Henk Bolhuis

I study the greenish-brown, slimy layers that cover parts of the beach and the mudflats at low tide. Those are microbial mats. They consist of a wickerwork of algae and bacteria that is sometimes so strong you can even pull it off the floor as a tight mat. Our fundamental research into these microbes has revealed that bacteria play a role in coastal protection by keeping sand in place. They are currently being studied for their use in saline agriculture. We investigate cyanobacteria – blue-green algae – and diatoms, which are true algae. These are literally the mini solar panels and food factories of the mudflat.