species, an interesting isolating barrier, and unusual dispersal patterns in the Indian Ocean and Southeast Asia. Journal of Biogeography 36:1070-1083. | link |
2008 | Hackett, S., R.T. Kimball, S. Reddy, R.C.K. Bowie, E.L. Braun, M.J. Braun, J.L. Chojnowski, W.A. Cox, K.-L. Han, J. Harshman, C.J. Huddleston, B.D. Marks, K.J. Miglia, W.S. Moore, F.H. Sheldon, D.W. Steadman, C.C. Witt, and T. Yuri. A phylogenomic study of birds reveals their evolutionary history. Science 320:1763-1768. | link |
2008 | Harshman, J., E.L. Braun, M.J. Braun, C.J. Huddleston, R.C.K. Bowie, J.L. Chojnowski, S. Hackett, K.-L. Han, R.T. Kimball, B.D. Marks, K.J. Miglia, W.S. Moore, S. Reddy, F.H. Sheldon, D.W. Steadman, S.J. Steppan, C.C. Witt, and T. Yuri. Phylogenomic evidence for multiple losses of flight in ratite birds. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, USA 105:13462-13467. | link |
2008 | Moyle, R.G., Hosner, P.A., Nais, J., Lakim, M., and Sheldon, F.H. Taxonomic status of the Kinabalu ‘linchi‘ swiftlet. Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club 128:94-100. | link |
2008 | Moyle, R.G., B. Slikas, L.A. Whittingham, D.W. Winkler, and F.H. Sheldon. DNA sequence assessment of phylogenetic relationships among New World martins (Hirundinidae: Progne). Wilson Journal of Ornithology 120:683-691. | link |
2007 | Zou, F.S., H.C. Lim, B. Marks, R.G. Moyle, and F. H. Sheldon. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the Grey-cheeked Fulvetta (Alcippe morrisonia) of China and Indochina: A case of remarkable genetic divergence in a “species”. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 44:165-174. | link |
2006 | Moyle, R.G., J. Cracraft, M. Lakim, J. Nais, and F.H. Sheldon. Reconsideration of the phylogenetic relationships of the enigmatic Bornean Bristlehead (Pityriasis gymnocephala). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 39:893-898. | link |
2005 | Gill, F.B., B. Slikas, and F.H. Sheldon. Phylogeny of titmice (Paridae): II. Species relationships based on sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene. Auk 122:121-143. | link |
2005 | Moyle, R.G., M. Schilthuizen, M.A. Rahman, and F.H. Sheldon. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the White-crowned Forktail (Enicurus leschenaultia) in Borneo. Journal of Avian Biology 36:96-101. | link |
2005 | Sheldon, F.H., L.A. Whittingham, R.G. Moyle, B. Slikas, and D.W. Winkler. Phylogeny of swallows (Aves: Hirundinidae) estimated from nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 35:254-270. | link |