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afbeelding van Nico  Helmsing

Ing. Nico Helmsing

Laboratory Assistant

Aquatic Ecology


Research expertise
  • Aquatic facilities
  • Experimental studies
  • ICP-OES
  • Nutrient analysis
  • Stable isotope analysis

  • Page last updated: 26-04-2021

    • CV
    • Groepen
    • Wetenschappelijke publicaties
    • Populair-wetenschappelijke publicaties
    • Nevenfuncties

    Ing. Nico R. Helmsing graduated from the Hogeschool Larenstein in 2003. Where he studied laboratory techniques and specialized in environmental analysis. In his final thesis at the Department of Aquatic Food Webs at the NIOO-KNAW Centre for Limnology he investigated the defensive strategies of algae of the Scenedesmus and Desmodesmus genera to herbivory by the rotifer Brachionus calyciflorus. After that he worked for 5 months on a project called 'Inducible Defenses’ and from July 2003 he is employed at the Department of Aquatic Food Webs. His main tasks are chemical analyses of samples i.e. nutrients, stable isotopes and metals, as well as helping researchers conduct their research. He is responsible for Limnotron-, micro- and aquarium facilities as well as small experimental rooms.In the years working at NIOO he has aquired a lot of experience with all kinds of aquatic ecological experiments, from running microcosm and Limnotron experiments to small scale batch experiments as well as flow-though and chemostat experiments, In April 2018 he was a chosen representative in the Workers Counsel of NIOO.

    Expertise

    1. Total Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Analysis
     

     

     

     

    Carbon and Nitrogen analysis are analyzed on a Flash1112 analyser.

    Typical samples are Algea of GFF filter, Zooplankton, plant material, soil material, bacteria and higher organisms.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    2. Autoanalyser Nutrient analysis

     

     

    Nutrients are analyzed on a Seal Quaatro continuous segmented flow analyzer.

    Simultaneous analysis of Nitrate/Nitrite, Ammonia, Phosphate and Silicate are possible in aqueous samples. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    3. Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS)

     

     

    Measurement of  δ‰ C13/C12  & δ‰ N15/N14 in organic samples for in natural abundances or enriched state using a Flash2000 elemental analyzer coupled via a Conflo IV to a Delta V IRMS. 

    Typical samples are Algae of GFF filter, Zooplankton, plant material, soil material, bacteria and higher organisms.    

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    4. Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP-OES)

     

     

    Measurments of metals in digests or aqueous solutions on a Thermo ICAP 6500-duo ICP.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    5. Mesocosm/Limnotrons

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Responsible for the maintainace of the Limotron facility. 

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    6. Aquaria/ microscoms

     

     

     

     

    Responsible for the Aquaria facility. 

    These consist of 8 large aquaria & 8 small aquaria with 5 biological filters and have temperature and light control

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Responsible for the microcosm facility

    these are 24 aquaria with 42 possible microcosms controlled for temperature and light and individual stirring

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    7. Continuous Culturing \ Chemostats

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    Maintaining continuous cultures of rotifers and algae in chemostats:

    - In 1-step chemostats (Algae) (shown here)
    - In 2-step chemostats (Herbivores Zooplankton)
    - In 3-step Chemostats (Carnivores Zooplankton)

     

    Aquatic Lab
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    Chemical lab
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    NIOO labs
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    Van Donk Group
    Ellen van Donk focuses on how ecological mechanisms and abiotic factors govern the dynamics and structure of food webs in aquatic ecosystems. Van Donk...Read more

      2018

    • Cornelissen, I. J. M., Vijverberg, J., van den Beld, A., Helmsing, N. R., Verreth, J. A. J., & Nagelkerke, L. A. J. (2018). Heterogeneity in food-web interactions of fish in the Mwanza Gulf, Lake Victoria: a quantitative stable isotope study. Hydrobiologia, 805(1), 113-130. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-017-3297-x
    • Cornelissen, I. J. M., Vijverberg, J., van den Beld, A., Helmsing, N. R., Verreth, J. A. J., & Nagelkerke, L. A. J. (2018). Stomach contents and stable isotopes confirm ontogenetic diet shifts of Nile perch, Lates niloticus, in southern Lake Victoria. Journal of Great Lakes Research, 44(6), 1264-1272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jglr.2018.08.008
    • 2017

    • 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

    • Liu, J., van Oosterhout, E., Faassen, E. J., Lurling, M., Helmsing, N. R., & Van de Waal, D. B. (2016). Elevated pCO2 causes a shift towards more toxic microcystin variants in nitrogen limited Microcystis aeruginosa. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 92(2), [fiv159]. https://doi.org/10.1093/femsec/fiv159
    • 2014

    • De Senerpont Domis, L. N., Van de Waal, D. B., Helmsing, N. R., Van Donk, E., & Mooij, W. M. (2014). Community stoichiometry in a changing world: combined effects of warming and eutrophication on phytoplankton dynamics. Ecology, 95(6), 1485-1495. https://doi.org/10.1890/13-1251.1
    • 2013

    • Bukovinszky, T., Helmsing, N. R., Grau, R. A., Bakker, E. S., Bezemer, T. M., Vos, M., Uittenhout, H., & Verschoor, A. M. (2013). A device to study the behavioral responses of zooplankton to food quality and quantity. Journal of Insect Behavior, 26(4), 453-465. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10905-012-9366-0
    • Gsell, A. S., De Senerpont Domis, L. N., Naus-Wiezer, S. M. H., Helmsing, N. R., Van Donk, E., & Ibelings, B. W. (2013). Spatiotemporal variation in the distribution of chytrid parasites in diatom host populations. Freshwater Biology, 58(3), 523-537. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2012.02786.x
    • 2012

    • Bukovinszky, T., Verschoor, A. M., Helmsing, N. R., Bezemer, T. M., Bakker, E. S., Vos, M., & De Senerpont Domis, L. N. (2012). The Good, the Bad and the Plenty: Interactive Effects of Food Quality and Quantity on the Growth of Different Daphnia Species. PLoS One, 7(9), [e42966]. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0042966
    • 2011

    • Kagami, M., Helmsing, N. R., & Van Donk, E. (2011). Parasitic chytrids could promote copepod survival by mediating material transfer from inedible diatoms. Hydrobiologia, 659(1), 49-54. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10750-010-0274-z
    • 2010

    • Bakker, E. S., Van Donk, E., Declerck, S. A. J., Helmsing, N. R., Hidding, B., & Nolet, B. A. (2010). Effect of macrophyte community composition and nutrient enrichment on plant biomass and algal blooms. Basic and Applied Ecology, 11(5), 432-439. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.baae.2010.06.005
    • 2009

    • Van Donk, E., Cerbin, S., Wilken, S., Helmsing, N. R., Ptacnik, R., & Verschoor, A. M. (2009). The effect of mixotrophic chrysophyte on toxic and colony-forming cyanobacteria. Freshwater Biology, 54(9), 1843-1855. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2427.2009.02227.x
    • 2007

    • van der Stap, I., Vos, M., Verschoor, A. M., Helmsing, N. R., & Mooij, W. M. (2007). Induced defenses in herbivores and plants differentially modulate a trophic cascade. Ecology, 88(10), 2474-2481. https://doi.org/10.1890/07-1731.1
    • 2004

    • Verschoor, A. M., Van der Stap, I., Helmsing, N. R., Lürling, M., & Van Donk, E. (2004). Inducible colony formation within the Scenedesmaceae: adaptive responses to infochemicals from two different herbivore taxa. Journal of Phycology, 40(5), 808-814. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1529-8817.2004.04007.x

    Contact

    +31 (0)317 473 530

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

    Postbus 50 
    6700 AB Wageningen

    N.Helmsing@nioo.knaw.nl

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