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  1. Adaptation of species

    During recent centuries, human activities have dramatically changed the habitats of wild animals, plants and micro-organisms. Ecologists at NIOO are interested in how species can adapt to these rapid changes, for example through (micro)evolution. The ability of organisms to do this has a major impact on biodiversity and the functioning of ecosystems.
    House sparrow in spring

  2. Developing digital twins to help understand ecosystems

    News
    LTER-LIFE aims to study and predict how global change affects ecosystems. It is one of nine projects that have just won funding for setting up and improving large-scale research infrastructure.
    Veluwezoom

  3. A living, breathing building

    As sustainable as possible, in as many respects as possible: that was the imperative when the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) commissioned a new building. And we have done it!
    Gebouw NIOO-KNAW met paarse bloemen

  4. NIOO Theme Climate change

    We are in the midst of a climate crisis. Our climate system is undergoing a dramatic number of changes, many of which can be attributed to anthropogenic influences, including greenhouse gas emission-induced changes to global surface temperatures, precipitation, glacier mass loss, sea levels, salt intrusion, and ocean heat content.
    Opgedroogde bodem

  5. Testing early warning signals for crises, in lakes

    Press release
    Wouldn't it be great if we could tell the state of an ecosystem or the like - healthy or heading for a crisis - by keeping track of a few key signals? Thanks to the theory of ‘tipping points’, that’s not unthinkable. Now a team of researchers led by Alena Gsell of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) has tested early warning signals: in lakes. In the Early Edition of PNAS online, they conclude that predicting works...but not yet in all cases.
    PNASalena

  6. Extinction of Pleistocene herbivores induced major vegetation and landscape changes

    Press release
    The extinction of large herbivores such as mammoths could explain massive prehistoric changes in vegetation and landscape structure, with major implications for our understanding of present-day ecosystems. Modern and paleo-ecologists joined forces in an international study led by the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW). The results are being published online by PNAS this week.
    Pleistocene

  7. Migratory animals create worldwide ecosystem

    Press release
    WAGENINGEN – In the animal kingdom, travel is key: that is the conclusion of Silke Bauer’s research in a nutshell. The NIOO-ecologist and an Australian colleague list the numerous species that migrate from one location to another. According to the two researchers, the effects of these migrations on world ecosystems have been overlooked. Time to give the billions of geese, locusts, butterflies, herrings and wildebeest that wander the globe their proper due.
    Wilde dieren

  8. 'Neighbour-plants' determine insects' feeding choices

    Press release
    WAGENINGEN – Insects are choosier than you might think: whether or not they end up feeding on a particular plant depends on much more than just the species to which that plant belongs. The quality of the individual plant is an important factor as well. As is the variety of other plants growing around it. But what, ultimately, makes an insect choose one plant over another?

    JKK