Curriculum Vitae
Full name:
Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:
Nationality:
Gender:
Address:
Telephone:
E-mail:
Renske Emilie Onstein
March 4, 1985
Amstelveen
Dutch
Female
Grebelackerstrasse 4
8057 Zurich
Switzerland
+41 774914912
onsteinre@gmail.com
Profile:
I am interested in both the proximate and the ultimate causes that could explain why species occur where they
do, how they have adapted to their environment, how they interact, how they survive and reproduce and
which strategies they have to be successful in their environment- in other words: how they have evolved. In my
PhD project, supervised by prof. Peter Linder (started March '11), I study the role of plant functional traits in
Cenozoic angiosperm radiations. The angiosperms with a standing diversity of ca. 400.000 species are one of
the most diverse and ecologically dominant groups of organisms on Earth. However, this diversity is unevenly
distributed, both spatially and phylogenetically. In this project we hypothesize that (vegetative) plant functional
traits in interaction with the environment may have shaped numerous explosive radiations of angiosperm
clades, by influencing speciation and extinction dynamics. In a multidisciplinary approach we link plant
functional trait shifts to climate shifts to predict diversification rate shifts, and we cross-check these patterns
with the fossil record. This includes the selection and scoring of plant functional traits (binary, categorical and
continuous traits) for extant taxa, inferring the evolutionary history of these traits by testing different
evolutionary models (e.g. BM, OU, EB) and link them to climate, fossil data and diversification rates using
phylogenetic comparative methods.
Education:
Mar 2011-Current:
Sep 2008-Feb 2011:
Sep 2004-Jan 2008:
PhD at the Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Switzerland,
supervised by Prof. H. Peter Linder.
MSc Biology with distinction, specialization Ecology, Wageningen University, the
Netherlands. Master 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.
BSc Biology, specialization Ecology, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the
Netherlands
Publications:
Onstein, R.E., Carter, R.J., Xing, Y., Linder, H.P. (2014). “Diversification rate shifts in the Cape Floristic Region:
the right traits in the right place at the right time.” Perspectives in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics.
doi:10.1016/j.ppees.2014.08.002
Xing, Y, Onstein, R.E., Carter, R.J., Stadler, T., Linder, H.P. (2014). "Fossils and a large molecular phylogeny show
that the evolution of species richness, generic diversity and turn-over rates are disconnected." Evolution. doi:
10.1111/evo.12489
Van Velzen, R, Wahlert, G.A., Sosef, M.S.M, Onstein, R.E., Bakker, F.T. (in press). “Phylogenetics of Rinorea
(Violaceae); elucidating infrageneric relationships using plastid and nuclear DNA sequences”. Systematic
Botany.
Schwery, O., Onstein, R.E., Bouchenak-Khelladi, Y., Xing, Y., Carter, R., Linder, H.P. (in press). “As old as the
mountains: the radiations of the Ericaceae”. New Phytologist.
Breitkopf, H., Onstein, R.E., Cafasso, D., Schlüter, P.M., Cozzolino, S. (in press). “Multiple shifts to different
pollinators fuelled rapid diversification in sexually deceptive Ophrys orchids”. New Phytologist.
Onstein, R.E.*, Bouchenak-Khelladi, Y.*, Xing, Y., Schwery, O., Linder, H.P. (accepted). “On the complexity of
triggering evolutionary radiations”. New Phytologist. *authors contributed equally
Onstein, R.E., Carter, R.J., Xing, Y., Richardson, J., Linder, H.P. (accepted). “Do Mediterranean-type ecosystems
have a common history? – Insights from the Buckthorn family (Rhamnaceae)”. Evolution.
Onstein, R.E., Linder, H.P. (in prep.). “Adaptations or exaptations to Mediterranean climates in Rhamnaceae.”
Onstein, R.E., Jordan, G., Bouchenak-Khelladi, Y., Wright, I., Sauquet, H., Weston, P., Linder, H.P. (in prep.).
“Leaf trait evolution in Proteaceae.”
Teaching Experiences:
March 2011-current:
March 2011-current:
Fall 2010:
Teaching-assistant at the Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich:
 BIO 225 Species and speciation
 BIO 113 Evolution
 BIO 337 Basic stats with R
Supervising student project at the Institute of Systematic Botany, University of
Zurich:
 Orlando Schwery (University of Zurich, MSc thesis): “The influence of
functional leaf traits and mountain association on species richness within
the family of Ericaceae”.
 Anouk van ‘t Padje (Wageningen University, BUSS student project):
“Functional traits in Rhamnaceae”.
 Natascha Fuhrer (University of Zurich, BSc summer project): “Functional
traits in Proteaceae”.
Student assistant at the Education and Competence Studies Group, Wageningen
University.
Funds granted:
2014: Georges-und-Antoine-Claraz-Schenkung: course on SDM Denmark, 617.50- CHF, Swiss
Botanical Society: Evolution conference America, 500.- CHF
2013: Georges-und-Antoine-Claraz-Schenkung: fieldwork Australia, 4865.- CHF
2012: Swiss Botanical Society: Conference Brazil, 500.- CHF
2011: Georges-und-Antoine-Claraz-Schenkung: fieldwork South Africa, 800.-CHF
2009: Hugo de Vries foundation, Alberta Mennega foundation: fieldwork Ghana, 1800.- Euro
Participation in Conferences and Talks:
February 2012 (Oral)
Onstein, Carter, Xing, Linder: Biology 2012, Fribourg (Switzerland): “The connection
between fire, plant functional traits and adaptive radiations in the Cape Floristic
Region, South-Africa”.
April 2012 (Oral)
Onstein, Carter, Xing, Linder: University of Potsdam, Potsdam (Germany), invited
speaker: “Diversifcation rate consequences of Forest to Fynbos trait shifts and the
influence of fire in the Cape Floristic Region”.
June 2012 (Oral)
Onstein, Carter, Xing, Linder: Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
(ATBC), Bonito (Brazil): “Diversification rate and functional trait shifts: consequences
of Forest - Fynbos transitions in the Cape Floristic Region”.
February 2013 (Poster)
Onstein, Carter, Xing, Richardson, Linder: Biology 2013, Basel (Switzerland): “Parallel
shifts in leaf morphology to summer-drought conditions in Rhamnaceae (Rosales)”.
December 2013 (Oral)
Onstein, Jordan, Bouchenak-Khelladi, Xing, Wright, Sauquet, Carpenter, Weston,
Linder: Systematics without Borders, ASBS, Sydney (Australia): “Leaf trait evolution
in the Proteaceae”.
January (2014) (Oral)
Onstein, Carter, Xing, Richardson, Linder: AETFAT, Stellenbosch (South Africa): “Is
the Cape Phyliceae radiation extraordinary?”
June (2014) (Poster)
Onstein, Carter, Xing, Richardson, Linder: Radiations, Zurich (Switzerland): “Does the
interaction between Mediterranean-type ecosystems (MTEs) and typical MTE-traits
affect diversification rates in Rhamnaceae?”
June (2014) (Oral)
Onstein, Bouchenak-Khelladi, Xing, Schwery, Linder: Evolution 2014 Raleigh NC
(U.S.A): “Functional traits, biomes and diversification rates in Rhamnaceae”. Watch
online.
June (2014) (Video)
Onstein: NESCent Evolution video contest, finalist. Evolution 2014 Raleigh NC
(U.S.A): “Exaptations versus Adaptations”. Watch online.
November (2014)
(Poster)
Onstein, Carter, Xing, Richardson, Linder: Radiation and Extinction:
Investigating Clade Dynamics in Deep Time, London (England): “The effect of
Mediterranean-type ecosystems and functional leaf traits on diversification rates in
Rhamnaceae”.
Languages and other skills:
Languages:
Dutch: mother tongue, English: excellent, German, Spanish: intermediate
Laboratory skills:
DNA extraction, PCR, Gel electrophoresis, Cloning, Sequencing
Computer skills:
Microsoft office, SPSS, R, Mesquite, MrBayes, Tracer, PartitionFinder,
BayesRate, BEAST, Python
Methods:
Phylogenetic comparative methods, species distribution modelling,
phylogenetic and biogeographic reconstruction, molecular dating, functional
trait measurements, geometric morphometrics, statistics (generalized linear
modelling, mixed-effects modelling), R programming
Others:
(Scientific) video making and editing. Watch online.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Referees
Prof. H. Peter Linder
(Supervisor PhD thesis)
Phone: +41 (0)44 634 84 10
peter.linder@systbot.uzh.ch
Postal Address
Institute for Systematic Botany
University of Zurich
Zollikerstrasse 107
8008 Zurich, Switzerland
Dr. Freek Bakker
(Supervisor MSc thesis)
Phone: +31 (0) 317 483175
Freek.Bakker@wur.nl
Postal address
Biosystematics Group
Wageningen University and Research Centre
P.O. Box 647
6700 AP Wageningen, The Netherlands