Dr. Casper H.A. van Leeuwen
Aquatic Ecologist studying interactions of species with their biotic and abiotic environment in wetland ecosystems. The red line of my research is to understand why, how, and when plants and animals move, and how movements such as dispersal and migration regulate and influence ecosystem functioning. I study movements in relation to their intrinsic causes (such as food quantity and quality, safety, and reproductive opportunities) as well as the consequences of movements for ecosystems (changing food web interactions, colonization, invasions, seed dispersal services of animals to plants). I integratively study all trophic levels of wetland food webs, ranging from plants to zooplankton and fish to birds. My work contributes science-based knowledge that aims to mitigate human impacts on natural systems.
Welcome to my website! Please do not hesitate to contact me.
Contact information:
Department of Aquatic Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), The Netherlands
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Researchgate profile
Google scholar publication overview
ResearcherID: B-9166-2012 
orcid.org/0000-0003-2833-7775
Latest news
Mar 2023 - An item about our work on simulating avian digestion on Vroege Vogels Radio
Feb 2023 - New review published in Freshwater Biology (including cover image!) on dispersal by waterbirds
Jan 2023 - Our latest publication on simulating avian digestion in the news!
Dec 2022 - New publication in Ecography that provides mechnistic explanations for seed dispersal by waterbirds
Sept 2022 - Our publication became "Editors Choice" and our cover picture at Oikos this month!
June 2022 - New publication on unifying research on seed dispersal across plant-animal interactions
April 2022 - New publication on the effects on wind on shallow lake ecosystems
Jan 2022 - Article in Dutch journal "De Levende Natuur" on the Marker Wadden restoration project
Dec 2021 - Successful PhD defense of Hui Jin on restoring aquatic food webs by improving trophic transfer
Nov 2021 - New publication on vegetation establishement in newly created wetlands
Sep 2021 - New publication outlining an innovative way to restore ecosystems, illustrated by the Marker Wadden project
Aug 2021 - Our research featuring in the Dutch evening news
May 2021 - Starting a new position at Radboud University Nijmegen
Jan 2021 - Two new publications on seed dispersal, one on gulls and one on fish!