Soil biodiversity is of great importance for the maintenance of multifunctionality in terrestrial ecosystems.

In this thesis, the role of plant-mediated soil legacy effects in shaping aboveground plant-insect interactions was investigated.

The soil ecosystem consists of the largest reservoir of biodiversity on Earth.

In this thesis, I focused on studying the above- and belowground interactions of J. vulgaris from a plant-soil feedback (hereafter, PSF) perspective. I investigated the temporal variation of negative PSF and examined the effects of root-associated bacteria on plant performance and aboveground herbiv…

Plants and soils from natural ecosystems harbor great diversity of soil microorganisms, which could potentially contribute to the sustainability of horticulture. The knowledge about using wild plant species and soil from natural ecosystem to improve the crop health will advance the application of ecological…

By growing in a soil plants change the biotic and abiotic properties of the soil in which they grow.

Soil is a home for an unbelievable diversity and abundance of microbial life that is essential for supporting life on our planet.

How soil microbial composition impacts structure and composition of the aboveground plant and animal communities?

De

Promotores: Prof.dr. H. van Veen & Prof.dr. W. de Boer (Wageningen University)

Organic amendments applied to agricultural fields can partially offset our carbon emissions to the atmosphere and improve the resilience of agriculture to the effects of climate change. Driving these benefits, however, are complex and poorly understood interactions between organic amendment properties,…

Promotors: Prof.dr. G.R. de Snoo, Prof.dr. G.A. Persoon, Prof.dr.ir. H.H. de Iongh

Mycoheterotrophy is a particular mode of life in which plants obtain carbohydrates from their associated fungal partners, instead of by using photosynthesis.

How presence, abundance and enzymatic activities of AM and EM fungi differently affect soil carbon sequestration processes?

Plants are colonized by an astounding number of microorganisms that can provide different life-support functions, including nutrient acquisition and protection against (a)biotic stresses like drought or pathogen attack.

The main research question of this thesis was: Can nitrogen cycling on dairy farms on peat soil in the Dutch Green Heart area be improved by adapting management to the nitrogen supply from soil and by using other grassland species and crops without affecting milk production?

What are the global relationships between environmental conditions and abundance of distinct types of mycorrhizal fungi in soil and plant roots?

Promotor: G.R. de Snoo, Co-promotor: C.J.M. Muster

This ecological community has long been known to affect host biology, and their diverse roles have been further clarified in recent years following numerous studies of animal:microbiota interactions in diverse systems.

Promotor: J.A. van Veen, Co-promotor: E.E. Kuramae

Streptomyces are bacteria abundant in soil that participate in diverse and complex interactions. These bacteria are the main producers of the antibiotics we currently use in the clinic.

Projecten van de afdeling Environmental Biology

The overall objectives of my thesis are to investigate the dynamics of the sorghum root microbiome and to explore the beneficial effects of the root microbiome on sorghum growth and stress tolerance.

Promotores: J.A.van Veen, P.L.G.Klinkhamer. Co-promotor: E.E.Kuramae

‘Wat ik aantrekkelijk vind aan het bodemleven, is dat het stuurbaar is,’ verklapt onderzoeker Martijn Bezemer van het Instituut Biologie Leiden (IBL). ‘Dat je kan zeggen: wat wil je? En dat ik de bodem dan kan omtoveren tot iets wat jij nodig hebt. Ten minste, dat dachten we.’

Kunst en vrije tijd, Kunst en vrije tijd

This thesis deals with the use of sound in interactions in the context of participatory systems and data sonification. We investigate an interactive environment where participants perceive information of the data through sound elements.

De afdeling Environmental Biology (CML-EB) houdt zich bezig met vraagstukken rondom biodiversiteit en natuurlijke hulpbronnen op het platteland in westerse en niet-westerse gebieden.

In this PhD study, I aim to deepen our understanding of the influence of major mycorrhizal types, namely arbuscular mycorrhizae (AM) and ectomycorrhizae (EM), on the global soil carbon cycle and their potential distribution changes under future environmental shifts.

What is the effect of light at night on plant phenology and physiology, and how does this affect plant interactions with other species?

Promotie

Herstel van de natuur op uitgeputte landbouwgrond en in natuurgebieden verloopt moeizaam. ‘Bodemtransplantatie’ kan mogelijk uitkomst bieden. Dat betoogt Martijn Bezemer, hoogleraar Ecologie van Plant-Microbe-Insect interacties. Oratie op 18 december.

Plant-microbe interaction resulted in different physio/chemical responses by host plant and interacting rhizobacteria.

The aim of this thesis is to study cell-cell interactions and the development of an assay to explore and quantify the exchange of membrane compounds.

Biological cells, the basic building blocks of all life forms, are surrounded by a lipid membrane. More than half of the membrane is occupied by membrane proteins, which can regulate the cell functionality through specific arrangements.

The lipid membrane is a basic structural component of all living cells. Embedded in this nanometer-thin barrier, membrane proteins shape the membrane and at the same time respond to the shape of the membrane.

The use of N fertilizers has increased worldwide in the past century. While this increased input of N has increased food productivity, it has also contributed to decreases in biodiversity, soil quality and environmental health, including increases in greenhouse gas emissions.

The mycorrhizal symbiosis is among the most widespread species interactions on Earth⁠. This thesis focuses on orchid mycorrhiza, a unique mycorrhizal type that has caught scientists’ attention for centuries⁠.

Microbiome composition of the spermosphere and the rhizosphere of wild and modern bean accessions grown in an agricultural and a native soil from Colombia was characterized by metagenomics and cultivation-dependent approaches.

Vinasse is a major by-product generated by the sugarcane biofuel industry. It is a source of microbes, nutrients and organic matter and often it is recycled as fertilizer.

Plant exudates appeared long time ago in the history line of life in the early Devonian. They are typical saps produced by specialized cells.

Promotor: Prof.dr. E.J.J. Groenen, Co-Promotor: M. Huber

De missie van het Plant Sciences onderzoeksprogramma is om bij te dragen aan de duurzame productie van gewassen van hoge kwaliteit, bloemen en hoogwaardige producten met een biologische basis. Dit wordt gerealiseerd door het opdoen van fundamentele kennis over biologische processen omtrent de ontwikkeling…

In this thesis, the researcher developed a nanosystem based on the metallophilic Interaction between cyclometalated complexes.

Voor groep 4/5 basisschool.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide.

Promotor: Prof.dr. P.G.L Klinkhamer, Co-promotor: K. Vrieling

Striga hermonthica, commonly known as witchweed, infests major cereal crops in Sub-Saharan Africa causing severe yield losses and threatening the livelihood of millions of resource poor farmers.