T.J. Bouma

During the last 10 years, I focussed my research on bio-physical interactions between the forces originating from tidal currents and waves, and species that alter these forces and thereby the environment (i.e., ecosystem engineers). Biophysical interactions by ecosystem engineers can have a strong spatial explicit character, with major consequences for the functioning and development of the estuarine and coastal landscape. I’m interested in obtaining a better understanding of ecosystem engineering as a strategy (basic ecology), the thresholds ecosystem engineers encounter in establishing (bottle neck in restoration), the influence ecosystem engineers have on ecosystem functioning by altering resource fluxes, biodiversity, ecosystem resilience and landscape evolution (management implications) and the opportunities this offer for benefiting from ecosystem services (e.g., Building with Nature opportunities for coastal defence). I study these topics, using the broad range of contrasting organisms, mostly on intertidal areas but also in deeper waters.

Senior scientist at the Dept of Spatial Ecology of the NIOZ