I study how feedbacks between Earth surface processes and plants shape landscapes and ecosystems from the mountains to the sea.
My research ambition is to unravel the nature and strengths of feedbacks between geomorphic and ecologic processes, focussing on mountain and polar regions undergoing rapid climate change but also comparing biogeomorphic feedbacks from the mountains to the coasts. To achieve this, I combine state-of-the-art field, experimental, remote sensing and modeling techniques from geomorphology and ecology with strong conceptual and systems thinking. In my research I cover and link multiple spatial scales from plant traits to landscapes and ecosystems
Driven by my curiosity to understand how moving slopes and plants interact, I built up my own independent research line in mountain biogeomorphology in the past ten years. I am strengthening this research line in my NWO-Veni project "Go or grow? Moving mountain slopes meet migrating mountain plants" in which I unravel mountain biogeomorphic feedbacks and quantify their effects on future slope movement hazards and biodiversity.