Theunis Piersma

Theunis Piersma (born 15 June 1958) is a Dutch ornithologist, ecologist, and educator.[1] He is among the most influential ornithologists, particularly in the wader bird area, in the world.[1] He specifically looks at waders and correlations between flock size and distribution, climate, food, predators, pathogens, and their historical-genetic background.[2] RTV Drenthe referred to him in 2012 as the "first migratory bird professor in the world."[3][4]

Theunis Piersma
Born (1958-06-15) June 15, 1958
Hemelum, Friesland, Netherlands
Occupation(s)Ecologist, ornithologist, educator
Known forMigratory bird research
Academic background
Alma materUniversity of Groningen (BSc, MSc, PhD)
Doctoral advisorRudolf H. Drent
Academic work
DisciplineEcology, biology
Sub-disciplineMigratory bird ecologist and specialist
InstitutionsUniversity of Groningen, NIOZ

He is currently a professor and chair of the Global Flyway Ecology department at the University of Groningen and Senior Research Leader at Royal Netherlands Institute of Sea Research (NIOZ).[5][6] He is also a Wadden biologist at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, where he works on sea conservation.[2]

Education

Piersma earned his BSc in biology and palaeontology in 1980; his biology MSc cum laude in 1984; and his PhD cum laude in biology in 1994, all from the University of Groningen.[7][8][9][1] Piersma led his first research trip to Mauritania in 1980 as a student.[8] His PhD advisor was animal ecologist Rudolf H. Drent.[9] Following graduation, he moved to the NIOZ as a postdoc.[7]

Career

Research

Among his many contributions to the scientific community are proof that a bird's maximum non-stop flight distance was more than double what it was originally known to be; examination of the phenotype and its relation to evolution;[1] and the discovery that "migratory birds can change the structure of their bodies radically in order to adapt to the diverse conditions they encounter on their journeys."[3] His research on the ecology of the Yellow Sea was a major influence in China refining environmental policy and increasing conservation efforts.[7] Nature organizations in the Netherlands ended all mechanical cockle fishing in the Wadden Sea after his work at NIOZ proved it harmful.[3] This was a particular achievement, as he has criticized the Netherlands for not working harder on conservation efforts.[2]

As of 2020, Piersma has published more than 500 peer-reviewed articles and 14 books.[6] Among his many funding sources, he received 2 NWO grants to research tools used for bird tracking in 2011, and 2 from National Geographic in 2014.[2][10]

He is heavily involved in Wader's Study Groups and served as vice-chair of the International Wader Study Group for 15 years.[7] He has also been the editor-in-chief of Ardea, a peer-reviewed ornithological journal,[7] and helped found the Global Flyway Network to track birds nationwide.[11] At University of Groningen, he was the animal ecology chair for 9 years before moving to the global flyway ecology department and serving as its chair.[8][1] He appeared as the subject of De wereld is plat (The World is Flat), a 2007 Dutch documentary about his conservation work.[12]

Work in Friesland

Piersma helped found start the Station Fryslân 2018, a citizens' ecological organization dedicated to looking after Freisland's environment. In 2012, the initiative established ‘Kening fan ’e Greide’ (King of the Meadow, a reference to the godwit), which enabled farmers, scientists, and artists to collaborate in an effort to "promote sustainable attitudes to nature and the landscape."[3]

Outreach

Piersma is known for his creative teaching style, which he tries to make accessible to everyone.[7] In 2012, he opened the WWF's Dutch Jubilee Conference with a theatre performance illustrating the migration of the black-tailed godwit, with composer Sytze Pruiksma providing accompanying music.[2][3] He has two main performances: The Sound and Science of Bird Migration and Music of Migration, which he has performed in front of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands, at the Oerol Festival, and to the Bohai Bay community while he was there studying the Yellow Sea.[6][3]

Personal life

Piersma was born in Hemelum in 1958; his native language is Frisian.[3] He currently lives in Gaast.[13]

Awards and honours

In 2001, a red knot subspecies from the New Siberian Islands was named Calidris canutus piersmai in his honour.[7][9]

YearPrizeAwarding institutionNotesRef.
1989Herman Klomp PrizeNetherlands Ornithologists' Union, SOVON-Bird Monitoring Netherlands, Vogelbescherming-BirdLife Netherlands1.5 k€ award[9]
1994Dutch National Zoology PrizeNetherlands Zoological Society3 k€ award[9]
1996PIONIER AwardNWO0.9 M€ award[9]
1998Corresponding FellowAmerican Ornithologists’ UnionElected[9]
2000Research AwardNational Geographic Society50 kUSD[9]
2001MembershipFryske AkademyElected[3][9]
2004Prize for Nature ConservationPrince Bernhard Cultural Foundation50 k€[2][9]
OrnithologenpreisGerman Ornithologists' Society5k€[9]
Luc Hoffmann Medal for Excellence in Science and ConservationWetlands International[7][9]
2009MembershipRoyal Netherlands Academy of Arts and SciencesElected[2][3][1][7][9]
2011RecipientTOP-subsidieNWO, NWO Council for Earth and Life Sciences[9]
2014Spinoza PrizeNWO2.5M€ award[2][3][7]
2016MembershipRoyal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities[14][7]
2017Order of the Netherlands Lion knightshipKingdom of the Netherlands[7][3]
The Marsh Award for International OrnithologyMarsh Christian Trust and British Trust for Ornithology[7][11]
Anita Andriesen PrijsAnita Andriesen Prijs[15]
2020Godman-Salvin MedalBritish Ornithologists' UnionOrganization's most prestigious award[6][2]
Stairway to Impact AwardNWOInaugural awards; €50,000 prize[16]

Books
YearTitleTitle languageTitle in EnglishSubjectNotesRef.
1982EnglishWintering waders on the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania: Report of the Netherlands Ornithological Mauritanian Expedition 1980OrnithologyWritten with Wibe Altenburg, Meinte Engelmoer, and Ron Mes[17]
1992EnglishThe Migration of KnotsOrnithologyWith Nick Davidson[18]
1994EnglishClose to the edge: Energetic bottlenecks and the evolution of migratory pathways in knotsOrnithology, biology[19]
1999Ecologische Atlas van de Nederlandse WadvogelsDutchEcologyWritten with Bruno J. Ens and Leo Zwarts; photographs by Jan van de Kam[20]
2000De onvrije natuur: Verkenningen van natuurlijke grenzenDutchEcologyEdited with J.M. Tinbergen, J.P. Bakker, and J.M. van den Broek[21]
Op de vleugels van de wind: WadvogelverhalenDutchOrnithologyPhotographs by Jan van de Kam[22]
2001Goudplevieren en wilsterflappers: Eeuwenoude fascinatie voor trekvogelsDutchOrnithologyWritten with Joop Jukema, Jan Hulscher, Erik J. Bunskoeke, Anita Koolhaas, and A. Veenstra[23]
2003EnglishLife along land's edge: Wildlife on the shores of Roebuck Bay, BroomeAnimal ecologyWritten with Danny I. Rogers, Marc S.S. Lavaleye, Grant Pearson, and Petra de Goeji; photographs by Jan van de Kam[24]
2004EnglishShorebirds: An illustrated behavioural ecologyBehavioral ecologyWritten with Bruno Ens and Leo Zwarts; photographs by Jan van de Kam[25]
2005EnglishSeeking Nature's Limits: Ecologists in the fieldEcologyEdited with Joost Tinbergen and Jan Bakker; translated by R.H. Drent[26]
2006Waarom nonnetjes samen klaarkomen en andere wonderen van het WadDutchEcology[27]
2008EnglishInvisible Connections: Why Migrating Shorebirds Need the Yellow SeaOrnithologyEdited with Jan Lewis; photographs by Jan van de Kam[28]
2011EnglishThe Flexible Phenotype: A Body-Centred Integration of Ecology, Physiology, and BehaviourBiologyPhotographs by Jan A. van Gils[29]
2014Sweltsjes fan GaastFrisianGuests of Summer: A House Martin love story[30]
2016Knooppunt WaddenzeeDutchIntersection Wadden SeaEcologyRob Buiter, Laura Govers, Metawad team[31]
ReisvogelsDutchMarathon MigrantsOrnithology, migrationPhotographs by Jan van de Kam[32]
2018Een horizon vol weidevogels in Zuidwest-Friesland: Inzichten uit de workshop van de International Wader Study Group, 28 september 2018DutchMeadowbirds on the horizon of southwest Friesland: Insights of the International Wader Study Group workshop, 28 September 2018Animal ecology, ornithologyWith Ruth Howison, Heinrich Belting, Jennifer Smart, Mark Smart, Rob Shuckard, Ole Thorup, and International Wader Study Group[33]
De ontsnapping van de natuur: Een nieuwe kijk op kennisDutchThe Escape of Nature: A new perspective on knowledgeWritten with Thomas Oudman[34]

References
  1. "Prof. dr. T. (Theunis) Piersma". NWO. 2014. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  2. "Piersma, Prof. Theunis". University of Groningen. n.d. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  3. "Royal Decoration for Theunis Piersma". University of Groningen. 2017-04-04. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  4. "Universiteit heeft eerste trekvogelprofessor". RTV Drenthe. 2012-05-15. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
  5. "prof. dr. T. (Theunis) Piersma". University of Groningen. 2021-11-15. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  6. "Godman Salvin Prize for 'Bird-Professor' Theunis Piersma". University of Groningen. 2020-10-13. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  7. "Theunis Piersma". Ibis. 163 (1): 309–311. 2020-10-10. doi:10.1111/ibi.12883. S2CID 242191560. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  8. "Spinoza Prize winner: 'I embrace the fuzzy nature of ecology'". University of Groningen. 2014-06-06. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  9. "prof. dr. T. Piersma". University of Groningen. n.d. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  10. "THEUNIS PIERSMA". National Geographic. 2014. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  11. "Theunis Piersma wins top British ornithology award". University of Groningen. 2017-10-19. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  12. "De wereld is plat - door de vogelkijker van Theunis Piersma". Nederlands Film Festival. n.d. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  13. "Theunis Piersma over de landbouw: Het is tijd voor 'het echte boerenverstand'" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. 2019-11-02. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  14. "Godman Salvin-medaille voor vogelprofessor Theunis Piersma" (in Dutch). Leeuwarder Courant. 2010-10-10. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  15. "Anita Andriesen Prijs". University of Groningen. n.d. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  16. "First NWO Stairway to Impact Award awarded to Theunis Piersma". University of Groningen. 2020-12-02. Retrieved 2021-11-19.
  17. Wintering waders on the Banc d'Arguin, Mauritania: Report of the Netherlands Ornithological Mauritanian Expedition 1980. Wadden Sea Working Group communication. University of Groningen. n.d. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  18. Smith, Charles R. (1997). "Review: [Untitled]". The Wilson Bulletin. 109 (2): 363–366. JSTOR 4163829. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  19. Close to the edge: Energetic bottlenecks and the evolution of migratory pathways in knots. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9789070202200. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  20. Ecologische Atlas van de Nederlandse Wadvogels. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9789060975091. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  21. De onvrije natuur: Verkenningen van natuurlijke grenzen. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9789050111348. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  22. Op de vleugels van de wind: Wadvogelverhalen. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9789087410155. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  23. Goudplevieren en wilsterflappers: Eeuwenoude fascinatie voor trekvogels. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9789050111478. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  24. Life along land's edge: Wildlife on the shores of Roebuck Bay, Broome. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9780730755401. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  25. Verboven, Nanette (2005). "Shorebirds". The Quarterly Review of Biology. 80 (2): 250–251. doi:10.1086/433106. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  26. Seeking Nature's Limits: Ecologists in the field. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9789050112215. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  27. "Waarom nonnetjes..." Natura. 103 (2): 48–51. 2006. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  28. Invisible Connections: Why Migrating Shorebirds Need the Yellow Sea. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9780643096592. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  29. Rubenstein, Dustin R. (2012). "The Flexible Phenotype". The Quarterly Review of Biology. 87 (3): 264. doi:10.1086/666762. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  30. Guests of Summer: A House Martin love story. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9789056153182. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  31. Intersection Wadden Sea. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9789056153786. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  32. Marathon Migrants. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9789056153793. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  33. "Meadowbirds on the horizon of southwest Friesland: Insights of the International Wader Study Group workshop, 28 September 2018". University of Groningen. n.d. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  34. The Escape of Nature: A new perspective on knowledge. University of Groningen. n.d. ISBN 9789025308438. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
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