Wolf Blanckenhorn
Prof. Dr.
Zoologisches Museum
Universität Zürich-Irchel
Winterthurerstrasse 190
CH-8057 Zürich
Phone +41 (0)44 635 4755
E-Mail Wolf.Blanckenhorn@zm.uzh.ch

Short CV

1979-1986 Study of Biology University of
1986 Diploma (M.Sc.) in Biology, University of Tübingen
1990 Ph.D. in Evolutionary Ecology, State University of New York at Albany (USA)
1991-1993 NSERC International Post-doctoral Research Fellow at Concordia University, Montréal, Qc. (CAN)
since 1993 (Senior) Research Associate and Lecturer at the Zoological Museum, University of Zurich
since 2004 Titularprofessor

Research Interests
I am an evolutionary ecologist, a biological discipline that integrates research questions and methods of evolutionary biology, ecology, population biology, behavior, genetics, functional morphology, phylogenetics and physiology. With this approach my coworkers and I attempt to achieve a thorough understanding of the organismic evolution of particularly suitable model organisms. Hypotheses are generally grounded in theory and tested experimentally in the field or the laboratory or using comparative methods. This may include modeling to generate predictions. In the past I have worked with primates, birds and fish, but primarily insects. My main current interests are the evolution of animal life histories, phenotypic plasticity and body size. At present I am investigating the multiple factors that determine sexual size dimorphism and thermal adaptation, primarily in two widespread and economically important dung fly species, the yellow dung fly Scathophaga stercoraria and the black scavenger fly Sepsis cynipsea, and their close relatives.

Research Projects
• The evolution of sexual size dimorphism in dung flies
• Pre- and post-copulatory sexual selection in dung flies
• Physiological determinants of reproductive success in dung flies
• Environmental determinants of egg and sperm size and number
• The influence of sexual selection and reproductive behavior on Morphology and genital evolution in the Sepsidae
• Relationship between sexual size dimorphism and sexual bimaturity
• Comparison of quantitative and molecular genetic variation among latitudinal dung fly populations on three continents (Europe, North America, Asia)
• Thermal adaptation in dung flies in Europe, North Amerika and Japan
• Biodiversity of the dung community in agricultural landscapes

Projects and Positions available
• Size- and nutrient dependent time-budgets pairing success of yellow dung fly males in the field (field MSc project)
• Size-dependent predation on dung and black scavenger flies examined in a laboratory setting (lab MSc project)
• Comparative reproductive behavior, life history and morphology of various Sepsis species (lab- & field MSc project)
• High and low temperature resistance in latitudinal dung fly populations (lab MSc project)
• The role of surface pheromones for sexual selection in Sepsis cynipsea (lab MSc project)

Collaborations
• Dr. Charles Fox, University of Kentucky, USA
• Dr. Rudolf Meier, Zoological Museum, National University, Singapore
• Dr. Scott Pitnick, Syracuse University, New York, USA
• Dr. Florian Schiestl, Systematic Botany, University of Zürich
• Dr. Hugo Stocker, Zoological Institute, ETH Zürich

Group members
• Dr. Stephanie Bauerfeind Link
• Dr. David Berger Link
• Dr. Marco Bernasconi Link
• Dr. Martin Schäfer Link
• Dr. Richard Walters Link
• Marco Demont Link
• Ralf Jochmann Link
• Nalini Puniamoorthy Link
• Karin Thüler Link

Teaching

Researchunit

Publications
Blanckenhorn, W.U.    
Altitudinal differentiation in the diapause response of two species of dung flies.
1998
Ecol. Entomol. 23: 1-8.
Blanckenhorn, W.U.    
Adaptive phenotypic plasticity in growth, development, and body size in the yellow dung fly.
1998
Evolution 52: 1394-1407.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Grant, J.W.A., Fairbairn, D.J.  
Monopolization in a resource queue: water striders competing for food and mates.
1998
Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 42: 63-70.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Reusch, T., Mühlhäuser, C.  
Fluctuating asymmetry, body size and sexual selection in the dung fly Sepsis cynipsea - testing the good genes assumptions and predictions.
1998
J. Evol. Biol. 11: 735-753.
Reusch, T., Blanckenhorn, W.U.   
Quantitative genetics of the dung fly Sepsis cynipsea: Cheverud's conjecture revisited.
1998
Heredity 81: 111-119.
Reuter, M., Ward, P.I., Blanckenhorn, W.U.  
An ESS treatment of the pattern of female arrival at the mating site in the yellow dung fly Scathophaga stercoraria (L.).
1998
J. Theor. Biol.195: 363-370.
Blanckenhorn, W.U.    
Different growth responses to temperature and resource limitation in three fly species with similar life histories.
1999
Evol. Ecol. 13: 395-409.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Morf, C., Mühlhäuser, C., Reusch, T. 
Spatiotemporal variation in selection on body size in the dung fly Sepsis cynipsea.
1999
J. Evol. Biol. 12: 563-576.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Reuter, M., Ward, P.I., Barbour, A.D. 
Correcting for sampling bias in quantitative measures of selection when fitness is discrete.
1999
Evolution 53: 286-291.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Viele, S.N.T.   
Foraging in yellow dung flies: testing for a small-male time budget advantage.
1999
Ecol. Entomol. 24: 1-6.
Hosken, D.J., Blanckenhorn, W.U.   
Female multiple mating, inbreeding avoidance, and fitness: its not only the magnitude of costs and benefits that counts.
1999
Behav. Ecol. 10: 462-464.
Ward, P.I., Foglia, M., Blanckenhorn, W.U.  
Oviposition site choice in the yellow dung fly Scathophaga stercoraria.
1999
Ethology 105: 423-430.
Blanckenhorn, W.U.    
The evolution of body size: what keeps organisms small?
2000
The Quarterly Review of Biology 75/4: 385-407.
Blanckenhorn, W.U.    
Temperature effects on egg size and their fitness consequences in the yellow dung fly Scathophaga stercoraria.
2000
Evol. Ecol. 14 (7): 627-643.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Morf, C., Reuter, M.  
Are dung flies ideal-free distributed at their oviposition and mating site?
2000
Behaviour 137: 233-248.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Mühlhäuser, C. Morf, C., Reusch, T., Reuter, M.
Female choice, female reluctance to mate and sexual selection on body size in the dung fly Sepsis cynipsea.
2000
Ethology 106: 577-593.
Hosken, D.J., Blanckenhorn, W.U., Ward, P.I.  
Developmental stability in yellow dung flies (Scathophaga stercoraria): fluctuating asymmetry, heterozygosity and environmental stress.
2000
J. Evol. Biol. 13: 919-926.
Jann, P., Blanckenhorn, W.U., Ward, P.I.  
Temporal and microspatial variation in the intensities of natural and sexual selection in the yellow dung fly Scatophaga stercoraria.
2000
J. Evol. Biol. 13: 927-938.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Henseler, C., Burkhard, D.U., Briegel, H. 
Summer decline in populations of the yellow dung fly: diapause or quiescence.
2001
Physiol. Entomol. 26: 260-265.
Blanckenhorn, W.U.    
Die Evolution der Körpergrösse und des geschlechtlichen Grössendimorphismus. The evolution of body size and sexual size dimorphism.
2002
Vierteljahrsschrift der Naturforschenden Gesellschaft in Zürich 147 (3): 99-106.
Blanckenhorn, W.U.    
The consistency of quantitative genetic estimates in field and laboratory in the yellow dung fly.
2002
Genetica 114 (2): 171-182.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Ding, A., Ward, P.I., Meile, P., Teuschl, Y., Reim, C., Martin, O.Y., Hosken, D.J.
Mating with a large male yellow dung fly: costs or benefits in terms of clutch size?
2002
Evol. Ecol. Res. 4 (8): 1201-1207.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Hellriegel, B.   
Against Bergmann's rule: fly sperm size increases with temperature.
2002
Ecol. Lett . 5 (1): 7-10.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Hosken, D.J., Martin, O.Y., Reim, C., Teuschl, Y., Ward, P.I.
The costs of copulating in the dung fly Sepsis cynipsea.
2002
Behav. Ecol. 13 (3): 353-358.
Burkhard, D.U., Ward, P.I., Blanckenhorn, W.U.  
Using age grading by wing injuries to estimate size-dependent adult survivorship in the field: a case study of the yellow dung fly Scathophaga stercoraria.
2002
Ecol. Entomol. 27 (5): 514-520.
Ding, A., Blanckenhorn, W.U.   
The effect of sexual size dimorphism on mating behaviour in two dung flies with contrasting dimorphism.
2002
Evol. Ecol. Res. 4 (2): 259-273.
Hellriegel, B., Blanckenhorn, W.U.   
Environmental influences on the gametic investment of yellow dung fly males.
2002
Evol. Ecol. 16 (5): 505-522.
Hosken, D.J., Blanckenhorn, W.U., Garner, T.W.J.  
Heteropopulation males have a fertilization advantage during sperm competition in the yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria).
2002
Proc. R. Soc. Lond. B Bio. 269 (1501): 1701-1707.
Kraushaar, U., Blanckenhorn, W.U.   
Population variation in sexual selection and its effect on size allometry in two dung fly species with contrasting sexual size dimorphism.
2002
Evolution 56 (2): 307-321.
Kraushaar, U., Goudet, J., Blanckenhorn, W.U.  
Geographical and altitudinal population genetic structure of two dung fly species with contrasting mobility and temperature preference.
2002
Heredity 89 (2): 99-106.
Mühlhäuser, C., Blanckenhorn, W.U.   
The costs of avoiding mating in the dung fly Sepsis cynipsea.
2002
Behav. Ecol. 13 (3): 359-365.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Frei, J., Birrer, M.  
The effect of female arrivals on mate monopolization in the yellow dung fly.
2003
Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 54: 65-70.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Hosken, D.J.   
Heritability of three condition surrogates in the yellow dung fly.
2003
Behav. Ecol. 14 (5): 612-618.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Kraushaar, U., Reim, C.  
Sexual selection on morphological and physiological traits and fluctuating asymmetry in the yellow dung fly.
2003
J. Evol. Biol. 16: 903-913.
Hosken, D.J., Garner, T.W.J., Blanckenhorn, W.U.  
Asymmetry, testis and sperm size in yellow dung flies.
2003
Funct. Ecol. 17: 231-236.
Labeyrie, E., Blanckenhorn, W.U., Rahier, M.  
Mate choice and toxicity in two species of leaf beetles with different types of chemical defense.
2003
J. Chem. Ecol. 29 (7): 1665-1680.
Berner, D., Körner, C., Blanckenhorn, W.U.  
Grasshopper populations across 2000 m of altitude: is there life history adaptation?
2004
Ecography 27: 33-740.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Demont, M.   
Bergmann and converse Bergmann latitudinal clines in arthropods: two end s of a continuum.
2004
Integr. Comp. Biol. 44: 413-424.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Hellriegel, B., Hosken, D.J., Jann, P., Altwegg, R., Ward, P.I.
Does testis size track expected mating success in yellow dung flies?
2004
Funct. Ecol. 18: 414-418.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Heyland, A.   
The quantitative genetics of two life history trade-offs in the yellow dung fly in abundant and limited food environments.
2004
Evolutionary Ecology 18: 385–402.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Kraushaar, U.R.S., Teuschl, Y., Reim, C. 
Sexual selection on morphological and physiological traits and fluctuating asymmetry in the black scavenger fly Sepsis cynipsa.
2004
J. Evol. Biol. 17: 629-641.
Mühlhäuser, C., Blanckenhorn, W.U.   
The quantitative genetics of sexual selection in the dung fly Sepsis cynipsea.
2004
Behaviour 141: 327-341.
Uhl, G., Schmitt, S., Schäfer, M.A., Blanckenhorn, W.U. 
Food and sex-specific growth strategies in a spider.
2004
Evolutionary Ecology Research 6: 523-540.
Ward, P.I., Jann, P., Blanckenhorn, W.U.  
Temperature-mediated seasonal variation in phosphoglucomutase allozyme frequency in the yellow dung fly, Scathophaga stercoraria.
2004
Mol. Ecol. 13: 3213-3218.
Berner, D., Blanckenhorn, W.U., Körner, C.  
Grasshoppers cope with low host plant quality by compensatory feeding and food selection: N limitation challenged.
2005
Oikos 111: 525-533.
Blanckenhorn, W.U.    
Behavioral causes and consequences of sexual size dimorphism.
2005
Ethology 111: 977-1016.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Henseler, C.   
Temperature-dependent ovariole and testis maturation in the yellow dung fly.
2005
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 116: 159–165.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Llaurens, V.   
Effects of temperature on cell size and number in the yellow dung fly Scathophaga stercoraria.
2005
Journal of Thermal Biology 30: 213-219.
Berner, D., Blanckenhorn, W.U.   
Grasshopper ontogeny in relation to time constraints: adaptive divergence and stasis.
2006
Journal of Animal Ecology 75: 130–139.
Blanckenhorn, W.U.    
Divergent juvenile growth and development mediated by food limitation and foraging in the water strider Aquarius remigis (Heteroptera: Gerridae).
2006
Journal of Zoology 268: 17–23.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Stillwell, R.C., Young, K.A., Fox, C.W., Ashton, K.G.
When Rensch meets Bergmann: Does sexual size dimorphism change systematically with latitude?
2006
Evolution 60: 2004-2011.
Reim, C., Teuschl, Y., Blanckenhorn, W.U.  
Size-dependent effects of temperature and food stress on energy reserves and starvation resistance in yellow dung flies.
2006
Evolutionary Ecology Research 8: 1215-1234.
Reim, C., Teuschl, Y., Blanckenhorn, W.U.  
Size-dependent effects of larval and adult food availability on reproductive energy allocation in the Yellow Dung Fly.
2006
Functional Ecology 20: 1012-1021.
Berner, D., Blanckenhorn, W.U.   
An ontogenetic perspective on the relationship between age and size at maturity.
2007
Functional Ecology 21: 505-512.
Blanckenhorn, W.U.    
Case studies of the differential equilibrium hypothesis of sexual size dimorphism in dung flies.
2007
in: Fairbairn, D.J., Blanckenhorn, W.U., Szekely, T., 2007: Sex, Size and Gender Roles. Evolutionary Studies of Sexual Size Dimorphism. pp 106-114. Oxford University Press.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Arthur, B.I., Meile, P., Ward, P.I. 
Sexual conflict over copula timing: a mathematical model and a test in the yellow dung fly.
2007
Behavioral Ecology 18: 958-966.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Dixon, A.F.G., Fairbairn, D.J., Foellmer, M.W., Gibert, P., van der Linde, K., Meier, R., Nylin, S., Pitnick, S., Schoff, C., Signorelli, M., Teder, T., Wiklund, C.
Proximate causes of Rensch's rule: Does sexual size dimorphism in arthropods result from sex differences in development time?
2007
American Naturalist 169: 245-257.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Fanti, J., Reim, C.  
Size-dependent teneral energy reserves, energy turnover and longevity in the yellow dung fly.
2007
Physiological Entomology 32: 372-381.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Meier, R., Teder, T.  
Rensch’s Rule in insects: Patterns among and within species.
2007
in: Fairbairn, D.J., Blanckenhorn, W.U., Szekely, T., 2007: Sex, Size and Gender Roles. Evolutionary Studies of Sexual Size Dimorphism. pp 60-70. Oxford University Press.
Fairbairn, D.J., Blanckenhorn, W.U., Szekely, T. (eds)  
Sex, Size and Gender Roles. Evolutionary Studies of Sexual Size Dimorphism.
2007
Oxford University Press.
Teuschl, Y., Hosken, D.J., Blanckenhorn, W.U.  
Is reduced female survival after mating a by-product of male-male competition in the dung fly Sepsis cynipsea?
2007
BMC Evolutionary Biology 7: 194.
Teuschl, Y., Reim, C., Blanckenhorn, W.U.  
Correlated responses to artificial body size selection in growth, development, phenotypic plasticity and juvenile viability in yellow dung flies.
2007
Journal of Evolutionary Biology 20: 87-103.
Teuschl., Y., Blanckenhorn, W.U.   
The reluctant fly: what makes Sepsis cynipsea females willing to copulate?
2007
Animal Behaviour 73: 85-97.
Blanckenhorn, W.U., Birrer, M., Meier, C.M, Reim, C., Teuschl, Y., Weibel, D.
Size-Dependent mating success at various nutritional states in the Yellow Dung Fly.
2008
Ethology 114:752-759.
Demont, M., Blanckenhorn, W.U.   
Genetic differentiation in diapause response along a latitudinal cline in European yellow dung fly populations.
2008
Ecological Entomology 33: 197-201.
Demont, M., Blanckenhorn, W.U. Hosken, D.J. Garner, T.W.J. 
Molecular and genetic differentiation across Europe in yellow dung flies.
2008
Journal of Evolutionary Biology 21: 1492-1503.
Moya-Laraño, J., Macías-Ordóñez, R., Blanckenhorn, W.U., Fernández-Montraveta, C. 
Analysing body condition: mass, volume or density?
2008
Journal of Animal Ecology 77: 1099-1108.
Blanckenhorn, W.U.    
Causes and consequences of phenotypic plasticity in body size: the case of the yellow dung fly Scathophaga stercoraria (Diptera: Scathophagidae).
2009
In: Whitman D.W., Ananthakrishnan T.N. (eds). Phenotypic Plasticity of Insects: Mechanism and Consequences. Science Publishers, Enfield, NH, USA.
Greminger, M.P., Schäfer, M.A., Nater, A., Blanckenhorn, W.U., Krützen, M.
Development of polymorphic microsatellite markers for the dung fly (Sepsis cynipsea).
2009
Molecular Ecology Resources 9: 1554-1556.

Prof. Dr. Wolf Blanckenhorn
In the field
Stercoraria Pairs