The latest news about Radboud University.
Employees and students can find news in the news overview for staff and news overview for students.
Hans de Kroon, the ecologist who explained why you no longer need to clean bugs off your windshield (because there are hardly any left)
Three-quarters of all flying insects turned out to have vanished over the course of 27 years. That conclusion, published in 2017, became Hans de Kroon's most striking contribution to science. 'I want to show that things can be done differently.'
More dandelions and buttercups lead to far more bees and bumblebees (but we need to do more for rare species)
If we allow more flowers to bloom on dykes – even if there are only a few – dozens of bees can soon follow. This was discovered by ecologist Constant Swinkels, who will be awarded his PhD on 19 August at Radboud University.
Ecologist Yvet Telgenkamp’s summer: focusing on peatland restoration and a beluga whale
Yvet Telgenkamp is looking forward to a special summer. The PhD candidate in Ecology at Radboud University will be joining a research group in Canada for a month, before going on a personal trip. ‘Those green-tinted glasses go everywhere with me.’
Management of grass- and meadowlands cannot always be neatly categorised
Researchers who studied eighteen Dutch grasslands discovered that the conventional management categories for grasslands do not accurately reflect reality. This has implications for ecological research and agricultural policy.
More hedges lead to more insects – even in relatively green agricultural areas
Field margins where hedges have been planted attract twice as many insects as those without hedges. This is according to research by ecologist Robin Lexmond at Radboud University.
Paul van der Wielen appointed professor of Microbial Ecology of Water Systems
Paul van der Wielen is per 1 februari 2026 benoemd tot bijzonder hoogleraar Microbiële Ecologie van Watersystemen aan de Faculteit der Natuurwetenschappen, Wiskunde en Informatica. Deze leerstoel wordt gefinancierd door KWR Water Research Institute.
Paul Bodelier appointed professor of Functional Microbial Ecology
As of February 1, 2026, Paul Bodelier has been appointed professor of Functional Microbial Ecology at the Faculty of Sciences.
Freshwater fish are more resilient to rising temperatures than marine fish
Fish that live in rivers, ditches, and streams are better able to withstand warming water than fish in the sea. This is the conclusion of research by ecologist Wilco Verberk of Radboud University.
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Five years of research shows: agriculture and nature restoration can go hand in hand
Nature restoration and agriculture seem to be at odds with each other. But if five years of research in several farming areas has made one thing clear, it is that there are other ways in which both agriculture and nature can flourish.
Wilco Verberk appointed Professor of Functional Ecology
As of September 1 2025, Wilco Verberk has been appointed Professor of Functional Ecology at the Faculty of Science.
Flower-filled dikes attract bees: ‘Dikes are insect highways’
A large census conducted on 157 dikes along rivers in the Netherlands revealed that more and rarer bee species live on dikes than previously thought.
How can soil life help with the transition to sustainable agriculture?
Research shows that volatile organic compounds provide valuable information about the conditions of these communities. Could this insight contribute to a transition towards more sustainable agricultural systems?
‘The right type of sports grass is better for fields and for nature’
Using the right type of grass for sports fields and golf courses improves the quality of the fields, requires less maintenance and contributes to the drainage of excess rainwater. This is evident from research by the Radboud University.
New Horizon Europe projects boost wet agriculture on peatlands
On 1 February 2025, two European research projects will launch, focusing on the development of paludiculture: sustainable wet agriculture on peat, aimed at preserving and restoring peatlands.
River emits five times more methane after wastewater treatment plant
A stretch of river into which treated wastewater has been discharged emits five times more methane than a stretch of river without that wastewater. This is according to research by Ida Peterse and Lisanne Hendriks of Radboud University.
Field cricket suffers greatly from nitrogen
The field cricket - the Dutch insect of the year 2024 - has been going downhill in recent years. Research shows that this is mainly due to an excess of nitrogen. Measures to remove nitrogen are counterproductive.
Measures to restore biodiversity in peatlands fall short, study finds
Several experimental measures taken at Frisian farms to restore biodiversity in former peatlands, are unsuccessful. This is according to research by ecologist Tom Heuts of Radboud University.
Sarian Kosten Awarded Huibregtsen Prize 2024
Sarian Kosten, professor of Aquatic Ecology at Radboud University, has been awarded the Huibregtsen Prize 2024 for her research project "Aquatic Systems in a Warming Climate."
Gas extraction near Ameland may well harm wildlife, scientists warn
Five scientists, including Eelke Jongejans of Radboud University, warn that gas extraction near Ameland could have harmful effects on nature.
Why does methane bubble up in lakes and rivers (and is that a problem)?
Ecologist Sarian Kosten researches why and how much methane is emitted from our surface waters.