About:

Matthijs van der Geest

scientist

Expertise

marine benthic ecology | carrying capacity | symbiotic relationships | marine foodwebs | predator-prey interactions | bivalve growth, reproduction and nutrition

Employment Record

since 2006: PhD-student at NIOZ/University of Groningen (NWO-WOTRO grant)

2005-2006: SOVON (Bird assessments in the province of Groningen)

2004-2005: Nature XP / De Natuurschool (excursion guide)

2003-2004: Project Scientist for Coral Cay Conservation (Roatan, Honduras)

Education

2003: PADI Dive master

2002: MSc Biology, University of Groningen

1999: BSc Biology, Wageningen University

1996: Atheneum B, Agnes College, Leiden

Prizes & Grants

2006: WOTRO Integrated Programme, NWO

Research Interests

 II try to understand the mechanisms underlying the tremendous carrying capacity of the Banc d'Arguin (Mauritania) for wintering waders. I do this by a bottom-up approach, thus by studying population dynamics of their benthic prey. By using tag and recapture methods I hope to come to valid production estimates of the most abundant benthic prey species in order to see if high production rates of benthic prey could possibly explain the high number of wintering waders. As an extra tool to better understand the functioning of the Banc d’Arguin foodweb, I make use of stable isotope techniques to reveal new throphic linkages. One new tropic linkage that I try to elucidate is that of bivalves of the familiy of Lucinidaea that harbour chemo-autotrophic bacteria in their gills. These endosymbiotic bacteria bearing bivalves are very abundant at the Banc d’Arguin and thus could be of great importance as a food source for wintering waders.

Projects

Fragile biodiversity linkages: production and consumption in a nutrient-poor seagrass-dominated intertidal ecosystem, the Banc d’Arguin, Mauritania (NWO-WOTRO grant)

Publications

For an overview of my publications click here