SEA AND HEALTH
The health of the ocean is closely tied to human health, as the ocean plays a critical role in regulating the earth’s climate and providing food and other resources. The ocean absorbs a significant portion of the carbon dioxide produced by human activities, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. The ocean also provides food for billions of people and is a source of medicine and other resources.
However, human activities such as pollution and overfishing are putting the ocean’s health at risk, which can have negative impact on human health. Human induced stressors can have cascading effects on the ocean’s health and the human communities that depend on it. Here, we investigate the health of the ocean, the human health, and the interactions between both. We rely on observations, models and experiments in order to understand the underlying mechanisms.
Projects
Where are All the (proglacial) Lake seDiments in the NOrth Sea Basin?
PhD-project BluePsychology - How coastal environments improve psychological wellbeing: underlying mechanisms
BlueHealth
Health implications of social and physical activities in coastal environments along the Belgian Coast.
Corona survey
Are visits to the coast associated with a higher mental health than visits to green or urban spaces and do they trigger emotions that positively mediate the relationship between these visits and mental health?