Kausalya "Kay" Shenoy

Education

PhD (Biology), 2012, Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, USA.
MS (Ecology), 2002, Salim Ali School of Ecology, Pondicherry University, India.
BSc (Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics), 2000, St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore, India.

Research

I am an evolutionary and behavioral ecologist, and I apply my research to the field of ecotoxicology to understand how anthropogenic contaminants can alter evolutionary trajectories in exposed populations, via disrupted sexual signaling. I am especially interested in the loss of male signal reliability as a result of endocrine-disruption and the consequences to female mate-choice and fitness. I use empirical and theoretical techniques to address my questions.

Selected Publications:
  1. Shenoy K. 2012. Environmentally realistic exposure to the herbicide atrazine alters some sexually selected traits in male guppies. PLoS One, 7(2):e30611.
  2. Hart MK, Shenoy K and Crowley PH. 2011. Sexual conflicts along gradients of density and predation risk: insights from an egg-trading fish. Evolutionary Ecology, 25: 1081–1105.
  3. Shenoy K and Crowley PH. 2011. Endocrine disruption of male mating signals: ecological and evolutionary implications. Functional Ecology, 25: 433–448.
  4. Shenoy K, Cunningham BT, Renfroe JW and Crowley PH. 2009. Survival and growth rate of Northern leopard frog (Rana pipiens) larvae exposed to two common pesticides. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 28(7): 1469–1474.
  5. Srinivasan MP, Shenoy K and Gleeson SK. 2007. Population structure of Scotch broom (Cytisus scoparius) and its invasion impacts on the resident plant community in the grasslands of Nilgiris, India. Current Science, 93(8):1108–1113.
  6. Shenoy K, Varma S and Devi Prasad KV. 2006. Factors determining habitat choice of the smooth-coated otter, Lutra perspicillata in a south Indian river system. Current Science, 91: 637–643.
Courses Taught

BIO 325, Introduction to Ecology, laboratory: course website

BIO 303, Introduction to Evolution

BIO 148, Introductory Biology I

BIO 102, Human Ecology: course website

BIO 153, Principles of Biology II