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Dieren en planten

Animals   Plants   Flora on tidal flats   Fauna in tidal areas   Benthic fauna   Fish   

Water en land

Coastal areas   Tidal flats and shallows   Biotope   

Mens en Milieu

Man and the environment   Ecology   Ecosystems   Ecological processes   Ecological dynamics   Island biology   Fisheries   Tidal-flat fisheries   Pollution   Wadden Sea   Research   Research in the Wadden Sea   
Phytoplankton., NIOZ (www.nioz.nl)

Research in the Wadden Sea

Research has been going on in the Wadden Sea for years. A good example is the long-term studies of the Balgzand since 1969, where twice a year an estimate of species, numbers and weights of benthic life is made based upon a large number of benthic samples. Furthermore, extensive research is done on fish, birds (knots), seals and microscopic life, such as phytoplankton, copepods, larvae from shellfish and the degradation of the foam algae Phaeocystis by viruses. There are also studies of eutrophication and toxic materials.

  • Wadden Academy

    The Dutch cabinet decided to ban the cockle fisheries in 2005 and to permit the exploitation of natural gas, based upon advice from the Meijer Commission. The scientists want to use the proceeds from the gas, designated for the Wadden Funding, to erect the Wadden Academy. This academy would have the task of coordinating research much better than presently done. It is still not known how much money the academy will get from the proceeds.
    An advice from the Frisian Royal Commissioner to the Minister for Environment, the Academy must be linked to Interwad, the organization which is already involved with providing information on the Wadden Sea. A scientific staff from various universities would guarantee the scientific quality and coordinate research from various institutes and universities.
    Wadden scientist Piersma finds the proposition too bureacratic. He is afraid that no money will be left over to do research after executing the plan. He is also disappointed that the NIOZ and University of Groningen, both of which already research the wadden, were not given any recognition in the advice.
    The Council for the Wadden tackled the role of the Wadden Academy in 2005 in order to advice the Minister. They advice strengthening the organization with research and the use of research results, as written up in the report 'Working on Wadden wisdom: which role can the Wadden Academy play?'. According to the Council, this enforcement can be practically totally actualized within the present organization structure.