Dr. Johnson smiling at the camera overlooking the Ivohibory 'Lost Forest' in southeastern Madagascar

Dr. Steig Eric Johnson

PhD
Pronouns: he/him/his

Positions

Associate Professor

Faculty of Arts, Department of Anthropology and Archaeology

Associate Dean (Research and Infrastructure)

Faculty of Arts, Dean's Office

Contact information

Email

steig.johnson@ucalgary.ca

Web presence

Lab site

Phone number

Office: +1 (403) 220-6070

Location

Office: Earth Sciences848

Preferred method of communication

Email

Background

Educational Background

B.A. Anthropology, Univ. of Calif. - Berkeley, 1990

Doctor of Philosophy Anthropology, University of Texas, 2002

M.A. Anthropology, University of Texas, 1995

Biography

Dr. Steig Eric Johnson’s research career began in Madagascar in 1995, where he conducted long-term studies of lemur behavioural and population ecology across the southeastern rain forests. In 2005, Dr. Johnson joined the faculty of the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology at the University of Calgary.  His research goal is to understand how lemur diversity is generated and distributed, as well as connected ecological and evolutionary implications such as ecosystem-level function and speciation. 

Dr. Johnson’s study systems have included a brown lemur hybrid zone, as well as lemur communities impacted by forest loss and cyclones. He is presently investigating how landscape-level processes influence seed dispersers and forest regeneration in agricultural areas. 

Dr. Steig Johnson is Vice Chair of the IUCN Primate Specialist Group for Madagascar, contributing to the assessment of extinction risk for all lemur species and the development of action plans for their conservation.

Research

Areas of Research

Conservation biology, biogeography, and behavioural ecology of Malagasy primates, Community ecology and functional diversity in tropical rain forests, Hybrid zones and speciation

Participation in university strategic initiatives

Human dynamics in a changing world

One health

Courses

Course number Course title Semester
ANTH 201 Introduction to Primatology and Human Evolution
ANTH 413 Methods in Primatology
ANTH 451 Topics in Primate Behavioural Ecology and Conservation
ANTH 613 Current Issues in Methodology in Primatology/Biological Anthropology (graduate)

Projects

What predicts the distribution and abundance of the Endangered Jolly’s mouse lemur, in a newly restored forest in south-eastern Madagascar?

Led by PhD student Nicola Guthrie

Assessing lemur functional diversity in disturbed forests and reforested areas in southeastern Madagascar

Led by PhD student Pamela Narváez-Torres

Feast and famine: Nutrigenomics of frugivorous lemurs in southeastern Madagascar

Led by PhD student Hasinala Ramangason. Funding from the Leakey Foundation.

Conserving the Endangered golden langur (Trachypithecus geei) while balancing people-langur needs in Bhutan

Led by PhD student Kuenzang Dorji.

Cascading impacts of landscape structure on forest regeneration

Co-PI with PI Onja Razafindratsima and co-PI Kerry Brown. Funding from the National Science Foundation (USA).
 

Do seed dispersers facilitate sustainable development in Madagascar?

Co-Applicant with PI Sheila Holmes and co-Applicants Seheno Andriantsaralaza, Kerry Brown, Joris Cromsigt, Tim Hofmeester, and Onja Razafindratsima. Funding from Swedish Research Council.
 

Leveraging biodiversity to restore fragile ecosystems: The integrated conservation and research program at Kianjavato-Vatovavy, Madagascar

With Madagascar Biodiversity Partnership and Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo Centre for Conservation Research.

Awards

  • GREAT Supervisor Award, Faculty of Graduate Studies, University of Calgary. 2019
  • Peak Scholar, The University of Calgary. 2015
  • Nomination for Students' Union Teaching Excellence Award, 2005

Publications

Google Scholar

OrcID

PubMed

Scopus

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