I'm a theoretical aquatic ecologist specialized in populations dynamics and in the analysis of networks of interacting species.Currently, I’m working as post-doctoral researcher at the department of Aquatic Microbiology.

Please explore this site further to learn more about my research.

Publications

Blauw A.N., Benincà E, Laane R.W.P.M., Greenwood, N &  Huisman, J. 2012 .Dancing with the tides: fluctuations of coastal phytoplankton orchestrated by different oscillatory modes of the tidal cycle. PLOS ONE 7 e49319: 1-14.

Benincà, E . , Dakos, V., van Nes, E.H., Huisman, J.& Scheffer, M. 2011. Resonance of plankton communities with temperature fluctuations. The American Naturalist  178:  E85-E95.

Benincà , E. , Jöhnk , K.D., Heerkloss , R. & Huisman , J. 2009. Coupled predator-prey oscillations in a chaotic food web. Ecology Letters 12: 1367-1378 .
This paper is highlighted in Nature and Science:
ResearchHighlight in Nature. Nature 462 : 15 (2009).
Editors' Choice in Science. Science 326 : 773 (2009).

Dakos , V., Benincà , E. , van Nes , E.H., Philippart , C. J. M., Scheffer , M. & Huisman ,J. Interannual variability in species composition explained as seasonally entrained chaos. Proceedings of the Royal Society London B 276 : 2871-2880.  

Benincà , E. , Huisman , J., Heerkloss , R., Jöhnk , K.D., Branco , P., van Nes , E.H., Scheffer , M. & Ellner , S.P. 2008. Chaos in a long-term experiment with a plankton community. Nature 451 : 822-825. 
This paper is highlighted in Nature and Science:
Nature's Authors Abstractions. Nature 451, xiii.   doi:10.1038/7180xiiib.
Science-NOW: Pennisi , E. 2008. Plankton politics are unpredictable. ( February 13, 2008 ).

Presentations

Benincà, E .  and Blauw. A. Is moeder natuur chaotisch or geordend? NIBI (Nederlands Instituut voor Biologie) Congress, Lunteren (the Netherlands), 11-12 January 2013. (Invited Speaker)

Benincà, E . , Dakos, V., van Nes, E.H., Huisman, J.& Scheffer, M. 2012. Resonance of plankton communities with temperature fluctuations. ASLO Aquatic Science meeting, Lake Biwa, Otsu,  Japan, 8-13 July 2012.

Benincà, E . , Dakos, V., van Nes, E.H., Huisman, J.& Scheffer, M. 2011. Resonance of plankton communities with temperature fluctuations. ESA annual meeting, Austin, Texas, USA, 7-12 August 2011.

Benincà , E. & Dakos,V. Ecosystem change and predictability in a changing world:what do plankton dynamics tell us? NERN meeting,Lunteren, The Netherlands, 8-9 February 2011.

Benincà , E. , Jöhnk , K.D., Heerkloss , R. & Huisman , J. Coupled predator-prey oscillations in a chaotic food web. NERN meeting, Lunteren , The Netherlands, 9-10 February 2010.  

Benincà , E . , Huisman, J., Heerkloss , R., Jöhnk , K.D., Branco , P., van Nes, E.H., Scheffer, M. & Ellner , S.P. 2008. Chaos in a long-term experiment with a plankton community.SENSE-EPCEM symposium, Wageningen , The Netherlands, 10 October, 2008 .

Benincà , E. , Huisman , J., Heerkloss , R., Jöhnk , K.D., Branco , P., van Nes , E.H., Scheffer , M. & Ellner , S.P. 2008. Chaos in a long-term experiment with aplankton community. ESA annual meeting, Milwaukee , Winsconsin , USA,3-8 August, 2008.  

Benincà , E . , Huisman , J., Heerkloss , R., Jöhnk , K.D., Branco , P., van Nes , E.H., Scheffer ,M. & Ellner , S.P. 2008. Chaosin a long-term experiment with a plankton community. ASLO summer meeting, St. John's , Canada , 8-13 June, 2008.                

Benincà , E . , Huisman, J., Heerkloss , R., Jöhnk , K.D., Branco , P., van Nes, E.H., Scheffer, M. & Ellner , S.P. 2008. Chaos in a long-term experimentwith a plankton community. NERN meeting, Lunteren , The Netherlands, 12-13 February 2008.  

Benincà , E ., Jöhnk , K. D., Heerkloss , R.,  Scheffer , M., Huisman , J.,2006. Time series analysis of plankton communitydynamics in a long term mesocosm study. ASLO summer meeting,Victoria, Canada, 4-9 June 2006.  

Benincà , E. , Huisman , J., Heerkloss , R., Jöhnk , K.D., Branco , P., van Nes , E.H., Scheffer , M. & Ellner S.P. Chaos in a real food web. Cornell University, LunchBunchSeminars , Ithaca, NY, USA, 22, February, 2006.

Heerkloss, R., Benincà , E ., Huisman , J. How to perform chaos experiments on food web dynamics? ASLO summer meeting, St. John's ,Canada,8-13 June,2008.

Conferences: session organizer/chair

Co-organizer and co-chair  (with Vasilis Dakos and Chih-hao Hsieh) of the session: Ecosystem change and predictability of aquatic ecosystems. ASLO Aquatic Science meeting, Lake Biwa, Otsu,  Japan, 8-13 July 2012.

Co-organizer and co-chair (with Vasilis dakos) of the session: Ecosystem change and predictability in a changing world. NERN meeting,Lunteren, The Netherlands, 8-9 February 2011.

• Women in the FNWI

Newspapers and Magazines

Research Highlight in Nature. Nature 462 : 15 (2009).
Editors' Choice in Science. Science 326 : 773 (2009).
Bionieuws: Chaos regeert in het voedselweb (2009) .
Nature's Authors Abstractions . Nature 451, xiii.   doi:10.1038/7180xiiib   (2008) .
.
Science , Plankton Politics Are Unpredictable, Elizabeth Pennisi , Science NOW Daily News (2008).
Spektrum der Wissenschaft, Chaos in Plankton gemeinschaften , Klaus Jöhnk (2008) .
Daily Telegraph , Chaos wrecks the balance of nature, Roger Highfield (2008).
The Ottawa Citizen . Study of ocean life shows a "chaotic" balance of nature, Tom Spears (2008).
De Volskrant , Chaos bepaalt verhoudingen algen, Marieke Aarden  (2008).
Dagblad De Pers , 'Natuurlijk evenwicht' meer fictie dan feit, Marcel Hulspas (2008).
NRC , Rituele soortendans. Verandering van soorten is autonoom proces, Marion de Boo (2008).
Il secolo XIX , Da genova alla teoria del caos , Andrea Schiappapietra (2008).
NNN, Er beveist das chaos , Juliane Haendschke (2008).

VPRO, Noorderlicht. Chaos in de natuur. Ecosysteem in een bakje acht jaar lang onvoorspelbaar, Elmar Veerman (2008).
Radio Canada. Évolution, Un avenir difficile à prévoir (2008).
Innovations report. Experimental proof of chaos in food webs, Josje Spinhoven   (2008).
  ScineXX , Das wissensmagazin , Nahrungsketten: Das Chaos regiert (2008).
Scienceticker. Chaos in nahrungsnetz (2008).
IDW . Forschungsverbund Berlin, Nahrungsketten: Das chaos regiert, Christine Vollgraf (2008).
Scientificblogging. Chaos in food webs: the balance of nature concept takes a beating  (2008).

Radio & Television

Teleac, Hoe?Zo! Chaos in de natuur , Radio 5. (in Dutch).
Teleac, ScienceFlash. TV program . (in Dutch).
VARA, Vroege Vogels , Natuur is chaos!,  Radio 1. (in Dutch).
Schweizer Radio DRS (in German ).
 

Links

• Spektrum der wissenschaft

• Daily Telegraph

• The Ottawa Citizen

• De Volskrant

• Dagblad De Pers

• NRC

• Il Secolo XIX

• NNN

• Teleac, Hoe? Zo!

• Teleac, ScienceFlash

• VARA, Vroege Vogels

• Schweizer Radio DRS

• ScienceNOW

• VPRO, Noorderlicht

• RadioCanada

• Innovations Report

• ScineXX

• Scienceticker

• IDW

• Scientificblogging

Education

2010 PhD Aquatic Ecology, Wageningen University, The Netherlands

2002 Master Enviornmental Sciences, University of Genoa, Italy 

Doctoral Thesis: Is there chaos out there? Analysis of complex dynamics in plankton communities. 

Awards

Nern best paper award 2010 (First prize) 
(awarded to Coupled predator-prey oscillations in a chaotic food web. Ecology Letters 12: 1367-1378 . )

WiF ( Women in the FNWI ) Best Publication Prize 2008 
(awarded to Chaos in a long-term experiment with a plankton community.Nature 451: 822-825.)

Outstanding student presentation award : American Society of Limnology & Oceanography (ASLO) summer meeting, St. John's , Canada , 8-13 June, 2008. 

No known ancillary activities