Prof. Dr. Thorsten Balke
Kontakt
Institut für Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften (IBU) (» Postanschrift)
Prof. Dr. Thorsten Balke
Lebenslauf
Laufbahn:
2024 – Professor (W3) für Vegetationsökologie und Naturschutz, Institut für
Biologie und Umweltwissenschaften, Carl von Ossietzky Universität
Oldenburg
2016 – 2023 Lecturer/Senior Lecturer/ Reader in Physical Geography and Landscape
Ecology (1fte) School of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of Glasgow, Schottland
2014 - 2015 Postdoc (1fte), BEFmate project, Carl von Ossietzky Universität
Oldenburg
2013 - 2014 Researcher /Advisor (0.8 fte) Deltares, Delft, Niederlande
2013 - 2014 Postdoc (0.2 fte) NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, Yerseke, Niederlande
2009 - 2013 Junior Researcher (1fte), Deltares, Niederlande (inkl. 1 Jahr Gastwissenschaftler an der National University of Singapore)
Ausbildung:
2013 Dr. der Naturwissenschaften, Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen, Niederlande
2009 Diplom Geograph, Leibniz Universität Hannover
Drittmittelprojekte:
2025
Synthesis Area 1 Lead within the DynaCom DFG Research Unit (2026-2027) Spatial community ecology: searching for ecological transitions along gentle landscape gradients
2024
Co-I and WP lead on BMBF/NWO funded project SedWay (2024-2028) Safeguarding the natural sedimentary processes in the Wadden Sea for biodiversity and people
Co-I on MWK funded project CoastAdapt (2024-2028): Wissens- und Innovationsökosystem „Küsteningenieurwesen & Küstenforschung“
2022
Co-I and WP2 lead NERC funded project GALLANT (2022-2027) Delivering a Climate Resilient City through City-University Partnership: Glasgow as a Living Lab Accelerating Novel Transformation
PI on University of Glasgow 'Reinvigorating Research' grant (2022) A plant functional trait approach to Nature-based Solutions
2021
PI on Marine Alliance for Science & Technology for Scotland funded project (2021): How vulnerable are Scottish loch-head marshes to climate change?
2019
Co-I on Global Challenges Research Fund Living Deltas Hub (2019-2024)
Work Package 4: Develop delta-level interventions to respond to and mitigate against foreseeable coastal system tipping points
Co-I on Volkswagen Foundation (off-the-beaten-track) project: Grafted Root Interaction Networks: Kropotkin’s garden: Networking beats competition in the struggle for limited resources (2019-2021)
2018
Carnegie Trust Research Incentive Grant: Plant phenology and coastal dynamics in a changing climate (Scotland) (2018-2019)
Co-I on EU H2020 HYDRALAB+ access grant for a large scale flume experiment: Hydrodynamics at coastal wetland edges (2018)
University of Glasgow Rewards for Excellence Developing sensors for long-term monitoring of mechanical stress on intertidal plants (2018)
2017
Co-I on NERC/Newton Fund project: MOnitoring Mangrove ExteNT & Services (MOMENTS): What is controlling Tipping Points? (Indonesia, Vietnam: 2017-2020)
Lehrveranstaltungen
Wintersemester 2025 / 2026
5.03.112
Ökologie der Pflanzen
Nicht abgeschlossene Abschlussarbeitsthemen
Bachelor oder Master
- Participitation in the CoastAdapt or SedWay projectStatus: verfügbar, Kontakt: Prof. Dr. Thorsten Balke
- Plants in stormsStatus: verfügbar, Kontakt: Prof. Dr. Thorsten Balke
- Reed in front of Wadden Sea dykesStatus: verfügbar, Kontakt: Prof. Dr. Thorsten Balke
- Urban Nature-based SolutionsStatus: verfügbar, Kontakt: Prof. Dr. Thorsten Balke
Master
- Monitoring plant movements using accelerometer technologyStatus: verfügbar, Kontakt: Prof. Dr. Thorsten Balke
Publikationen
please see Google Scholar profile for up to date publication list
Ambarita, S.T.P., Basyuni, M., Sulistyono, N., Wati, R., Fitri, A., Slamet, B., Balke, T., Bunting, P., Munir, E., 2018. Landscape planning and economic valuation of mangrove ecotourism using gis and google earth image. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Information Technology 96, 6306–6317.
Balke, T., Bouma, T.J., Herman, P.M.J., Horstman, E.M., Sudtongkong, C., Webb, E.L., 2013a. Cross-shore gradients of physical disturbance in mangroves: Implications for seedling establishment. Biogeosciences 10, 5411–5419. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-5411-2013
Balke, T., Bouma, T.J., Horstman, E.M., Webb, E.L., Erftemeijer, P.L.A., Herman, P.M.J., 2011. Windows of opportunity: Thresholds to mangrove seedling establishment on tidal flats. Marine Ecology Progress Series 440, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps09364
Balke, T., Friess, D.A., 2016. Geomorphic knowledge for mangrove restoration: A pan-tropical categorization. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms 41, 231–239. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3841
Balke, T., Herman, P.M.J., Bouma, T.J., 2014. Critical transitions in disturbance-driven ecosystems: Identifying windows of opportunity for recovery. Journal of Ecology 102, 700–708. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2745.12241
Balke, T., Klaassen, P.C., Garbutt, A., Van der Wal, D., Herman, P.M.J., Bouma, T.J., 2012. Conditional outcome of ecosystem engineering: A case study on tussocks of the salt marsh pioneer Spartina anglica. Geomorphology 153–154, 232–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2012.03.002
Balke, T., Lõhmus, K., Hillebrand, H., Zielinski, O., Haynert, K., Meier, D., Hodapp, D., Minden, V., Kleyer, M., 2017. Experimental salt marsh islands: A model system for novel metacommunity experiments. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 198, 288–298. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2017.09.021
Balke, T., Nilsson, C., 2019. Increasing Synchrony of Annual River-Flood Peaks and Growing Season in Europe. Geophysical Research Letters 46, 10446–10453. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL084612
Balke, T., Stock, M., Jensen, K., Bouma, T.J., Kleyer, M., 2016. A global analysis of the seaward salt marsh extent: The importance of tidal range. Water Resources Research 52, 3775–3786. https://doi.org/10.1002/2015WR018318
Balke, T., Swales, A., Lovelock, C.E., Herman, P.M.J., Bouma, T.J., 2015. Limits to seaward expansion of mangroves: Translating physical disturbance mechanisms into seedling survival gradients. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 467, 16–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2015.02.015
Balke, T., Vovides, A., Schwarz, C., L. Chmura, G., Ladd, C., Basyuni, M., 2021. Monitoring tidal hydrology in coastal wetlands with the “mini Buoy”: Applications for mangrove restoration. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences 25, 1229–1244. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1229-2021
Balke, T., Vovides, A.G., Ladd, C.J., Huxham, M., 2023. The coastal conservation narrative is shifting from crisis to ecosystem services. Marine Biodiversity 53. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-022-01304-1
Balke, T., Webb, E.L., van den Elzen, E., Galli, D., Herman, P.M.J., Bouma, T.J., 2013b. Seedling establishment in a dynamic sedimentary environment: A conceptual framework using mangroves. Journal of Applied Ecology 50, 740–747. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2664.12067
Banerjee, S., Ladd, C.J.T., Chanda, A., Shil, S., Ghosh, T., Large, A., Balke, T., 2023. Securing the sustainable future of tropical deltas through mangrove restoration: Lessons from the Indian Sundarban. One Earth 6, 190–194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2023.02.015
Basyuni, M., Bimantara, Y., Cuc, N.T.K., Balke, T., Vovides, A.G., 2022. Macrozoobenthic community assemblage as key indicator for mangrove restoration success in North Sumatra and Aceh, Indonesia. Restoration Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/rec.13614
Basyuni, M., Gultom, K., Fitri, A., Susetya, I.E., Wati, R., Slamet, B., Sulistiyono, N., Yusriani, E., Balke, T.,
Bunting, P., 2018. Diversity and habitat characteristics of macrozoobenthos in the mangrove forest of Lubuk Kertang Village, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 19, 311–317. https://doi.org/10.13057/biodiv/d190142
Bouma, T.J., Temmerman, S., van Duren, L.A., Martini, E., Vandenbruwaene, W., Callaghan, D.P., Balke, T., Biermans, G., Klaassen, P.C., van Steeg, P., Dekker, F., van de Koppel, J., de Vries, M.B., Herman, P.M.J., 2013. Organism traits determine the strength of scale-dependent bio-geomorphic feedbacks: A flume study on three intertidal plant species. Geomorphology 180–181, 57–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2012.09.005
Bouma, T.J., van Belzen, J., Balke, T., van Dalen, J., Klaassen, P., Hartog, A.M., Callaghan, D.P., Hu, Z., Stive, M.J.F., Temmerman, S., Herman, P.M.J., 2016. Short-term mudflat dynamics drive long-term cyclic salt marsh dynamics. Limnology and Oceanography 61, 2261–2275. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10374
Bouma, T.J., van Belzen, J., Balke, T., Zhu, Z., Airoldi, L., Blight, A.J., Davies, A.J., Galvan, C., Hawkins, S.J., Hoggart, S.P.G., Lara, J.L., Losada, I.J., Maza, M., Ondiviela, B., Skov, M.W., Strain, E.M., Thompson, R.C., Yang, S., Zanuttigh, B., Zhang, L., Herman, P.M.J., 2014. Identifying knowledge gaps hampering application of intertidal habitats in coastal protection: Opportunities & steps to take. Coastal Engineering 87, 147–157. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coastaleng.2013.11.014
Cao, H., Zhu, Z., Balke, T., Zhang, L., Bouma, T.J., 2018. Effects of sediment disturbance regimes on Spartina seedling establishment: Implications for salt marsh creation and restoration. Limnology and Oceanography 63, 647–659. https://doi.org/10.1002/lno.10657
Corenblit, D., Baas, A., Balke, T., Bouma, T., Fromard, F., Garófano-Gómez, V., González, E., Gurnell, A.M., Hortobágyi, B., Julien, F., Kim, D., Lambs, L., Stallins, J.A., Steiger, J., Tabacchi, E., Walcker, R., 2015. Engineer pioneer plants respond to and affect geomorphic constraints similarly along water-terrestrial interfaces world-wide. Global Ecology and Biogeography 24, 1363–1376. https://doi.org/10.1111/geb.12373
Cremin, E., Ladd, C.J.T., Balke, T., Banerjee, S., Bui, L.H., Ghosh, T., Large, A., Thi Van Le, H., Nguyen, K.V., Nguyen, L.X., Nguyen, T.T.N., Nguyen, V., Pal, I., Szabo, S., Tran, H., Sebesvari, Z., Khan, S.A., Renaud, F.G., 2024. Causes and consequences of tipping points in river delta social–ecological systems. Ambio 53, 1015–1036. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-023-01978-2
Curnick, D.J., Pettorelli, N., Amir, A.A., Balke, T., Barbier, E.B., Crooks, S., Dahdouh-Guebas, F., Duncan, C., Endsor, C., Friess, D.A., Quarto, A., Zimmer, M., Lee, S.Y., 2019. The value of small mangrove patches. Science 363, 239. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aaw0809
Cziesielski, M.J., Duarte, C.M., Aalismail, N., Al-Hafedh, Y., Anton, A., Baalkhuyur, F., Baker, A.C., Balke, T., Baums, I.B., Berumen, M., Chalastani, V.I., Cornwell, B., Daffonchio, D., Diele, K., Farooq, E., Gattuso, J.-P., He, S., Lovelock, C.E., Mcleod, E., Macreadie, P.I., Marba, N., Martin, C., Muniz-Barreto, M., Kadinijappali, K.P., Prihartato, P., Rabaoui, L., Saderne, V., Schmidt-Roach, S., Suggett, D.J., Sweet, M., Statton, J., Teicher, S., Trevathan-Tackett, S.M., Joydas, T.V., Yahya, R., Aranda, M., 2021. Investing in Blue Natural Capital to Secure a Future for the Red Sea Ecosystems. Frontiers in Marine Science 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.603722
Dahdouh-Guebas, F., Ajonina, G.N., Amir, A.A., Andradi-Brown, D.A., Aziz, I., Balke, T., Barbier, E.B., Cannicci, S., Cragg, S.M., Cunha-Lignon, M., Curnick, D.J., Duarte, C.M., Duke, N.C., Endsor, C., Fratini, S., Feller, I.C., Fromard, F., Hugé, J., Huxham, M., Kairo, J.G., Kajita, T., Kathiresan, K., Koedam, N., Lee, S.Y., Lin, H.-J., Mackenzie, J.R., Mangora, M.M., Marchand, C., Meziane, T., Minchinton, T.E., Pettorelli, N., Polanía, J., Polgar, G., Poti, M., Primavera, J., Quarto, A., Rog, S.M., Satyanarayana, B., Schaeffer-Novelli, Y., Spalding, M., Van der Stocken, T., Wodehouse, D., Yong, J.W.H., Zimmer, M., Friess, D.A., 2020. Public Perceptions of Mangrove Forests Matter for Their Conservation. Frontiers in Marine Science 7. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2020.603651
Ebeler, L., Balke, T., Laurie, E., Le, H., Nguyen, T., Renaud, F.G., 2025. Local-scale impacts of mangrove restoration and conservation on coastal communities in two Vietnamese deltas: Socio-economic and institutional dynamics. Ocean and Coastal Management 269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2025.107812
Fitri, A., Basyuni, M., Wati, R., Sulistiyono, N., Slamet, B., Harahap, Z.A., Balke, T., Bunting, P., 2018. Management of mangrove ecosystems for increasing fisheries production in Lubuk Kertang village, North Sumatra, Indonesia. AACL Bioflux 11, 1252–1264.
Friess, D.A., Krauss, K.W., Horstman, E.M., Balke, T., Bouma, T.J., Galli, D., Webb, E.L., 2012. Are all intertidal wetlands naturally created equal? Bottlenecks, thresholds and knowledge gaps to mangrove and saltmarsh ecosystems. Biological Reviews 87, 346–366. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-185X.2011.00198.x
Gain, A.K., Rahman, M.M., Sadik, M.S., Adnan, M.S.G., Ahmad, S., Ahsan, S.M.M., Ashik-Ur-Rahman, M., Balke, T., Datta, D.K., Dewan, C., Huq, N., Khan, M.S.A., Large, A., Mallick, B., Mohibbullah, M., Mondal, M.S., Narayan, S., Rabbani, G., Rahman, R., Renaud, F.G., Rogers, K.G., Van Loon-Steensma, J.M., 2022. Overcoming challenges for implementing nature-based solutions in deltaic environments: Insights from the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh. Environmental Research Letters 17. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac740a
Gijsman, R., Horstman, E.M., Swales, A., Balke, T., Willemsen, P.W.J.M., van der Wal, D., Wijnberg, K.M., 2024. Biophysical Modeling of Mangrove Seedling Establishment and Survival Across an Elevation Gradient With Forest Zones. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 129. https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JF007664
Horstman, E., Dohmen-Janssen, M., Narra, P., Van Den Berg, N.-J., Siemerink, M., Balke, T., Bouma, T., Hulscher, S., 2012. Wave attenuation in mangrove forests; field data obtained in trang, Thailand. Presented at the Proceedings of the Coastal Engineering Conference.
Horstman, E.M., Balke, T., Bouma, T.J., Dohmen-Janssen, C.M., Hulscher, S.J.M.H., 2010. Optimizing methods to measure hydrodynamics in coastal wetlands: Evaluating the use and positioning of ADV, ADCP and HR-ADCP. Presented at the Proceedings of the Coastal Engineering Conference.
Hu, Z., Van Belzen, J., Van Der Wal, D., Balke, T., Wang, Z.B., Stive, M., Bouma, T.J., 2015. Windows of opportunity for salt marsh vegetation establishment on bare tidal flats: The importance of temporal and spatial variability in hydrodynamic forcing. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 120, 1450–1469. https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JG002870
Ladd, C.J.T., Vovides, A.G., Wimmler, M.-C., Schwarz, C., Balke, T., 2024. Monitoring tides, currents, and waves along coastal habitats using the Mini Buoy. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods 22, 619–633. https://doi.org/10.1002/lom3.10631
Gillis L, G., Maza, M., Garcia-Maribona, J., Lara, J.L., Suzuki, T., Argemi Cierco, M., Paul, M., Folkard, A.M., Balke, T., 2022. Living on the edge: How traits of ecosystem engineers drive bio-physical interactions at coastal wetland edges. Advances in Water Resources 166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2022.104257
Lõhmus, K., Balke, T., Kleyer, M., 2020. Spatial and temporal patterns of initial plant establishment in salt marsh communities. Journal of Vegetation Science 31, 1124–1134. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvs.12915
Mallon, J., Banaszak, A.T., Donachie, L., Exton, D., Cyronak, T., Balke, T., Bass, A.M., 2022. A low-cost benthic incubation chamber for in-situ community metabolism measurements. PeerJ 10. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.13116
Pétillon, J., McKinley, E., Alexander, M., Adams, J.B., Angelini, C., Balke, T., Griffin, J.N., Bouma, T., Hacker, S., He, Q., Hensel, M.J.S., Ibáñez, C., Macreadie, P.I., Martino, S., Sharps, E., Ballinger, R., de Battisti, D., Beaumont, N., Burdon, D., Daleo, P., D’Alpaos, A., Duggan-Edwards, M., Garbutt, A., Jenkins, S., Ladd, C.J.T., Lewis, H., Mariotti, G., McDermott, O., Mills, R., Möller, I., Nolte, S., Pagès, J.F., Silliman, B., Zhang, L.,
Skov, M.W., 2023. Top ten priorities for global saltmarsh restoration, conservation and ecosystem service research. Science of the Total Environment 898. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165544
Rahman, M.F., Ladd, C.J.T., Large, A., Banerjee, S., Vovides, A.G., Henderson, A.C.G., Renaud, F.G., Balke, T., Wood, L., Le, H., Huq, S., 2023. Locally led adaptation is key to ending deforestation. One Earth 6, 81–85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2023.01.011
Redelstein, R., Zotz, G., Balke, T., 2018. Seedling stability in waterlogged sediments: An experiment with saltmarsh plants. Marine Ecology Progress Series 590, 95–108. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps12463
Stolpmann, L.M., Balke, T., Bass, A.M., 2025. Sediment to atmosphere CO2 efflux increases at retreating salt marsh edges. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109129
Van Der Stocken, T., De Ryck, D.J.R., Balke, T., Bouma, T.J., Dahdouh-Guebas, F., Koedam, N., 2013. The role of wind in hydrochorous mangrove propagule dispersal. Biogeosciences 10, 3635–3647. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-10-3635-2013
van Wesenbeeck, B.K., Balke, T., van Eijk, P., Tonneijck, F., Siry, H.Y., Rudianto, M.E., Winterwerp, J.C., 2015. Aquaculture induced erosion of tropical coastlines throws coastal communities back into poverty. Ocean and Coastal Management 116, 466–469. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2015.09.004
Vandenbruwaene, W., Temmerman, S., Bouma, T.J., Klaassen, P.C., De Vries, M.B., Callaghan, D.P., Van Steeg, P., Dekker, F., Van Duren, L.A., Martini, E., Balke, T., Biermans, G., Schoelynck, J., Meire, P., 2011. Flow interaction with dynamic vegetation patches: Implications for biogeomorphic evolution of a tidal landscape. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface 116. https://doi.org/10.1029/2010JF001788
Vovides, A.G., Basyuni, M., Bimantara, Y., Slamet, B., Sulistiyono, N., Balke, T., 2025. Abiotic drivers of mudflat colonization by mangroves in Indonesia: a knowledge base to support ecological restoration. Bulletin of Marine Science 101, 1341–1357. https://doi.org/10.5343/bms.2024.0019
Vovides, A.G., Berger, U., Balke, T., 2020. Morphological plasticity and survival thresholds of mangrove plants growing in active sedimentary environments, in: Dynamic Sedimentary Environments of Mangrove Coasts. pp. 121–140. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-816437-2.00025-2
Vovides, A.G., Wimmler, M.-C., Schrewe, F., Balke, T., Zwanzig, M., Piou, C., Delay, E., López-Portillo, J.,
Berger, U., 2021. Cooperative root graft networks benefit mangrove trees under stress. Communications Biology 4. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-021-02044-x
Zielinski, O., Meier, D., Lõhmus, K., Balke, T., Kleyer, M., Hillebrand, H., 2018. Environmental conditions of a salt-marsh biodiversity experiment on the island of Spiekeroog (Germany). Earth System Science Data 10, 1843–1858. https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-10-1843-2018