PREFACE
This is the ‘Book o f A b stra cts’ o f the 14th e dition o f the VLIZ Young Marine S cientists’ Day, a one
day event th a t was organised on 7 March, 2014 in VIVES, Brugge.
This annual event has become more and more successful over the years. With more than 300
participants and over 100 scientific co ntrib u tio n s, it is fa ir to say th a t it is the place to be fo r
Flemish marine researchers and fo r the end-users o f th e ir research. It is an im p o rta n t netw orking
o p p o rtu n ity, where young scientists can meet and interact w ith th e ir peers, learn from each other,
build th e ir personal professional netw ork and establish links fo r collaborative and interdisciplina ry
research.
Marine scientists fro m all Flemish universities and scientific institutes - and representing all marine
science disciplines - have co ntribu te d to th is volume. The book thus illustrates the diversity, q ua lity
and relevance o f the marine sciences in Flanders (and Belgium): it provides a beautiful and
comprehensive snapshot o f the state-of-the-art o f marine scientific research in Flanders in 2014.
Young scientists present th e ir research in an e xciting way and com m unicate th e ir fascinating
science - and its im portance to society - to the w ider public. We thus hope to dem onstrate the
excellence o f Flemish marine science and to increase its national and international visibility.
The volume o f research th a t is presented here holds a great promise fo r the fu tu re . It shows th a t
marine science is a very lively discipline in Flanders, and th a t a new generation stands ready to
address the grand challenges and o p p o rtu n itie s th a t our seas and oceans represent.
I w ant to congratulate all participants w ith th e ir co ntrib u tio n s, and I invite them all to actively
participate in VLIZ-events and activities in the future.
Brugge, 7 March 2014
Prof. Dr Jan Mees
General D irector VLIZ