Workshop on Coastal Ecology. Antwerp, Belgium. January 20-22th, 2004.

The tradition of these workshops started in 1991. Workshops were organized in Kiel, Schiermonnikoog, Büsum, Haamstede, Texel, Cuxhaven, Schiermonnikoog, Wilhelmshaven, Monkswood, Greifswald.

The main aim of the workshops is to bring together young scientists working in the field of coastal ecology, give them the opportunity to present their work and visit some important study areas. Master-students and PhD-students give oral or poster presentations on ongoing work.

This year the workshop is organized at the University of Antwerp, Ecosystem management research group. Different ongoing projects on the Schelde estuary are presented and a whole day field trip to the estuary is foreseen. This will give the participants the possibility to compare their own study site with the Schelde estuary. The special situation of the Schelde, an macrotidal estuary with a complete salinity gradient and high biodiversity on the one hand and major anthropogenic impacts such as pollution and dredging on the other hand will be illustrated.

This workshop was organised within the framework and with the financial support of the Fund for scientific research - Flanders (Belgium).

Back

Programme

Tuesday 20.01.04

13.30 Arrival with coffee/tea

Abiotic factors in tidal systems

• 13.00-13.20 Stijn Temmerman University of Leuven/Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, Yerseke Modelling sedimentation and elevation changes in tidal marshes
• 13.20-13.40 Alma de Groot University of Groningen Radiometric characterization of salt marshes
• 13.40-14.00 Tom Cox, University of Antwerp Ecological modelling of the river Schelde: state of the art, problems, and perspectives
• 14.00-14.20 Eric Struyf, University of Antwerp Silica cycling in a freshwater marsh

14.20 Break with coffee/tea

Colonization and Succession

• 15.00-15.20 Sabine van Regenmortel, University of Antwerp Growth of Phragmites australis at different hydrological characteristics: a mesocosm experiment
• 15.20-15.40 Bregje van Wesenbeeck, Centre for Estuarine and Marine Ecology, NIOO, Yerseke Suitable concepts for salt-marsh formation: patterns in the pioneer zone
• 15.40-16.00 David Nijssen, University of Antwerp Colonization patterns and processes of reconstructed brackish tidal marshes

16.00 Break with coffee/tea

• 16.30-16.50 Julien Pétillon, University of Rennes Multiple impacts of an invasive species in tidal salt marshes, Mont-Saint-Michel Bay
• 16.50-17.10 Loïc Valéry, University of Rennes Multiple impacts of an invasive species in tidal salt marshes, Mont-Saint-Michel Bay
• 17.10-17.30 Roos Veeneklaas, University of Groningen Invasion of Elytrigia atherica in relation to land use, inundation and sedimentation

Dinner

Wednesday 21.01.04

Excursion

• 8.30u - departure
• 9.30-10.30u: visit to the drowned land of Saeftinge and the marsh restoration project 'Siperda Schor' (P. Meire, University of Antwerp)
• 10.30-11.30u: visit to Ketennise marsh. This is a recent project of marsh restoration (D. Nijssen, University of Antwerp)
• 11.30-12.30u: visit to the controlled inundation area of Kruibeke - Bazel - Rupelmonde. (P. Meire, University of Antwerp) - Explanation of the main aims of the Sigmaplan and the nature restoration plan of the Schelde - Visit to the mesocosmos in the Schelde
• 12.30-13.30u: lunch
• 13.30-17.30u: visit to Tielrode controlled inundation, area, fresh water tidal marsh and the VLANEZO project site for the whole ecosystem labelling experiment (E. Struyf, University of Antwerp)

Thursday 22.01.04

Plant-herbivore interactions

• 09.00-09.20 Ciska Veen, University of Groningen Habitat choice and forage ecology of breeding and spring staging Barnacle geese on Gotland
• 09.20-09.40 Reinout Havinga, University of Groningen Do Barnacle geese choose for quality or quantity in manipulated vegetation patches in their arctic breeding habitat?
• 09.40-10.00 Sandra van der Graaf, University of Groningen Foraging choices of Barnacle geese along the flyway - from temperate to arctic

10.00 Break with coffee/tea

• 10.20-10.40 Anette Peiper, University of Vechta A GIS-based habitat analysis of Brent and Barnacle geese in the salt marsh of Westerhever
• 10.40-11.00 Theresa Walther, University of Greifswald Aspects of the autumnal habitat switch of Barnacle geese on Schiermonnikoog Conservation and restoration
• 11.00-11.20 Stefan Seiberling,University of Greifswald Salt-grasslands and global change; does species composition have an effect on stability?

11.20 Break with coffee/tea

• 11.40-12.00 Armel Dausse, University of Rennes Exchange of nutrients between the sea and a de-embanked polder in Northwest France
• 12.00-12.20 Mineke Wolters, University of Groningen/Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Monkswood. Salt-marsh restoration after de-embankment of reclaimed land in Northwest Europe
• 12.20-12.40 Julia Stahl, University of Groningen Evaluating effects of salt-marsh restoration on waterfowl

12.40 Lunch and departure

The venue for the workshop was at the University of Antwerp:
Campus Drie Eiken
Universiteitsplein 1
BE-2610 Antwerpen (Wilrijk)
Room R0.13

Back