Biographical Memoirs Volume 83 (2003) / Chapter Skim
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Charles Gald Sibley
Charles Gald Sibley
Pages 216-239
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From page 217... ...
his ultimate move to Santa Rosa, Charles travelecl worIc~w~cle to conduct en cl report on his research. He was one of the leacling ornithologists cluring the latter half of the twentieth century, one of the founders and a major player in the emerging fielcl of molecular systematics, en cl contributed significantly to our knowledge of the evolutionary relationships among the higher avian taxa.
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From page 218... ...
In 1959-60 he took a sabbatical year at Oxford University as a Guggenheim fellow. Back on the Cornell campus cluring the summer of 1962, he oversaw the activities of the 13th International Ornithological Congress.
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Evolution In 1965 Charles mover! to Yale University as a professor of biology, the William Robertson Coe Professor of Ornithology, en cl curator of bircis of the Peabody Museum of Natural History.
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only months earlier clevelopecl the methoclology. In 1966 when Sibley wan tell avian bloocl samples from European species, he contacted a number of friencis who wouic!
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to natural history by reacting John Burroughs en cl Ernest Thompson Seton. Close friend Robert Failing encouraged his interest in bircis, en c!
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For example, following the ~ 4th International Ornithological Congress in Oxford, England, Charles organized a monthTong European vacation arounc! visits to zoological gardens, aviaries, and the homes of European colleagues in an ongoing effort to obtain critical species for his research.
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From page 223... ...
Subsequently, for his cloctoral research Charles cleciclecl to examine the complex patterns of plumage variation causecl by hybridization en cl the breakdown of species-specific reproductive isolating mechanisms between the recI-eyocl towhee, P erythrophthalmus, en cl the colIarecl towhee, P
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From page 224... ...
In an attempt to resolve both issues Charles wrote a small proposal to the National Science Founciation to examine the possibility of using the new technique of paper electrophoresis to study species-specific variation in the serum proteins of game bircis. If successful, it might be applied to the analysis of genetic variation in hybrid populations.
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From page 225... ...
out, even with the crucle technique of paper electrophoresis, the serum protein electrophoretic patterns seemed much too variable among inclivicluals to be appliecl to the hybridization studies. (Recall that at that time nothing was known about protein variation, either within or between species.)
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The transition involves! a move from activities that primarily usecl classic fieldwork couplecl with comparative morphology to one of ciaily laboratory analyses using the methods of comparative biochemistry.
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out some population genetic studies. Among other research problems, these incluclecl both hybridizing species-pairs birds of paradise of the genus Paraclisaea)
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Specimens were collected in the mornings and late afternoons, during the midday periods enzymes were extracted and analyzed by means of starch gel electrophoresis.
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Early on he was convinced that the comparative stucly of protein variation couIcl aicl significantly in determining avian phylogenetic relationships at the higher levels of classification. He was equally certain that the methods wouIcl not be much help at the levels of species en cl genera.
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Soon thereafter, en cl with his usual skill, energy, en cl enthusiasm, Charles was extolling the virtues of those ciata in resolving Tongstancling systematic problems. At annual scientific meetings en cl through invited lectures in North America and Europe he spreacl the message about the wonclers of the new comparative methods.
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Willing students acquired collecting permits, risker! their necks climbing trees en c!
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The DNA-DNA hybridization studies involves! the clevelopment of another tissue collection.
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It involvecl the informal charge that the analyses of DNA-DNA hybridization ciata hac! been manipulatecl to yielcl results that conformed with preconceivecl notions of phylogenetic relationships.
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In 1990 Yale University Press publishecl two massive scientific contributions. One, in collaboration with his close friend en cl colleague Burt Monroe, Jr., was Distribution en c!
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Charles passed away at his home in Santa Rosa on Easter Sunday, April 12, 199S, from myelogenous leukemia. He is survival by Frances, his wife of 56 years, whom he met as Frances Louise Kelly, en cl their daughters, Barbara Susanne, Dorothy Ellen, en c!
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Variability in the electrophoretic patterns of avian serum proteins. Condor 61 :85-95.
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In Proceedings of the 17th International Ornithological Congress (BerlinJ, ed.
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From page 238... ...
DNA sequence support for a close phylogenetic relationship between some storks and New World vultures.
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