Ulrich K. Steiner

Post Doc

tel: +33 (0)1 44412523


Evolutionary Systems Biology
U1001 INSERM, Faculté Cochin
24 rue Faubourg Saint Jacques, 75014 Paris, France
ulrich.steiner(at)inserm.fr

Research interests

I am a Marie Curie Post doctoral research scholar in the INSERM U1001 Evolutionary Systems Biology at Faculty Cochin, Paris in the group of Francois Taddei. As an evolutionary population biologist and biodemographer I focus on ecological and evolutionary population dynamics, their interaction and feedbacks. In investigating life-hsitory evolution and quantitative trait varinaces in stochastic environments, I aim to bridge advanced theoretical biology and field and laboratory experimental population studies.

I have worked on a variety of projects ranging from population ecology in the field, experimental evolutionary ecology to more theoretical aspects of age- and stage-struchtured matrix population models. I try to bridge the gab between theoretical biology and empirical biology in integrating ideas from multiple fields, such as demography, population biology and evolutionary ecology.

Please also visit Shriapd Tulajpurkars lab webpage at Stanford where I did another Post-doc, and the Ecology lab webpage at the University of Zurich for information about the lab where I got my PhD.

Evolution of phenotypic variability
I explore the evolution and maintenance of phenotpic variability by studying various natural isolates of E. coli strains. Using a microfluidics device, I collect individual level data on growth rates and basic demographic parameters that allow me to test effects of individual stochastic variability on population dynamics. I am currently based at the INSERM U1001, Evolutionary Systems Biology, in the group of Dr. Francois Taddei.

Dynamic and fixed heterogeneity in life-histories
How can we interpred and predict variation in individual fitness components in wild populations? Evolutionary theories of life-hsitories predicts that trade-offs shape age-specific patterns in fitness components. However, identifying such tradeoffs in natural settings has been challenging. The amount of neutral variation in individual fitness components might be one explanation to explain our problems to match theory and empirical data. Most of this work is set in a Markovian framework using stage- and age-structured matrix models and is in collaboration with Shripad Tuljapurkar.

Predator-induced phenotypic plasticity in tadpoles
I investigated cost of predator-induced plasticity and cost of responding to predators in tadpoles.The non-lethal exposure to predators tricks the tadpoles in expressing the full phenotypic response to predators without the advantage of reduced predation risk. This work has been conducted in the group of Dr. Heinz-Ulrich Reyer under my PhD supervisor Dr. Josh Van Buskirk. I also participate in a NESCent working group on cost of plasticity.

Recruitment strategies of Thick-billed murres
Where to recruit and with whom to mate has important consequences for reproductive success. I explored within colony dispersal of pre-breeding Thick billed murres, their philoparty, and breeding success by analyzing individual level life-history data of a long-lived seabird spanning more than 25 years. The group of Dr. Anthony Gaston, National Wildlife Research Centre/Ottawa University, Canada, hosted me for several field seasons in the Canadian Arctic, and advised me for my diploma project.

Education


2010-present Marie-Curie Post-doctoral fellow in Evolutionary Population Dynamics. INSERM U1001: advisor F. Taddei

2005-2010 Post-doctoral research associate in Evolutionary Population Biology. Stanford University: advisor S. Tuljapurkar (partly funded by the Swiss NSF, NIA/NIH)

2005 PhD in Evolutionary Ecology. University of Zurich: advisor J. Van Buskirk

2001 Government of Canada Research scholar. Queens University: advisor A.J. Gaston, V. Friesen

1993-2000 Diploma studies at the University of Gottingen

Teaching

Various seminars, courses, and workshops in Biodemography, Applied Statistics, Zoology, and Project Development


Publications

Herepdf)

2011

Orzack S.H., Steiner U.K., Tuljapurkar S., Thompson P. 2011. Static and dynamic expression of life history traits in the northern fulmar Fulmarus glacialis. OIKOS 120(3): 369-380. pdf

2010

Tuljapurkar S., and Steiner U.K. 2010. Dynamic heterogeneity and life histories. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1204: 65-72 pdf

Steiner U.K., Tuljapurkar S., and Orzack S.H. 2010. Dynamic heterogeneity and life history variability in the kittiwake. Journal of Animal Ecology 79(2): 436-444. pdf

2009

Steiner U.K., and Van Buskirk J. 2009. Predator-Induced Changes in Metabolism Cannot Explain the Growth/Predation Risk Tradeoff. PLoS ONE 4(7): e6160. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0006160

Van Buskirk J., and Steiner U.K. 2009. The fitness costs of developmental canalization and plasticity. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 22: 852-860. pdf

Tuljapurkar S., Steiner U.K. and Orzack S.H. 2009. Dynamic heterogeneity in lifehistories. Ecology Letters 12: 93-106. pdf

2008

Callahan H.S., Maughan H., and Steiner U.K. 2008. Phenotypic plasticity, costs of phenotypes, and costs of plasticity: Toward an integrative view. Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. 1133: 44-66 pdf

Steiner U.K. and J. Van Buskirk. 2008. Environmental stress and the cost of whole-organism phenotypic plasticity in tadpoles. Journal of Evolutionary Biology 21: 97-103. pdf

2007

Steiner U.K. 2007. Linking anti-predator behaviour, ingestion, gut evacuation and costs of predator-induced responses in tadpoles. Animal Behaviour 74(5): 1473-1479. pdf

Steiner U.K. 2007. Investment in defense and cost of predator-induced defense along a resource gradient. Oecologia 152(2):201-210. pdf

Steiner U.K. and T. Pfeiffer. 2007. Optimizing Time and Resource Allocation Trade-Offs for Investment into Morphological and Behavioral Defense. American Naturalist 169(1): 118-129. pdf

2005

Steiner U.K. and A.J. Gaston. 2005. Reproductive consequences of natal dispersal in a highly philopatric seabird. Behavioral Ecology 16(3): 634-639. pdf

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