Innovative Bio-Monitoring professorship

The purpose of the Innovative Biomonitoring
professorship is to visualise and monitor biodiversity over time, by using innovative technology such as automatic image recognition and environmental DNA (eDNA).Technology is constantly evolving, and we’re witnessing many rapid developments. It’s important that these technologies can be used, validated, and made suitable for practical problems. This is how the research group is helping to conserve and protect biodiversity.

Biodiversity is not going well at all. That is why HAS green academy and Naturalis started the Innovative Bio-Monitoring professorship. Goal is to project and preserve biodiversity. Developments such as intensive agriculture, urbanisation and climate change have undesirably reduced the diversity of animal and plant species, with all the adverse consequences this has on our ecosystem. This is why it is becoming increasingly important to take stock of our biodiversity, measure losses and monitor the effects of intervention.  

Innovative techniques

The Innovative Biomonitoring professorship group initially focuses on two specific techniques for species recognition (environmental DNA (eDNA)) and automatic image recognition. Both techniques are ideally suited for applied research.

The challenge is to discover new, unexpected, and intelligent combinations and applications of techniques that simplify species detection and monitoring and contribute to the early and effective implementation of various measures. Research also utilizes more traditional measurement methods.

Firmly rooted in practice 

The professorship’s research agenda is mainly carried out by students of HAS green academy under the supervision of the lector or the professorship’s lecturer-researchers. This enables students to benefit from previously acquired knowledge and experience, and to actively develop this knowledge and experience through practical assignments. Research is financed from practice or through grants. The professorship is also strongly committed to working with partners such as the business community, NGOs, government and semi-government organisations, regional water authorities, and nature conservation groups.

The professorship focuses on three areas:

• nature/agriculture
• the city
• buildings (such as greenhouses)

There are some central issues in all three areas, such as:

• Where and how can new technology be deployed (in combination with old technology) in the most promising way? (such as automatic nature monitoring)
• How can we monitor the effects of certain interventions on biodiversity? (such as nature-inclusive agriculture)

Naturalis as a partner 

Unique to this professorship is the collaboration with Naturalis, the biodiversity institute in the Netherlands. Naturalis has always been a well-known partner of universities and academic institutions when it comes to carrying out fundamental scientific research. With the establishment of the Innovative Bio-Monitoring research group at HAS green academy, Naturalis is now also committed to applied research. In addition, the professorship ties in with Naturalis' expertise in the field of innovative techniques.

Other collaborations

The research group leads the Professor Platform Biodiversity and is also actively involved in the monitoring working group for the Delta Plan for Biodiversity Restoration and the Nature Mission Team (KIA agriculture, water, and food).

Reports, summaries and articles

View all reports, summaries and articles of projects from the professorship in Greeni