Rudy Boonstra Professor of Ecology & Evolution and Physiology Office: (416) 287-7419 Lab: (416) 287-7442 Fax: (416) 287-7676 e-mail: boonstra@utsc.utoronto.ca Website: http://www.utsc.utoronto.ca/~cns/boonstra.html
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Research Focus The research focus of my lab is to understand how the stress axis functions in natural populations of mammals and birds to maximize fitness. The stress axis is a vital regulator of adaptation in birds and mammals and a pivotal component of the neuroendocrine system. The system is a major pathway that integrates environmental change and through which life history decisions to reproduce, to grow, or to put energy into storage are implemented. The functioning of the stress axis affects a wide range of interrelated biological processes, including the rate of aging, life history and reproduction, the immune system, behavior, and the rate of neurogenesis. At the individual level, the stress axis plays a key role in allowing animals to cope with change and challenge in the face of both environmental certainty and uncertainty. At the species level, the stress axis plays a central role in evolutionary adaptations to particular ecological pressures and an understanding of differences among species is essential to understanding life history adaptations. My research program focuses on these related areas. TOP
Current Research Interests The impact of the stress axis on the rate of senescence (aging). The impact of reproduction on the stress axis and the rate of aging. The impact of the chronic stress on population demography, on maternal effects, and on brain organization and function. The functional and adaptive significance neurogenesis in natural mammalian populations. Male reproductive success in red squirrels and the impact of the stress axis. TOP
Research Opportunities MSc or PhD students Postdoctoral fellow Applications for MSc or Ph.D are due: a. January 15 for the Department of Ecology and Evolution: http://www.eeb.utoronto.ca/graduate b. February 6 for the Department of Cell and Systems: http://www.csb.utoronto.ca/graduate/ I am cross-appointed to the following graduate departments. Please check out their requirements for admittance: a. Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology - http://www.eeb.utoronto.ca/ b. Department of Cell & Systems Biology - http://www.csb.utoronto.ca/ c. Department of Physiology - http://www.uoftphysiology.com/index.cfm TOP
Research Group Michael Sheriff, Ph. D. Candidate, Co-supervised with Dr. Charles Krebs, University of British Columbia, Studying Maternal effects, Stress, and Programming in Snowshoe hares in the Yukon   Brendan Delehanty, Ph. D. Candidate, UofT, Studying the Evolution of the Stress Axis in Mammals. Jen Anson, Ph. D. Candidate, Co-supervised with Dr. Chris Dickman, Univ. Sydney and Dr. Tim Jessop, Victoria Zoo’s. Studying population regulation on common ring-tailed possums, the role of predation risk from native predators and of food, fire, and logging.   Adam Bettio, M. Sc. Candidate. The role of DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone) on nonbreeding season behavior and territoriality in red squirrels. Lanna Desantis, M. Sc. Candidate. Comparative study of the seasonal changes in the endocrinology of sciurids in southern Ontario (flying squirrels, red squirrels, and Eastern chipmunks)   Ben Dantzer, Ph. D. Candidate, Michigan State. Co-supervised with Dr. Andrew McAdam, Univ. Guelph. Research: Hormone-mediated Maternal Effects in North American Red Squirrel website: www.msu.edu/~dantzer   TOP
Research Facilities Mobile Research Laboratory used by R. Boonstra and his team. Arctic Institute Field Laboratory in the Yukon and a Typical Research Site. TOP
Selected Research Publications Sheriff, M.J., C.J. Krebs, and R. Boonstra. 2009. The sensitive hare: sublethal effects of predator stress on reproduction in snowshoe hares. Journal of Animal Ecology 78:1249-1258. PDF Krebs, C.J., R. Boonstra, K. Cowcill, and A.J. Kenney. 2009. Climatic determinants of berry crops in the boreal forest of the southwestern Yukon. Botany. 87: 401-408. PDF Sheriff, M.J., C. O. Bosson, C.J. Krebs, and R. Boonstra. 2009. A non-invasive technique for analyzing fecal cortisol metabolites in snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus). Journal of Comparative Physiology – B, 179:305-313. PDF Delehanty, B. and R. Boonstra. 2009. Impact of live trapping on the stress profile of Richardson's ground squirrel (Spermophilus richardsonii). General and Comparative Endocrinology. 160:176-182. PDF Bosson, C., R. Palme, and R. Boonstra. 2009. Assessment of the stress response in Columbian ground squirrels: laboratory and field validation of an enzyme immunoassay for fecal cortisol metabolites. Physiological Biochemistry and Zoology 82:291–301. PDF Krebs, C.J, P. Carrier, S. Boutin, R. Boonstra, and E. Hofer. 2008. Mushroom crops in relation to weather in the southwestern Yukon. Botany 86:1497-1502. PDF Boonstra, R., et al. 2008. DHEA levels in wild red squirrels: seasonal variation and effect of ACTH. General and Comparative Endocrinology 158:61–67. PDF Boonstra, R., L. Desantis, C.J. Krebs, and D. S. Hik. 2008. Climate and nutrient influences on the growth of white spruce trees in the boreal forests of the Yukon. Climate Research 36:131–140. PDF Amrein, I., R.Boonstra, H-P.Lipp, and J.M.Wojtowicz. 2007. Adult Hippocampal Neurogenesis in Natural Populations of Mammals. In: Adult Neurogenesis. Edited by F. Gage, G. Kempermann, and H. Song. Chapter 30. pp 645-659. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press. PDF Boonstra, R., J. M. Barker, J. Castillo, and Q. E. Fletcher. 2007. The role of the stress axis in life-history adaptations of rodents. In: Rodent Societies: An Ecological and Evolutionary Perspective. Edited by J. O. Wolff and P. W. Sherman, Chapter 12. pp 139-149. University of Chicago Press. PDF Boonstra, R. and C. J. Krebs. 2006. Population limitation of the northern red-backed vole in the boreal forests of northern Canada. Journal of Animal Ecology 75: 1269–1284. PDF Fletcher, Q. E. and R. Boonstra. 2006. Do captive male meadow voles experience acute stress in response to weasel odour? Canadian Journal of Zoology 84: 583-588. PDF Fletcher, Q. E. and R. Boonstra. 2006. The impact of live-trapping on the stress response of the meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus). Journal of Zoology (London). 270:473-478. PDF Hodges, K. E., R. Boonstra, and C. J. Krebs 2006. Overwinter mass loss of snowshoe hares in Yukon: starvation, stress, adaptation or artifact? Journal of Animal Ecology 75:1-13. PDF Barker, J. M. and R. Boonstra. 2005. Preparing for winter: divergence in the summer-autumn hematological profiles from representative species of the three tribes of the squirrel family. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology - Part A: Molecular & Integrative Physiology 142:32-42. PDF Boonstra, R. 2005. Equipped for life: the adaptive role of the stress axis in male mammals. Journal of Mammalogy 86:236-247. PDF Boonstra, R., R. Manzon, S. Mihok, and J. Helson. 2005. Hormetic effects of gamma radiation on the stress axis of natural populations of meadown voles (Microtus pennsylvanicus). Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 24:334-343. PDF Barker, J.M., J.M. Wojtowicz, and R. Boonstra. 2004. Where's my dinner? Adult neurogenesis in free-living food-storing rodents. Genes, Brain and Behavior 4:89-98. PDF Boonstra, R. 2004. Coping with changing northern environments: the role of the stress axis in birds and mammals. Integrative and Comparative Biology 44:95-108. PDF Clinchy, M., L. Zanette, R. Boonstra, J.C. Wingfield and J.N.M. Smith. 2004. Balancing food and predator pressure induces chronic stress in songbirds. Proceedings of the Royal Society (London). Series B 271: 2473-2479. PDF Boonstra, R., N. Takagi, N. Bissoon, S. Vij and J.W. Gurd 2002. Changes in expression of subunits of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor in the hippocampus caused by live-trapping of snowshoe hares. Neuroscience Letters 324:173-176. PDF Kee, N., S. Sivalingam, R. Boonstra, and J.M. Wojtowicz. 2002. The utility of Ki-67 and BrdU as proliferative markers of adult neurogenesis. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 115: 97-105. PDF Boonstra, R., C. J. McColl, and T. J. Karels. 2001. Reproduction at all costs: how breeding compromises the stress response and survival in male Arctic Ground Squirrels. Ecology 82:1930-1946. PDF Boonstra, R., L. Galea, S.G. Matthews, and J.M Wojtowicz. 2001. Adult neurogenesis in natural populations. Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology.79: 297-302. PDF Hik, D., C. J. McColl, and R. Boonstra. 2001. Why are Arctic ground squirrels more stressed in the boreal forest than in alpine meadows? Ecoscience 8: 275-288. PDF Boonstra, R. and C. J. McColl. 2000. The contrasting stress response of male Arctic Ground Squirrels and Red Squirrels. Journal of Experimental Zoology 286: 390-404. PDF Boonstra, R., D. Hik, G. R. Singleton, and A. Tinnikov. 1998. The impact of predator-induced stress on the snowshoe hare cycle. Ecological Monographs 68: 371-394. PDF Karels, T.J. and R. Boonstra. 2000. Concurrent density dependence and independence in populations of arctic ground squirrels. Nature 408: 460-463 PDF Virtually all of the earlier research papers by the Boonstra lab can be obtained as downloadable pdfs from the following url: https://tspace.library.utoronto.ca/ TOP
Teaching BGYB52S Ecology and Evolution Laboratory BGYC52F Field Ecology BGYC59F Advanced Population Ecology BGYC67H Advanced Field Ecology TOP
Picture of Drs. Michael Clinchy and Rudy Boonstra working on stress in animal populations in the Gulf Islands in B.C. Links Animal Diversity Detail species accounts of mammals of the world Comparative Mammalian Brain Collections