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Onderzoeksgroep Aquatische ecologie (UGent-AECO)
seadatanet.maris2.nl/v_edmo/print.asp?n_code=2029
English name: Aquatic Ecology
Parent institute: Universiteit Gent; Faculteit Bio-ingenieurswetenschappen; Vakgroep Dierwetenschappen en Aquatische Ecologie (UGent), more

Thesaurus terms (7) : Asia; Belgium; Ecology; Surface water; Viet Nam; Water quality; Water treatment
MRG keywords (6) : (Micro)plastics; Aquaculture; Biodiversity; Fish(eries); Mangroves; Nutrition
Address:
Belgium
 Persons | Publications | Projects | Datasets 
 
Type: Scientific
Level: Section
Persons (4)  Top | Publications | Projects | Datasets 
Persons formerly associated with this organization (17)
Abstract:
The research group Aquatic Ecology (AECO) focuses on innovative technologies for a more efficient and reliable exploitation of water systems in a context of sustainable development. Marine research topics dealt with by AECO include:
  • analysis of risks and benefits of the consumption of fisheries products;
  • sustainability analysis of marine systems;
  • fish monitoring based on camera-systems and telemetry;
  • innovation in monitoring and modelling to support decision-making in fisheries and biodiversity protection;
  • optimisation of plastic clean-up technologies;
  • analysis of the ecosystem functions of mangroves;
  • multifunctional analysis and optimisation of marine systems in relation to land-use and multi-stakeholder exploitation;
  • recirculation aquaculture systems for sea horse production;
  • fisheries analysis based on data mining and artificial intelligence.
Publications (40)  Top | Persons | Projects | Datasets 
    ( 24 peer reviewed ) split up filter
  • Peer reviewed article Vermeulen, C.; Cauberghe, V.; Bouman, T.; Vandamme, S. (2026). A deep dive below the human surface: The effect of basic human values on coastal residents' and tourists’ marine personal norm, mediated by marine value orientations. Journal of Environmental Psychology 109: 102865. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102865, more
  • Peer reviewed article Bruneel, S.; Ponton-Cevallos, J.; Riascos, L.; Van Echelpoel, W.; Ho, L.; Rosado-Moncayo, A.M.; Parra, R.; Bermúdez, R.; Goethals, P.; Bruneel, S. (2025). Fine-scale spatial and temporal dynamics of subtidal reef fish assemblages and implications for monitoring. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 587: 152102. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2025.152102, more
  • Peer reviewed article Pontón-Cevallos, J.; Vafeiadou, A.-M.; Moity, N.; Ramírez-González, J.; Rendón, M.J.; Borbor-Cordova, M.J.; Moens, T.; Bermúdez-Monsalve, J.R.; Goethals, P.L.M. (2025). The role of mangroves in early-life trophic interactions supporting fishery production in the Galapagos. Front. Mar. Sci. 12: 1571071. https://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2025.1571071, more
  • Peer reviewed article Elings, J.; Bruneel, S.; Pauwels, I.S.; Schneider, M.; Kopecki, I.; Coeck, J.; Mawer, R.; Goethals, P.L.M. (2024). Finding navigation cues near fishways. Biol. Rev. 99(1): 313-327. https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/brv.13023, more
  • Peer reviewed article Sinclair, James S.; Welti, Ellen A. R.; Altermatt, Florian; Álvarez-Cabria, Mario; Aroviita, Jukka; Baker, Nathan J.; Barešová, Libuše; Barquín, José; Bonacina, Luca; Bonada, Núria; Cañedo-Argüelles, Miguel; Csabai, Zoltán; de Eyto, Elvira; Dohet, Alain; Dörflinger, Gerald; Eriksen, Tor E.; Evtimova, Vesela; Feio, Maria J.; Ferréol, Martial; Floury, Mathieu; Forio, Marie Anne Eurie; Fornaroli, Riccardo; Goethals, Peter L. M.; Heino, Jani; Hering, Daniel; Huttunen, Kaisa-Leena; Jähnig, Sonja C.; Johnson, Richard K.; Kuglerová, Lenka; Kupilas, Benjamin; L’Hoste, Lionel; Larrañaga, Aitor; Leitner, Patrick; Lorenz, Armin W.; McKie, Brendan G.; Muotka, Timo; Osadčaja, Diana; Paavola, Riku; Palinauskas, Vaidas; Pařil, Petr; Pilotto, Francesca; Polášek, Marek; Rasmussen, Jes J.; Schäfer, Ralf B.; Schmidt-Kloiber, Astrid; Scotti, Alberto; Skuja, Agnija; Straka, Michal; Stubbington, Rachel; Timm, Henn; Tyufekchieva, Violeta; Tziortzis, Iakovos; Vannevel, Rudy; Várbíró, Gábor; Velle, Gaute; Verdonschot, Ralf C. M.; Vray, Sarah; Haase, Peter (2024). Multi-decadal improvements in the ecological quality of European rivers are not consistently reflected in biodiversity metrics. Nature Ecology & Evolution 8(3): 430-441. https://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-023-02305-4, more
  • Peer reviewed article Bruneel, S.; Goossens, J.; Reubens, J.; Pauwels, I.; Moens, T.; Goethals, P.; Verhelst, P. (2023). Turning the tide: understanding estuarine detection range variability via structural equation models. Animal Biotelemetry 11(1): 38. https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40317-023-00348-9, more
  • Peer reviewed article Falk-Andersson, J.; Rognerud, I.; De Frond, H.; Leone, G.; Karasik, R.; Diana, Z.; Dijkstra, H.; Ammendolia, J.; Eriksen, M.; Utz, R.; Walker, T.R.; Fürst, K. (2023). Cleaning up without messing up: Maximizing the benefits of plastic clean-up technologies through new regulatory approaches. Environ. Sci. Technol. 57(36): 13304-13312. https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.3c01885, more
  • Peer reviewed article Ho, L.; Barthel, M.; Panique-Casso, D.; Vermeulen, K.; Bruneel, S.; Liu, X.; Bodé, S.; Six, J.; Boeckx, P.; Goethals, P. (2023). Impact of salinity gradient, water pollution and land use types on greenhouse gas emissions from an urbanized estuary. Environ. Pollut. 336: 122500. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122500, more
  • Peer reviewed article Ho, L.; Barthel, M.; Harris, S.; Vermeulen, K.; Six, J.; Bodé, S.; Boeckx, P.; Goethals, P. (2023). Unravelling spatiotemporal N2O dynamics in an urbanized estuary system using natural abundance isotopes. Wat. Res. 247: 120771. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2023.120771, more
  • Peer reviewed article Leone, G.; Moulaert, I.; Devriese, L.I.; Sandra, M.; Pauwels, I.; Goethals, P.L.M.; Everaert, G.; Catarino, A.I. (2023). A comprehensive assessment of plastic remediation technologies. Environ. Int. 173: 107854. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2023.107854, more
  • Peer reviewed article Leone, G.; Catarino, A.I.; De Keukelaere, L.; Bossaer, M.; Knaeps, E.; Everaert, G. (2023). Hyperspectral reflectance dataset of pristine, weathered, and biofouled plastics. ESSD 15(2): 745-752. https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-745-2023, more
  • Peer reviewed article Goossens, J.; Buyse, J.; Bruneel, S.; Verhelst, P.; Goethals, G.; Torreele, E.; Moens, T.; Reubens, J. (2022). Taking the time for range testing: an approach to account for temporal resolution in acoustic telemetry detection range assessments. Animal Biotelemetry 10(1): 17. https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40317-022-00290-2, more
  • Peer reviewed article Leone, G.; Catarino, A.I.; Pauwels, I.; Mani, T.; Tishler, M.; Egger, M.; Forio, M.A.E.; Goethals, P.L.M.; Everaert, G. (2022). Integrating Bayesian Belief Networks in a toolbox for decision support on plastic clean-up technologies in rivers and estuaries. Environ. Pollut. 296: 118721. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118721, more
  • Peer reviewed article Bennetsen, E.; Gobeyn, S.; Everaert, G.; Goethals, P. (2021). Setting priorities in river management using habitat suitability models. Water 13(7): 886. https://dx.doi.org/10.3390/w13070886, more
  • Peer reviewed article Pontón-Cevallos, J.; Marín Jarrín, J.R.; Rosado-Moncayo, A.M.; Bonifaz, M.J.; Quiroga, M.d.M.; Espinoza, M.E.; Borbor-Cordova, M.J.; Pozo-Cajas, M.; Goethals, P.L.M.; Dominguez-Granda, L.E. (2021). Spatio-temporal variability of Brachyura larval assemblages in mangroves of the Gulf of Guayaquil's inner estuary. Regional Studies in Marine Science 41: 101601. https://hdl.handle.net/10.1016/j.rsma.2020.101601, more
  • Peer reviewed article Verhelst, P.; Reubens, J.; Buysse, D.; Goethals, P.; Van Wichelen, J.; Moens, T. (2021). Toward a roadmap for diadromous fish conservation: the Big Five considerations. Front. Ecol. Environ. 19(7): 396-403. https://hdl.handle.net/10.1002/fee.2361, more
  • Peer reviewed article Pontón-Cevallos, J.F.; Bruneel, S.; Marín Jarrín, J.R.; Ramírez-González, J.; Bermúdez-Monsalve, J.R.; Goethals, P.L.M. (2020). Vulnerability and decision-making in multispecies fisheries: a risk assessment of bacalao (Mycteroperca olfax) and related species in the Galapagos' handline fishery. Sustainability 12(17): 6931. https://hdl.handle.net/10.3390/su12176931, more
  • Peer reviewed article Scheers, K.; Boets, P.; Abeel, T.; Van den Neucker, T. (2020). First report of alien crayfish of the Procambarus acutus species complex in Belgium. Bioinvasions Records 9(3): 562-569. https://dx.doi.org/10.3391/bir.2020.9.3.11, more
  • Peer reviewed article Monteiro, L.C.; Van Butsel, J.; De Meester, N.; Traunspurger, W.; Derycke, S.; Moens, T. (2018). Differential heavy-metal sensitivity in two cryptic species of the marine nematode Litoditis marina as revealed by developmental and behavioural assays. J. Exp. Mar. Biol. Ecol. 502: 203-210. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2017.05.016, more
  • Peer reviewed article Anh, P.V.; Everaert, G.; Goethals, P.; Vinh, C.; De Laender, F. (2015). Production and food web efficiency decrease as fishing activity increases in a coastal ecosystem. Est., Coast. and Shelf Sci. 165: 226-236. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2015.05.019, more
  • Peer reviewed article Anh, P.V.; De Laender, F.; Everaert, G.; Vinh, C.T.; Goethals, P. (2014). An integrated food web model to test the impact of fisheries management scenarios on the coastal ecosystem of Vietnam. Ocean Coast. Manag. 92: 74-86. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2014.02.003, more
  • Peer reviewed article Everaert, G.; De Neve, J.; Boets, P.; Dominguez-Granda, L.; Mereta, S.T.; Ambelu, A.; Hoang, T.H.; Goethals, P.L.M.; Thas, O. (2014). Comparison of the abiotic preferences of macroinvertebrates in tropical river basins. PLoS One 9(10): e108898. https://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0108898, more
  • Peer reviewed article Merckx, B.; Goethals, P.; Steyaert, M.; Vanreusel, A.; Vincx, M.; Vanaverbeke, J. (2009). Predictability of marine nematode biodiversity. Ecol. Model. 220(11): 1449-1458. dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2009.03.016, more
  • Peer reviewed article Van Broekhoven, E.; Adriaenssens, V.; De Baets, B.; Verdonschot, P.F.M. (2006). Fuzzy rule-based macroinvertebrate habitat suitability models for running waters. Ecol. Model. 198(1-2): 71-84. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2006.04.006, more
  • Shiganova, T.A.; Dumont, H.J.; Kazmin, A.S. (Ed.) (2026). Non-native species in the Ponto-Caspian seas: Introduction, impact, geographical distribution, consequences. Monographiae Biologicae, 96. Springer: Cham. ISBN 978-3-032-18639-3. IX, 410 pp. https://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-18640-9, more
  • Leone, G.; Severin, M.I.; Devriese, L.I.; Catarino, A.I.; Wyles, K.; Pauwels, I.; Goethals, P.L.M.; Everaert, G. (2025). Knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards plastic clean-up technologies, in: SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting, 11–15 May 2025 | Vienna, Austria.  Innovation for tomorrow: progress in safe and sustainable concepts: Abstract Book. pp. 1163, more
  • Leone, G.; Catarino, A.; Pauwels, I.; Forio, M.; Everaert, G.; Goethals, P.L.M. (2025). Bayesian Belief Networks as a tool to inform on plastic clean-up technologies net benefits, in: SETAC Europe 35th Annual Meeting, 11–15 May 2025 | Vienna, Austria.  Innovation for tomorrow: progress in safe and sustainable concepts: Abstract Book. pp. 1079, more
  • Leone, G.; Catarino, A.I.; Pauwels, I.; Bossaer, M.; Oco Conda, R.; Chu, C.-Y.; Troch, P.; Goethals, P.; Everaert, G. (2024). Assessing of plastic and biota removal by plastic clean-up mechanisms in artificial flume settings, in: Mees, J. et al. Book of abstracts – VLIZ Marine Science Day, 6 March 2024, Oostende. VLIZ Special Publication, 91: pp. 84, more
  • Leone, G.; Pauwels, I.; Bossaer, M.; Oco Conda, R.; Chu, C.-Y.; Troch, P.; Goethals, P.; Everaert, G. (2024). Experimental assessment of biota removal during plastic collection by plastic clean-up mechanisms, in: MICRO 2024: Plastic pollution from macro to nano. International conference, 23 -27 September 2024, Lanzarote, Spain. , more
  • De Witte, Y. (2023). Effects of plastic pollution and ocean warming on Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Nitokra spinipes
     . MSc Thesis. UGent. Faculteit Bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: Gent. 66 pp., more
  • Leone, G.; Moulaert, I.; Devriese, L.I.; Sandra, M.; Pauwels, I.; Goethals, P.; Everaert, G.; Catarino, A.I. (2023). Assessing the state-of-the-art of plastic clean-up and prevention technologies based on a systematic review of scientific literature in combination with resources from practical applications, in: Mees, J. et al. Book of abstracts – VLIZ Marine Science Day, 1 March 2023, Bruges. VLIZ Special Publication, 90: pp. 68, more
  • Leone, G.; Moulaert, I.; Devriese, L.; Pauwels, I.; Sandra, M.; Goethals, P.; Everaert, G.; Catarino, A.I. (2023). Assessing characteristics, uses, and potential environmental impact of plastic remediation technologies, in: SETAC Europe 33rd annual meeting, 30 April–4 Day 2023 | Dublin, Ireland + online “Data-driven environmental decision-making”: Abstract Book. pp. 672, more
  • Leone, G.; Catarino, A.I.; Pauwels, I.; Mani, T.; Tishler, M.; Egger, M.; Forio, M.A.E.; Goethals, P.L.M. (2022). Assisting stakeholders in their choice of riverine and estuarine plastic clean-up technologies with the aid of Bayesian Belief Networks, in: EGU General Assembly 2022. Vienna, Austria & Online, 23–27 May 2022. pp. EGU22-4092. https://dx.doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-4092, more
  • Leone, G.; Moulaert, I.; Devriese, L.; Sandra, M.; Pauwels, I.; Goethals, P.; Catarino, A.I.; Everaert, G. (2022). Challenges, prospects, and opportunities for plastic remediation technologies, in: MICRO 2022, Online Atlas Edition: Plastic Pollution from MACRO to nano, 14-18 November 2022. pp. 427076. https://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7216628, more
  • Leone, G.; Catarino, A.I.; Pauwels, I.; Mani, T.; Tishler, M.; Egger, M.; Forio, M.A.E.; Goethals, P.L.M.; Everaert, G. (2022). Bayesian Belief Networks to reduce unintentional bycatch in riverine and estuarine plastic removal systems, in: Mees, J. et al. Book of abstracts – VLIZ Marine Science Day, Online event 2 March 2022. VLIZ Special Publication, 88: pp. 62, more
  • Leone, G.; Catarino, A.I.; De Keukelaere, L.; Bossaer, M.; Knaeps, E.; Everaert, G. (2022). Hyperspectral reflectance of dry, wet and submerged plastics polymers under environmentally relevant conditions, in: Mees, J. et al. Book of abstracts – VLIZ Marine Science Day, Online event 2 March 2022. VLIZ Special Publication, 88: pp. 63-64, more
  • Everaert, G.; De Laender, F.; Goethals, P.; Janssen, C.R. (2016). The biological pollutant pump. How a phytoplankton bloom alters the concentrations of organic chemicals in the marine environment, in: Mees, J. et al. (Ed.) Book of abstracts – VLIZ Marine Scientist Day. Brugge, Belgium, 12 February 2016. VLIZ Special Publication, 75: pp. 51, more
  • Anh, P.V. (2015). Application of ecosystem modelling for decision support in marine fisheries management in Vietnam. Universiteit Gent: Gent. ISBN 978-90-5989-786-1. xiii, 188 pp., more
  • Van Butsel, J. (2014). Alternative methods for the assessment of pollution in marine nematodes: Behavioral analysis versus developmental and reproductive assay. MSc Thesis. Universiteit Gent: Gent. 45 pp., more
  • Everaert, G.; De Laender, F.; Deneudt, K.; Goethals, P.; Janssen, C. (2011). Construction of data-driven models to predict the occurrence of planktonic species in the North-Sea. Commun. Agric. Appl. Biol. Sci. 76(1): 15-19, more
Projects (5)  Top | Persons | Publications | Datasets 
  • Application and development of evolutionary algorithms for the optimalisation of predictive models of macroinvertebrates in rivers, more
  • FINESSE: Financing Ecosystem Services: establishing a scientific basis towards a reliable cost-benefit analysis and revenue model for nature-based coastal management, more
  • Niet-inheemse soorten in het Belgisch deel van de Noordzee en omliggende estuaria, more
  • SUMANOS: Cluster Sustainable management of the North Sea, more
  • The importance of estuarine and coastal areas for the migration of fish and recovery of populations, more
Datasets (4)  Top | Persons | Publications | Projects 
  • Leone, G.; Catarino, A.I.; Pauwels, I.; Bossaer, M.; Conda Oco, R.; Chu, C.Y.; Troch, P.; Goethals, P.; Everaert, G.; Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ); Ghent University (UGent); Research Institute for Nature and Forest; Oceans & Lakes: Belgium; (2024): Experimental data on the proportion of biota and plastic caught by two plastic clean-up mechanisms. Marine Data Archive., more
  • Leone, G.; Moulaert, I.; Devriese, L.I.; Sandra, M.; Pauwels, I.; Goethals, P.L.M.; Everaert, G.; Catarino, A.I.; Research Group Aquatic Ecology: Ghent University; Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ); Aquatic Management: Research Institute for Nature and Forest: Belgium; (2023): Plastic clean-up and prevention overview. Marine Data Archive., more
  • Zhang, Q.; De Schamphelaere, K.; Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Research Group Aquatic Ecology (Ghent University-AECO): Belgium; (2026): Ecotoxicity of fluoroquinolones, analogues, and a degradation product to cyanobacteria, green algae, and Daphnia. Marine Data Archive., more
  • Zhang, Q.; De Schamphelaere, K.; Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Research Group Aquatic Ecology (Ghent University-AECO): Belgium; (2026): Ecotoxicity of fluoroquinolones, analogues, and degradation products to cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa. Marine Data Archive., more
All data in the Integrated Marine Information System (IMIS) is subject to the VLIZ privacy policy Top | Persons | Publications | Projects | Datasets