Internship Field study on seagrass-lugworm interactions in tidal flats

Would you like to investigate the spatial interactions between bioturbating and bio-stabilising organisms on tidal flats? Seagrasses obstruct water flow, trap fine sediments, and stabilise the sediment bed. Lugworms, in contrast, burrow as part of their feeding process, create small mounds of expelled sediment, and actively disturb the sediment bed. The two species, however, both occur on tidal flats where their contrasting ecosystem engineering effects may cause them to form distinct patches in the intertidal ecosystem.
 

Description

This student project focuses on a field study of seagrass–lugworm spatial interactions on a tidal flat near Yerseke. The project will involve monitoring how seagrass and lugworm patch characteristics change over the course of April to September/October, analysing changes in plant and lugworm density within patches and corresponding changes in sediment size characteristics (muddier or sandier) and sediment dynamics.

This project is suited for master students doing a MSc thesis or as an HBO/BSc internship position. Research will take place between March/April and October 2026. 
 

Requirements and application

Does this topic align with your research interests? Then contact Divya Varadharajan, PhD student in the EDS Department: divya.varadharajan@nioz.nl 
 

Send an e-mail to Divya Varadharajan
More about the department EDS