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Buzzing decline: Dutch landscape is losing insect-pollinated plants
The Netherlands is losing plant species that rely on pollination by insects. Leiden environmental scientist Kaixuan Pan demonstrates this after analysing 87 years of measurements from over 365,000 plots. The news is alarming for our biodiversity and food security. "75 per cent of our crops and 90% of the wild plants rely on insects." -
National Growth Fund finances Dutch Holomicrobiome Institute
The government of the Netherlands has allocated €200 million from the country’s National Growth Fund for a public-private consortium that will conduct research into 'microbiomes' and economically interesting applications thereof. In the consortium, NIOO is partnering with ten Dutch universities, five university-medical centres, four universities of applied sciences, many other knowledge organisations and together with dozens of small and large companies and societal organisations. -
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. -
Dealing with bluegreen algae
Worldwide, excessive nutrient loads in lakes and reservoirs have led to the rapid increase of harmful cyanobacteria. Blooms of these algae block the use of surface water for drinking, irrigation and recreation. Climate change is expected to further increase the frequency, duration, and magnitude of cyanobacterial blooms. Aquatic ecologists from NIOO are busy gaining more detailed insights into cyanobacterial blooms across scales, in future climates and in respect to toxicity. -
Impact of nutrients
Nutrient availability in natural ecosystems has increased due to anthropogenic activities like spill-over from agricultural ecosystems. In the Netherlands, this has led to the acidification of natural areas for example. At NIOO, we aim to understand the impact of nutrients on natural systems in more detail, to help to bring back the balance. -
How do nutrients and temperature affect cyanobacterial bloom toxicity?
Toxic cyanobacterial blooms threaten freshwater quality, made worse by climate change and eutrophication. The toxicity of these blooms depends not only on cyanobacteria quantity but also on the presence potentially toxin-producing species and genotypes, and their varied toxin production. -
PhD thesis defence Dianneke van Wijk: Towards Smart Nutrient Retention Networks to improve water quality
On Tuesday 20 February 2024 Dianneke van Wijk will defend her PhD thesis, titled "Towards Smart Nutrient Retention Networks to improve water quality: perspectives, theories and tools".
Her promotors are prof. dr. Wolf Mooij (NIOO) and prof. dr. Carolien Kroeze, her co-promotor is dr. Annette Janssen. -
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. -
NLSEB meetings on Evolutionary Biology
The 6th conference of the Netherlands Society for Evolutionary Biology (NLSEB) will take place on the 22nd (PhD/postdoc meeting) and 23rd (main meeting) of April 2024. -
The Galápagos Microbiome Project: voyage of discovery to an invisible world
How unique and diverse is the invisible life of the Galápagos Islands? That is the key question to which a team of international researchers, led by the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), is seeking answers. This year, they went on an expedition to the iconic islands to study the microbial life there. Insights from their research can contribute to the conservation of indigenous plant species and, in particular, Scalesia: the giant daisy.