Markus Öst

Markus Öst is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Science and Engineering, Environmental and Marine Biology department of Åbo Akademi University. His research focuses on the interplay between environmental stressors, predation dynamics, and reproductive strategies in sea ducks, particularly the Common Eider (Somateria mollissima), contributing to UN Sustainable Development Goals related to environmental conservation and climate resilience.

• Education: Doctorate from University of Helsinki (2000) on feeding constraints and parental care in female eiders
• Current Position: Senior University Lecturer, Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University

Öst's research spans three decades, analyzing how predation pressure, contaminants of emerging concern (e.g., endocrine disruptors, oxybenzone), and climate change influence seabird physiology (corticosterone, glucocorticoids), reproductive success, and population dynamics. His work integrates field studies with endocrinology and ecotoxicology, often collaborating with international institutions like CNRS-Université de la Rochelle.

Recent publications (2025) examine contaminants in Baltic Sea eider populations and behavioral adjustments to predation. Earlier works (2023-2024) explore hormonal responses to environmental stress, sex-specific survival, and landscape impacts on reproduction. He has contributed to 38 peer-reviewed publications and 3 datasets, with a focus on non-lethal predation effects, brain size selection, and ecological traps.

Öst actively hosts academic visits (e.g., Ben Steele 2024) and engages in external collaborations, including fieldwork at CEBC UMR 7372 in France (2023). His studies frequently address conservation challenges, such as invasive predators, pollutant exposure, and demographic shifts in declining populations.