Tom Buijse
Prof. Dr. Tom Buijse (1962) is a specialist in ecological restoration of inland waters and fish-based assessment. He graduated from Wageningen University in 1987 as population biologist and obtained his PhD degree in 1992 on fish population dynamics in a large shallow freshwater lake. From 1993 onwards his research and consultancy concentrated on ecological rehabilitation of large rivers such as the Rhine, Danube and Volga and fish communities as indicator for freshwater ecosystem quality. His expertise on the potential to restore freshwater ecosystems was subsequently applied to implement the European Water Framework Directive in the Netherlands and to develop fish-based assessment methods for rivers. He has 50+ peer-reviewed scientific publications and H-index of 29 (Google Scholar 2020). April 2020 he has been appointed as extraordinary professor freshwater fish ecology at the WUR to optimize fish resources and species diversity in inland waters
His present research focuses on the hydromorphological rehabilitation of rivers and tuning the implementation of environmental legislation with other socio-economic demands such as flood protection and navigation and fisheries management. From 2011-2015 he coordinated the 4-yr large integrated EU-funded research project REFORM (Restoring Rivers for Effective Catchment Management) involving 26 European partners. He was the prime organizer of and guest-editor for international conferences on “Large river rehabilitation” in 2003 and on “Novel Approaches to Assess and Rehabilitate Modified Rivers” in 2015. His 30-yrs research and consultancy experience covers rivers, floodplains, lakes and deltas.
Click here for Google Scholar Citations.
Working experience
2008 - present | Deltares | Department of Freshwater Ecology & Water Quality, specialist ecology. |
1998 - 2008 | Rijkswaterstaat - RIZA | Ecology Department, senior advisor/specialist. |
1993 - 1998 | Rijkswaterstaat - RIZA | Research Department, senior researcher. |
1992 - 1993 | Wageningen University | Department of Fish Culture and Fisheries. Vice-project coordinator; responsible for scientific support of research projects in developing countries. |
1987 - 1993 | Wageningen University | Department of Fish Culture and Fisheries. Ph.D. - student |
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REFORM - Restoring Rivers for Effective Catchment Management
Europe, 2011 - Present
EC FP7 (Grant no 282656). Role Project coördinator.
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EFI+ - Extending the European Fish Index
Europe, 2007 - 2009
(EC-FP6). Role: chair of the advisory board; scientific partner.
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Directorate General for Water
The Netherlands, 2006 - 2010
• Directorate General for Water, Rijkswaterstaat: policy-supporting consultancy and research on ecological issues. Role: project coordinator
• Knowledge strategy Ecology & Water-relate nature (2008). Role: organisator
• Intercalibration (see abroad); Benelux Order free fish migration). Role: national representative
• Support fish-related policy issues e.g. prioritising fish migration routes, fish guidance for hydropower. Role: project coordinator, consultant -
Changing flood pulse dynamics and their impact on fish recruitment in large rivers
Russian Federation, 2005 - 2009
Volga, Russia
Research project financed by NWO. Role: project employee -
Rijkswaterstaat: Implementation WFD (metrics, monitoring measures, effectiveness of measures, climate-proof, GEP for heavily modified and artificial large water bodies)
The Netherlands, 2005 - present
Roles: coordinator (2005 -2009); specialist regarding fish as ecological indicator
Quality assurance (2010 – Present) -
AME Fish-Based Assessment for the Ecological State of European Rivers (EC-FP 5)
Europe, 2002 - 2004
Role: applied partner
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Ecology of Floodplain Lakes
The Netherlands, 1998 - 2002
Cooperation between RWS-RIZA and Wageningen University to identify steering variables, that influence the ecological states of floodplain lakes along the River Rhine. This to develop guidelines for conservation and rehabilitation.
Role: project leader. -
Evaluation of the Rehabilitation of the Ven Duna side channel
Hungary, 1997 - 2002
Gemenc National Park, Donau
Cooperation with Vituki (Budapest)
Role: project leader
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Opportunities for rheophilic fish
The Netherlands, 1996 - 2001
Cooperation between RWS-RIZA, Wageningen University en the Organisation for Improvement of Inland Fisheries. Assessing the potential of river rehabilitation projects for fish communities in large lowland rivers.
Role: project leader. -
Ecological rehabilitation of polders and evaluation of the ecological state of lakes in the Danube delta
Rumania, 1994 - 2003
Interdisciplinaire cooperation between the Danube Delta National Institute, the Danube Delta Biosphere Reserve Authority en RWS-RIZA.
2002-2003: project leader
994-2001: project employee
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Fish recruitment in a large, temperate floodplain: the importance of annual flooding, temperature and habitat complexity
2011
Górski, K., J.J. De Leeuw, H.V. Winter, D.A. Vekhov, A.E. Minin, A.D. Buijse & L.A.J. Nagelkerke (2011). Freshwater Biology. 56: 2210–2225. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2427.2011.02647. -
Post-damming flow regime development in a large lowland river (Volga, Russian Federation)
2011
Górski, K., L.V. Van Den Bosch, K.E. Van De Wolfshaar, H. Middelkoop, L.A.J. Nagelkerke, O.V. Filippov, D.V. Zolotarev, D.A. Vekhov, S.V. Yakovlev, A.E. Minin, H.V. Winter, J.J. De Leeuw, A.D. Buijse & J.A.J. Verreth (2011) Implications for floodplain inundation and fisheries. River Research and Applications DOI: 10.1002/rra.1499 -
Trophic gradients in a large-river delta: ecological structure determined by connectivity gradients in the Danube Delta (Romania)
2008
Coops, H., L.L. Buijse, A.D. Buijse, A. Constantinescu, S. Covaliov, J. Hanganu, B.W. Ibelings, G. Menting, I. Navodaru, W. Oosterberg, M. Staras & L. Török (2008). River research & applications 24: 698–709. -
Fast response of lake plankton and nutrients to river inundations on floodplain lakes
2008
Roozen, F.C.J.M., E.T.H.M. Peeters, R. Roijackers, I. van den Wyngaert, H. Wolters, H. de Coninck, B.W. Ibelings, A.D. Buijse & M. Scheffer (2008). River research & applications 24: 388–406. -
Challenges in developing fish-based ecological assessment methods for large floodplain rivers
2007
Leeuw, J. J. de, A.D. Buijse, G. Haidvogl, M. Lapinska, R. Noble, R. Repecka, T. Virbickas, W. Wiśniewolski & C. Wolter (2007). Fisheries Management and Ecology 14: 483–494. -
Rehabilitating large regulated rivers
2005
Buijse, A.D., F. Klijn, R.S.E.W. Leuven, H. Middelkoop, F. Schiemer, J.H. Thorp & H.P. Wolfert [eds.] (2005) Archiv für Hydrobiologie Supplement 155 (Large Rivers 15). 738 pp. -
Succession of aquatic vegetation driven by reduced water-level fluctuations in floodplain lakes
2005
Geest, G. J. van, H. Coops; R.M.M. Roijackers; A.D. Buijse & M. Scheffer (2005). Journal of Applied Ecology 42: 251-260. -
Vegetation abundance in lowland floodplain lakes determined by surface area, age and connectivity
2003
Geest, G.J. van, F.C.J.M. Roozen, H. Coops, R.M.M. Roijackers, A.D. Buijse, E.T.H.M. Peeters & M. Scheffer. 2003. Freshwater Biology 48: 440-454. -
Suitable habitats for 0-group fish in rehabilitated floodplains along the lower River Rhine
2003
Suitable habitats for 0-group fish in rehabilitated floodplains along the lower River Rhine
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Lake age and water level affect turbidity of floodplain lakes along the lower Rhine
2003
Roozen, F.C.J.M., G.J. van Geest, B.W. Ibelings, R. Roijackers, M. Scheffer & A.D. Buijse. 2003. Freshwater Biology 48: 519-531.
Activities
2011- present | member Steering group | The Netherlands. Dutch Platform Stream and River Restoration. |
2011- present | PresentDeltares research coordinator eco-engineering | The Netherlands. |
2008 - 2010 | Deltares Deputy head of the department of Freshwater Ecology and Water Quality | The Netherlands. |
2006 - 2008 | coordinator lowland-midland GIG, national representative | Europe. WFD - Intercalibration River Fish. |
2006 - 2008 | Secretary | the Netherlands. Interministerial Directors Consultation regarding fish-related issues. |
2002 -2005 | Coordinator | ‘Rehabilitating large regulated rivers’. Organising an international conference and guest-editor of peer-reviewed proceedings. |
2006 - 2010 | National epresentative | Belgium. Benelux expert group fish migration. |
1998 - 2009 | expert group fish; role: Netherlands representative | Germany. International Commission for Protection of the Rhine (expert group fish; role: Netherlands representative) |