Dr Renske Onstein
Profile
Biodiversity on Earth is rapidly disappearing due to global change. My research ambition is to understand the processes responsible for the origin, resilience and adaptability of biodiversity, to be able to predict future declines and preserve ecosystems and their functions.
During my PhD, I studied the role of functional traits during angiosperm radiations (the rapid accumulation of species in parts of the tree-of-life). For this I developed a conceptual framework and methodology to integrate large databases including fossils, phylogenetic and functional trait data, supplemented with my own collections from botanical surveys in South African and Australian hotspots. I was able to show that the evolutionary ‘match’ between traits and environments triggered explosive species radiations in certain groups, times and places, by increasing speciation rates or decreasing extinction rates. The generality of these results across large spatial (i.e. hotspots) and temporal scales, however, remains untested. By understanding the ultimate drivers of speciation and extinction, I hope to contribute to improved conservation of biodiversity.
After my PhD I obtained a Swiss grant to continue my research on evolutionary radiations at the Université Paris-Sud (France). This allowed me to integrate my knowledge on macro-evolution with spatial statistics linked to the distribution of diversity as a result of macro-ecological processes. I continued the development of this research line as a postdoc at the University of Amsterdam (Netherlands). I am passionate about communicating my research to a broader audience, in particular through the use of video.
For more information, visit my personal website: https://onsteinison.wordpress.com/
Scientific career
- Jun 2018–Current
Head of Evolution and Adaptation Research Group, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Germany. - Jun 2016–May 2018
Postdoc at University of Amsterdam (UvA), Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Amsterdam, the Netherlands. - Aug 2015–May 2016
Postdoc at Université Paris-Sud, Lab. Écologie, Systématique, Évolution (ESE), Orsay, France. - Mar 2011–Jun 2015
PhD (with distinction) in Evolutionary Biology at the Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Switzerland, supervised by Prof. H. Peter Linder. Thesis on ‘The role of plant functional traits in Cenozoic angiosperm radiations’. - Sep 2008–Feb 2011
MSc Biology (with distinction), specialization Ecology, Wageningen University, the Netherlands. MSc thesis at the Biosystematics Group supervised by Dr. Freek T. Bakker and Dr. Robin van Velzen. Thesis on ‘The evolution of Rinorea (Violaceae) as host plant for Cymothoe (Nymphalidae): new insights from extended sampling of Ghanaian populations, and development of a new nuclear phylogenetic marker’. - Sep 2004–Jan 2008
BSc Biology, specialization Ecology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands.
iDiv publications
Komatsu, Kimberly J., Avolio, Meghan L., Padullés Cubino, Josep, Schrodt, Franziska, Auge, Harald, Cavender-Bares, Jeannine, Clark, Adam T., Flores-Moreno, Habacuc, Grman, Emily, Harpole, W. Stanley, Kattge, Jens, Kimmel, Kaitlin, Koerner, Sally E., Korell, Lotte, Langley, J. Adam, Münkemüller, Tamara, Ohlert, Timothy, Onstein, Renske E., Roscher, Christiane, Soudzilovskaia, Nadejda A., Taylor, Benton N., Tedersoo, Leho, Terry, Rosalie S., Wilcox, Kevin
(2024): CoRRE Trait Data: A dataset of 17 categorical and continuous traits for 4079 grassland species worldwide. Scientific DataPetrocelli, Isis, Alzate, Adriana, Zizka, Alexander, Onstein, Renske E.
(2024): Dispersal-related plant traits are associated with range size in the Atlantic Forest. Diversity and DistributionsMéndez, Laura, Barratt, Christopher D., Durka, Walter, Kissling, W. Daniel, Eiserhardt, Wolf L., Baker, William J., Randrianasolo, Vonona, Onstein, Renske E.
(2024): Genomic signatures of past megafrugivore-mediated dispersal in Malagasy palms. Journal of EcologyTian, Qin, Stull, Gregory W., Kellermann, Jürgen, Medan, Diego, Nge, Francis J., Liu, Shui-Yin, Kates, Heather R., Soltis, Douglas E., Soltis, Pamela S., Guralnick, Robert P., Folk, Ryan A., Onstein, Renske E., Yi, Ting-Shuang
(2024): Rapid in situ diversification rates in Rhamnaceae explain the parallel evolution of high diversity in temperate biomes from global to local scales. New PhytologistLucas, M. S., Hensen, I., Barratt, C. D., Callaway, R. M., Durka, W., Lekberg, Y., Nagy, D. U., Onstein, R. E., Shah, M. A., van Dam, N. M., Thoma, A. E., Rosche, C.
(2024): Re-focusing sampling, design and experimental methods to assess rapid evolution by non-native plant species. Biological InvasionsHagen, O., Viana, D. S., Wiegand, T., Chase, J. M., Onstein, R. E.
(2024): The macro-eco-evolutionary interplay between dispersal, competition and landscape structure in generating biodiversity. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological SciencesWölke, Friederike J. R., Cabral, Andressa, Lim, Jun Ying, Kissling, W. Daniel, Onstein, Renske E.
(2023): Africa as an evolutionary arena for large fruits. New PhytologistXu, Wu-Bing, Guo, Wen-Yong, Serra-Diaz, Josep M., Schrodt, Franziska, Eiserhardt, Wolf L., Enquist, Brian J., Maitner, Brian S., Merow, Cory, Violle, Cyrille, Anand, Madhur, Belluau, Michaël, Bruun, Hans Henrik, Byun, Chaeho, Catford, Jane A., Cerabolini, Bruno E. L., Chacón-Madrigal, Eduardo, Ciccarelli, Daniela, Cornelissen, J. Hans C., Dang-Le, Anh Tuan, de Frutos, Angel, Dias, Arildo S., Giroldo, Aelton B., Gutiérrez, Alvaro G., Hattingh, Wesley, He, Tianhua, Hietz, Peter, Hough-Snee, Nate, Jansen, Steven, Kattge, Jens, Komac, Benjamin, Kraft, Nathan J. B., Kramer, Koen, Lavorel, Sandra, Lusk, Christopher H., Martin, Adam R., Ma, Ke-Ping, Mencuccini, Maurizio, Michaletz, Sean T., Minden, Vanessa, Mori, Akira S., Niinemets, Ülo, Onoda, Yusuke, Onstein, Renske E., Peñuelas, Josep, Pillar, Valério D., Pisek, Jan, Pound, Matthew J., Robroek, Bjorn J. M., Schamp, Brandon, Slot, Martijn, Sun, Miao, Sosinski, Ênio E., Soudzilovskaia, Nadejda A., Thiffault, Nelson, van Bodegom, Peter M., van der Plas, Fons, Zheng, Jingming, Svenning, Jens-Christian, Ordonez, Alejandro
(2023): Global beta-diversity of angiosperm trees is shaped by Quaternary climate change. Science AdvancesVelásquez-Puentes, Francisco J., Torke, Benjamin M., Barratt, Christopher D., Dexter, Kyle G., Pennington, Toby, Pezzini, Flávia Fonseca, Zizka, Alexander, Onstein, Renske E.
(2023): Pre-adaptation and adaptation shape trait-environment matching in the Neotropics. Global Ecology and BiogeographyKahnt, Belinda, Theodorou, Panagiotis, Grimm-Seyfarth, Annegret, Onstein, Renske E.
(2023): When lizards shift to a more plant-based lifestyle: The macroevolution of mutualistic lizard-plant-interactions (Squamata: Sauria/Lacertilia). Molecular Phylogenetics and EvolutionAntonelli, Alexandre, Govaerts, Rafaël, Nic Lughadha, Eimear, Onstein, Renske E., Smith, Rhian J., Zizka, Alexander
(2023): Why plant diversity and distribution matter. New PhytologistRalimanana, H., Perrigo, A. L., Smith, R. J., Borrell, J. S., Faurby, S., Rajaonah, M. T., Randriamboavonjy, T., Vorontsova, M. S., Cooke, R. S. C., Phelps, L. N., Sayol, F., Andela, N., Andermann, T., Andriamanohera, A. M., Andriambololonera, S., Bachman, S. P., Bacon, C. D., Baker, W. J., Belluardo, F., Birkinshaw, C., Cable, S., Canales, N. A., Carrillo, J. D., Clegg, R., Clubbe, C., Crottini, A., Damasco, G., Dhanda, S., Edler, D., Farooq, H., de Lima Ferreira, P., Fisher, B. L., Forest, F., Gardiner, L. M., Goodman, S. M., Grace, O. M., Guedes, T. B., Hackel, J., Henniges, M. C., Hill, R., Lehmann, C. E. R., Lowry, P. P., Marline, L., Matos-Maraví, P., Moat, J., Neves, B., Nogueira, M. G. C., Onstein, R. E., Papadopulos, A. S. T., Perez-Escobar, O. A., Phillipson, P. B., Pironon, S., Przelomska, N. A. S., Rabarimanarivo, M., Rabehevitra, D., Raharimampionona, J., Rajaonary, F., Rajaovelona, L. R., Rakotoarinivo, M., Rakotoarisoa, A. A., Rakotoarisoa, S. E., Rakotomalala, H. N., Rakotonasolo, F., Ralaiveloarisoa, B. A., Ramirez-Herranz, M., Randriamamonjy, J. E. N., Randrianasolo, V., Rasolohery, A., Ratsifandrihamanana, A. N., Ravololomanana, N., Razafiniary, V., Razanajatovo, H., Razanatsoa, E., Rivers, M., Silvestro, D., Testo, W., Torres Jiménez, M. F., Walker, K., Walker, B. E., Wilkin, P., Williams, J., Ziegler, T., Zizka, A., Antonelli, A.
(2022): Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity: Threats and opportunities. ScienceMéndez, L., Viana, D. S., Alzate, A., Kissling, W. D., Eiserhardt, W. L., Rozzi, R., Rakotoarinivo, M. and Onstein, R. E.
(2022): Megafrugivores as fading shadows of the past: extant frugivores and the abiotic environment as the most important determinants of the distribution of palms in Madagascar. EcographyKeller, A., Ankenbrand, M. J., Bruelheide, H., Dekeyzer, S., Enquist, B. J., Erfanian, M. B., Falster, D. S., Gallagher, R. V., Hammock, J., Kattge, J., Leonhardt, S. D., Madin, J. S., Maitner, B., Neyret, M., Onstein, R. E., Pearse, W. D., Poelen, J. H., Salguero-Gomez, R., Schneider, F. D., Tóth, A. B., Penone, C.
(2022): Ten (mostly) simple rules to future-proof trait data in ecological and evolutionary sciences. Methods in Ecology and EvolutionZizka, A., Onstein, R. E., Rozzi, R., Weigelt, P., Kreft, H., Steinbauer, M. J., Bruelheide, H., Lens, F.
(2022): The evolution of insular woodiness. Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesAlzate, Adriana, Onstein, Renske E.
(2022): Understanding the relationship between dispersal and range size. Ecology LettersHagen, O., Skeels, A., Onstein, R. E., Jetz, W., Pellissier, L.
(2021): Earth history events shaped the evolution of uneven biodiversity across tropical moist forests. Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesBarratt, C. D., Lester, J. D., Gratton, P., Onstein, R. E., Kalan, A. K., McCarthy, M. S., Bocksberger, G., White, L. C., Vigilant, L., Dieguez, P., Abdulai, B., Aebischer, T., Agbor, A., Assumang, A. K., Bailey, E., Bessone, M., Buys, B., Carvalho, J. S., Chancellor, R., Cohen, H., Danquah, E., Deschner, T., Dongmo, Z. N., Doumbé, O. A., Dupain, J., Duvall, C. S., Eno-Nku, M., Etoga, G., Galat-Luong, A., Garriga, R., Gatti, S., Ghiurghi, A., Goedmakers, A., Granjon, A.-C., Hakizimana, D., Head, J., Hedwig, D., Herbinger, I., Hermans, V., Jones, S., Junker, J., Kadam, P., Kambi, M., Kienast, I., Kouakou, C. Y., N′Goran, K. P., Langergraber, K. E., Lapuente, J., Laudisoit, A., Lee, K. C., Maisels, F., Mirghani, N., Moore, D., Morgan, B., Morgan, D., Neil, E., Nicholl, S., Nkembi, L., Ntongho, A., Orbell, C., Ormsby, L. J., Pacheco, L., Piel, A. K., Pintea, L., Plumptre, A. J., Rundus, A., Sanz, C., Sommer, V., Sop, T., Stewart, F. A., Sunderland-Groves, J., Tagg, N., Todd, A., Ton, E., van Schijndel, J., VanLeeuwe, H., Vendras, E., Welsh, A., Wenceslau, J. F. C., Wessling, E. G., Willie, J., Wittig, R. M., Yoshihiro, N., Yuh, Y. G., Yurkiw, K., Boesch, C., Arandjelovic, M. and Kühl, H.
(2021): Quantitative estimates of glacial refugia for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) since the Last Interglacial (120,000 BP). American Journal of PrimatologyR. E. Onstein, D. N. Vink, J. Veen, C. D. Barratt, S. G. A. Flantua, S. A. Wich, W. D. Kissling
(2021): Understanding the relationship between fruit colour and primate vision requires multiple lines of evidence. A reply to Heymann & Fuzessy. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological SciencesAlzate, A., Onstein, R. E., Etienne, R. S., Bonte, D.
(2020): The role of preadaptation, propagule pressure and competition in the colonization of new habitats. OikosBrink, H. t., Onstein, R. E., de Roos, A. M.
(2020): Habitat deterioration promotes the evolution of direct development in metamorphosing species. Evolutiondo Nascimento, L. F., Guimarães Jr, P. R., Onstein, R. E., Kissling, W. D., Pires, M. M.
(2020): Associated evolution of fruit size, fruit color and spines in Neotropical palms. Journal of Evolutionary BiologyNurk, N. M., Linder, H. P., Onstein, R. E., Larcombe, M. J., Hughes, C. E., Fernandez, L. P., Schluter, P. M., Valente, L., ..., Pirie, M. D.
(2020): Diversification in evolutionary arenas-Assessment and synthesis. Ecology and EvolutionOnstein, R. E., Vink, D. N., Veen, J., Barratt, C. D., Flantua, S. G. A., Wich, S. A., Kissling, W. D.
(2020): Palm fruit colours are linked to the broad-scale distribution and diversification of primate colour vision systems. Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological SciencesFlantua, S. G. A., O'Dea, A., Onstein, R. E., Giraldo, C., Hooghiemstra, H.
(2019): The flickering connectivity system of the north Andean páramos. Journal of BiogeographyHagen, O., Vaterlaus, L., Albouy, C., Brown, A., Leugger, F., Onstein, R. E., de Santana, C. N., Scotese, C. R., Pellissier, L.
(2019): Mountain building, climate cooling and the richness of cold‐adapted plants in the Northern Hemisphere. Journal of BiogeographyHan, T.-S., Zheng, Q.-J., Onstein, R. E., Rojas-Andrés, B. M., Hauenschild, F., Muellner-Riehl, A. N., Xing, Y.-W.
(2019): Polyploidy promotes species diversification of Allium through ecological shifts. New PhytologistKissling, W. D., Balslev, H., Baker, W. J., Dransfield, J., Göldel, B., Lim, J. Y., Onstein, R. E., Svenning, J.-C.
(2019): PalmTraits 1.0, a species-level functional trait database of palms worldwide. Scientific DataNyman, T., R. E. Onstein, D. Silvestro, S. Wutke, A. Taeger, N. Wahlberg, S. M. Blank, T. Malm
(2019): The early wasp plucks the flower: disparate extant diversity of sawfly superfamilies (Hymenoptera: ‘Symphyta’) may reflect asynchronous switching to angiosperm hosts. Biological Journal of the Linnean SocietyOnstein, R. E.
(2019): Darwin’s second ‘abominable mystery’: trait flexibility as the innovation leading to angiosperm diversity. New PhytologistOnstein, R. E., Kissling, W. D., Chatrou, L. W., Couvreur, T. L. P., Morlon, H., Sauquet, H.
(2019): Which frugivory-related traits facilitated historical long-distance dispersal in the custard apple family (Annonaceae)?. Journal of BiogeographyZhang, Q., Onstein, R. E., Little, S. A., Sauquet, H.
(2019): Estimating divergence times and ancestral breeding systems in Ficus and Moraceae. Annals of BotanyBarratt, C. D., Bwong, B. A., Jehle, R., Liedtke, H. C., Nagel, P., Onstein, R. E., Portik, D. M., Streicher, J. W., Loader, S. P.
(2018): Vanishing refuge? Testing the forest refuge hypothesis in coastal East Africa using genome-wide sequence data for seven amphibians. Molecular Ecology
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