Hilbran Verstraete
Research Institute for Nature and Forest
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Publication
Featured researches published by Hilbran Verstraete.
Hydrobiologia | 2015
Nicolas Vanermen; Thierry Onkelinx; Wouter Courtens; Marc Van De Walle; Hilbran Verstraete; Eric Stienen
Through before–after control-impact designed ship-based seabird surveys, seabird displacement occurring after the installation of an offshore wind farm at the Belgian Bligh Bank in 2010 was studied. Results demonstrate that northern gannet (Morus bassanus), common guillemot (Uria aalge) and razorbill (Alca torda) avoided the wind farm area, and decreased in abundance with 85, 71 and 64%, respectively. Lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) and herring gull (Larus argentatus) were attracted to the wind farm, and their numbers increased by a factor 5.3 and 9.5. Other gull species too were found to frequent the turbine-built area, most notably common gull (Larus canus), black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) and great black-backed gull (Larus marinus). The ecological incentives behind the observed attraction effects are still poorly understood, but on top of the increase in roosting possibilities it is plausible that offshore wind farms offer enhanced feeding opportunities. Importantly, attraction of seabirds to offshore wind farms implies an increased collision risk.
ZooKeys | 2016
Eric Stienen; Peter Desmet; Bart Aelterman; Wouter Courtens; Simon Feys; Nicolas Vanermen; Hilbran Verstraete; Marc Van De Walle; Klaas Deneudt; Francisco Hernandez; Robin Houthoofdt; B. Vanhoorne; Willem Bouten; Roland-Jan Buijs; Marwa M. Kavelaars; Wendt Müller; David Herman; Hans Matheve; Alejandro Sotillo; Luc Lens
Abstract In this data paper, Bird tracking - GPS tracking of Lesser Black-backed Gulls and Herring Gulls breeding at the southern North Sea coast is described, a species occurrence dataset published by the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO). The dataset (version 5.5) contains close to 2.5 million occurrences, recorded by 101 GPS trackers mounted on 75 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 26 Herring Gulls breeding at the Belgian and Dutch coast. The trackers were developed by the University of Amsterdam Bird Tracking System (UvA-BiTS, http://www.uva-bits.nl). These automatically record and transmit bird movements, which allows us and others to study their habitat use and migration behaviour in great detail. Our bird tracking network is operational since 2013. It is funded for LifeWatch by the Hercules Foundation and maintained in collaboration with UvA-BiTS and the Flanders Marine Institute (VLIZ). The recorded data are periodically released in bulk as open data (http://dataset.inbo.be/bird-tracking-gull-occurrences), and are also accessible through CartoDB and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF).
Bird Study | 2014
Ruben C. Fijn; Pim Wolf; Wouter Courtens; Hilbran Verstraete; Eric Stienen; Lech Iliszko; M.J.M. Poot
Capsule Multiple tracking methods (colour-rings, plumage-markings and GPS-loggers) revealed that adult Sandwich Terns Thalasseus sandvicensis from the Netherlands showed prospecting behaviour in other colonies within Northwest Europe. Birds were recorded from a few kilometres to over 850 km away and in different countries around the Southern North Sea. Our data suggest large-scale connectivity between Northwest European Sandwich Tern colonies. Such connectivity is potentially of great importance when modelling the population structure of this species.
Marine Pollution Bulletin | 2017
Eric Stienen; Wouter Courtens; Marc Van De Walle; Nicolas Vanermen; Hilbran Verstraete
Trends in oil rates of beached seabirds reflect temporal and spatial patterns in chronic oil pollution at sea. We analysed a long-term dataset of systematic beached bird surveys along the Belgian North Sea coast during 1962-2015, where extreme high oil contamination rates and consequently high mortality rates of seabirds during the 1960s used to coincide with intensive ship traffic. In the 1960s, >90% of all swimming seabirds that washed ashore were contaminated with oil and estimated oil-induced mortality of seabirds was probably several times higher than natural mortality. More than 50years later oil rates of seabirds have dropped to historically low levels while shipping is still very intense, indicating that chronic oil pollution has significantly declined. The declining trend is discussed in the light of a series of legislative measures that were enacted in the North Sea region to reduce oil pollution.
Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences | 2012
Nicolas Vanermen; Eric Stienen; Thierry Onkelinx; Wouter Courtens; Marc Van De Walle; Pieter Verschelde; Hilbran Verstraete
Hydrobiologia | 2015
Nicolas Vanermen; Thierry Onkelinx; Pieter Verschelde; Wouter Courtens; Marc Van De Walle; Hilbran Verstraete; Eric Stienen
Rapporten van het Instituut voor Natuur- en Bosonderzoek | 2013
Nicolas Vanermen; Eric Stienen; Wouter Courtens; Thierry Onkelinx; M. Van de walle; Hilbran Verstraete
Journal of Sea Research | 2017
Wouter Courtens; Hilbran Verstraete; Nicolas Vanermen; M. Van de walle; Eric Stienen
Archive | 2013
Nicolas Vanermen; R. Brabant; Eric Stienen; Wouter Courtens; Thierry Onkelinx; Marc Van De Walle; Hilbran Verstraete; Laurence Vigin; S. Degraer
Archive | 2011
Jan Vanaverbeke; Ab Braarup; Ulrike Braeckman; Wouter Courtens; Els Cuveliers; Klaas Deneudt; Annelies Goffin; Bart Hellemans; Tine Huyse; Geneviève Lacroix; Maarten Larmuseau; Jan Mees; Pieter Provoost; Marijn Rabaut; Thomas Remerie; Marie Savina; Karline Soetaert; Ewm Stienen; Hilbran Verstraete; Filip Volckaert; Magda Vincx