Vincent Merckx is scientific director and head of the Understanding Evolution research group. He is also associate professor at the University of Amsterdam. He conducts research on soil biodiversity and in particular on the coexistence of plants and soil fungi. As scientific director at Naturalis, he is responsible for the quality of research and teaching.
Keywords
Soil biodiversity, plants, fungi, symbiosis, evolution, species interactions
Researchinterest
I am a biologist and have been working on the interactions between plant roots and soil fungi for more than 20 years. My focus is on the evolution of this collaboration and how plants are connected and benefit from it via soil fungal networks underground. In addition, I contribute to the development of techniques and infrastructure to measure and monitor biodiversity in soil, air and water faster, mainly using genetic techniques.
I started my scientific career with PhD research on the evolution of mycoheterotrophic plants. These are leafless plants that can grow without light because they use soil fungi as a carbon source. This soon led me to research on the identity and function of these soil fungi, which are very commonly found in and around plant roots and usually help their host plants get nutrients. The soil fungi, more commonly known as ‘mycorrhizal fungi’, can coexist simultaneously with roots of different plants, connecting these plants in the soil. Although there is much speculation about the role of these fungal networks in nature - for instance, plants are said to ‘talk’ to each other via these networks - little is known scientifically about them.
My research aims to uncover the structure and function of these networks. We also want to use the DNA techniques I use for this purpose more widely to map soil biodiversity. Thus, with the eDentity project, of which I am the scientific leader, we are building an infrastructure that will enable biodiversity monitoring of soil, water and air at the national level.
Currenttopics
A selection of the topics I am working on currently.
eDentity: a national eDNA infrastructure
Two million euros for researching underground fungal networks
Keypublications
Merckx, V.S.F.T., Gomes, S.I.F., Wang, D., Verbeek, C., Jacquemyn, H., Zahn, F., Gebauer, G. & M.I. Bidartondo (2024). Mycoheterotrophy in the wood-wide web. Nature Plants 10: 710-718.
Jacquemyn, H. & V.S.F.T. Merckx (2019). Mycorrhizal symbioses and the evolution of trophic modes in plants. Journal of Ecology 107: 1567–1581.
Merckx V.S.F.T., Hendriks K.P., Beentjes K.K., Mennes C.B., Becking L.E., et al. (2015). Evolution of endemism on a young tropical mountain. Nature 524: 347-350.
PhDsupervision
Naturalis aims to be a breeding ground for international scientific talent. Therefore, PhD's have a special position in our organisation.
PhD's currently under my supervision:
- Cas Verbeek
- Jada Carter
- Maartje Cathelyn
- Sjoerd Gremmen
PostDocs:
- Deyi Wang
- Tomáš Figura
Teachingactivities
- Since 2014 I am co-organizer (with Prof. Menno Schilthuizen) and lecturer of the MSc. course ‘Tropical Biodiversity’ at Leiden University (2 weeks) and Danau Girang Field Station, Sabah, Malaysia (2 weeks).
- Since 2013 I am co-lecturer of the BSc. Minor ‘Biodiversity and the Natural Environment’ at Leiden University. I also teach in field excursion ‘Flora Excursie’ at BSc. level at Leiden University.
- Since 2012 I am lecture of ‘Phylogenetics’ and the associated practical course for the BSc. course ‘Evolutiebiologie’ at the University of Amsterdam (UvA).
- Since 2012 I am lecturer of the BSc Biology course 'Evolutionary Biology' at the University of Amsterdam (UvA).
In themedia
Het Leidsch Dagblad – Naturalis wil honderdduizenden monsters nemen van de biodiversiteit in het hele land. 'We kunnen bijvoorbeeld gaan zien wat de invloed is van stikstof'
Nature Today – Betere blik op biodiversiteit met miljoenen project
Het Parool – Schimmels zijn niet zo aaibaar als een panda, maar wel onmisbaar voor de bomen in Amsterdam
