Koenraad Van Meerbeek
@kvanmeerbeek.bsky.social
Associate professor - KU Leuven
Global Change Ecology / Microclimate Ecology and Biogeography / Biodiversity - Ecosystem Functioning / Conservation Ecology
www.sglobelab.com
Global Change Ecology / Microclimate Ecology and Biogeography / Biodiversity - Ecosystem Functioning / Conservation Ecology
www.sglobelab.com
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
New paper in The Lancet Planetary Health where we show that Nitrogen enrichment not only substantially increases the pollen production of grasslands, but also the pollen allergenicity 🤧.
The impact of ecosystem nitrogen enrichment on pollen allergy: a cross-sectional paired comparison study
Nitrogen enrichment substantially increased pollen abundance and allergenicity, indicating
a heightened allergy burden in nitrogen-rich environments. These findings underscore
the need for policies ad...
www.thelancet.com
April 17, 2025 at 7:42 AM
New paper in The Lancet Planetary Health where we show that Nitrogen enrichment not only substantially increases the pollen production of grasslands, but also the pollen allergenicity 🤧.
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
Excited to announce our new paper, “Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity,” out today in Nature – and it’s open access! Huge global collaboration led by Meelis Pärtel 🌐@macroecologyut.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity - Nature
A comparison of alpha diversity (number of plant species) and dark diversity (species that are currently absent from a site despite being ecologically suitable) demonstrates the negative effects of re...
www.nature.com
April 2, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Excited to announce our new paper, “Global impoverishment of natural vegetation revealed by dark diversity,” out today in Nature – and it’s open access! Huge global collaboration led by Meelis Pärtel 🌐@macroecologyut.bsky.social
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
We are very happy to announce that the next Microclimate Ecology & Biogeography (MEB) conference will happen in Montpellier (FRANCE), 1 - 5 June 2026 ☀️
meb-network.com/meb-2026/
Microclimate scientists: save the date in your agenda!!
meb-network.com/meb-2026/
Microclimate scientists: save the date in your agenda!!
March 28, 2025 at 2:13 PM
We are very happy to announce that the next Microclimate Ecology & Biogeography (MEB) conference will happen in Montpellier (FRANCE), 1 - 5 June 2026 ☀️
meb-network.com/meb-2026/
Microclimate scientists: save the date in your agenda!!
meb-network.com/meb-2026/
Microclimate scientists: save the date in your agenda!!
📢 New research alert! How does reducing competition affect drought stress & growth in European beech and pedunculate oak? 🌳💦
A study led by Sanne Verdonck at @dfornatlan.bsky.social in @forestecosyst.bsky.social explores this in National Park Brabantse Wouden (Belgium). 🏞️
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.fe...
A study led by Sanne Verdonck at @dfornatlan.bsky.social in @forestecosyst.bsky.social explores this in National Park Brabantse Wouden (Belgium). 🏞️
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.fe...
Redirecting
doi.org
March 3, 2025 at 1:06 PM
📢 New research alert! How does reducing competition affect drought stress & growth in European beech and pedunculate oak? 🌳💦
A study led by Sanne Verdonck at @dfornatlan.bsky.social in @forestecosyst.bsky.social explores this in National Park Brabantse Wouden (Belgium). 🏞️
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.fe...
A study led by Sanne Verdonck at @dfornatlan.bsky.social in @forestecosyst.bsky.social explores this in National Park Brabantse Wouden (Belgium). 🏞️
🔗 doi.org/10.1016/j.fe...
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
Ben jij benieuwd naar hoe publiek toegankelijk groen (zoals parken en bossen) jouw sociaal welzijn beïnvloedt? Wij ook!
Draag als student in het hoger onderwijs bij aan ons onderzoek door deze enquête (15') in te vullen: survey.kuleuven.cloud/88?lang=nl
Deel gerust!
@kuleuvenplantinst.bsky.social
Draag als student in het hoger onderwijs bij aan ons onderzoek door deze enquête (15') in te vullen: survey.kuleuven.cloud/88?lang=nl
Deel gerust!
@kuleuvenplantinst.bsky.social
February 24, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Ben jij benieuwd naar hoe publiek toegankelijk groen (zoals parken en bossen) jouw sociaal welzijn beïnvloedt? Wij ook!
Draag als student in het hoger onderwijs bij aan ons onderzoek door deze enquête (15') in te vullen: survey.kuleuven.cloud/88?lang=nl
Deel gerust!
@kuleuvenplantinst.bsky.social
Draag als student in het hoger onderwijs bij aan ons onderzoek door deze enquête (15') in te vullen: survey.kuleuven.cloud/88?lang=nl
Deel gerust!
@kuleuvenplantinst.bsky.social
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
Each month, we shine a spotlight on one of our colleagues in our FNL division🌳and share their interesting research! 🔍Today, we present the topic of @saskiadroege.bsky.social: Environmental outcomes of food and forest management certification. 🍫🍃
February 13, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Each month, we shine a spotlight on one of our colleagues in our FNL division🌳and share their interesting research! 🔍Today, we present the topic of @saskiadroege.bsky.social: Environmental outcomes of food and forest management certification. 🍫🍃
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
Today, we launch MicroFracNet, a global network exploring how biodiversity varies across SCALES - big and small. 🌍
If you love vegetation and want to be part of something both larger - and smaller - than yourself, join us!
Learn more & sign up: the3dlab.org/2025/02/10/m...
📢 Please share widely!
If you love vegetation and want to be part of something both larger - and smaller - than yourself, join us!
Learn more & sign up: the3dlab.org/2025/02/10/m...
📢 Please share widely!
February 11, 2025 at 9:14 PM
Today, we launch MicroFracNet, a global network exploring how biodiversity varies across SCALES - big and small. 🌍
If you love vegetation and want to be part of something both larger - and smaller - than yourself, join us!
Learn more & sign up: the3dlab.org/2025/02/10/m...
📢 Please share widely!
If you love vegetation and want to be part of something both larger - and smaller - than yourself, join us!
Learn more & sign up: the3dlab.org/2025/02/10/m...
📢 Please share widely!
Are you an expert in deep learning and eager to push the boundaries of species distribution modeling? 🌍🔍 We’re looking for a motivated candidate to apply for a Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship!
February 7, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Are you an expert in deep learning and eager to push the boundaries of species distribution modeling? 🌍🔍 We’re looking for a motivated candidate to apply for a Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship!
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
New paper out! 🌳 🌲 (and this one is very special to me)
➡️ Diversity boosts forest productivity also (and especially?) through its effect on the number of trees within forests
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@journalofecology.bsky.social @cnrsoccitanieest.bsky.social
More ⬇️ 1/7
➡️ Diversity boosts forest productivity also (and especially?) through its effect on the number of trees within forests
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@journalofecology.bsky.social @cnrsoccitanieest.bsky.social
More ⬇️ 1/7
January 6, 2025 at 5:35 PM
New paper out! 🌳 🌲 (and this one is very special to me)
➡️ Diversity boosts forest productivity also (and especially?) through its effect on the number of trees within forests
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@journalofecology.bsky.social @cnrsoccitanieest.bsky.social
More ⬇️ 1/7
➡️ Diversity boosts forest productivity also (and especially?) through its effect on the number of trees within forests
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
@journalofecology.bsky.social @cnrsoccitanieest.bsky.social
More ⬇️ 1/7
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
🚨 Mosses on the spotlight ⬇️ We made the cover of the current issue of Journal of Ecology 😍🤩 for the last paper of Eva's PhD on the affinity of understory #plant species, including mosses, to #forest #microclimate buffering 🌳
Picture from Eva Gril
@journalofecology.bsky.social
shorturl.at/LVS7F
Picture from Eva Gril
@journalofecology.bsky.social
shorturl.at/LVS7F
January 8, 2025 at 7:39 PM
🚨 Mosses on the spotlight ⬇️ We made the cover of the current issue of Journal of Ecology 😍🤩 for the last paper of Eva's PhD on the affinity of understory #plant species, including mosses, to #forest #microclimate buffering 🌳
Picture from Eva Gril
@journalofecology.bsky.social
shorturl.at/LVS7F
Picture from Eva Gril
@journalofecology.bsky.social
shorturl.at/LVS7F
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
Interesting story by @dancharles.bsky.social about what happens when farmers abandon land, and what types of ecosystems come back. (Globally agricultural land is still expanding on a net basis, but it is contracting in some places.)
Farmers are abandoning land worldwide. What should happen to it?
Ecologists differ on whether to steer recovery or let nature take its course
www.science.org
January 4, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Interesting story by @dancharles.bsky.social about what happens when farmers abandon land, and what types of ecosystems come back. (Globally agricultural land is still expanding on a net basis, but it is contracting in some places.)
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
"A study of federally funded research projects in the United States estimated that principal investigators spend on average about 45% of their time on administrative activities related to applying for and managing projects rather than conducting active research"
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
January 4, 2025 at 1:26 PM
"A study of federally funded research projects in the United States estimated that principal investigators spend on average about 45% of their time on administrative activities related to applying for and managing projects rather than conducting active research"
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
New study alert! Drylands are critical to ~1/3 of the global population, but risk abrupt shifts due to climate change & land degradation. Can we predict these shifts? In a paper led by Paulo Bernardino in @natclimchange.bsky.social, we tackle this challenge: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Predictability of abrupt shifts in dryland ecosystem functioning - Nature Climate Change
The authors develop a machine learning-based approach to derive abrupt shift probability in dryland ecosystem functioning in the Sudano–Sahel. They highlight areas with high probabilities of abrupt sh...
www.nature.com
January 3, 2025 at 11:22 AM
New study alert! Drylands are critical to ~1/3 of the global population, but risk abrupt shifts due to climate change & land degradation. Can we predict these shifts? In a paper led by Paulo Bernardino in @natclimchange.bsky.social, we tackle this challenge: www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
📖Published📖
Check out our new Research Article 👉 Measuring overall functional diversity by aggregating its multiple facets: Functional richness, biomass evenness, trait evenness and dispersion 🌎 🧪
https://buff.ly/3ZWJQwr
Check out our new Research Article 👉 Measuring overall functional diversity by aggregating its multiple facets: Functional richness, biomass evenness, trait evenness and dispersion 🌎 🧪
https://buff.ly/3ZWJQwr
December 21, 2024 at 12:00 PM
📖Published📖
Check out our new Research Article 👉 Measuring overall functional diversity by aggregating its multiple facets: Functional richness, biomass evenness, trait evenness and dispersion 🌎 🧪
https://buff.ly/3ZWJQwr
Check out our new Research Article 👉 Measuring overall functional diversity by aggregating its multiple facets: Functional richness, biomass evenness, trait evenness and dispersion 🌎 🧪
https://buff.ly/3ZWJQwr
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
"Het gaat goed met onze natuur want kijk, er keren soorten terug!" Toch?
Voor @inbo.bsky.social mocht ik samen met @wimveraghtert.bsky.social van @natuurpunt.bsky.social een genuanceerd antwoord brengen in dS.
Het antwoord?
Een paar soorten: ja
Veel habitats: bwaaa
m.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20241...
Voor @inbo.bsky.social mocht ik samen met @wimveraghtert.bsky.social van @natuurpunt.bsky.social een genuanceerd antwoord brengen in dS.
Het antwoord?
Een paar soorten: ja
Veel habitats: bwaaa
m.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20241...
De boomkikker kwaakt weer, de zwammen schieten weelderig op, maar toch was 2024 geen hoerajaar voor de Vlaamse natuur
Tienduizenden boomkikkers lieten dit jaar van zich horen in Vlaanderen. Niet slecht voor een dier dat hier ooit bijna uitgestorven was. Ook andere soorten boden goed natuurnieuws. Toch was 2024 geen hoerajaar voor de natuur.
m.standaard.be
December 22, 2024 at 7:03 AM
"Het gaat goed met onze natuur want kijk, er keren soorten terug!" Toch?
Voor @inbo.bsky.social mocht ik samen met @wimveraghtert.bsky.social van @natuurpunt.bsky.social een genuanceerd antwoord brengen in dS.
Het antwoord?
Een paar soorten: ja
Veel habitats: bwaaa
m.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20241...
Voor @inbo.bsky.social mocht ik samen met @wimveraghtert.bsky.social van @natuurpunt.bsky.social een genuanceerd antwoord brengen in dS.
Het antwoord?
Een paar soorten: ja
Veel habitats: bwaaa
m.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20241...
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
Interesting read:
💰The high costs of peer review & grant writing
📊Bibliometrics as a partial alternative to peer review
🚀Exploring better ways to evaluate impact & fairness
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
#grantwriting #funding #science #peerreview #bibliometrics
💰The high costs of peer review & grant writing
📊Bibliometrics as a partial alternative to peer review
🚀Exploring better ways to evaluate impact & fairness
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
#grantwriting #funding #science #peerreview #bibliometrics
The costs of competition in distributing scarce research funds | PNAS
Research funding systems fundamentally influence how science operates. This paper
aims to analyze the allocation of competitive research funding fr...
www.pnas.org
December 22, 2024 at 4:33 PM
Interesting read:
💰The high costs of peer review & grant writing
📊Bibliometrics as a partial alternative to peer review
🚀Exploring better ways to evaluate impact & fairness
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
#grantwriting #funding #science #peerreview #bibliometrics
💰The high costs of peer review & grant writing
📊Bibliometrics as a partial alternative to peer review
🚀Exploring better ways to evaluate impact & fairness
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
#grantwriting #funding #science #peerreview #bibliometrics
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
Interested in more of this type of work? Follow the microclimate ecology starter park with all these great people inside!
go.bsky.app/7at8uFX
go.bsky.app/7at8uFX
December 17, 2024 at 11:29 AM
Interested in more of this type of work? Follow the microclimate ecology starter park with all these great people inside!
go.bsky.app/7at8uFX
go.bsky.app/7at8uFX
New Paper Alert! 🚨
📄 "Ten practical guidelines for microclimate research in terrestrial ecosystems" is out now in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social @mebnetwork.bsky.social
🔗 Read it here: doi.org/10.1111/2041...
A 🧵 with key takeaways (1/5)
📄 "Ten practical guidelines for microclimate research in terrestrial ecosystems" is out now in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social @mebnetwork.bsky.social
🔗 Read it here: doi.org/10.1111/2041...
A 🧵 with key takeaways (1/5)
Ten practical guidelines for microclimate research in terrestrial ecosystems
Most biodiversity dynamics and ecosystem processes on land take place in microclimates that are decoupled from the climate as measured by standardised weather stations in open, unshaded locations....
doi.org
December 17, 2024 at 11:11 AM
New Paper Alert! 🚨
📄 "Ten practical guidelines for microclimate research in terrestrial ecosystems" is out now in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social @mebnetwork.bsky.social
🔗 Read it here: doi.org/10.1111/2041...
A 🧵 with key takeaways (1/5)
📄 "Ten practical guidelines for microclimate research in terrestrial ecosystems" is out now in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social @mebnetwork.bsky.social
🔗 Read it here: doi.org/10.1111/2041...
A 🧵 with key takeaways (1/5)
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
*Ten practical guidelines for microclimate research in terrestrial ecosystems*
I am so glad to share our latest paper in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social led by @pieterdefrenne.bsky.social and the @mebnetwork.bsky.social.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
I am so glad to share our latest paper in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social led by @pieterdefrenne.bsky.social and the @mebnetwork.bsky.social.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Ten practical guidelines for microclimate research in terrestrial ecosystems
Most biodiversity dynamics and ecosystem processes on land take place in microclimates that are decoupled from the climate as measured by standardised weather stations in open, unshaded locations....
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 17, 2024 at 8:57 AM
*Ten practical guidelines for microclimate research in terrestrial ecosystems*
I am so glad to share our latest paper in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social led by @pieterdefrenne.bsky.social and the @mebnetwork.bsky.social.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
I am so glad to share our latest paper in @methodsinecoevol.bsky.social led by @pieterdefrenne.bsky.social and the @mebnetwork.bsky.social.
besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
🌍 How do climatic extremes impact species distributions?
Our new paper in Journal of Biogeography led by Ward Fonteyn introduces a method to better capture the effects of extremee climatic events in species distribution models (SDMs). 🌳
🔗 doi.org/10.1111/jbi....
A 🧵 (1/6)
Our new paper in Journal of Biogeography led by Ward Fonteyn introduces a method to better capture the effects of extremee climatic events in species distribution models (SDMs). 🌳
🔗 doi.org/10.1111/jbi....
A 🧵 (1/6)
Incorporating Climatic Extremes Using the GEV Distribution Improves SDM Range Edge Performance
Aim The changing frequency and intensity of climatic extremes due to climate change can have sudden and adverse impacts on the distribution of species. While species distribution modelling is a vita...
doi.org
December 16, 2024 at 12:25 PM
🌍 How do climatic extremes impact species distributions?
Our new paper in Journal of Biogeography led by Ward Fonteyn introduces a method to better capture the effects of extremee climatic events in species distribution models (SDMs). 🌳
🔗 doi.org/10.1111/jbi....
A 🧵 (1/6)
Our new paper in Journal of Biogeography led by Ward Fonteyn introduces a method to better capture the effects of extremee climatic events in species distribution models (SDMs). 🌳
🔗 doi.org/10.1111/jbi....
A 🧵 (1/6)
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
Great worflow and R package for any one working of ecological trait database !!
by Elizabeth Wenk et al. in Ecological Informatics Nov. 2024
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🧪🌐🌍
by Elizabeth Wenk et al. in Ecological Informatics Nov. 2024
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🧪🌐🌍
December 13, 2024 at 12:05 PM
Great worflow and R package for any one working of ecological trait database !!
by Elizabeth Wenk et al. in Ecological Informatics Nov. 2024
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🧪🌐🌍
by Elizabeth Wenk et al. in Ecological Informatics Nov. 2024
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🧪🌐🌍
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
#trait databases 🧮➕📏
Great worflow and R package for any one working of ecological trait database !!
by Elizabeth Wenk et al. in Ecological Informatics Nov. 2024
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🧪🌐🌍
by Elizabeth Wenk et al. in Ecological Informatics Nov. 2024
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
🧪🌐🌍
December 13, 2024 at 1:54 PM
#trait databases 🧮➕📏
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
Trait variability can buffer populations against stress, but harnessing this for restoration is proving tricky. Lab alum Ella Samuel finds that diversity in seed source plant populations is not predictive of variability or performance in a common garden.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Intraspecific trait variability in wild plant populations predicts neither variability nor performance in a common garden
Dryland restoration requires plant materials capable of performing well despite difficult growing conditions. Selecting plant materials with higher intraspecific trait variability (ITV) may support s...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
December 13, 2024 at 3:44 PM
Trait variability can buffer populations against stress, but harnessing this for restoration is proving tricky. Lab alum Ella Samuel finds that diversity in seed source plant populations is not predictive of variability or performance in a common garden.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Koenraad Van Meerbeek
The 10 top stories of 2024 on The 3D Lab
#1 - Introducing MIREN Rocks - the global rock face survey and perhaps our most breath-taking global monitoring project so far!
Still welcoming rock climbing ecologists to join us next summer!
@kvanmeerbeek.bsky.social
the3dlab.org/2024/01/23/f...
#1 - Introducing MIREN Rocks - the global rock face survey and perhaps our most breath-taking global monitoring project so far!
Still welcoming rock climbing ecologists to join us next summer!
@kvanmeerbeek.bsky.social
the3dlab.org/2024/01/23/f...
Following plants in the crags: MIREN rock face survey
Join the new MIREN rock face survey With long-term monitoring campaigns focussing on mountain roads and trails, and divergences to railroads and rivers, we are happy to announce that MIREN wants to…
the3dlab.org
December 13, 2024 at 9:52 PM
The 10 top stories of 2024 on The 3D Lab
#1 - Introducing MIREN Rocks - the global rock face survey and perhaps our most breath-taking global monitoring project so far!
Still welcoming rock climbing ecologists to join us next summer!
@kvanmeerbeek.bsky.social
the3dlab.org/2024/01/23/f...
#1 - Introducing MIREN Rocks - the global rock face survey and perhaps our most breath-taking global monitoring project so far!
Still welcoming rock climbing ecologists to join us next summer!
@kvanmeerbeek.bsky.social
the3dlab.org/2024/01/23/f...