I study interactions between organisms and their environment in coastal ecosystems. My research primarily focuses on the importance of “ecosystem engineers” – species that significantly modify habitat conditions. Ecosystem engineers are often “foundation species” of a system, which basically means that many other species depend on them.
In my research, I combine fieldwork, laboratory experiments, GIS and computer models. I’m senior researcher at the of the Royal NIOZ, and professor of Coastal Ecology at the of the University of Groningen.
