Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research
Phone number
+31 (0)113 57 7455
Location
Yerseke
Function
Research Leader
Expertise
  • Spatial Ecology
  • Self-organisation spatial patterns
  • Ecosystem complexity
  • Animal movement

Prof. Dr. Johan van de Koppel

Research Leader

Current positions

The study of Spatial Ecology

My primary interests are the processes that generate spatial complexity in ecosystems, in the form of spatial patterns, aggregations and fronts in marine intertidal ecosystems. I study the principles that underlie these processes, and how the pattern forming processes affect ecosystem functioning. The focus is on self-organized spatial complexity, e.g., patterns and other spatial structures that result from the interactions between organisms, or between organisms and their physical environment. Examples of systems that have such patterns are mussel beds, arid bush lands, and salt marshes.

Mussels making a self-organized pattern

Unifying principles

Identification of the unifying principles that explain spatial patterns in a wide range of ecosystems is an important goal of my work. I build on the work of Alan Turing (the activator-inhibitor principle of pattern formation), Albert Einstein (Brownian motion resulting from interactions between organisms, or atoms in Einstein’s case), and John Cahn (the phase separation principle from material science, explaining aggregations of animals).

Why work links to universal principles outlined by Turing, Einstein and Cahn

Integrating math with experiments

Integration of experimental and mathematical approaches is an important characteristic of my work. I try to develop general concepts that should work in many ecosystems, but provide clear-cut examples of these concepts in my study systems (mussel beds, salt marshes, intertidal flats), and try to experimentally test both the assumptions and predictions of these models.

Click on the image to run this model

I am a member of the Spatial Ecology group at NIOZ-Yerseke since 2002, first as a postdoc researcher, and as a tenured senior scientist since May 2007. Since November 2011, I am honorary professor at the University of Groningen. My area of expertise is the spatial ecology of intertidal ecosystems, and spatial ecology in general.

To see more about me, go to: https://www.johanvandekoppel.nl

Linked news

Friday 20 January 2023
Patchwork pattern makes ecosystems as strong as steel
What makes ecosystems resilient to climate change? A solid spatial structure. Researchers discovered a type of pattern forming in ecosystems that closely resembles the patchwork pattern that forms at very small scales in alloys such as steel. Such…
Monday 21 November 2022
Giving land back to the sea: it sounds scary, but results in a safer, more biodiverse coast
It has taken more than 30 years of talking and arguing, but by the end of this month the excavators will have finished removing the dykes of the Hedwige and Prosperpolder on the Dutch-Flemish border. On the rhythm of the tides, seawater once again…
Wednesday 04 May 2022
Land-building marsh plants are champions of CO2 capture
It is well known that CO2 emissions from burning fossil fuels underlie the havoc being wrought by climate change. Stemming further emissions through innovations in sustainable energy production is certainly part of the solutions. However, slowing…
Friday 25 March 2022
NIOZ viert 10 jarig bestaan in Zeeland
Vandaag, 25 maart, is het gebouw van het Koninklijk Nederlands Instituut voor Onderzoek der Zee (NIOZ) in Yerseke feestelijk heropend na een flinke verbouwing. Ook vieren we het 10-jarig bestaan van NIOZ in Zeeland. Tijdens de opening spraken oa.…
Wednesday 03 November 2021
With Virtual Reality you can experience a drowned Zeeland village yourself
NIOZ presents a VR experience that allows you to visit a medieval Zeeland village, which is now partly buried under the mud flats. From 6 November onwards, the VR experience can be viewed in the Oosterschelde Museum in Yerseke and online.
Thursday 14 October 2021
Cordgrass invasion threatens the world’s most stunning saltmarshes
A new study by an international team of conservation biologists demonstrates that the performance of even well-managed Protected Areas can be severely undermined by exotic species invasions. Their findings are published in the leading scientific…
Wednesday 06 October 2021
Climate change tipping points: back to the drawing table
We regularly hear warnings that climate change may lead to ‘tipping points’: irreversible situations where savanna can quickly change into desert, or the warm gulf stream current can simply stop flowing. These cautions often refer to spatial patterns…
Wednesday 17 March 2021
Blueprints for future coastal protection shaped in geological past
The colonization of mudflats and marshes along the Dutch coast by algae and plants, reveals how developing lifeforms changed landscapes on Earth 500 million years ago. Research on these changing landscapes by scientist Roeland van de Vijsel (NIOZ and…
Tuesday 14 July 2020
River plants counter both flooding and drought to protect biodiversity
'Water plants are a nuisance in streams, blocking the flow. You should remove them'. This notion has for many years determined how streams were managed to prevent flooding during high rainfall events. Research by NIOZ scientist Loreta Cornacchia,…
Monday 29 June 2020
Historic floods reveal how salt marshes can save lives in the future
Coastal wetlands like salt marshes are increasingly recognized as valuable natural defenses that protect coasts against strong wave attacks. Yet their performance during real-world, extreme storms has rarely been told. By digging into major historic…

Linked blogs

Monday 23 May 2022
Podcast Van Delta tot Diepzee aflevering 22_De zee als schepper van patronen met bioloog Johan van de Koppel
Op de zandbanken en de kwelders of schorren van de waddenzee en de Zeeuwse wateren, waar het getij met bovenmenselijke regelmaat op en af gaat, ontstaan patronen. De zee, een ongedurige beeldhouwer, slaat ieder tij opnieuw sporen in het zand, in de…

NIOZ publications

  • 2024
    Stoorvogel, M.; Temmerman, S.; Oosterlee, L.; Schoutens, K.; Maris, T.; van de Koppel, J.; Meire, P.; Bouma, T. (2024). Nature‐based shoreline protection in newly formed tidal marshes is controlled by tidal inundation and sedimentation rate. Limnol. Oceanogr. 69(10): 2377-2390. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.12676
    Zhao, Z.; Capelle, J.; de Smit, J.; Gerkema, T.; van de Koppel, J.; Yuan, L.; Bouma, T. (2024). Boosting efficiency of mussel spat collection for ecological sustainability: Identifying critical drivers and informing management. J. Appl. Ecol. 61(7): 1691-1702. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.14696
    Stoorvogel, M.; van Belzen, J.; Temmerman, S.; Wiesebron, L.E.; Fivash, G.S.; van Ijzerloo, L.; van de Koppel, J.; Bouma, T. (2024). Salt marshes for nature-based flood defense: Sediment type, drainage, and vegetation drive the development of strong sediment beds. Ecol. Eng. 207: 107335. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoleng.2024.107335
    van der Kaaden, A.-S.; van Oevelen, D.; Mohn, C.; Soetaert, K.; Rietkerk, M.; van de Koppel, J.; Gerkema, T. (2024). Resemblance of the global depth distribution of internal-tide generation and cold-water coral occurrences. Ocean Science Journal 20(2): 569-587. https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/os-20-569-2024
    Read more
    Cornacchia, L.; Bakker, J.P.; Koppenaal, E.C.; De Groot, A.V.; Olff, H.; van de Koppel, J.; van der Wal, D.; Bouma, T.J. (2024). Spatial and temporal variation in long-term sediment accumulation in a back-barrier salt marsh. Geomorphology (Amst.) 456: 109191. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2024.109191
    Silliman, B.R.; Hensel, M. J.S.; Gibert, J.P.; Daleo, P.; Smith, C.S.; Wieczynski, D.J.; Angelini, C.; Paxton, A.B.; Adler, A.M.; Zhang, Y.S.; Altieri, A.H.; Palmer, T.M.; Jones, H.P.; Gittman, R.K.; Griffin, J.N.; O’Connor, M.I.; van de Koppel, J.; Poulsen, J.R.; Rietkerk, M.; He, Q.; Bertness, M.D.; van der Heide, T.; Valdez, S.R. (2024). Harnessing ecological theory to enhance ecosystem restoration. Curr. Biol. 34(9): R418-R434. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.03.043
    van der Kaaden, A.-S.; Maier, S.R.; Chen, S.; De Clippele, L.H.; de Froe, E.; Gerkema, T.; van de Koppel, J.; Mienis, F.; Mohn, C.; Rietkerk, M.; Soetaert, K.; van Oevelen, D. (2024). Building your own mountain: the effects, limits, and drawbacks of cold-water coral ecosystem engineering. Biogeosciences 21(4): 973-992. https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/bg-21-973-2024
  • 2023
    Xu, C.; Silliman, B.R.; Chen, J.; Li, X.; Thomsen, M.S.; Zhang, Q.; Lee, J.; Lefcheck, J.S.; Daleo, P.; Hughes, B.B.; Jones, H.P.; Wang, R.; Wang, S.; Smith, C.S.; Xi, X.; Altieri, A.H.; van de Koppel, J.; Palmer, T.M.; Liu, L.; Wu, J.; Li, B.; He, Q. (2023). Herbivory limits success of vegetation restoration globally. Science (Wash.) 382(6670): 589-594. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.add2814
    van der Kaaden, A.-S.; Maier, S.R.; Siteur, K.; De Clippele, L.H.; van de Koppel, J.; Purkis, S.J.; Rietkerk, M.; Soetaert, K.; van Oevelen, D. (2023). Tiger reefs: Self‐organized regular patterns in deep‐sea cold‐water coral reefs. Ecosphere 14(10). https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.4654
    van de Vijsel, R.C.; van Belzen, J.; Bouma, T.J.; van der Wal, D.; Borsje, B.W.; Temmerman, S.; Cornacchia, L.; Gourgue, O.; van de Koppel, J. (2023). Vegetation controls on channel network complexity in coastal wetlands. Nature Comm. 14(1): 7158. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42731-3
    Schotanus, J.; Walles, B.; Capelle, J.J.; van de Koppel, J.; Bouma, T.J. (2023). Identifying how restoration measures influence the presence of shorebirds: a case study on the use of artificial structures for restoring mussel reefs. Restor. Ecol. 32(1). https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/rec.14051
    Vozzo, M.L.; Doropoulos, C.; Silliman, B.R.; Steven, A.; Reeves, S.E.; ter Hofstede, R.; van Koningsveld, M.; van de Koppel, J.; McPherson, T.; Ronan, M.; Saunders, M.I. (2023). To restore coastal marine areas, we need to work across multiple habitats simultaneously. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 120(26): e2300546120. https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2300546120
    Zhang, K.; Yan, J.; He, Q.; Xu, C.; Van de Koppel, J.; Wang, B.; Cui, B.; Liu, Q.-X. (2023). Self-organized mud cracking amplifies the resilience of an iconic “Red Beach” salt marsh. Science Advances 9(18): eabq3520. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abq3520
    Siteur, K.; Liu, Q-X; Rottschäfer, V.; van der Heide, T.; Rietkerk, M.; Doelman, A.; Boström, C.; van de Koppel, J. (2023). Phase-separation physics underlies new theory for the resilience of patchy ecosystems. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 120(2): e2202683120. https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2202683120
  • 2022
    Wang, B.; Zhang, K.; Liu, Q.-X.; Gao, Q.; van de Koppel, J.; Teng, S.N.; Miao, X.; Liu, M.; Bertness, M.D.; Xu, C. (2022). Long-distance facilitation of coastal ecosystem structure and resilience. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 119(28): e2123274119. https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2123274119
    Temmink, R.J.M.; Lamers, L.P.M.; Angelini, C.; Bouma, T.J.; Fritz, C.; Van de Koppel, J.; Lexmond, R.; Rietkerk, M.; Silliman, B.R.; Joosten, H.; van der Heide, T. (2022). Recovering wetland biogeomorphic feedbacks to restore the world’s biotic carbon hotspots. Science (Wash.) 376(6593): eabn1479. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abn1479
    Gourgue, O.; van Belzen, J.; Schwarz, C.; Vandenbruwaene, W.; Vanlede, J.; Belliard, J.-P.; Fagherazzi, S.; Bouma, T.J.; van de Koppel, J.; Temmerman, S. (2022). Biogeomorphic modeling to assess the resilience of tidal-marsh restoration to sea level rise and sediment supply. Earth Surface Dynamics 10(3): 531-553. https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-531-2022
  • 2021
    van der Heide, T.; Temmink, R.J.M.; Fivash, G.S.; Bouma, T.J.; Boström, C.; Didderen, K.; Esteban, N.; Gaeckle, J.; Gagnon, K.; Infantes, E.; van de Koppel, J.; Lengkeek, W.; Unsworth, R.; Christianen, M.J.A. (2021). Coastal restoration success via emergent trait-mimicry is context dependent. Biol. Conserv. 264: 109373. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109373
    Hensel, M.J.S.; Silliman, B.R.; van de Koppel, J.; Hensel, E.; Sharp, S.J.; Crotty, S.M.; Byrnes, J.E.K. (2021). A large invasive consumer reduces coastal ecosystem resilience by disabling positive species interactions. Nature Comm. 12: 6290. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-26504-4
    Ren, J.; Chen, J.; Xu, C.; Van de Koppel, J.; Thomsen, M.S.; Qiu, S.; Cheng, F.; Song, W.; Liu, Q.-X.; Xu, C.; Bai, J.; Zhang, Y.; Cui, B.; Bertness, M.D.; Silliman, B.R.; Li, B.; He, Q. (2021). An invasive species erodes the performance of coastal wetland protected areas. Science Advances 7(42): eabi8943. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abi8943
    van de Vijsel, R.C.; van Belzen, J.; Bouma, T.J.; van der Wal, D.; van de Koppel, J. (2021). Algal‐induced biogeomorphic feedbacks lay the groundwork for coastal wetland development. JGR: Biogeosciences 126(10): e2021JG006515. https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2021jg006515
    Rietkerk, M.; Bastiaansen, R.; Banerjee, S.; van de Koppel, J.; Baudena, M.; Doelman, A. (2021). Evasion of tipping in complex systems through spatial pattern formation. Science (Wash.) 374(6564): eabj0359. https://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abj0359
    Li, A.; Matsuoka, N.; Niu, F.; Chen, J.; Ge, Z.; Hu, W.; Li, D.; Hallet, B.; van de Koppel, J.; Goldenfeld, N.; Liu, Q.-X. (2021). Ice needles weave patterns of stones in freezing landscapes. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 118(40): e2110670118. https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2110670118
    van der Kaaden, A.-S.; Mohn, C.; Gerkema, T.; Maier, S.R.; de Froe, E.; van de Koppel, J.; Rietkerk, M.; Soetaert, K.; van Oevelen, D. (2021). Feedbacks between hydrodynamics and cold-water coral mound development. Deep-Sea Res., Part 1, Oceanogr. Res. Pap. 178: 103641. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2021.103641
    Cao, H.; Zhu, Z.; van Belzen, J.; Gourgue, O.; van de Koppel, J.; Temmerman, S.; Herman, P.M.J.; Zhang, L.; Yuan, L.; Bouma, T.J. (2021). Salt marsh establishment in poorly consolidated muddy systems: effects of surface drainage, elevation, and plant age. Ecosphere 12(9): e03755. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.3755
    Sherratt, J.A.; Liu, Q.-X.; van de Koppel, J. (2021). A comparison of the “Reduced Losses” and “Increased Production” models for Mussel Bed Dynamics. Bulletin of Mathematical Biology 83(10). https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11538-021-00932-1
    van der Ouderaa, I.B.C.; Claassen, J.R.; van de Koppel, J.; Bishop, M.J.; Eriksson, B.K. (2021). Bioengineering promotes habitat heterogeneity and biodiversity on mussel reefs. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 540: 151561. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2021.151561
    Zardi, G.I.; Nicastro, K.R.; McQuaid, C.D.; de Jager, M.; van de Koppel, J.; Seuront, L. (2021). Density-dependent and species-specific sffects on self-organization modulate the resistance of mussel bed ecosystems to hydrodynamic stress. American Naturalist 197(5): 615-623. https://doi.org/10.1086/713738
    Qiu, D.; Cui, B.; Ma, X.; Yan, J.; Cai, Y.; Xie, T.; Gao, F.; Wang, F.; Sui, H.; Bai, J.; van de Koppel, J.; Olff, H. (2021). Reciprocal facilitation between annual plants and burrowing crabs: Implications for the restoration of degraded saltmarshes. J. Ecol. 109(4): 1828-1841. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.13608
    Neijnens, F.K.; Siteur, K.; van de Koppel, J.; Rietkerk, M. (2021). Early warning signals for rate-induced critical transitions in salt marsh ecosystems. Ecosystems 24: 1825-1836. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-021-00610-2
    Zhao, L.-X.; Zhang, K.; Siteur, K.; Li, X.-Z.; Liu, Q.-X.; van de Koppel, J. (2021). Fairy circles reveal the resilience of self-organized salt marshes. Science Advances 7(6): eabe1100. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abe1100
    Reijers, V.C; Hoeks, S.; van Belzen, J.; Siteur, K.; de Rond, A.J.A.; van de Ven, C.N.; Lammers, C.; van de Koppel, J.; van der Heide, T. (2021). Sediment availability provokes a shift from Brownian to Lévy‐like clonal expansion in a dune building grass. Ecol. Lett. 24(2): 258-268. https://doi.org/10.1111/ele.13638
    Gourgue, O.; van Belzen, J.; Schwarz, C.; Bouma, T.J.; van de Koppel, J.; Temmerman, S. (2021). A convolution method to assess subgrid‐scale interactions between flow and patchy vegetation in biogeomorphic models. J. Adv. Model. Earth Syst. 13(2): e2020MS002116. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020MS002116
  • 2020
    Yan, J.; van der Heide, T.; Cui, B.; Bai, J.; Ysebaert, T.; van de Koppel, J. (2020). A healthy trophic structure underlies the resistance of pristine seagrass beds to nutrient enrichment. Limnol. Oceanogr. 65(11): 2748-2756. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.11545
    Schotanus, J.; Walles, B.; Capelle, J.J.; van Belzen, J.; van de Koppel, J.; Bouma, T.J. (2020). Promoting self‐facilitating feedback processes in coastal ecosystem engineers to increase restoration success: Testing engineering measures. J. Appl. Ecol. 57(10): 1958-1968. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13709
    van der Kaaden, A.-S.; van Oevelen, D.; Rietkerk, M.; Soetaert, K.; van de Koppel, J. (2020). Spatial self-organization as a new perspective on cold-water coral mound development. Front. Mar. Sci. 7: article 631. https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.00631
    Bertolini, C.; Capelle, J.J.; Ter Veld, J.; van de Koppel, J.; Bouma, T.J. (2020). Understanding scales of density-dependence to improve the use of resources in benthic mussel aquaculture. Aquaculture 528: 735477. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aquaculture.2020.735477
    Gagnon, K.; Rinde, E.; Bengil, E.G.T.; Carugati, L.; Christianen, M.J.A.; Danovaro, R.; Gambi, C.; Govers, L.L.; Kipson, S.; Meysick, L.; Pajusalu, L.; Tüney Kizilkaya, I.; van de Koppel, J.; van der Heide, T.; van Katwijk, M.M.; Boström, C. (2020). Facilitating foundation species: The potential for plant–bivalve interactions to improve habitat restoration success. J. Appl. Ecol. 57(6): 1161-1179. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13605
    Cornacchia, L.; Wharton, G.; Davies, G.; Grabowski, R.C.; Temmerman, S.; van der Wal, D.; Bouma, T.J.; van de Koppel, J. (2020). Self-organization of river vegetation leads to emergent buffering of river flows and water levels. Proc., Sect. B Biol. Sci. 287(1931): 20201147. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.1147
    Zhu, Z.; Vuik, V.; Visser, P.J.; Soens, T.; van Wesenbeeck, B.K.; van de Koppel, J.; Jonkman, S.N.; Temmerman, S.; Bouma, T.J. (2020). Historic storms and the hidden value of coastal wetlands for nature-based flood defence. Nature Sustainability 3(10): 853-862. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41893-020-0556-z
    de Jager, M.; van de Koppel, J.; Weerman, E.J.; Weissing, F.J. (2020). Patterning in mussel beds explained by the interplay of multi-level selection and spatial self-organization. Front. Ecol. Evol. 8: 7. https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.00007
    van de Vijsel, R.C.; van Belzen, J.; Bouma, T.J.; van der Wal, D.; Cusseddu, V.; Purkis, S.J.; Rietkerk, M.; van de Koppel, J. (2020). Estuarine biofilm patterns: modern analogues for Precambrian self‐organization. Earth Surf. Process. Landforms 45(5): 1141-1154. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/esp.4783
    Zhu, Z.; van Belzen, J.; Zhu, Q.; van de Koppel, J.; Bouma, T.J. (2020). Vegetation recovery on neighboring tidal flats forms an Achilles' heel of saltmarsh resilience to sea level rise. Limnol. Oceanogr. 65(1): 51-62. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.11249
  • 2019
    Bertolini, C.; Hlebowicz, K.; Schlichta, F.; Capelle, J.J.; van de Koppel, J.; Bouma, T.J. (2019). Are all patterns created equal? Cooperation is more likely in spatially simple habitats. Mar. Ecol. (Berl.) 40(6): e12572. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/maec.12572
    Schotanus, J.; Capelle, J.J.; Leuchter, L.; van de Koppel, J.; Bouma, T.J. (2019). Mussel seed is highly plastic to settling conditions: the influence of waves versus tidal emergence. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 624: 77-87. https://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps13039
    Bertolini, C.; Cornelissen, B.; Capelle, J.; van de Koppel, J.; Bouma, T.J. (2019). Putting self‐organization to the test: labyrinthine patterns as optimal solution for persistence. Oikos (Kbh.) 128(12): 1805-1815. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/oik.06373
    Reijers, V.C.; Cruijsen; Hoetjes; Akker; Heusinkveld, J.H.T.; van de Koppel, J.; Lamers, L.P.M.; Olff, H.; van der Heide, T. (2019). Loss of spatial structure after temporary herbivore absence in a high‐productivity reed marsh. J. Appl. Ecol. 56(7): 1817-1826. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.13394
    Silliman, B.R.; He, Q.; Angelini, C.; Smith, C.S.; Kirwan, M.L.; Daleo, P.; Renzi, J.J.; Butler, J.; Osborne, T.Z.; Nifong, J.C.; van de Koppel, J. (2019). Field experiments and meta-analysis reveal wetland vegetation as a crucial element in the coastal protection paradigm. Curr. Biol. 29(11): 1800-1806.e3. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2019.05.017
    Reijers, V.C.; Siteur, K.; Hoeks, S.; van Belzen, J.; Borst, A.C.W.; Heusinkveld, J.H.T.; Govers, L.; Bouma, T.J.; Lamers, L.P.M.; van de Koppel, J.; van der Heide, T. (2019). A Lévy expansion strategy optimizes early dune building by beach grasses. Nature Comm. 10: 2656. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-10699-8
    Zhao, L.-X.; Xu, C.; Ge, Z.-M.; van de Koppel, J.; Liu, Q.-X. (2019). The shaping role of self-organization: linking vegetation patterning, plant traits and ecosystem functioning. Proc. - Royal Soc., Biol. Sci. 286(1900): 20182859. https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2018.2859
    Siero, E.; Siteur, K.; Doelman, A.; van de Koppel, J.; Rietkerk, M.; Eppinga, M.B. (2019). Grazing away the resilience of patterned ecosystems. American Naturalist 193(3): 472-480. https://dx.doi.org/10.1086/701669
    Bertolini, C.; Capelle, J.; Timmermans, K.; Bouma, T.J.; van de Koppel, J. (2019). Timing it right: Non-consumptive effects on prey recruitment magnify overtime. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 513: 47-54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2019.03.001
    Cornacchia, L.; Folkard, A.; Davies, G.; Grabowski, R.C.; van de Koppel, J.; van der Wal, D.; Wharton, G.; Puijalon, S.; Bouma, T.J. (2019). Plants face the flow in V formation: A study of plant patch alignment in streams. Limnol. Oceanogr. 64(3): 1087-1102. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.11099
    Gourgue, O.; van Belzen, J.; Schwarz, C.; Bouma, T.J.; van de Koppel, J.; Temmerman, S. (2019). A new bio-geomorphic model approach accounting for subgrid-scale heterogeneity of biogenic structures, in: Mees, J. et al. (Ed.) Book of abstracts – VLIZ Marine Science Day. Bredene, Belgium, 13 March 2019. VLIZ Special Publication, 83: pp. 40
    Cornacchia, L.; van der Wal, D.; van de Koppel, J.; Puijalon, S.; Wharton, G.; Bouma, T.J. (2019). Flow-divergence feedbacks control propagule retention by in-stream vegetation: the importance of spatial patterns for facilitation. Aquat. Sci. 81(1): 17. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00027-018-0612-1
    He, Q.; Silliman, B.R.; van de Koppel, J.; Cui, B. (2019). Weather fluctuations affect the impact of consumers on vegetation recovery following a catastrophic die-off. Ecology 100(1): e02559. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2559
    Cornacchia, L.; Licci, S.; Nepf, H.; Folkard, A.; van der Wal, D.; van de Koppel, J.; Puijalon, S.; Bouma, T.J. (2019). Turbulence-mediated facilitation of resource uptake in patchy stream macrophytes. Limnol. Oceanogr. 64(2): 714-727. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/lno.11070
  • 2018
    Beninger, P.G.; Cuadrado, D.; van de Koppel, J. (2018). Sedimentary and biological patterns on mudflats, in: Beninger, P.G. Mudflat ecology. Aquatic Ecology Series, 7: pp. 185-211. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99194-8_8
    de Fouw, J; van der Heide, T.; van Belzen, J.; Govers, L.; Cheikh, M.A.S.; Olff, H.; van de Koppel, J.; van Gils, J.A. (2018). A facultative mutualistic feedback enhances the stability of tropical intertidal seagrass beds. NPG Scientific Reports 8(1): 10. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-31060-x
    Schwarz, C.; Gourgue, O.; van Belzen, J.; Zhu, Z.; Bouma, T.J.; van de Koppel, J.; Ruessink, G.; Claude, N.; Temmerman, S. (2018). Self-organization of a biogeomorphic landscape controlled by plant life-history traits. Nature Geoscience 11(7): 672-677. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-018-0180-y
    Cornacchia, L.; van de Koppel, J.; van der Wal, D.; Wharton, G.; Puijalon, S.; Bouma, T.J. (2018). Landscapes of facilitation: how self-organized patchiness of aquatic macrophytes promotes diversity in streams. Ecology 99(4): 832-847. https://doi.org/10.1002/ecy.2177
    Nieuwhof, S.; van Belzen, J.; Oteman, B.; van de Koppel, J.; Herman, P.M.J.; van der Wal, D. (2018). Shellfish reefs increase water storage capacity on intertidal flats over extensive spatial scales. Ecosystems 21(2): 360-372. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10021-017-0153-9
  • 2017
    Eriksson, B.K.; Westra, J.; van Gerwen, I.; Weerman, E.; van der Zee, E.; van der Heide, T.; van de Koppel, J.; Olff, H.; Piersma, T.; Donadi, S. (2017). Facilitation by ecosystem engineers enhances nutrient effects in an intertidal system. Ecosphere 8(12): e02051. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2051
    van Belzen, J.; van de Koppel, J.; Kirwan, M.L.; Guntenspergen, G.R.; Bouma, T.J. (2017). Disturbance-recovery experiments to assess resilience of ecosystems along a stress gradient . Protocol Exchange June 2017. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/protex.2017.028
    van Belzen, J.; van de Koppel, J.; van der Wal, D.; Herman, P.M.J.; Dakos, V.; Kéfi, S.; Scheffer, M.; Bouma, T.J. (2017). Timing recovery of ecosystems in sequential remotely sensed and simulated data . Protocol Exchange June 2017. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/protex.2017.038
    Schwarz, C.; Cox, T.; van Engeland, T.; van Oevelen, D.; van Belzen, J.; van de Koppel, J.; Soetaert, K.; Bouma, T.J.; Meire, P.; Temmerman, S. (2017). Field estimates of floc dynamics and settling velocities in a tidal creek with significant along-channel gradients in velocity and SPM. Est., Coast. and Shelf Sci. 197: 221-235. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2017.08.041
    de Jager, M.; Weissing, F.J.; van de Koppel, J. (2017). Why mussels stick together: spatial self-organization affects the evolution of cooperation. Evolutionary Ecology 31(4): 547-558. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10682-017-9888-1
    Onrust, B.; Bidarra, B.; Rooseboom, R.; van de Koppel, J. (2017). Ecologically Sound Procedural Generation of Natural Environments. International Journal of Computer Games Technology 2017: 7057141. https://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/7057141
    Howison, R.A.; Olff, H.; van de Koppel, J.; Smit, C. (2017). Biotically driven vegetation mosaics in grazing ecosystems: the battle between bioturbation and biocompaction. Ecol. Monogr. 87(3): 363-378. https://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecm.1259
    de Paoli, H.C.; van der Heide, T.; van den Berg, A.; Silliman, B.R.; Herman, P.M.J.; van de Koppel, J. (2017). Behavioral self-organization underlies the resilience of a coastal ecosystem. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 114(30): 8035-8040. https://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1619203114
    van Belzen, J.; van de Koppel, J.; Kirwan, M.L.; van der Wal, D.; Herman, P.M.J.; Dakos, V.; Kéfi, S.; Scheffer, M.; Guntenspergen, G.R.; Bouma, T.J. (2017). Vegetation recovery in tidal marshes reveals critical slowing down under increased inundation. Nature Comm. 8: 15811. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15811
  • 2016
    Liu, Q-X; Rietkerk, M.; Herman, P.M.J.; Piersma, T.; Fryxell, J.M.; van de Koppel, J. (2016). Bridging physics and biology Reply to comments on “Phase separation driven by density-dependent movement: A novel mechanism for ecological patterns”. Physics of Life Reviews 19: 142-146. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.plrev.2016.11.006
    Liu, Q-X; Rietkerk, M.; Herman, P.M.J.; Piersma, T.; Fryxell, J.M.; van de Koppel, J. (2016). Phase separation driven by density-dependent movement: A novel mechanism for ecological patter. Physics of Life Reviews 19: 107-121. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.plrev.2016.07.009
    Wang, C.; Wang, Q.; Meire, D.; Ma, W.; Wu, C.; Meng, Z.; van de Koppel, J.; Troch, P.; Verhoeven, R.; De Mulder, T.; Temmerman, S. (2016). Biogeomorphic feedback between plant growth and flooding causes alternative stable states in an experimental floodplain. Adv. Water Resour. 93(Part B): 223-235. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.07.003
    Reynolds, A.M.; Bartumeus, F.; Kölzsch, A.; van de Koppel, J. (2016). Signatures of chaos in animal search patterns. NPG Scientific Reports 6: 23492. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/srep23492
    Angelini, C.; Griffin, J.N.; van de Koppel, J.; Lamers, L.P.M.; Smolders, A.J.P.; Derksen-Hooijberg, M.; van der Heide, T.; Silliman, B.R. (2016). A keystone mutualism underpins resilience of a coastal ecosystem to drought. Nature Comm. 7: 12473. dx.doi.org/10.1038/NCOMMS12473
    Van der Zee, E.M.; Angelini, C.; Govers, L.; Christianen, M.J.A.; Altieri, A.H.; van der Reijden, K.J.; Silliman, B.R.; van de Koppel, J.; van der Geest, M.; van Gils, J.A.; van der Veer, H.W.; Piersma, T.; de Ruiter, P.C.; Olff, H.; van der Heide, T. (2016). How habitat-modifying organisms structure the food web of two coastal ecosystems. Proc. - Royal Soc., Biol. Sci. 283(1826): 20152326. https://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.2326
    Cornacchia, L.; Licci, S.; van de Koppel, J.; van der Wal, D.; Wharton, G.; Puijalon, S.; Bouma, T.J. (2016). Flow Velocity and Morphology of a Submerged Patch of the Aquatic Species Veronica anagallis-aquatica L., in: Rowinski, P. et al. Hydrodynamic and Mass Transport at Freshwater Aquatic Interfaces : 34th International School of Hydraulics. pp. 141-152
    de Fouw, J.; Govers, L.; van de Koppel, J.; van Belzen, J.; Dorigo, W.; Sidi Cheikh, M.A.; Christianen, M.J.A.; van der Reijden, K.J.; van der Geest, M.; Piersma, T.; Smolders, A.J.P.; Olff, H.; Lamers, L.P.M.; van Gils, J.A.; van der Heide, T. (2016). Drought, mutualism breakdown, and landscape-scale degradation of seagrass beds. Curr. Biol. 26(8): 1051-1056. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2016.02.023
  • 2015
    Silliman, B.R.; Schrack, E.; He, Q.; Cope, R.; Santoni, A.; van der Heide, T.; Jacobi, R.; Jacobi, M.; van de Koppel, J. (2015). Facilitation shifts paradigms and can amplify coastal restoration efforts. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 112(46): 14295-14300. dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1515297112
    Kölzsch, A.; Alzate, A.; Bartumeus, F.; de Jager, M.; Weerman, E.; Hengeveld, G.M.; Naguib, M.; Nolet, B.A.; Van de Koppel, J. (2015). Experimental evidence for inherent Lévy search behaviour in foraging animals. Proc. - Royal Soc., Biol. Sci. 282(1807): 20150424. dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.0424
    Donadi, S.; van der Heide, T.; Piersma, T.; van der Zee, E.M.; Weerman, E.J.; van de Koppel, J.; Olff, H.; Devine, C.; Hernawan, U. E.; Boers, M.; Planthof, L.; Eriksson, B.K. (2015). Multi-scale habitat modification by coexisting ecosystem engineers drives spatial separation of macrobenthic functional groups. Oikos (Kbh.) 124: 1502–1510. dx.doi.org/10.1111/oik.02100
    van de Koppel, J.; van der Heide, T.; Altieri, A.H.; Eriksson, B.K.; Bouma, T.J.; Olff, H.; Silliman, B.R. (2015). Long-Distance Interactions Regulate the Structure and Resilience of Coastal Ecosystems. Ann. Rev. Mar. Sci. 7: 139-158. dx.doi.org/ 10.1146/annurev-marine-010814-015805
    Elschot, K.; Bakker, J.P.; Temmerman, S.; van de Koppel, J.; Bouma, T.J. (2015). Ecosystem engineering by large grazers enhances carbon stocks in a tidal salt marsh. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 537: 9-21. dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps11447
    Agüera, A.; van de Koppel, J.; Jansen, J.M.; Smaal, A.C.; Bouma, T.J. (2015). Beyond food: a foundation species facilitates its own predator. Oikos (Kbh.) 124(10): 1367–1373. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/oik.01949
    de Paoli, H.; van de Koppel, J.; van der Zee, E.; Kangeri, A.; van Belzen, J.; Holthuijsen, S.; van den Berg, A.; Herman, P.M.J.; Olff, H.; van der Heide, T. (2015). Processes limiting mussel bed restoration in the Wadden-Sea. J. Sea Res. 103: 42-49. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.seares.2015.05.008
  • 2014
    Silliman, B.R.; Mozdzer, T.; Angelini, C.; Brundage, J.E.; Esselink, P.; Bakker, J.P.; Gedan, K.B.; van de Koppel, J.; Baldwin, A.H. (2014). Livestock as a potential biological control agent for an invasive wetland plant. PeerJ 2: e567. dx.doi.org/10.7717/peerj.567
    Donadi, S.; van der Zee, E.M.; van der Heide, T.; Weerman, E.J.; Piersma, T.; van de Koppel, J.; Olff, H.; Bartelds, M.; van Gerwen, I.; Eriksson, B.K. (2014). The bivalve loop: Intra-specific facilitation in burrowing cockles through habitat modification. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 461: 44–52. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2014.07.019
    Altieri, A.H.; Van de Koppel, J. (2014). Foundation species in marine ecosystems, in: Bertness, M.D. et al. Marine community ecology and conservation.
    van der Heide, T.; Tielens, E.; van der Zee, E.M.; Weerman, E.J.; Holthuijsen, S.; Eriksson, B.K.; Piersma, T.; van de Koppel, J.; Olff, H. (2014). Predation and habitat modification synergistically interact to control bivalve recruitment on intertidal mudflats. Biol. Conserv. 172: 163-169. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.02.036
    Liu, Q.X.; Herman, P.M.J.; Mooij, W.M.; Huisman, J.; Scheffer, M.; Olff, H.; de Koppel, J. (2014). Pattern formation at multiple spatial scales drives the resilience of mussel bed ecosystems. Nature Comm. 5: 5234. hdl.handle.net/10.1038/ncomms6234
    Liu, Q.X.; Weerman, E.J.; Gupta, R.; Herman, P.M.J.; Olff, H.; van de Koppel, J. (2014). Biogenic gradients in algal density affect the emergent properties of spatially self-organized mussel beds. J. R. Soc. Interface 11(96): 20140089 . dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2014.0089
    de Jager, M.; Bartumeus, F.; Kölzsch, A.; Weissing, F.J.; Hengeveld, G.M.; Nolet, B.A.; Herman, P.M.J.; de Koppel, J. (2014). How superdiffusion gets arrested: ecological encounters explain shift from Levy to Brownian movement. Proc. - Royal Soc., Biol. Sci. 281(1774): 20132605 . dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.2605
    Matthews, B.; De Meester, L.; Jones, C.G.; Ibelings, B.W.; Bouma, T.J.; Nuutinen, V.; van de Koppel, J.; Odling-Smee, J. (2014). Under niche construction: an operational bridge between ecology, evolution, and ecosystem science. Ecol. Monogr. 84(2): 245-263. dx.doi.org/10.1890/13-0953.1
    Christianen, M.J.A.; Herman, P.M.J.; Bouma, T.J.; vn Katwijk, M.M.; Lamers, L.P.M.; van der Heide, T.; Mumby, P.J.; Silliman, B.R.; Engelhard, S.L.; van de Kerk, M.V.; Kiswara, W.; van de Koppel, J. (2014). Habitat collapse due to overgrazing threatens turtle conservation in marine protected areas. Proc. - Royal Soc., Biol. Sci. 281(1777): 20132890. dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.2890
  • 2013
    Donadi, S.; Westra, J.; Weerman, E.J.; van der Heide, T.; van der Zee, E.M.; van de Koppel, J.; Olff, H.; Piersma, T.; van der Veer, H.W.; Eriksson, B.K. (2013). Non-trophic Interactions Control Benthic Producers on Intertidal Flats. Ecosystems 16: 1325-1335. hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10021-013-9686-8
    Donadi, S.; van der Heide, T.; van der Zee, E.M.; Eklöf, J.S.; van de Koppel, J.; Weerman, E.J.; Piersma, T.; Olff, H.; Eriksson, B.K. (2013). Cross-habitat interactions among bivalve species control community structure on intertidal flats. Ecology 94(2): 489-498. dx.doi.org/10.1890/12-0048.1
    Adams Krumins, J.; van Oevelen, D.; Bezemer, T.M.; de Deyn, G.B.; Hol, W.H.G.; van Donk, E.; de Boer, W.; de Ruiter, P.C.; Middelburg, J.J.; Monroy, F.; Soetaert, K.; Thébault, E.; van de Koppel, J.; van Veen, J.A.; Viketoft, M.; van der Putten, W.H. (2013). Soil and Freshwater and Marine Sediment Food Webs: Their Structure and Function. BioScience 63(1): 35-42. dx.doi.org/10.1525/bio.2013.63.1.8
    Liu, Q.X.; Doelman, A.; Rottschäfer, V.; de Jager, M.; Herman, P.M.J.; Rietkerk, M.; van de Koppel, J. (2013). Phase separation explains a new class of self-organized spatial patterns in ecological systems. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 110(29): 11905-11910. dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1222339110
    Bouma, T.J.; Temmerman, S.; van Duren, L.A.; Martini, E.; Vandenbruwaene, W.; Callaghan, D.P.; Balke, T.; Biermans, G.; Klaassen, P.C.; van Steeg, R.; Dekker, F.; van de Koppel, J.; Herman, P.M.J.; de Vries, M.B. (2013). Organism traits determine the strength of scale-dependent bio-geomorphic feedbacks: A flume study on three intertidal plant species. Geomorphology (Amst.) 180-181: 57-65. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2012.09.005
  • 2012
    Wang, R.H.; Jin, Z.; Liu, Q.X.; van de Koppel, J.; Alonso, D. (2012). A Simple Stochastic Model with Environmental Transmission Explains Multi-Year Periodicity in Outbreaks of Avian Flu. PLoS One 7(2): e28873. dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0028873
    van de Koppel, J.; Van Andel, J.; Biere, J. (2012). Ecology of ecosystems and biotic communities, in: Van Andel, J. et al. (Ed.) (2006). Restoration ecology: the new frontier. pp. 59-72
    Silliman, B.R.; van de Koppel, J.; McCoy, M.W.; Diller, J.; Kasozi, G.N.; Earl, K.; Adams, P.N.; Zimmerman, A.R. (2012). Degradation and resilience in Louisiana salt marshes after the BP-Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 109(28): 11234-11239. dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1204922109
    Scheffer, M.; Carpenter, S.R.; Lenton, T.M.; Bascompte, J.; Brock, W.; Dakos, V.; van de Koppel, J.; van de Leemput, I.A.; Levin, S.A.; van Nes, E.H.; Pascual, M.; Vandermeer, J. (2012). Anticipating Critical Transitions. Science (Wash.) 338(6105): 344-348. dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1225244
    Fagherazzi, S.; Kirwan, M.L.; Mudd, S.M.; Guntenspergen, G.R.; Temmerman, S.; D'Alpaos, A.; van de Koppel, J.; Rybczyk, J.M.; Reyes, E.; Craft, C.; Clough, J. (2012). Numerical models of salt marsh evolution: ecological, geomorphic, and climatic factors. Rev. Geophys. 50(1). dx.doi.org/10.1029/2011RG000359
    Biere, J.; Van Andel, J.; van de Koppel, J. (2012). Populations: Ecology and genetics, in: Van Andel, J. et al. (Ed.) (2006). Restoration ecology: the new frontier. pp. 73-87
    Liu, Q.X.; Weerman, E.J.; Herman, P.M.J.; Olff, H.; van de Koppel, J. (2012). Alternative mechanisms alter the emergent properties of self-organization in mussel beds. Proc. - Royal Soc., Biol. Sci. 279(1739): 2744-2753. dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2012.0157
    van der Heide, T.; Govers, L.L.; de Fouw, J.; Olff, H.; van der Geest, M.; van Katwijk, M.M.; Piersma, T.; van de Koppel, J.; Silliman, B.R.; Smolders, A.J.P.; van Gils, J.A. (2012). A three-stage symbiosis forms the foundation of seagrass ecosystems. Science (Wash.) 336(6087): 1432-1434. dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1219973
    Van de Koppel, J.; Bouma, T.J.; Herman, P.M.J. (2012). The influence of local- and landscape-scale processes on spatial self-organization in estuarine ecosystems. J. Exp. Biol. 215(6): 962-967. dx.doi.org/10.1242/jeb.060467
    Weerman, E.J.; Van Belzen, J.; Rietkerk, M.; Temmerman, S.; Kéfi, S.; Herman, P.M.J.; Van de Koppel, J. (2012). Changes in diatom patch-size distribution and degradation in a spatially self-organized intertidal mudflat ecosystem. Ecology 93(3): 608-618. dx.doi.org/10.1890/11-0625.1

Linked projects

Mosselwad: how mussel beds thrive
Supervisor
Jaap van der Meer
Funder
Waddenfonds
Project duration
1 Jul 2009 - 30 Jun 2016
Mosselwad: how mussel beds thrive
Supervisor
Jaap van der Meer
Funder
Waddenfonds
Project duration
1 Jul 2009 - 30 Jun 2016
UUNIOZ_Builders on the beach
Funder
Utrecht University
Project duration
1 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2025
UUNIOZ_Defending our coast: Facilitating coastal ecosystems to respond to sea level rise
Supervisor
Johan van de Koppel
Funder
Utrecht University
Project duration
1 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2025
Mosselwad
Supervisor
Johan van de Koppel
Funder
Waddenfonds
Project duration
1 Jul 2009 - 31 Dec 2016
The New Delta - iSee
Supervisor
Johan van de Koppel
Funder
Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research
Project duration
1 Jun 2015 - 30 Sep 2019
MERCES
Supervisor
Johan van de Koppel
Funder
European Community
Project duration
1 Jun 2016 - 31 May 2020
UUNIOZ_Defending our coast: Facilitating coastal ecosystems to respond to sea level rise
Supervisor
Johan van de Koppel
Funder
Utrecht University
Project duration
1 Jan 2021 - 31 Dec 2025