Monique Heijmans

Monique Heijmans is an Assistant Professor at Wageningen University, specializing in ecosystem ecology with a focus on vegetation-climate interactions in northern ecosystems. She leads research on permafrost thaw dynamics, Arctic ecology, and peatland ecosystems, particularly investigating feedbacks between vegetation and permafrost collapse. Her work combines field experiments (e.g., shrub removal studies in Siberia) with ecosystem modeling to understand climate impacts.

Education: MSc (1994) and PhD (2000) in Environmental Sciences from Wageningen University. Postdoctoral fellowships include a Talent Fellowship at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (2002) and a Vidi grant-supported research project (2010–2014).

Research Interests: Permafrost thaw mechanisms, vegetation shifts in Arctic tundra, ecohydrology, peatland carbon dynamics, and climate change impacts. Her Siberian field experiments demonstrate how shrub removal triggers permafrost collapse and methane emissions, highlighting critical climate feedbacks.

Awards: Talent Fellowship (2002), Vidi Grant (2010–2014).

Collaborations: Ongoing projects with Russian and international teams at Siberian tundra sites, focusing on long-term vegetation-permafrost interactions and greenhouse gas fluxes. Her research bridges field observations, experimental manipulations, and computational models to address Arctic environmental challenges.