Tjitske Kooistra
Postdoc
The invertebrate animals that live in and on the seafloor are the foundation of coastal ecosystems: they form a key link in the food web, can influence the sediment, build habitats and protect the coast. However, these bentic organisms are also influenced by human activities, such as coastal engineering and bottom-trawling, and global change. My research focusses on the interactions of these organisms with their environment and with each other. I specifically look at interactions between benthos and sediment, and the effects of climate extremes such as heatwaves, in coastal systems such as the Wadden Sea.
Research interests and expertise
- macrozoobenthos
- coastal ecosystems
- sediment
- heatwaves
- Wadden Sea