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Elly  Morriën's picture

Dr. Elly Morriën

Researcher

Terrestrial Ecology


Research themes
  • Chemical ecology
  • Microbiomes
  • Restoration ecology

  • Research expertise
  • Belowground interactions
  • Climate change and plant invasions
  • Functional soil biodiversity
  • Soil carbon cycling

  • Page last updated: 01-07-2020

    Profile

    I am a soil ecologist working with soil scientists. This puts me in a bridging position between disciplines in which I want to fill the knowledge gap on the contribution of soil biota in stabilizing organic matter in soil. This is of high importance for global carbon storage to mitigate climate change effects but also for a healthy cycling of nutrients. Creative and not linear thinking cross-disciplinary will eventually lead to new discoveries that contribute to solve future problems on earth. I am an enthusiastic teacher in the interdisciplinary bachelor Future Planet Studies and in the master Earth Sciences. I stimulate students to think outside the box and come up with innovative solutions for major future problems on earth. Next to my high impact papers and my papers in top-ecology journals, I have a very good track-record in presenting at international conferences. I also participate actively in the scientific community by serving as associate editor at Functional Ecology, being an active reviewer at a broad scope of journals, and serving on external PhD-exam committees. I have put effort in translating my scientific message into short articles and news items for the general public to highlight the relevance of my research for nature restoration of degraded lands. I hope this engagement leads to applicable innovations that actually help to restore degraded soils, soils that we so desperately need to feed the 9 billion people on Earth.

    • CV
    • Key publications
    • Peer-reviewed publications
    • Popular-scientific publications
    • Ancillary positions
    • Outreach

    CV highlights

    • Gold medal of honor (2020), Tweede Teylers Genootschap. Biology competition 2017
    • Veni-laureate (2015)
    • My average impact factor (8,1) lies above average of my field (3,3)
    • I have one highly cited paper in my field as first author
    • Teaching qualification (BKO) obtained in 2018
    • Experience in coordinating a course and course development

    Employment History

    Assistant professor at  University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam

    November 2019 — Present

    Assistant professor in soil carbon cycling at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Department of Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics (ELD) / Guest-researcher Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW)

    NWO-Veni grant laureate/ Lecturer at  University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam

    November 2015 — November 2019

    Post-doctoral research from VENI-NWO at the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics (IBED), Ecosystem and Landscape Dynamics (ELD) research group / Guest-researcher Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW). Topic: Finding mechanisms that drive secondary succession in plant and soil communities. Advisor: Prof. dr. P.C. de Ruiter.

    Research Associate at  Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen

    October 2011 — November 2015

    Post-doctoral research at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), department of Terrestrial Ecology within European project EcoFINDERS. Topic: Linking soil community structure and nutrient cycling in a chronosequence of abandoned agricultural fields. Advisor: Prof. Dr. Ir. W.H. van der Putten.

    PhD-researcher at  Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen

    September 2005 — September 2011

    PhD research at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), department of Terrestrial Ecology. Topic: Climate induced range-expanding plants: above- and belowground interactions. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Ir. W.H. van der Putten.

    Researcher at  Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam

    June 2005 — August 2005

    Researcher “Invasion biology” at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, department of  Animal Ecology. Supervisor: Dr. M.P. Berg.

    Education

    Doctorate, Wageningen University, Wageningen

    September 2005 — September 2011

    Title of thesis: Climate induced range-expanding plants: above- and belowground interactions. Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Ir. W.H. van der Putten. Research performed at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW).

    BSc. Biology and MSc. Ecology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam

    September 1999 — May 2005

    2004- 2005. MSc research internship at the University of Helsinki, Metapopulation Research Group. Supervisors: Dr. S. Gripenberg, Dr. T. Roslin and Prof. Dr. I. Hanski.

    2003- 2004. MSc research internship at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, department Theoretical Biology. Supervisors: Dr. L.D.J. Kuijper, Dr. M.P. Berg, Dr. B.W. Kooi and Prof. Dr. S.A.L.M. Kooijman.

    2002- BSc research internship at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, department of Animal Ecology. Supervisors: Dr. M.I. Zorn, Dr. M. Vijver, Dr. Ir. C.A.M. van Gestel and Prof. Dr. N.M. van Straalen.

    2020-    Moreno Mateos, D., Alberdi, A., Morriën, E., van der Putten, W.H., Uña, A., Montoya, R. The long-term restoration of ecosystem complexity. Nature Ecology and Evolution https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559020-1154-1 

    2017-    Morriën, E. , Hannula, S.E., Snoek, L.B, Helmsing, N.R., Zweers, H., de Hollander, M, Luján Soto, R., Bouffaud, M-L., Bueé, M., Dimmers, W., Duyts, H.,Geisen, S., Girlanda, M., Griffiths, R.I., Jørgensen, H-B., Jensen, J., Plassart, P., Redecker, D., Schmelz, R., Schmidt, O.,Thomson, B.C., Tisserant, E., Uroz, S., Winding, A, Bailey, M.J., Bonkowski, M., Faber, J.H., Martin, F., Lemanceau, P., de Boer, W., van Veen, J.A. & van der Putten, W.H. Soil networks become more connected and take up more carbon as nature restoration progresses. Nature  communications, 8, 14349

    2016-    Morriën, E. (2016) Understanding soil food web dynamics, how close do we get? Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 102, 10-13

    2013-    Bardgett, R.D., Manning, P., Morriën, E., de Vries, F.T. Hierarchical responses of plant-soil interactions to climate change: consequences for the global carbon cycle. Journal of Ecology, 101, 334-343

    2008-    Engelkes, T., Morriën, E., Verhoeven, K.J.F., Bezemer, T.M., Biere, A., Harvey, J.A., McIntyre, L.M., Tamis, W.L.M., van der Putten, W.H. Successful range-expanding plants experience less above-ground and below-ground enemy impact. Nature, 456, 946-948

    2005-    Kuijper, L.D.J., Berg, M.P., Morriën, E., Kooi, B.W., Verhoef, H.A. Global change effects on a Scots  pine forest litter layer and the use of mechanistic models. Global Change Biology, 11, 249-265

      2020

    • Kooijman, A., Morriën, E., Jagers op Akkerhuis, G., Missong, A., Bol, R., Klumpp, E., van Hall, R., van Til, M., Kalbitz, K., & Bloem, J. (2020). Resilience in coastal dune grasslands: pH and soil organic matter effects on P nutrition, plant strategies, and soil communities. Ecosphere, 11(5), e03112. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3112
    • Hannula, E., Morrien, E., van der Putten, W. H., & de Boer, W. (2020). Rhizosphere fungi actively assimilating plant-derived carbon in a grassland soil. Fungal Ecology, 48, [100988]. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.funeco.2020.100988
    • Moreno-Mateos, D., Alberdi, A., Morriën, E., van der Putten, W. H., Rodríguez-Uña, A., & Montoya, D. (2020). The long-term restoration of ecosystem complexity. Nature Ecology and Evolution, 4(5), 676-685. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-020-1154-1
    • 2019

    • Veen, G. F., Fry, E. L., ten Hooven, F., Kardol, P., Morrien, E., & De Long, J. (2019). The Role of Plant Litter in Driving Plant-Soil Feedbacks. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 7, [fenvs.2019.00168]. https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2019.00168
    • 2018

    • Ramirez, K. S., Geisen, S., Morriën, E., Snoek, B. L., & van der Putten, W. H. (2018). Network Analyses Can Advance Above-Belowground Ecology. Trends in Plant Science, 23(9), 759-768. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2018.06.009
    • Morriën, E., & Prescott, C. E. (2018). Pellets or particles? How can we predict the effect of soil macro-arthropods on litter decomposition? Functional Ecology, 32(11), 2480-2482. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13217
    • 2017

    • Hannula, S. E., Morriën, E., De Hollander, M., van der Putten, W. H., van Veen, J. A., & De Boer, W. (2017). Shifts in rhizosphere fungal community during secondary succession following abandonment from agriculture. ISME Journal, 11, 2294-2304. https://doi.org/10.1038/ismej.2017.90
    • Morriën, E., Hannula, S. E., Snoek, B., Helmsing, N. R., Zweers, H., De Hollander, M., Lujan Soto, R., Bouffaud, M. L., Buée, M., Dimmers, W., Duyts, H., Geisen, S., Girlanda, M., Griffiths, R. I., Jørgensen, H-B., Jensen, J., Plassart, P., Redecker, D., Schmelz, R. M.,... van der Putten, W. H. (2017). Soil networks become more connected and take up more carbon as nature restoration progresses. Nature Communications, 8, [14349]. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14349
    • 2016

    • Engelkes, T., Meisner, A., Morriën, E., Kostenko, O., van der Putten, W. H., & Macel, M. (2016). Herbivory and dominance shifts among exotic and congeneric native plant species during plant community establishment. Oecologia, 180(2), 507-517. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00442-015-3472-6
    • Morriën, E. (2016). Understanding soil food web dynamics, how close do we get? Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 102(November), 10-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soilbio.2016.06.022
    • 2013

    • Bardgett, R. D., Manning, P., Morrien, E., & De Vries, F. T. (2013). Hierarchical responses of plant–soil interactions to climate change: consequences for the global carbon cycle. Journal of Ecology, 101(2), 334-343. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12043
    • Morrien, E., & Van der Putten, W. H. (2013). Soil microbial community structure of range-expanding plant species differs from co-occurring natives. Journal of Ecology, 101(5), 1093-1102. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12117
    • 2012

    • Morrien, E., Duyts, H., & Van der Putten, W. H. (2012). Effects of native and exotic range-expanding plant species on taxonomic and functional composition of nematodes in the soil food web. Oikos, 121(2), 181-190. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0706.2011.19773.x
    • 2011

    • Morrien, E., Engelkes, T., & Van der Putten, W. H. (2011). Additive effects of aboveground polyphagous herbivores and soil feedback in native and range-expanding exotic plants. Ecology, 92(6), 1344-1352. https://doi.org/10.1890/10-1937.1
    • Morrien, E. (2011). Climate change induced range-expanding plants: Aboveground and belowground interactions (PhD Thesis). Wageningen University. http://edepot.wur.nl/175892
    • 2010

    • Morriën, W. E., Engelkes, T., Macel, M., Meisner, A., & Van der Putten, W. H. (2010). Climate change and invasion by intracontinental range-expanding exotic plants: the role of biotic interactions. Annals of Botany, 105(6), 843-848. https://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcq064
    • Harvey, J. A., Biere, A., Fortuna, T., Vet, L. E. M., Engelkes, T., Morriën, W. E., Gols, R., Verhoeven, K. J. F., Vogel, H., Macel, M., Heidel-Fischer, H., Schramm, K., & Van der Putten, W. H. (2010). Ecological fits, mis-fits and lotteries involving insect herbivores on the invasive plant, Bunias orientalis. Biological Invasions, 12(9), 3045-3059. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-010-9696-9
    • 2008

    • Engelkes, T., Morriën, W. E., Verhoeven, K. J. F., Bezemer, T. M., Biere, A., Harvey, J. A., McIntyre, L. M., Tamis, W. L. M., & Van der Putten, W. H. (2008). Successful range-expanding plants experience less above-ground and below-ground enemy impact. Nature, 456(7224), 946-948. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature07474

      2017

    • Morriën, E., & EcoFinders team (2017). Why nature restoration takes time. Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative. http://blog.globalsoilbiodiversity.org/article/2017/02/10/why-nature-restoration-takes-time
    • 2010

    • Morriën, W. E., Engelkes, T., & Van der Putten, W. H. (2010). Klimaatgeïnduceerde areaaluitbreidende planten ondervinden minder ondergrondse en bovengrondse effecten van natuurlijke vijanden. Gewasbescherming, 41(4), 192-192.

    2018- Television: Item about fungi in “De grote tuinverbouwing” at SBS6 (broadcasted 10th of November 2018)

    2018- Popular article: Morriën, E. Under the magnifying glass: soil life. Amsterdam Science, 7 (May), 5-5.

    2017- Radio: https://www.bnr.nl/radio/wetenschap-vandaag/10318019/waarom natuurherstel-vaak-meer-dan-30-jaar-duurt

    2017- Online magazine: https://scienmag.com/why-nature-restoration-takes-time/

    2017- Online magazine: https://m.phys.org/news/2017-02-nature-fungi-relationships.html

    2017-  Online News: https://www.dekennisvannu.nl/site/artikel/Natuur-herstelt-dankzij-schimmelnetwerken/8850

    2017- Blog:Global Soil Biodiversity Initiative, Morriën, E. Why nature restoration takes time.

    2017- Newspaper article: https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2017/02/09/vooral-bodemleven-vormt-de-nieuwe-natuur-6620449-a1545319

    2016- onwards: Counting soil biota with school kids at primary school

    2010- Popular article: Morriën, E., Engelkes, T., & Van der Putten, W. H. Klimaatgeïnduceerde areaaluitbreidende planten ondervinden minder ondergrondse en bovengrondse effecten van natuurlijke vijanden. Gewasbescherming, 41(4), 192-192.

    Contact

    +31 (0)317 473 580

    Droevendaalsesteeg 10
    6708 PB Wageningen 
    +31 (0)317 47 34 00

    Postbus 50 
    6700 AB Wageningen

    E.Morrien@nioo.knaw.nl

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