Elaine van Ommen Kloeke

Research interest

Science is an endless quest for knowledge to unravel the many mysteries of nature.

My interests for ecology lie within a broad range of research areas varying from single species ecology to community structures and risk assessment. Each aspect has its own importance as ‘a piece of the puzzle’ and requires its own research approach. For me, combining different research areas and techniques is the most exciting challenge and will, hopefully, also lead to greater understanding of nature and how to cherish it by our society.

At the moment the creepy crawlies such as worms, woodlice and springtails are my model organisms as they represent functions which are essential for a healthy soil ecosystem.

Selected Publications

Van Ommen Kloeke, A.E.E., J.C. Douma, J.C. Ordoñez, P.B. Reich and P.M. van Bodegom. (2011) Global quantification of contrasting leaf life span strategies for deciduous and evergreen species in response to environmental conditions. Global Ecology and Biogeography, DOI: 10.1111/j.1466-8238.2011.00667.x

Research project

Effects of genetically modified crops with elevated glucosinolate levels on function and diversity of non-target soil invertebrates

Soil invertebrates that belong to the detrital food web are essential for proper soil ecosystem functioning. As such, they control carbon and nutrient flows and stimulate plant nutrient uptake. Glucosinolates (GSL) are naturally occurring toxins found in many Brassica species, e.g. broccoli and cabage. As GSL are considered to have beneficial nutritional properties for humans, novel crop varieties (Genetically modified and non-GM) with enhanced levels of these compounds are likely to be introduced in the future. Plants containing elevated GSL levels (already used for biofumigation) are, however, known to have a detrimental effect on soil decomposers and might also be harmful to essential non-target soil invertebrates. This study focuses on the effects of elevated GSL on the detritus food web.

Research questions:
1. What is the environmental effect of GLS and its hydrolysis products on soil invertebrates?
à Ecotoxicology: Survival and reproduction

2. Can specific gene expression markers be identified caused by elevated GLS compounds
à Ecogenomics: microarrays

3. What are the direct and indirect effects of high GLS plants on community structure and soil functioning?
à Community ecology: biofumigation & mesocosms

Soil invertebrates used: Folsomia candida (springtail), Eisenia andrei (earthworm), Porcellio scaber (woodlice) and Protaphorura fimata (springtail, herbivore).

       

Duration: Four years (December 2008-December 2012)
Funding organisation: Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research

Participants:                  
Elaine van Ommen Kloeke, Dick Roelofs, Jacintha Ellers