Rolf Bak

Coral Reef Research Program

Prof Dr Rolf PM Bak

Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

P.O. Box 59

1790 AB Den Burg, Texel

The Netherlands

IBED, University of Amsterdam

P.O.Box 94766, 1090 GT Amsterdam,

Visiting address: Mauritskade 57, 1092 AD Amsterdam

Focus of research

Ecodynamics of tropical coral reefs in the Netherlands Antilles and Indonesia

Specific Research Interests

· Variation in growth and survival of stony corals over time.

· Environment related variation in the identity of coral species and their endosymbionts.

· Long-term studies of change in benthic populations over reef slopes in Curacao and Bonaire.

· Interpretation/calibration of coral skeleton proxy signals in relation to coral identity and environmental variables.

· Competition for space: ecological strategies and anthropogenic impacts in coral-algal overgrowth hierarchies.

· Linkages between ecology of reef cryptic organisms and nutrient/microbial characteristics of the reef water column.

· Restoration/conservation management of selected groups such as corals and marine turtles.

Personel

Staff and students involved in the research vary but presently include:

Gerard Nieuwland

Maggy Nugues

Conny Maier

Sander Scheffers

Nicole Voogd

Pedro Frade

Dennis D. Hamro-Drotz

L Becking

Projects and external funding

EU (MARIE CURIE)

NWO (NWO/DFG)

NWO (WOTRO)

O&W (NEBROC)

Government of Portugal (FTC)

EU (ERASMUS)

Education

These research topics are included in the teaching of the courses:

Tropical Ecology (part 2, Aquatic environments)

Tropical Marine Biology

at the University of Amsterdam.

To participate in this research project, either via a stage, a PhD or a postdoc, please contact Rolf Bak.


Coral reseach in Kalimantan	Permanent quadrate at Bonaire