About me

Research focus

My research focus is the ecology and geomorphology of coastal ecosystems, more precisely temperate salt marshes. In my current project (INTERFACE) I study effects of management, namely drainage condition and grazing, on the spread of the plant species Elymus athericus, the vegetation diversity and the sediment dynamics of mainland salt marshes. Within the same project I am co-supervising two PhD-students, who are both focussing on carbon dynamics.

In the future I would like to further study effects of grazing on sediment deposition, as well as include the role of salt marshes for wave attenuation. Generally, I would like to continue investigating ecology, carbon-sequestration, effects of sea-level rise, bio-geomorphology, management and restoration of Wadden Sea salt marshes. I am especially interested in creating vegetation models and link these to geomorphological models to improve predictions of marsh response to sea-level rise. Furthermore, I would like to broaden my current field of research in the future by including more physiological questions and questions regarding the root-soil interface. Next to this topical broadening of my field of research I am planning to include other ecosystems such as salt marshes in South or North America and Asia, organogenic marshes of the Baltic Sea, tidal freshwater marshes, mangroves or dunes into my work.