Projects
Climate Change and Antarctic Microbial Biodiversity Meise Botanic Garden
Quantifying the contributions of the entire free-living soil nematode and protozoa communities to nitrogen mineralization and plant growth. Ghent University
Protists and nematodes are estimated to contribute 25% of soil N mineralization, but such estimates have never been verified in realistic experimental settings. This project aims to quantify the role of protists and nematodes in soil nutrient cycling and plant growth at increasing complexity: from a few representative species to the entire community, and from simple to complex food webs.
Microfauna - microflora - plant interactions: extending the soil “microbial loop concept” of nitrogen mineralization Ghent University
It is assumed that an important part of N mineralization in soils is due to the activity of microfauna. The microbial loop concept at this moment includes only protists, but we will extend the concept to nematodes and will experimentally quantify the contribution of protists and nematodes (microfauna) to N mineralization in realistic conditions.
Effect of land reclamation or loss and high water levels in the Scheldt estuary: historical effects (1550-1800) as a reference for current management. University of Antwerp
Effect of land reclamation or loss and high water levels in the Scheldt estuary: historical effects (1550-1800) as a reference for current management. University of Antwerp
Interactions between land reclamation or loss, and water level changes along the Schelde estuary. University of Antwerp
Metatranscriptomics analysis of soil food web control on ecosystem functioning. University of Antwerp
Linking soil biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services in different land uses: from the identification of drivers, pressures and climate change resilience to their economic valuation Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
In what precise ways are soil organisms involved in the functioning of certain ecosystem services? The BIOSERVICES project is working to further elucidate external influences that stimulate or suppress biodiversity, relationships between key soil organisms and soil structure and other ecosystem functions. The effect of climate change on soil life stability and adaptation is also a focus of the researchers. ...
The Evolutionary History of Polar Terrestrial Diatoms Ghent University
Microorganisms drive the global carbon and nutrient cycles that underlie essential ecosystem functioning. Yet, our understanding of microbial speciation, evolutionary history and biogeography remains elusive. Especially terrestrial protists are heavily understudied. Given the rapid and irreversible environmental changes affecting the Polar Regions today, this knowledge-gap is critical for the Arctic and Antarctic, where terrestrial microalgae ...