J.F. Niek Scheepens
Research interests
I am interested in phenotypic variation and
adaptation in plants.
My past work focused on plant adaptation in
heterogeneous environments (European Alps, Finnish Archipelago) and to
environmental variability (Arabidopsis
thaliana). In current projects I investigate adaptation of herbs to grassland
and forest management. In several evolution experiments I study the phenotypic
and genomic changes involved in rapid adaptation to climate, environmental
variability, nutrient availability and herbivory. I also employ seed bank
material to investigate recent adaptation to climate change (resurrection
approach). Furthermore, I investigate evolutionary processes in ex-situ
cultivation collections in botanical gardens.
Projects
· HerbAdapt - Adaptation of understorey herbs to forest management
Back to the future - Seed banks as a tool to investigate recent adaptation to climate change
Back to the wild - Combining transplant experiments with the resurrection approach to investigate rapid plant adaptations
GrENE-net - Genomics of rapid Evolution in Novel Environments
EvoPlast - Evolution of plant phenotypic plasticity in response to grassland management
Phenotypic plasticity and plant adaptation to variable climates
KÄMY - plant-herbivore interactions (Vincetoxicum hindurinaria)
Plant adaptations in the European Alps
CV
2020 - now Professor at Goethe University
Frankfurt, Germany
2017 - 2020 Junior group leader at the University
of Tübingen, Germany
2016 - 2017 PostDoc with Oliver Bossdorf at the
University of Tübingen, Germany
2014 - 2016 Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship at
the University of Tübingen, Germany
2012 - 2014 PostDoc with Roosa Leimu at the
University of Turku, Finland
2011 - 2012 PostDoc with Jürg Stöcklin at the University
of Basel, Switzerland
2007 - 2011 PhD with Jürg Stöcklin at the
Institute of Botany, University of Basel,
Switzerland
2002 - 2007 BA in Philosophy of Science at the
University of Groningen, The Netherlands
2001 - 2007 MSc in Biology at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Publications
Peer-reviewed publications
Przybylska MS, Violle C, Vile D, Scheepens JF, Lacombe B, Le Roux X, Perrier L, Sales-Mabily L, Laumond M, Vinyeta M, Moulin P, Beurier G, Rouan L, Cornet D, and Vasseur F (2023) AraDiv: a dataset of functional traits and leaf hyperspectral reflectance of Arabidopsis thaliana. Scientific Data 10:314. Link
March-Salas M, Lorite J, Bossdorf O, & Scheepens JF (2023). Cliffs as priority ecosystems. Conservation Biology, e14166. Link
Springer K, Coquery T, Holland V, Fitze, PS, Scheepens JF, & March-Salas M (2023). Precipitation predictability drives evolution of drought tolerance in the common poppy, Papaver rhoeas. Functional Ecology. Link
Møller C, De Frenne P, March-Salas M; Vanneste T, Verheyen K & Scheepens JF (2023). Forest management drives evolution of understorey herbs. Forest Ecology and Management, 548, 121390. Link
March-Salas M; Morales-Armijo F; Hernández-Agüero JA; Estrada-Castillón E; Sobrevilla-Covarrubias A; Arévalo JR; Scheepens JF & Lorite J (2023). Rock climbing affects cliff-plant communities by reducing species diversity and altering species coexistence patterns. Biodiversity and Conservation 31:1617-1638. Link
Sylvester et al. [+44 authors] (2023) Better integration of chemical pollution research will further our understanding of biodiversity loss. Nature Ecology and Evolution. accepted.
Rauschkolb R, Durka W, Godefroid S, Dixon L, Bossdorf O, Ensslin A, Scheepens JF (2023) Recent evolution of flowering time across multiple European plant species correlates with changes in aridity. Oecologia. (Highlighted as student research) Link
Møller C, March-Salas M, Kuppler J, De Frenne P, Scheepens JF (2023) Intra-individual variation in Galium odoratum is affected by experimental drought and shading. Annals of Botany 131(3):411-412. Link
Galanti D, Ramos-Cruz D, Nunn A, Rodríguez-Arévalo I, Scheepens JF, Becker C, Bossdorf O (2022) Genetic and environmental drivers of large-scale epigenetic variation in Thlaspi arvense. PLOS Genetics 18(10): e1010452. Link
Rauschkolb R, Li Z, Godefroid S, Dixon L, Durka W, Májeková M, Bossdorf O, Ensslin A, Scheepens JF (2022) Evolution of plant drought strategies and herbivore tolerance after two decades of climate change. New Phytologist 235(2):773-785. Link
Santangelo JS, Ness RW, Cohan B, Fitzpatrick CR, Innes SG, Koch S, Miles LS, Munim S, Peres-Neto PR, Kirschbaum A, Scheepens JF, Johnson MTJ [+276 authors] (2022) Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover. Science 375: 6586. 1275-1281. Link
Willems FM, Scheepens JF, Bossdorf O (2022) Forest wildflowers bloom earlier as Europe warms: Lessons from herbaria and spatial modeling. New Phytologist 235: 52-65. Link
Freimuth F, Bossdorf O, Scheepens JF, Willems FM (2022) Climate warming changes synchrony of plants and pollinators. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 289:20212142. Link
Rauschkolb R, Henres L, Lou C, Godefroid S, Dixon L, Durka W, Bossdorf O, Ensslin A, Scheepens JF (2021) Historical comparisons show evolutionary changes in drought responses in European plant species after two decades of climate change. Basic and Applied Ecology 58: 26-38. Link
Deng Y, Bossdorf O, Scheepens JF (2021) Transgenerational effects of temperature fluctuations in Arabidopsis thaliana. AoB Plants 13: 6. plab064. Link
Muola A, Scheepens JF, Laukkanen L, Kalske A, Mutikainen P, Leimu R (2021) Strong gene flow explains lack of mating system variation in the perennial herb, Vincetoxicum hirundinaria, in a fragmented landscape. Nordic Journal of Botany 39: e03008. 1-13. Link
Kirschbaum A, Bossdorf O, Scheepens JF (2021) Variation in regrowth ability in relation to land-use intensity in three common grassland herbs. Journal of Plant Ecology 14: 438-450. Link
Willems FM, Scheepens JF, Ammer C, Block S, Bucharova A, Schall P, Sehrt M, Bossdorf O (2021) Spring understory herbs flower later in intensively managed forests. Ecological Application 31(5):e02332. Link
Fischer K,
Kreyling J, Beaulieu M, Beil I, Bog M, Bonte D, Holm S, Knoblauch S, Koch D,
Muffler L, Mouginot P, Paulinich M, Scheepens
JF, Schiemann R, Schmeddes J, Schnittler M, Uhl G, Van der
Maaten-Theunissen M, Weier JM, Wilmking M, Weigel R, Gienapp P (2021)
Environmental stress does not generally alter genetic variation across a
diverse group of taxa. Heredity 126: 23-37. Link
Liao Z-Y, Scheepens JF, Li Q-M, Wang W-B, Feng Y-L, Zheng Y-L (2020) Founder effects, post-introduction evolution and phenotypic plasticity contribute to invasion success of a genetically impoverished invader. Oecologia, 192: 105–118. Link
Kirchhoff L, Kirschbaum A, Joshi J, Bossdorf O, Scheepens JF*, Heinze J* (2019) Plant-soil feedbacks of Plantago lanceolata in the field depend on plant origin and herbivory. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 7, 422. (*shared last authorship) Link
Morente-López J, Scheepens JF, Lara-Romero C, Ruiz-Checa R, Tabarés P, Iriondo JM (2019) Past selection shaped phenological differentiation among populations at contrasting elevations in a Mediterranean alpine plant. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 170: 103894. Link
Rauschkolb R, Szczeparska L, Kehl A, Bossdorf O, Scheepens JF (2019) Plant populations of three threatened species experience rapid evolution under ex-situ cultivation. Biodiversity and Conservation, 28: 3951-3969. Link
Kesselring H, Hamann E, Armbruster GFJ, Stöcklin J, Scheepens JF (2019) Local adaptation is stronger between than within regions in alpine populations of Anthyllis vulneraria. Evolutionary Ecology, 33: 737-750. Link
Liao Z-Y, Scheepens JF, Li W-T, Wang R-F, Zheng Y-L, Feng Y-L (2019) Biomass reallocation and increased plasticity might contribute to successful invasion of Chromolaena odorata. Flora, 256: 79-84. Link
Lang PLM, Willems FM, Scheepens JF, Burbano HA, Bossdorf O (2019) Using herbaria to study global environmental change. New Phytologist 221: 110-122. Link
Scheepens JF, Deng Y, Bossdorf O (2018) Phenotypic plasticity in response to temperature fluctuations is genetically variable, and relates to climatic variability of origin, in Arabidopsis thaliana. AoB Plants, 10: ply043. Link
Scheepens JF, Rauschkolb R, Ziegler R, Schroth V, Bossdorf
O (2018) Genotypic diversity and environmental variability affect the
invasibility of experimental plant populations. Oikos 127: 570-578. Link
Hamann E, Scheepens JF, Kesselring H, Armbruster GFJ, Stöcklin J (2017) High intraspecific phenotypic variation, but little evidence for local adaptation in Geum reptans populations in the Central Swiss Alps. Alpine Botany 127: 121-132. Link
Kalske A, Leimu R, Scheepens JF, Mutikainen P (2016) Spatiotemporal variation in local adaptation of a specialist insect herbivore to its long-lived host plant. Evolution 70: 2110-2122. Link
Hamann E, Kesselring H, Armbruster GFJ, Scheepens JF, Stöcklin J (2016) Evidence of local adaptation to fine- and coarse-grained environmental variability in Poa alpina in the Swiss Alps. Journal of Ecology 104: 1627-1637. Link
Scheepens JF, Frei ES, Stöcklin J (2015) Relationship between phenotypic differentiation and glacial history in a widespread Alpine grassland herb. Alpine Botany 125: 11-20. Link
Preite V, Stöcklin J, Armbruster GFJ, Scheepens JF (2015) Adaptation of flowering phenology and fitness-related traits across environmental gradients in the widespread Campanula rotundifolia. Evolutionary Ecology 29: 249-267. Link
Kalske A, Mutikainen P, Muola A, Scheepens JF, Laukkanen L, Salminen J-P, Leimu R (2014) Simultaneous inbreeding modifies inbreeding depression in a plant-herbivore interaction. Ecology Letters 17: 229-238. Link
Scheepens JF, Frei ES, Stöcklin J (2013) Glacial history affected phenotypic differentiation in the Alpine plant, Campanula thyrsoides. PLOS ONE 8: 10. e73854 1-10. Link
Steiner BL, Armbruster GFJ, Scheepens JF, Stöcklin J (2013) Distribution of bulbil- and seed-producing Poa alpina and their growth and reproduction in common gardens suggest adaptation to different elevations. American Journal of Botany 99: 12. 2035-2044. Link
Scheepens JF, Stöcklin J (2013) Flowering phenology and reproductive fitness along a mountain slope: maladaptive responses to transplantation to a warmer climate in Campanula thyrsoides. Oecologia 171: 3. 679-691. Link
Vitasse Y, Hoch G, Randin Ch, Lenz A, Kollas Ch, Scheepens JF, Körner Ch (2013) Elevational adaptation and plasticity in seedlings phenology of temperate deciduous tree species. Oecologia 171: 3. 663-678. Link
Schepers M, Scheepens JF, Cappers RTJ, Van Tongeren OFR, Raemaekers DCM, Bekker RM (2013) An objective method based on assemblages of subfossil plant macro-remains to reconstruct past natural vegetation: a case study of Swifterbant, The Netherlands. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany 22: 3. 243-255. Link
Scheepens JF, Frei ES, Armbruster GFJ, Stöcklin J (2012) Pollen dispersal and gene flow within and into a population of the alpine monocarpic plant Campanula thyrsoides. Annals of Botany 110: 7. 1479-1488. Link
Frei ES, Scheepens JF, Stöcklin J (2012) High genetic differentiation in populations of the rare alpine plant species Campanula thyrsoides on a small mountain. Alpine Botany 122: 23-34. Link
Frei ES, Scheepens JF, Armbruster GFJ, Stöcklin
J (2012) Phenotypic differentiation in a common garden reflects the
phylogeography of a widespread Alpine plant. Journal of Ecology 100: 2. 297–308. Link
Frei ES, Scheepens JF, Stöcklin J (2012)
Dispersal and microsite limitation of a rare alpine plant. Plant Ecology 213: 3. 395-406. Link
Scheepens JF, Stöcklin J (2011) Glacial history and local adaptation explain differentiation in phenotypic traits in the Alpine grassland herb Campanula barbata. Plant Ecology and Diversity 4: 403-413. Link
Kuss P,
Armbruster GFJ, Ægisdóttir HH, Scheepens
JF, Stöcklin J (2011) Spatial genetic structure of Campanula thyrsoides across the European Alps: indications for
glaciation-driven allopatric subspeciation. Perspectives
in Plant Ecology, Evolution and Systematics 13: 101–110. Link
Scheepens JF, Kuss P, Stöcklin J (2011) Differentiation in
morphology and flowering phenology between two Campanula thyrsoides L. subspecies. Alpine Botany 121: 1. 37-47. Link
Piquet
AM-T, Scheepens JF, Bolhuis H,
Wiencke C, Buma AGJ (2010) Variability of protistan and bacterial communities in
two Arctic fjords (Spitsbergen). Polar
Biology 33: 1521-1536. Link
Scheepens JF, Stöcklin J, Pluess AR (2010) Unifying selection acts on competitive ability and relative growth rate in Scabiosa columbaria. Basic and Applied Ecology 11: 612-618. Link
Scheepens JF, Frei ES, Stöcklin J (2010) Genotypic and
environmental variation in specific leaf area in a widespread Alpine plant
after transplantation to different altitudes. Oecologia 164: 1. 141-150. Link
Scheepens JF, Veeneklaas RM, Van de Zande L, Bakker JP
(2007) Clonal structure of Elytrigia
atherica along different successional stages of a salt marsh. Molecular Ecology 16: 5. 1115-1124. Link
Bruun HH, Scheepens JF, Tyler T (2007) An allozyme study of sexual and vegetative regeneration in Hieracium pilosella. Canadian Journal of Botany 85: 1. 10-15.
Non-peer-reviewed
Scheepens JF, Lachmuth S, Michalski SG (2018) Plant population biology in a changing world. Editorial of a Special Issue in Basic and Applied Ecology. Link
Schepers M, Smit C, & Scheepens JF (2023). Akkeren op de kwelder. In A. Nieuwhof, & A. Buursma (Eds.), Van Drenthe tot aan 't Wad. Over landschap, archeologie en geschiedenis van Noord-Nederland: Essays ter ere van Egge Knol (pp. 41-52). (Jaarverslagen van de Vereniging voor Terpenonderzoek; Vol. 104). Vereniging voor Terpenonderzoek. Link
Preprints
Bucharova A, Bossdorf O, Scheepens JF, & Salguero-Gómez R (2023). Sustainable seed harvesting in wild plant populations. bioRxiv. Link
Kirschbaum A, Hoch G, Bossdorf O, Scheepens JF (2021) Genetic variation in non-structural carbohydrates in Plantago lanceolata is related to mowing intensity but not to regrowth ability. EcoEvoRxiv. Link
Willems FM, Scheepens JF, Ammer C, Block S, Bucharova A, Schall P, Sehrt M, Bossdorf O (2019) Effects of forest management on the phenology of early-flowering understorey herbs. bioRxiv. Link
Popular articles
Scheepens JF, Rauschkolb R, Ziegler R, Schroth V, Bossdorf O (2018) When can plant populations be invaded by other species? Oikos Blog 10 April 2018. Link
Scheepens
JF (2017) EAB2017 - Plant ecology in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Journal of Ecology The Blog 8 December
2017.
Stöcklin J, Scheepens JF (2013) Anpassungsfähige alpine Pflanzen? Hotspot 27: 19. Linkhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1439179121001742?via%3Dihub