Research output per year
Research output per year
prof. dr.
Nijenborgh7, Gebouw 5172, ruimte 0562
9747 AG Groningen
Netherlands
I am interested in the processes that shape the world around us, particularly the biological diversity, and on developing theoretical models and methods to infer these processes from observational data. I am fascinated by biology, resulting in a broad range of collaborations on, for example, population consequences of bovine tuberculosis in African buffalo, aggregation behavior in fruit flies, the visual system in cichlids and its role in phenotypic plasticity, the evolutionary potential of spider mites to adapt to new host plants in the presence of sister species, the diversification of microbes in a chemostat, the interactions of annual plants with perennial potential nurse species in an arid landscape, and population genetics of whales.
Understanding the world around is, is what drives a scientist, and I am no exception. I was first fascinated by the physical world around us, and asking philosophical questions. But I was also concerned with our treatment of the world around us. Armed with three MSc degrees (physics, philosophy of science and environmental science) and a year of experience as a lecturer in enviromental modelling I set out to find a PhD position to deepen my scientific skills. I found one at Wageningen University (with Hans Heesterbeek and Johan Grasman) on metapopalation management which I studied from a theoretical perspective, building mostly stochastic models of interconnected populations. Stochastic models allowed me to construct a statistically sound inference framework; I was attracted by likelihood-based methods such as maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches, because they find solid foundations in probability theory, despite their shortcomings. From metapopulations I moved into metacommunities in my postdoctoral years at Wageningen University and the University of Groningen (with Han Olff), and became interested in speciation, macroevolution and diversification. I extensively studied the neutral theory of biodiversity which I still regard as a very useful null model for understanding patterns of biodiversity, on which - particularly in collaboration with Bart Haegeman and David Alonso - I wrote many papers. In 2007 I obtained a VIDI grant that allowed me to start my own group as assistant professorat the University of Groningen. In 2012 I was promoted to associate professor at the University of Groningen on a field that I called Theoretical and Evolutionary Community Ecology, dealing with understanding community diversity from a theoretical and evolutionary perspective. I became fascinated by molecular phylogenies and how much (or how little) they inform us about the processes that shaped them over millions of years. In particular I studied the diversity dependence of diversification and the protracted nature of speciation. Around 2014 I moved into Island Biogeography and together with Luis Valente and Ally Phillimore established the modelling framework DAISIE (Dynamical Assembly of Island biota through Speciation Immigration and Extinction) which allowed us to infer the rates of island community assembly from molecular phylogenies and knowledge of endemicity status. We studied whether island biota are in equilibrium, built a framework to test whether iconic island radiations are exceptional or not, tested for the impact of human-induced extinctions, and broadened the scope of island biogeography to include speciation and how it is influenced by area and isolation. In 2014 I was awarded a VICI grant that facilitated research on this topic through many PhD students. The VICI grant also provided an opportunity to start experimental and field studies, with spider mites, microbes and microsnails. In 2017 I was promoted to full professor. I became increasingly involved in the management of our institute GELIFES, and became scientific director in January 2021.
BSc courses
MSc courses
Outside of science I spend my time making music. I compose songs and sing and play guitar, bass or piano together with other amazing musicians.
Metapopulation Ecology, PhD, Wageningen University
Award Date: 26-Mar-2002
Philosophy of Science, MSc (cum laude), University of Utrecht
Award Date: 31-Aug-1999
Environmental Science, MSc (cum laude), University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen
Award Date: 29-Jan-1997
Foundations of Physics, MSc (cum laude), University of Utrecht
Award Date: 22-Jan-1996
Editor Ecology Letters
27-Feb-2009 → …
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Research output: Non-textual form › Software › Academic
Research output: Non-textual form › Software › Academic
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review
Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › peer-review
Etienne, R., Lens, F., Lima Valente, L., Brewer, R. & Dehayem Nanwou, O.
01/09/2021 → 01/09/2025
Project: Research
Palsboll, P., Eriksson, B. K., Etienne, R. & Suarez Menendez, M.
01/09/2020 → 01/09/2024
Project: Research
Etienne, R., van Doorn, S., Fontaine, M. & Scherrer, R.
01/11/2017 → 01/02/2024
Project: Research
Smit, C., Etienne, R., Jacobus Mgn Van De Zande, L. & Korte, M.
16/07/2017 → 01/11/2023
Project: Research
Etienne, R., Kas, M., Olff, H., Weissing, F. & Groothuis, T.
01/01/2016 → 01/01/2026
Project: Research
Timo van Eldijk (Speaker), Karen Bisschop (Contributor) & Rampal Etienne (Contributor)
Activity: Talk and presentation › Academic presentation › Academic
Rampal Etienne (Speaker)
Activity: Talk and presentation › Academic presentation › Academic
Rampal Etienne (Speaker)
Activity: Talk and presentation › Academic presentation › Academic
Pedro Santos Neves (Speaker), Joshua Lambert (Contributor), Luis Lima Valente (Contributor) & Rampal Etienne (Contributor)
Activity: Talk and presentation › Academic presentation › Academic
Rampal Etienne (Speaker)
Activity: Talk and presentation › Academic presentation › Academic
Bilderbeek, R. (Creator) & Etienne, R. (Creator), University of Groningen, Jun-2018
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1251203, http://github.com/richelbilderbeek/babette_article
Dataset
Alzate Vallejo, A. (Creator), Bisschop, K. (Creator), Etienne, R. (Creator) & Bonte, D. (Creator), University of Groningen, 8-Jun-2017
DOI: 10411/WCNLYO, https://doi.org/10.5061%2Fdryad.486g4
Dataset
Jolles, A. E. (Contributor), Ezenwa, V. O. (Contributor), Etienne, R. (Contributor), Turner, W. C. (Contributor) & Olff, H. (Contributor), University of Groningen, 5-Aug-2016
DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.3529754.v1
Dataset
Pigot, A. L. (Contributor), Bregman, T. (Contributor), Sheard, C. (Contributor), Daly, B. (Contributor), Etienne, R. (Contributor) & Tobias, J. A. (Contributor), University of Groningen, 18-Oct-2016
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.2br2b, https://zenodo.org/record/4985125
Dataset
Encinas Viso, F. (Creator), Alonso Gimenez, D. (Creator), Klironomos, J. N. (Creator), Etienne, R. (Creator) & Chang, E. (Creator), University of Groningen, 16-Oct-2015
DOI: 10.5061/dryad.c0751
Dataset
17/12/2022
1 item of Media coverage
Press/Media: Expert Comment › Professional
Rampal Etienne & Timo van Eldijk
14/12/2021
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment › Popular
19/12/2020
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert Comment › Academic
19/11/2020 → 25/11/2020
8 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Other › Academic
Rampal Etienne & Luis Lima Valente
14/08/2019 → 20/03/2020
2 items of Media coverage
Press/Media: Research › Academic
Bisschop, Karen (Recipient), Alzate Vallejo, Adriana (Recipient), Bonte, Dries (Recipient) & Etienne, Rampal (Recipient), 27-Mar-2023
Prize: Other distinction › Academic