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Adaptation of species
In a changing environment, species change as well. During the last decades, human influence has intensified environmental changes, making adaptation even more crucial. Ecologists at NIOO are interested in rapid adaptation of species, both through (micro)evolution and via behavioural plasticity. For this has implications for the success of species, and for biodiversity. -
Costs of scaring grass-eating barnacle geese often outweigh the benefits
At the current population sizes, the practice of scaring geese off pastures in the province of Friesland probably ends up costing more than it saves. Ecologist Monique de Jager and colleagues from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Utrecht University, Wageningen University & Research and the University of Amsterdam conclude this based on a model study, that was conducted as part of the Dutch contribution to European goose management. The results suggest that scaring geese is cost-effective only when there are few geese in the area. -
The relationship between yield loss and grazing pressure: implications for goose management
Grazing by geese can cause a lot of damage to agricultural crops. Goose management aims to reduce such damages, for example by actively reducing population sizes. -
Fireworks have long-lasting effects on wild birds
An international team of scientists has examined the long-term effects of fireworks on wild birds. -
More grazing geese does not always mean less harvest
An international team led by the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) looked at the impact of different goose species and the number of geese on agricultural damage in the province of Friesland. -
PhD defence Melanie Lindner: Bird reproduction in a warming world
Melanie Lindner will defend her PhD thesis titled "Avian seasonal reproduction in times of global warming: Insights from evolution, ecology and (epi-)genomics" -
Thesis defence Bernice Sepers: the role of DNA methylation variation in avian personality
On 28 October, Bernice Sepers (Animal Ecology) will defend her thesis on 'Behavioural epigenetics: insights into the role of heritable and induced DNA methylation variation in avian personality' at Wageningen UR. -
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! -
Microbial Networks controlling soil greenhouse gases emissions
Soils are considered principally non-renewable resources. Soil ecosystem services have a large impact on numerous societal demands and are of high economic importance. Within the area of sustainable agriculture, it is expected that agricultural production will increasingly rely on the natural nutrient retention and recycling capabilities of soil. This project seeks to provide a fundamental scientific understanding of soil functioning and the resulting ecosystem services in Brazilian and Dutch bio-economies based on innovative microbial ecology and soil science studies. Focus is in sugarcane crop production systems by linking soil microbial composition and functioning, waste residues recycling, fertilizers, soil factors and greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions through integrating and complementing the strong expertise of Brazilian and Dutch researchers from different areas of agronomy, soil sciences, plant nutrition, biogeochemistry, soil ecology, microbial ecology, ecological genomics, molecular ecology and bioinformatics. We will quantify the microbial functional groups and microbial abundance of C and N cycle genes and measure GHG emissions (CO2, CH4 and N2O) from soils during the productive cycle of the plant under different management practices and verify the temporal and spatial variability of these emissions in the evaluated treatments with different concentrations of sugarcane vinasse residue combined with N mineral fertilizers in combination with straw additions, and determine the conditions under which such GHG emissions can be counteracted, or minimized most. The proposed project will enhance fundamental scientific understanding of the interactive role of the microbial networks operating in soil and the consequences of bio-based agricultural management practices for the functioning of soil systems. -
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.