Beds of grass at Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania
PhD ceremony: | E.M. El-Hacen |
When: | January 11, 2019 |
Start: | 14:30 |
Supervisors: | prof. dr. H. (Han) Olff, prof. dr. T. (Theunis) Piersma, prof. dr. T.J. Bouma |
Where: | Academy building RUG |
Faculty: | Science and Engineering |

E. El Hacen first assessed seagrass dynamic history using long-term Landsat imagery and compared benthic community structure (biomass, species composition) and secondary productivity (P/B) between historical (1986) and recent (2014) large-scale benthic surveys. He also studied the effect of hydrodynamic on seagrass stability, morphology, nutrient-content, and its response to nutrient overload; (iii) assess the recovery potential of seagrass after disturbance along an intertidal elevation gradient and identify the main environmental factors affecting the recovery rate; investigated the underlying mechanisms driving the functioning of the mosaics of Banc d’Arguin; and studied waterbird populations dynamics over the last four decades in Banc d’Arguin and discussed possible drivers of changes.