We humans are rapidly changing the world around us, both directly and indirectly. Our challenge as ecologists is to understand and predict how this is affecting nature. My own work is primarily on birds that migrate to the Arctic to nest. These birds are not only confronted by the changing Arctic, where temperatures are rising faster than elsewhere on Earth, but also by man-induced changes in their wintering areas closer to (my) home. Some bird species profit from these changes and become so-called pest species, whereas other species pay the price and decline. My main focus is on decisions of where and when to move: how animals (should) explore their surroundings and exploit their resources. The approach taken is a combination of field, experimental and modelling work. Eventually, I try to understand and predict patterns at the population level (i.e., animal distribution and abundance) from processes acting at the individual level.
MEMBERSHIPS
PUBLICATION RECORD
CURRENT PROJECTS
AtlanticSwans: From individual movement to population distribution
Funded by IBED-UvA
ArcticMigrants: Arctic migratory birds pushed over the edge?
Funded by NWO-NPP
GooseScare: Indirect effects of goose disturbance
Funded by BIJ12-Faunafonds
ArcticPinkfeet: Response of geese to climate warming in the Arctic
Funded by NWO-NPP
FORMER PROJECTS
ArcticSwans: Unravelling the annual cycle of an Arctic migrant in search of its decline
Funded by NWO-NPP
ArcticBarnies: How can Arctic-nesting geese cope with Arctic amplification?
Funded by NWO-NPP
(together with Henk van der Jeugd)
Carrying capacity: when are spatial and behavioural models needed?
Funded by NWO-ALW
Herbivore avoidance and tolerance in aquatic plants
Funded by KNAW
The spatial scale of foraging decisions in heterogeneous continuous environments
Funded by KNAW
CURRENT PROJECTS
GooseHeart: A new style of life in a traditionally Arctic migratory bird
Funded by NWO-NPP (to Henk van der Jeugd)
FORMER PROJECTS
Adaptive management of migratory populations
Funded by Research Council of Norway (to Ingunn Tombre)
Workpackage Brent goose (Metawad)
Funded by Waddenfonds (to Henk v/d Jeugd)
Towards adaptive management of white-fronted geese
Funded by Faunafonds
(to consortium with Hans de Kroon, Bruno Ens & Arie van Noordwijk)
Seed dispersal by mallards
Funded by NWO (to Merel Soons)
E-Track: enhanced tracking of animal movement and behaviour
Funded by EC (FP7)
(to consortium led by Lucas Noldus)
Goose migration track visualisation
Host-pathogen interaction: the effects of avian influenza viruses on free-living mallards
Funded by NWO (to Marcel Klaassen)
Long-distance dispersal of aquatic key species
Funded by EU project LAKES
(to consortium led by Luis Santamaría)
De Wereld Dooit Door Vogelonderzoek in polaire gebieden
Vroege Vogels Waar zijn de kleine zwanen?
Hakai Magazine Lack of snow is ironically helping snow geese
Vroege Vogels 30 jaar bevers in de Biesbosch
Algemeen Dagblad De lusten en lasten van 30 jaar bevers in de Biesbosch
ScienceDaily In a warming climate, Arctic geese are rushing north
The New York Times Migrating geese racing to their breeding grounds
CBC radio Quirks & Quarks Migration geese are losing the race north
NewScientist Climate change is forcing geese to give up pit stops when they migrate
NPR Science Migrating geese are confused and exhausted by rising temperatures
BBC NEWS Science & Environment Arctic wild goose chase threatens chicks as temperatures rise
ArcticToday Climate change has barnacle geese racing north
talkRADIO 03:30-04:00 Barnacle geese speed up their migration journeys north
Oratie Universiteit van Amsterdam De ecologie van gaan en staan: vogels in beweging
BOU BLOG The changing survival of Bewick's Swans
Vroege Vogels Vliegen met de kleine zwanen
Vroege Vogels Flight of the swans
Journal of Avian Biology Bewick's swans are the exception to the rule
Swan Specialist Group In search of the decline of Bewick's swans
SEES Expedition to Edgeøya
De Kennis van Nu De vlucht van de brandgans
CAPS Centre for Avian Population Studies
Consumer-Resource Interactions Postgraduate course
blessgans.de Tracking of white-fronted geese
UvA Bird Tracking System Tracking of brent geese
Metawad: see news item on brent geese
Goose migration track visualisation More than just where they go
Evaluatie Opvangbeleid Landelijk depletiemodel voor overwinterde ganzen en smienten
Science/AAAS Mussels doing the Levy walk