Research
Wildlife ecology and Nature Restoration
Our group investigates how wildlife populations interact with their environments in an era of rapid global change. We study a broad range of ecological processes—including population dynamics, habitat use, and species interactions—to understand the factors driving wildlife abundance, distribution, and persistence across time and space. We explore how environmental conditions, resource availability, and disturbance regimes shape species behaviour and movement in human-modified ecosystems.
A core focus lies in plant–animal interactions, such as seed dispersal, herbivory, and crop raiding, which play critical roles in structuring ecological communities and regulating ecosystem processes. We also investigate human–wildlife interactions, assessing the impacts of land-use change, hunting, and recreational disturbance on animal behavior and population viability. Through the lens of recreation ecology, we examine how disturbance from hikers, bikers, and other recreationists alters wildlife activity patterns and the ecological functions animals perform. In road ecology, we study how infrastructure fragments habitat and how wildlife overpasses and underpasses can help restore connectivity and enable gene flow and recolonization.
Across heterogeneous and multifunctional landscapes, we assess how wildlife distribution and movement are shaped by ecological corridors, land-use mosaics, and restoration interventions—generating knowledge that supports the conservation of species and the resilience of ecosystems.
Sensor technology
To study wildlife in diverse and dynamic landscapes, we apply an array of sensor-based technologies, including camera traps, passive acoustic sensors, and unmanned aerial vehicles (drones). These tools enable us to study species presence, activity patterns, habitat use, and interspecific interactions with minimal disturbance, across spatial and temporal scales that would be otherwise inaccessible.
Our team also develops and applies advanced analytical approaches—including spatial modeling, ecological inference, and machine learning—to transform raw sensor data into ecological insights. These methods allow us to estimate occupancy, population density, activity rhythms, and biodiversity patterns, supporting data-driven evaluation of conservation and restoration measures in real-world contexts.
Conservation and restoration
We aim to produce ecological knowledge that informs evidence-based conservation and nature restoration. A key theme in our work is rewilding ecology, where we investigate how interventions such as the reintroduction of large herbivores and carnivores, or the restoration of dead-wood-associated biodiversity, influence community composition, ecosystem functioning, and trophic dynamics. We also study how rewilding measures interact with landscape structure, public use, and policy frameworks to shape conservation outcomes.
Our research supports the planning, implementation, and monitoring of landscape-scale restoration efforts, including the design of ecological corridors, connectivity restoration via road-crossing structures, and the management of recreational access to minimize ecological disruption. By integrating ecological data into adaptive management strategies, we aim to enhance habitat quality, species recovery, and long-term ecosystem resilience.
Collaboration is central to our approach. We work closely with conservation NGOs, land managers, policy makers, and Indigenous and local communities to co-create knowledge that is scientifically robust, socially inclusive, and grounded in real-world needs.
Where we work
We work primarily in human-modified forested landscapes, where ecological processes are shaped by a complex interplay of natural dynamics and anthropogenic influences. These include novel ecosystems that host new species assemblages and novel interactions resulting from anthropogenic pressures, species introductions, and altered disturbance regimes. We conduct fieldwork across temperate and tropical biomes, including the Netherlands, the Guianas, Panama, Indonesia, and sub-Saharan Africa.
These regions span a wide array of conservation challenges—ranging from agricultural expansion, logging, and hunting, to urban encroachment, recreational pressure, and climate-driven disturbance. By working across diverse socio-ecological contexts, we aim to generate scalable, comparative insights that support context-sensitive conservation and restoration strategies for biodiverse, multifunctional landscapes.
Wildlife ecology Relationships between wild animals and their environments, including interactions with other species, habitat use, and population dynamics.
Plant-animal interactions Ecological relationships between plants and animals, such as seed dispersal and herbivory
Rewilding ecology Restoring ecosystems by promoting natural processes that enhance biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and resilience.
Recreation ecology Environmental impacts of outdoor recreation on the behaviour and ecological role of wildlife.
Camera trapping and acoustic monitoring Automated monitoring to study wildlife presence, abundance, and behaviour across space and time.
Restoration ecology Revitalizing degraded ecosystems through active interventions that promote ecological integrity, biodiversity, and function.
Road ecology Ecological effects of roads and traffic on the behaviour and ecological role of wildlife.
