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Over ons Praktische zaken Waar vindt u ons prof. dr. ir. C. (Christiaan) Both

Research interests

I am interested in how organisms adapt to large-scale environmental change. Almost any species in the world is experiencing radical changes in its environment, due to human induced direct habitat changes, or more indirect changes like climate change. If organisms do not adjust to these changes, they likely will decline. My research seeks to understand the capacities and constraints in adaptation, with a clear focus on long-distance migratory birds. Their annual cycles are tuned to seasonal changes across different habitats, and these habitats vary often in the pace of change. In Africa, humans change habitats directly, whereas at the European breeding grounds climate change is altering trophic interactions. How can these species persist? More broadly, I am also interested in how the speed of adaptation varies between species within the same food-web, and how this affects the functioning of ecosystems.

Publicaties

Individuals departing non-breeding areas early achieve earlier breeding and higher breeding success

Adaptation to climate change through dispersal and inherited timing in an avian migrant

Eco-evolutionary consequences of dispersal syndromes during colonization in a passerine bird

Experimental food supplementation at African wintering sites allows for earlier and faster fuelling and reveals large flexibility in spring migration departure in Pied Flycatchers

Living on the forest edge: Flexible habitat use in sedentary Pied Flycatchers Ficedula hypoleuca during the non-breeding season

On the wintering ecology of Montagu's harriers in West Africa: Itinerancy in relation to varying annual environmental conditions

Translocation of shorebird siblings shows intraspecific variation in migration routines to arise after fledging

Age-dependent timing and routes demonstrate developmental plasticity in a long-distance migratory bird

Bonte Vliegenvangers maken het bonter

DNA metabarcoding quantifies the relative biomass of arthropod taxa in songbird diets: Validation with camera-recorded diets

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Pers/media

IJsbeer overleden aan vogelgriep: RTV Noord

Chasing after spring - Pied flycatchers have become climate refugees

Hoe komen grauwe kiekendieven de winter door in de Sahel?

Effect van temperatuur op vogels

De staat van Drenthe, talkshow

Dagblad Trouw: Blijvende brandgans blijkt net zo succesvol als trekkende soortgenoot

Interview over vogelgriep RTV-noord

Opinie: Ga niet wéér twijfel zaaien: aan die stikstofdoelen valt echt niet te ontkomen

Juveniles black-tailed godwit tracked

It’s a birds’ world: Climate change

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