My research focus is on impact assessments of aquatic biodiversity using environmental DNA. I coördinate our national DNA barcoding programme to establish a reliable reference library with barcodes of the flora and fauna of the Netherlands. I am involved in various national and EU applied research projects and assignments concerning ecological impact assessments in both marine and freshwater. I am co-founder of our spin-off BioMon Netherlands Center for Genetic Biodiversity Assessment.
Keywords
Biodiversity assessments, human impact, dna barcoding, dna metabarcoding, environmental dna, macrobenthos, fish, ecological quality index, multivariate analysis, marine framework directive, water framework directive
Researchinterest
Environmental DNA (eDNA) covers both intracellular and extracellular DNA and can be harvested in any environment, to determine local species communities. The spatial distribution of these communities and their traits can be used to assess the ecological status of environments.
Key activities are:
- Collecting specimen for DNA barcode reference databases
- Improving DNA-based methods for impact assessments
- Developing DNA-based indices for ecological quality monitoring
- Exploring ecological and biological species traits for ecosystem analysis
- Assessing anthropogenic impacts on biological diversity
Currentprojects
- DNA barcoding of freshwater and marine organisms
- GEANS - Genetic Ecosystem Health Assessments of the North Sea Region
- DNA Waterscan - genetic biodiversity monitoring of ecological water quality
- DNAqua-Net - genetic tools for aquatic biodiversity assessments
- eDNA and eMetabolomics; moleculair pictures of our underwater life
- DNA-based evaluation of nature-friendly canal borders
- Genetic detection of (sub)tropical mosquitos in Africa and the Cariben
- BioMon Netherlands Center for Genetic Biodiversity Assessment
Keypublications
- Weigand, H., Beermann, A. J., Čiampor, F., Costa, F. O., Csabai, Z., Duarte, S., … Van der Hoorn, B. B. … Ekrem, T. (2019). DNA barcode reference libraries for the monitoring of aquatic biota in Europe: Gap-analysis and recommendations for future work. Science of the Total Environment, 678, 499–524. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.04.247
- Beentjes, K. K., Speksnijder, A. G. C. L., Schilthuizen, M., Schaub, B. E. M., & van der Hoorn, B. B. (2018). The influence of macroinvertebrate abundance on the assessment of freshwater quality in The Netherlands. Metabarcoding and Metagenomics, 2, 1–8. https://doi.org/10.3897/mbmg.2.26744
- Pawlowski, J., Kelly-Quinn, M., Altermatt, F., Apothéloz-Perret-Gentil, L., Beja, P., Boggero, A., … Van der Hoorn, B. B., … Kahlert, M. (2018). The future of biotic indices in the ecogenomic era: Integrating (e)DNA metabarcoding in biological assessment of aquatic ecosystems. Science of the Total Environment, 637–638, 1295–1310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.05.002
- Wereld Natuurfonds. 2017. Living Planet Report. Zoute en zilte natuur in Nederland. WNF, Zeist.
PhDsupervision
Naturalis aims to be a breeding ground for international scientific talent. Therefore, PhD's have a special position in our organisation,
- Kevin Beentjes
- Tiedo van Kuijk
In themedia
YouTube: North Sea expedition macrobenthos 1
YouTube: North Sea expedition macrobenthos 2
