Details

Categorie: 
Stages
Functie: 
Student (University)
Department: 
Aquatic Ecology
Contact: 
Liesbeth Bakker
Sluitingsdatum: 
donderdag 11 augustus 2016

General context

Herbivores eat plants and excrete part of the nutrients in the form of feces and urine. Through this process they may accelerate nutrient cycling, as these nutrients become faster available than through senescence of plants. However, large herbivores also indirectly affect nutrient availability for plant growth by changing the plant nutritional composition, or by soil compaction through trampling. These effects will likely be different in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Furthermore, herbivores can transport nutrients between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Project outline

Several student topics are possible within the context of this project:

  • Experimental work is possible by measuring nitrogen mineralization inside and outside large herbivore exclosures, in selected nature reserves throughout the Netherlands, for instance Oostvaardersplassen.
  • Literature analysis and quantitative work is possible by using simple models to calculate the amount of nutrients that are transported by semi-aquatic herbivores that cross ecosystem boundaries, for instance waterbirds, moose and hippo’s.
  • Experimental work, literature and modeling is possible in the comparison of the impact of aquatic and terrestrial herbivores on nutrient availability. 

Duration (indicative)

4-9 Months.