Science, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML)

Promotor: E.F. Smets, Co-promotor: J. Geml

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

Our focus is to optimize the fungal cell wall to both increase chitin production and chitin extractability.

The research programme Industrial Ecology aims to support the ecological transformation of society and environment towards sustainability. The research subject is Industrial Ecology in its broadest definition, covering environmental systems analysis, and incorporating the social and economic aspects…

Aspergillus niger is an important industrial producer of organic acids and enzymes producing large amounts of spent fungal biomass.

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

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

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.

Our object is to identify and characterize transcription factors involved in lignocellulosic biomass degradation in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger.

Natural vanilla flavor is one of the most important in the world. However, the cost of this flavor is expensive. Production of this flavor by alternative methods, could reduce the cost.

Are you thinking about studying Industrial Ecology? Learn more and watch the introduction video.

The master’s programme Industrial Ecology at Leiden University is an emerging scientific discipline that takes a systemic approach to environmental problems. The master in Industrial Ecology is a co-operation between Leiden University and Delft University of Technology.

The master's programme Industrial Ecology (joint degree Leiden University and Delft University of Technology) is unique in the Netherlands and one of the few programmes in the world combining natural science, engineering, and social science for science-based solutions for sustainability problems.

Institute of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, Leiden University

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

How can we let the sonic speak in public urban environments? What is the function and position of sound in our daily encounters with urbanity? How do we experience cities aurally? This was the topic of Marcel Cobussen's inaugural lecture on November 28th, 2016.

Science, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML)

Many of the most acute problems we face today are global: they transcend national boundaries, they put the future of society and even humanity at peril, and they can only be addressed through international cooperation. However, what can international cooperation deliver? Find out in the minor Ecology,…

The soil-dwelling, filamentous bacteria of the genus Streptomyces are renowned for their production of useful secondary metabolites including antibiotics. The work described in this thesis provides new insights on the role and regulation of antibiotic production and resistance in these bacteria.

Mission: The department of Industrial Ecology is dealing with research into the development of tools for decision making on sustainable production and consumption.

Study information

Two bacterial species team up inside the plant root system to rescue their host from fungal infection. This was discovered by a team of microbiologists and bioinformaticians from the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen University, and the Institute of Biology Leiden. They also identified the…

Promotor: Prof. dr. Arnold Tukker & Prof. dr. René Kemp (Maastricht University)

Promotor: E. Gittenberger, Co-promotores: L.P. van Ofwegen; B.W. Hoeksema

The aim of this thesis was to develop and evaluate a Ecological Professional Development Model to support preservice biology teachers to direct their own subject-specific ecological professional development route.

Filamentous Actinobacteria, such as Streptomyces, produce a plethora of chemically diverse bioactive metabolites that have found applications across medicine, agriculture and biotechnology.

Soil ecologists Emilia Hannula (Leiden) and Elly Morriën (UvA) received the Golden Medal of Teylers Tweede Genootschap on 5 November. They received the prize for their submission to a competition on sustainable soil management.

Mycorrhizas are symbiotic associations between soil fungi and most plant species.

Acidobacteria is a widely distributed phylum but their functional roles in ecosystem processes are still largely elusive.

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

Fungal food spoilage often starts with a contamination with spores. Experimental data strongly indicate the existence of subpopulations of spores with different levels of resistance to preservation methods.

How have human-environmental entanglements changed in the Gulf of San Miguel, Darien, Panama, from the first traces human practices through to the present?

Promotors: Prof.dr. G.R. de Snoo, Prof.dr. H. Leirs (Univ. Antwerpen), Co-promotor: H.H. de Iongh

The first international master programme in Industrial Ecology worldwide starting in September 2011.

Promotor: Prof.dr. G.R. de Snoo, Prof.dr. G.A. Persoon

Birds sing to be heard, but how do they cope with increasing noise levels? Which species persist in cities and why? And do they thrive or suffer in the urban soundscape?

Can we predict fluctuations in suicidal ideation in a person’s daily life, from hour to hour?

This thesis combines field and laboratory studies to address some of the most pressing questions in the field of microplastic research.

Promotor: P.G.L. Klinkhamer, Co-Promotores: K. Vrieling, P.P.J. Mulder

This project intends to provide the required knowledgebase for the design of novel mild intervention protocols to prevent fungal food spoilage.

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

Promotores: G.R. de Snoo, B. Sinsin, Co-Promotor: H.H. de Iongh

Do Ethiopian wolves change their diet and foraging strategy in the landscape under different land uses? How land use affect Afro-alpine rodent Communities? How important are Afro-alpine natural resources utilisation for local livelihoods? What is the human perception of conflict in the Afro-alpine a…

An interdisciplinary and innovative research group combining History, underwater archaeology, GIS and wood provenancing methods.

Promotor: E.F. Smets Co-promotor: J. Geml