Summary

Ecosystems are inherently complex and dynamic, adapting continuously to changing conditions. They are characterized by a network of interactions between species and their abiotic environment, governed by processes that operate on different temporal and spatial scales. 
The research priority Global Ecology focuses on the functioning of ecosystems and in particular on how they change due to natural processes or human impact.

Fundamental knowledge of the interactions and dynamic processes shaping ecosystems is essential for understanding and predicting how our natural environment will change in the future. In turn, this is necessary to come to innovative solutions for protecting the Earth’s biodiversity and for ensuring the continuing supply of the essential services delivered by global ecosystems.

Important research questions in Global Ecology are:

• What is the role of biodiversity for the functioning of ecosystems? 
   
• How do natural or human-induced disturbances of a given ecosystem affect the complex network of interactions between species, soils and the cycling of water, carbon and nutrients?
• What are the consequences of such changes for ecosystem resilience, biodiversity, ecosystem services and carbon and nutrient cycles at a global scale?

One of the major challenges for the future of our planet is how our natural environment can sustain the Earth’s biodiversity as well as secure our survival by providing food, water, resources and a healthy living environment.

The importance of this issue was emphasized once again by the recent United Nations conferences in Cancun (2010) and Nagoya (2010) on climate change and biodiversity loss, respectively.

The interrelations between different levels of biological organization, temporal and spatial scales necessitate a research approach that is driven by hypotheses and combines theory development, laboratory experiments and field studies.

Modern experimental facilities to study natural processes under controlled conditions and eScience infrastructure for real-time data collection and combining large data sets are needed. Sophisticated mathematical models and advanced data analysis techniques play a key role in relating the processes operating on different temporal and spatial scales with each other.

The research priority Global Ecology advocates this whole-system approach to the study of ecosystems. It covers a broad range of scientific disciplines, including theoretical, experimental and technological expertise, obtained through collaboration of the different research groups within the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics together with their external partners.

The theme is officially acknowledged as a research priority of the Faculty of Science.

Scientific case

Our planet shows striking gradients in the species richness of plants and animals, from high biodiversity in the tropics to low biodiversity in polar and high-mountain regions.

Yet, the large-scale biogeographical distribution of many less conspicuous species groups (e.g., bacteria, plankton, insects) is still largely unknown.  For example, it was recently shown in an analysis of 540 lakes across the United States, that phytoplankton communities show strong geographic variation in biodiversity, that could be explained by local environmental factors such as productivity, temperature, area, and water depth  (Stomp et al. (2011), Ecology in press).  

This exemplifies the need for large data sets and advanced techniques to handle and analyze these data.  The UvA-research priority Global Ecology holds a key position to contribute to the further development of this international field of research. Members of the research priority Global Ecology have an excellent international reputation in studies of natural systems on both ecological and evolutionary timescales, resulting in groundbreaking research and many publications in high-impact journals like Nature, Science and PNAS.

The research priority has in particular a leading position in the integration of theoretical, experimental and empirical studies on biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics, which is both nationally and internationally quite unique.

Publications

Six publications with large impact since 2008:

1.     Paerl, H.W. & Huisman, J. 2008. Blooms like it hot. Science 320: 57-58.
2.     Vermeij, M.J.A., van Moorselaar, I., Engelhard, S., Hörnlein, C., Vonk, S.M. & Visser, P.M. 2010. The effects of nutrient enrichment and herbivore abundance on the ability of turf algae to overgrow coral in the Caribbean. PLoS ONE 5(12): e14312.
3.     Hoorn, C., F.P. Wesselingh, H. terSteege, M.A. Bermudez, A. Mora, J. S evink, I. Sanmartín, A. Sanchez-Meseguer, C. L. Anderson, J.P. Figueiredo, C. Jaramillo, D. Riff , F.R. Negri, H. Hooghiemstra, J. Lundberg, T. Stadler, T. Sarkinen, A. Antonelli. 2010. Amazonia through time: Andean uplift, climate change, landscape evolution and biodiversity. Science 330: 927-31.
4.     De Roos, A.M., T. Schellekens, T. Kooten& L. Persons. 2008. Stage-specific predator species help each other to persist while competing for a single prey. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America 105: 13930-13935.
5.     Eschauzier, C, J. Haftka, P.J. Stuyfzand, W.P. de Voogt, 2010. Perfluorinated Compounds in Infiltrated River Rhine Water and Infiltrated Rainwater in Coastal Dunes. Environmental Science & Technology.    
6.     Shamoun-Baranes, J., J. Leyrer, E. van Loon, P. Bocher., F. Robin., F. Meunier & T. Piersma, 2010, Stochastic atmospheric assistance and the use of emergency staging sites by migrants. Proceedings of the Royal Society London B 277: 1505-1511.