Laura Steger

Research Specialist Prin, School of Life Sciences

ASU Biocollections 734 W. Alameda TEMPE, AZ 85287
Mail code: 4501

Campus: Tempe
‌

Long Bio

Laura Steger is the Environmental and Zoological Collections Manager for the National Science Foundation's National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) Biorepository at ASU. NEON is a continental-scale observation facility operated by Battelle and designed to collect long-term open access ecological data to better understand how U.S. ecosystems are changing. The comprehensive data, spatial extent and remote sensing technology provided by NEON will enable a large and diverse user community to tackle new questions at scales not accessible to previous generations of ecologists. NEON collects environmental data and archival samples that characterize plant, animals, soil, nutrients, freshwater and atmosphere from 81 field sites strategically located in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems across the U.S. Archival samples are housed at the NEON Biorepository at ASU, located approximately 2 miles southwest of the main ASU Tempe campus. Laura manages NEON plant, bryophyte, lichen, algae, zooplankton, soil, wet deposition, particulate matter, and vertebrate collections. She is also responsible for permitting and biosafety for the Biorepository.

Search for samples in the NEON Biorepository Data Portal: https://biorepo.neonscience.org/portal/collections/index.php

Learn more about the ASU Natural History Collections: https://biokic.asu.edu/collections

A deep dive through time to study changing ecosystems

Big Biology Podcast, Ep 101: NEON: The promises and challenges of large-scale ecological research

Buggin' around in southern Arizona

ASU biologists bring science to downtown Phoenix First Friday Art Walk

Video

Google Scholar URL

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&view_op=list_works&gmla=AJsN-F5Ol4zy…

Publications

Ellwanger C, L Steger, Pollack C, Wells R, JB Fant. (in press). Anthropogenic fragmentation increases risk of genetic decline in the threatened orchid Platanthera leucophaea. Ecology and Evolution.

Yule KM, EE Gilbert, AP Husain, MA Johnston, L Rocha Prado, L Steger, NM Franz. 2020. Designing Biorepositories to Monitor Ecological and Evolutionary Responses to Change (Version 1). Zenodo. http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3880411

Flower CE, JB Fant, S Hoban, KS Knight, L Steger, E Aubihl, MA Gonzalez-Meler, S Forry, A Hille, and AA Royo. 2018. Optimizing conservation strategies for a threatened tree species: in-situ conservation of white ash (Fraxinus americana L.) genetic diversity through insecticide treatment. Forests 9(4), 202-219.

Hunt VM, JB Fant, L Steger, PE Hartzog, EV Lonsdorf, SK Jacobi, DJ Larkin. 2017. PhragNet: crowdsourcing to investigate ecology and management of invasive Phragmites australis (common reed) in North America. Wetlands Ecology and Management 25(5), 607-618.

Elser JJ, M Kyle, J Learned, ML McCrackin, A Peace, and L Steger. 2016. Life on the stoichiometric knife edge: effects of high and low food C:P ratio on growth, feeding, and respiration in three Daphnia species. Inland Waters 6:136-146.

Lee ZM-P, L Steger, JR Corman, A Poret-Peterson, V Souza and JJ Elser. 2015. Response of a stoichiometrically imbalanced ecosystem to manipulation of nutrient supplies and ratios. PLOS ONE. 10.1371/journal.pone.0123949.

Elser JJ, T Andersen, JS Baron, AK Bergström, M Jansson, M Kyle, KR Nydick, L Steger, and DO Hessen. 2009. Shifts in lake N:P stoichiometry and nutrient limitation driven by atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Science 326:835–837.

Elser JJ, M Kyle, L Steger, KR Nydick and JS Baron. 2009. Nutrient availability and phytoplankton nutrient limitation across a gradient of atmospheric nitrogen deposition. Ecology 90:3062–3073.