Dr. Christian Rellstab

Publications

ResearcherID //  Google Scholar  //  ResearchGate

ISI Publications in peer-reviewed journals

2019

• Rellstab, Dauphin, Zoller, Brodbeck & Gugerli (2019): Using transcriptome sequencing and pooled exome capture to study local adaptation in the giga-genome of Pinus cembra. Molecular Ecology Resources, 8, 536-551. https://doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12986

2018

• Sailer, Babst-Kostecka, Fischer, Zoller, Widmer, Vollenweider, Gugerli & Rellstab, 2018: Transmembrane transport and stress response genes play an important role in adaptation of Arabidopsis halleri to metalliferous soils. Scientific Reports, 8, 16085. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-33938-2
• Csilléry, Rodríguez-Verdugo, Rellstab & Guillaume, 2018. Detecting the genomic signal of polygenic adaptation and the role of epistasis in evolution. Meeting Review. Molecular Ecology, 3: 606-612. DOI: 10.1111/mec.1449

2017

• Tsykun, Rellstab, Dutech, Sipos & Prospero, 2017: Comparative assessment of SSR and SNP markers for inferring the population genetic structure of the common fungus Armillaria cepistipes. Heredity, 119: 371-380. DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2017.48
• Rellstab, Fischer, Zoller, Graf, Tedder, Shimizu, Widmer, Holderegger & Gugerli, 2017: Local adaptation (mostly) remains local – Re-assessing environmental associations of climate-related candidate SNPs in Arabidopsis halleri. Heredity, 118: 193-201. DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2016.82
• Fischer, Rellstab, Leuzinger, Roumet, Gugerli, Shimizu, Holderegger & Widmer, 2017: Estimating genomic diversity and population differentiation – an empirical comparison of microsatellite and SNP variation in Arabidopsis halleri. BMC Genomics, 18: 69. DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-3459-7
  

2016

• Rellstab, Zoller, Walthert, Lesur, Pluess, Graf, Bodénès, Sperisen, Kremer & Gugerli, 2016: Signatures of local adaptation in candidate genes of oaks (Quercus spp.) in respect to present and future climatic conditions. Molecular Ecology, 25: 5907-5924. DOI: 10.1111/mec.13889

• Rellstab, Bühler, Graf, Folly & Gugerli, 2016: Using joint multivariate analyses of leaf morphology and molecular-genetic markers for taxon identification in three hybridizing European white oak species (Quercus spp.). Annals of Forest Science, 73, 669-679. DOI: 10.1007/s13595-016-0552-7

2015

• Seppälä, Louhi, Karvonen, Rellstab & Jokela, 2015: Relative reproductive success of co-infecting parasite genotypes under intensified within-host competition. Infection, Genetics and Evolution, 36: 450-455. DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2015.08.015
  
• Rellstab, Gugerli, Eckert, Hancock & Holderegger, 2015: A practical guide to environmental association analysis in landscape genomics. Invited review. Molecular Ecology, 24, 4348-4370. DOI: 10.1111/mec.13322
  

2013

• Rellstab, Zoller, Tedder, Gugerli & Fischer, 2013: Validation of SNP allele frequencies determined by pooled next-generation sequencing in natural populations of a non-model plant species. PLoS ONE, 8, e80422. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0080422
• Fischer, Rellstab, Tedder, Zoller, Gugerli, Shimizu, Holderegger & Widmer, 2013: Population genomic footprints of selection and associations with climate in natural populations of Arabidopsis halleri from the Alps. Molecular Ecology, 22, 5594–5607. DOI: 10.1111/mec.12521
• Rellstab, Karvonen, Louhi & Jokela, 2013: Genotype-specific vs. cross-reactive host immunity against a macroparasite. PLoS ONE, 8, e78427. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0078427
• Louhi, Karvonen, Rellstab & Jokela, 2013: Genotypic and phenotypic variation in transmission traits of a complex life cycle parasite. Ecology & Evolution, 3, 2116-2127. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.621

• Karvonen, Kristjánsson, Skúlason, Lanki, Rellstab & Jokela, 2013: Water temperature, not fish morph, determines parasite infections of sympatric Icelandic threespine sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). Ecology & Evolution, 3, 1507-1517. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.568
• Louhi, Karvonen, Rellstab, Louhi & Jokela, 2013: Prevalence of infection as a predictor of multiple genotype infection frequency in parasites with multiple-host life cycle. Journal of Animal Ecology. 82, 191-200. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2656.2012.02028.x

2012

• Seppälä, Karvonen, Rellstab, Louhi & Jokela, 2012: Reciprocal interaction matrix reveals complex genetic and dose-dependent specificity among co-infecting parasites. American Naturalist. 180: 306-315. DOI: 10.1086/666985
• Karvonen, Rellstab, Louhi & Jokela, 2012: Synchronous attack is advantageous – mixed genotype infections lead to higher infection success in trematode parasites. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 279: 171-176. DOI:10.1098/rspb.2011.0879
  

2011

• Wirth, Girardclos, Rellstab & Anselmetti, 2011: The sedimentary response to a pioneer geo-engineering project: Tracking the Kander River deviation in the sediments of Lake Thun (Switzerland). Sedimentology. 58: 1737-1761. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3091.2011.01237.x
• Rellstab, Louhi, Karvonen & Jokela, 2011: Analysis of trematode parasite communities in fish eye lenses by pyrosequencing of naturally pooled DNA. Infection, Genetics, Evolution. 11: 1276-1286. DOI:10.1016/j.meegid.2011.04.018
• Rellstab, Keller, Girardclos, Anselmetti & Spaak, 2011: Anthropogenic eutrophication shapes the past and present taxonomic composition of hybridizing Daphnia in unproductive lakes. Limnology & Oceanography. 56: 292-302. DOI:  10.4319/lo.2011.56.1.0292

2010

• Louhi, Karvonen, Rellstab & Jokela, 2010: Is the population genetic structure of complex life cycle parasites determined by the geographic range of the most motile host? Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 10: 1271-1277. DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2010.08.013

2009

• Rellstab & Spaak, 2009: Lake origin determines Daphnia population growth under winter conditions. Journal of Plankton Research. 31: 261-271. DOI: 10.1093/plankt/fbn120

2008

• Filella, Rellstab, Chanudet & Spaak, 2008: Effect of the filter feeder Daphnia on the inorganic colloid particle size distributions in freshwaters. Water Research 42: 1919-1924. DOI:10.1016/j.watres.2007.11.021
  

2007

• Rellstab & Spaak, 2007. Starving with a full gut? Effect of suspended particles on the fitness of Daphnia hyalina. Hydrobiologia 2007 594: 131-139. DOI: 10.1007/s10750-007-9089-y
  
• Müller, Breitenstein, Bia, Rellstab & Kirchhofer, 2007. Bottom-up control of whitefish populations in ultra-oligotrophic Lake Brienz. Aquatic Sciences 69: 271-288. DOI: 10.1007/s00027-007-0874-5
  
• Rellstab, Maurer, Zeh, Bürgi & Spaak, 2007. Temporary collapse of the Daphnia population in turbid and ultra-oligotrophic Lake Brienz. Aquatic Sciences 69: 257-270. DOI: 10.1007/s00027-007-0872-7
• Anselmetti, Bühler, Finger, Girardclos, Lancini, Rellstab & Sturm, 2007. Effects of Alpine hydropower dams on particle transport and lacustrine sedimentation. Aquatic Sciences 69: 179-198. DOI: 10.1007/s00027-007-0875-4

2004

• Rellstab, Bürgi & Müller, 2004. Population regulation in coregonids: the significance of zooplankton concentration for larval mortality. Annales Zoologici Fennici 41: 281-290. Link PDF

Outreach publications

• Rellstab, Fischer, Csencsics, Gugerli, & Holderegger, R., 2017: Bedeutung der lokalen Anpassung in der Naturschutzgenetik. WSL Bericht 60: 31–37. PDF
• Gugerli & Rellstab, 2017. Genetische Forschung mit Misoxer Nadelbäumen. Terra Grischuna 1/2017: 28-31. PDF
• Gugerli, Frank, Rellstab, Pluess, Moser, Arend, Sperisen, Wohlgemuth & Heiri, 2016: Genetische Variation und lokale Anpassung bei Waldbaumarten im Zeichen des Klimawandels. In: Pluess A.R., Augustin S. & P. Brang (Red.) Wald im Klimawandel. Grundlagen für Adaptationsstrategien. Bundesamt für Umwelt BAFU, Bern; Eidg. Forschungsanstalt WSL, Birmensdorf; Haupt, Bern, Stuttgart, Wien. 93-113. PDF
• Gugerli, Frank, Rellstab, Pluess, Moser, Arend, Sperisen, Wohlgemuth & Heiri, 2016: Variation génétique et adaptation locale des essences forestières sous le signe de changements climatiques. Dans: Pluess A.R., Augustin S. & P. Brang (Réd.) Forêts et changements climatiques. Éléments pour des stratégies d‘adaptation. Office fédérale de l‘environnement OFEV, Berne, Institut fédéral de recherches WSL, Birmensdorf. Haupt, Berne, Stuttgart, Vienne. 97-117. PDF
• Rellstab, Pluess & Gugerli, 2016: Lokale Anpassung bei Waldbaumarten: genetische Prozesse und Bedeutung im Klimawandel. Schweizerische Zeitung für Forstwesen. 167: 333–340. DOI: 10.3188/szf.2016.0333
• Jordi, Wüest, Bürgi, Müller, Jakob, Huggenberger, Bossard, Finger, Jaun, Rellstab, Spaak, Sturm, Breitenstein, Kirchhofer, Filella, Zeh, 2006. Brienzersee: Ein Ökosystem unter der Lupe. Public brochure. PDF
  

Reports

• Gugerli, Walthert, Sperisen & Rellstab, 2016: QuercAdapt: Zusammenhang zwischen ökologischen Gradienten und adaptiver genetischer Variation bei Eichen (Quercus robur, Q. petraea und Q. pubescens): Sind Herkunftsregionen heute und in Zukunft ökologisch berechtigt? Schlussbericht des Projekts QuercAdapt im Forschungsprogramm Wald und Klimawandel. doi.org/10.3929/ethz-b-000311151
• Rellstab & Spaak, 2006. Die Daphnien des Brienzersees – Unter besonderer Berücksichtigung des Hochwasserjahres 1999. Final Report, Project Part D, Lake Brienz Project. PDF
  

Radio interviews

• "Anpassungsfähigkeit – Insekten reagieren extrem schnell auf Klima-Veränderungen". Forschung aktuell, Deutschlandfunk, 2017.

Blogs

• "Summer school on polygenic adaptation in Switzerland", 2017. Website of the GENTREE project.

About my science

• Phys.org (Blog), 2018: "Specific genes protect cress plants from heavy metals". Link (English)
  
• WSL News (Webpage), 2018: "Specific genes protect cress plants from heavy metals". English Deutsch Français
• Diploma thesis by Diana Coman in Advanced Studies in Applied Statistics, ETH Zürich, 2017: "Machine Learning Assisted Species Assignment in Oak Trees". Re-analysis of our morphological and genetic oak data. PDF (English)
• ProQuercus Newsletter 2/2016: "Genetische Marker unterstützen die Arterkennung" Deutsch Français
• WSL Diagonal, 2016: "Oak or oak? Genetics assists with species identification". PDF: English Deutsch Français
• The Molecular Ecologist (Blog), 2015: "Environmental association analyses: a practical guide for a practical guide". Link (English)
  
• Jahresbuch Uferschutzverband Thuner- und Brienzersee, 2014. "Sogar die Flöhe sind im Brienzersee einmalig". PDF (Deutsch)
  
• SNF – Horizonte, 2014. "Für immer verlorene Vielfalt". PDF (Deutsch)
  
• Academia News Mettler-Toledo, 2007. "UMX2 Micro Balance to Determine Fitness of Daphnia". PDF (English)
  
• On the cover of TREE (Trends in Ecology & Evolution), 2006. JPG

Education and positions

• 2013-present: Scientific staff member at WSL in Birmensdorf, Switzerland. Appointed senior researcher in November 2016.
  
• 2011-2013: Post-doctoral researcher at WSL in Birmensdorf, Switzerland
  
• 2008-2011: Post-doctoral researcher, Centre of Excellence in Evolutionary Research, Jyväskylä, Finland
• 2008: Post-doctoral researcher, Eawag, Dübendorf, Switzerland
• 2003-2007: PhD Student, Eawag, Dübendorf, Switzerland and ETH, Zürich, Switzerland. Collaborator in the interdisciplinary "Lake Brienz Project".
• 2002: Fish biologist, Eawag, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
• 2000-2002: IT specialist, Department of Architecture, ETH, Switzerland.
• 1999: Diploma work, Eawag, Kastanienbaum, Switzerland
• 1997: Co-worker in the project “Mediterranean” of the Swiss Ornithological Institute in Mallorca, Spain.
• 1994-2000: Studying biology at ETH Zürich, Switzerland: Master in systematic and ecological biology, with a degree in natural sciences. Areas of specialization: Biosystematics, marine biology, water ecology, limnology, fish biology/ecology.
  
  

Acquired grants

• EVOLTREE Opportunity (2018): OAKID2 – Transferability and phylogenetic extension of species-diagnostic SNP markers in European white oak species. Role: PI.
• WSL internal project (2018): GENWOOD – Exploring the genomic basis of wood anatomy. Role: PI.
• Swiss Forest Lab Seed Money Grant (2017): EXTREME-ADAPT – Tolerance and adaptation of tree species to extreme climate events. Role: co-PI.
• EVOLTREE conference grant (2017). Travel contribution for IUFRO conference in Freiburg, Germany. Role: applicant.
• Swiss National Science Foundation conference grant (2017): Genomics of Polygenic Adaptation. Role: co-PI.
• WSL internal project (2016): METALINK – Linking environmental, genomic, and phenotypic information to study the adaptation of Arabidopsis halleri to metal-polluted soils. Role: co-PI.
• The Foundation for Polish Science, reintegration program, HOMING (2016): Adaptation of Arabidopsis halleri to metal-polluted soils: linking environmental, genomic, and phenotypic information. Role: co-applicant.
  

Selected talks

(most important recent activities)

• AForGeN Meeting, 2018, Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Oral presentation. Rellstab, Dauphin, Zoller, Brodbeck & Gugerli: Using transcriptome sequencing and exome capture to study local adaptation of Pinus cembra at the timberline.
• Arabis Symposium, 2018, Köln, Germany. Oral presentation. Rellstab, Zoller, Tedder, Gugerli, Shimizu, Holderegger, Widmer & Fischer: Parallel local adaption to heterogeneous alpine environments in three distinct Brassicaceae species.

• Invited speaker at the Symposium "Genomic Basis of Climate Adaptation", 2018, Frankfurt, Germany. Rellstab: Towards predictive genomics – Adaptation of oaks (Quercus spp.) to present and future climatic conditions.
• Invited talk at University of Marburg (Kolloquium "Ökologie Naturschutz Biodiversität"), 2018, Germany. Rellstab: Towards predictive genomics – Adaptation of oaks (Quercus spp.) to present and future climatic conditions.
• Forum für Wissen 2017, Birmensdorf, Switzerland. Invited talk. Rellstab, Fischer, Csencsics, Gugerli, & Holderegger, R., 2017: Bedeutung der Genomik und lokalen Anpassung in der Naturschutzgenetik.
• IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress 2017, Freiburg, Germany. Oral presentation. Rellstab, Zoller, Brodbeck & Gugerli: Using transcriptome sequencing and exome capture to study local adaptation of Pinus cembra at the colonization front.
• ESEB 2017, Groningen, Netherlands. Oral presentation. Rellstab, Zoller, Brodbeck & Gugerli: Using transcriptome sequencing and exome capture to study local adaptation of Pinus cembra at the colonization front.
• Invited talk at University of Zürich (BEES seminar), 2017, Switzerland. Rellstab & Gugerli: Towards predictive genomics – Adaptation of oaks (Quercus spp.) to present and future climatic conditions.
• Invited talk at the GDC Symposium 2016, Zürich, Switzerland. Rellstab, Zoller, Walthert, Lesur, Pluess, Graf, Bodénès, Sperisen, Kremer & Gugerli: Signatures of local adaptation in candidate genes of oaks (Quercus spp.) in respect to present and future climatic conditions.
• IUFRO Genomics and Forest Tree Genetics 2016. Oral presentation. Rellstab, Zoller, Walthert, Lesur, Pluess, Graf, Bodénès, Sperisen, Kremer & Gugerli: Signatures of local adaptation in candidate genes of oaks (Quercus spp.) in respect to present and future climatic conditions.
• Invited talk at the “Fachtagung Eichen” 2015, Hildisrieden, Switzerland. Rellstab & Gugerli: Genetische Prozesse hinter der lokalen Anpassung.
• Invited seminar at WSL, 2015, Birmensdorf, Switzerland. Rellstab, Zoller, Walthert, Lesur, Bodénès, Pluess, Sperisen, Kremer, Gugerli: QuercAdapt − Signatures of local adaptation in candidate genes of oaks (Quercus spp.) in respect to present and future climatic conditions.
• ESEB 2015, Lausanne, Switzerland. Poster (nominated for best poster award). Rellstab, Zoller, Walthert, Lesur, Bodénès, Pluess, Sperisen, Kremer, Gugerli: Landscape genomics of oaks (Quercus spp.) – Adaptive genetic variation in candidate genes in respect to present and future climatic conditions.
• SMBEBA 2015, Montpellier, France. Oral presentation: Rellstab, Fischer, Zoller, Graf, Tedder, Shimizu, Widmer, Holderegger & Gugerli: Local adaptation remains local - Environmental associations of climate-related candidate SNPs in Arabidopsis halleri using an enlarged and independent population set.
• Evolution 2014, Raleigh, USA. Oral presentation: Rellstab, Fischer, Zoller, Gugerli, Holderegger, Tedder, Shimizu & Widmer: Using pooled sequencing and whole-genome environmental association analyses to study local adaptation in three Alpine Brassicaceae species.
• Invited talk at the GDC Symposium 2014, Zürich, Switzerland. Rellstab, Zoller, Tedder, Gugerli & Fischer: Using pooled next-generation sequencing to determine SNP allele frequencies in natural populations of a non-model plant species.
• Invited seminar at INRA Centre Bordeaux-Aquitaine, 2013, France. Oral presentation. Rellstab: Adaptive genetic variation and adaptation to environmental heterogeneity in Alpine Brassicaceae species.

Organization of symposia, workshops, and schools

• Co-organizer of the Symposium " Detecting the Genomic Signal of Polygenic Adaptation and the Role of Epistasis in Evolution" at the University of Zürich, Switzerland". 2017.
• Co-organizer of the Summer School on " Integrated methods to detect polygenic adaptation from genomic data" at WSL in Birmensdorf, Switzerland. 2017.
• Co-organizer of the Arabis Workshop 2013 in Birmensdorf, Switzerland.
• Co-organizer and webmaster of the 7th Symposium on Cladocera in Herzberg, Switzerland. 2005.

Reviews

Publons profile

• Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic
• Aquatic Ecology
• Aquatic Sciences
• Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• Chemosphere
• Czech Academy of Science
• Ecography
• Environmental Chemistry Letters
• ERC Advanced Grant “Evolutionary, Population, and Environmental Biology”
• Estonian Research Council
• Forests
• Frontiers in Plant Science
• Heredity
• Hydrobiologia
• Journal of Limnology
• Journal for Nature Conservation
• Journal of the North American Benthological Society
• Limnology & Oceanography
• Molecular Ecology
• Naturwissenschaften – The Science of Nature
• PLOS ONE
• Revista de Biologia Tropical
• Silvae Genetica
• Tree Genetics & Genomes

Member of

• Arabis Network
• European Society of Evolutionary Biologists (ESEB)
• EvolTree
• Network for Alpine Forest Genomics (AForGen)
• Swiss Forest Lab

Present collaborators

Alicja Babst-Kostecka (W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Krakow, Poland)

Martin C. Fischer (ETH Zürich, Switzerland)

Patrick Fonti (WSL Birmensdorf, Switzerland)

Felix Gugerli (Group Head, WSL Birmensdorf, Switzerland)

Frédéric Guillaume (University of Zürich, Switzerland)

Rolf Holderegger (WSL Birmensdorf, Switzerland)

Antoine Kremer (INRA Bordeaux, France)

David Neale (UC Davis, USA)

Eva Maria Sehr (AIT, Vienna; Austria)

Kentaro Shimizu (University of Zürich, Switzerland)

Georg von Arx (WSL Birmensdorf, Switzerland)

Alex Widmer (ETH Zürich, Switzerland)

Tom Wohlgemuth (WSL Birmensdorf, Switzerland)