Conservation demography and annual-cycle limitation
We estimate demographic processes that cannot be observed directly, such as survival, recruitment, reproductive status and life-history stages that shape population trajectories.
Read moreResearch group · IBED, University of Amsterdam
Ecological Inference for Conservation
Movement, demography and animal-borne monitoring for conservation under uncertainty.
We study how animals move, survive and reproduce in changing environments, and how ecological uncertainty can be turned into better conservation decisions.
Led by Eldar Rakhimberdiev at the Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam.
Research
From animal movement to conservation decisions
Movement ecology and behavioural inference
We use tracking and biologging data to infer behavioural modes, movement decisions, resource use and exposure to environmental conditions.
Read moreAnimal-borne monitoring and sentinel indicators
We explore how animal-borne data can reveal environmental exposure, behavioural change and vulnerability in ways that complement conventional monitoring.
Read moreDeveloping direction: ecological inference for conservation decisions
We are developing ways to connect demographic models, movement-based indicators and uncertainty-aware forecasts more directly to conservation and monitoring decisions.
Read moreCollaborate
Work with us
We work with researchers, conservation organisations, public bodies and students on questions where animal movement, demographic data and ecological uncertainty matter for conservation or monitoring.
Common ingredients
- Animal tracking and movement data
- Demographic and capture-recapture models
- Ecological indicators and dashboards
- Decision support under uncertainty
Projects
Active and developing work
Waakvogels
Waakvogels uses tracking data from migratory birds to make ecological change in the Wadden Sea more visible. The UvA contribution focuses on movement-pattern analysis, sentinel indicators, demographic modelling and dashboard tools for researchers and managers.
animal-borne monitoringmovement ecologysentinel indicators
Godwit chick survival
This project studies why black-tailed godwit chicks fail to survive and how landscape structure, food, predation and management shape population recovery. The UvA contribution focuses on spatially explicit demographic modelling and management-relevant population outcomes.
black-tailed godwitchick survivalspatial demography
Vector-borne disease
This collaboration studies how climate change, salinisation, water management and wetland development may affect mosquitoes, birds, pathogens and vector-borne disease risk in the Dutch delta.
preparednessdisease ecologybird distributions
Seabird behaviour and offshore wind
This UvA PhD project studies how environmental conditions and human pressures shape seabird behaviour in the North Sea. The work focuses on lesser black-backed gull movement and biologging data to classify foraging strategies and understand how seabirds use dynamic marine environments relevant to offshore wind development.
lesser black-backed gullsNorth Seaoffshore wind
Selected publications
Recent outputs
Publication records are data-driven and can be updated from a simple YAML file, with a BibTeX export available for public sharing.
All publicationsDemand‐Resource Mismatch Explains Body Shrinkage in a Migratory Shorebird
Oortwijn, T.; Lameris, T. K.; Zhemchuzhnikov, M. K.; Dekinga, A.; Ten Horn, J.; Kutcherov, D.; Lisovski, S.; Piersma, T.; Rakhimberdiev, E.; Soloviev, M. Y.; Spaans, B.; Syroechkovsky, E. E.; Tomkovich, P. S.; Zhemchuzhnikova, E.; Van Gils, J. A. Demand‐Resource Mismatch Explains Body Shrinkage in a Migratory Shorebird. Global Change Biology 2025, 31 (4), e70170.
Global Temperature Homogenization Can Obliterate Temporal Isolation in Migratory Animals with Potential Loss of Population Structure
Bom, R. A.; Piersma, T.; Alves, J. A.; Rakhimberdiev, E. Global Temperature Homogenization Can Obliterate Temporal Isolation in Migratory Animals with Potential Loss of Population Structure. Global Change Biology 2024, 30 (1), e17069.
Arriving Late and Lean at a Stopover Site Is Selected against in a Declining Migratory Bird Population
Peng, H.; Ma, Z.; Rakhimberdiev, E.; van Gils, J. A.; Battley, P. F.; Rogers, D. I.; Choi, C.; Wu, W.; Feng, X.; Ma, Q.; Hua, N.; Minton, C.; Hassell, C. J.; Piersma, T. Arriving Late and Lean at a Stopover Site Is Selected against in a Declining Migratory Bird Population. Journal of Animal Ecology 2023, 92 (10), 2109–2118.
Misidentification Errors in Reencounters Result in Biased Estimates of Survival Probability from CJS Models: Evidence and a Solution Using the Robust Design
Rakhimberdiev, E.; Karagicheva, J.; Saveliev, A.; Loonstra, A. H. J.; Verhoeven, M. A.; Hooijmeijer, J. C. E. W.; Schaub, M.; Piersma, T. Misidentification Errors in Reencounters Result in Biased Estimates of Survival Probability from CJS Models: Evidence and a Solution Using the Robust Design. Methods Ecol Evol 2022, 13 (5), 1106–1118.
Fuelling Conditions at Staging Sites Can Mitigate Arctic Warming Effects in a Migratory Bird
Rakhimberdiev, E.; Duijns, S.; Karagicheva, J.; Camphuysen, C. J.; VRS Castricum; Van Loon, A.; Wijker, A.; Keijl, G.; Levering, H.; Jan Visser; Heemskerk, L.; Knijnsberg, L.; Van Roomen, M.; Ruiters, P.; Admiraal, P.; Veldt, P.; Reijnders, R.; Beentjes, W.; Dekinga, A.; Dekker, R.; Gavrilov, A.; Ten Horn, J.; Jukema, J.; Saveliev, A.; Soloviev, M.; Tibbitts, T. L.; Van Gils, J. A.; Piersma, T. Fuelling Conditions at Staging Sites Can Mitigate Arctic Warming Effects in a Migratory Bird. Nat Commun 2018, 9 (1), 4263.