Robbe Cool
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Research scientist: (urban) ecology | ResearchGate | ORCID | |
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Summary
My current research focuses on how urbanization and microclimatic variation shape plant community composition, phenology and functional traits, with particular attention to the urban heat effect. Within the framework of the FOURCAST project (especially WP2 and WP6) and the citizen science initiative KlimaatTrappers, I study how fine-scale temperature differences across urbanization gradients drive shifts in flowering time, growth patterns, and morphological adaptations of plant species. These studies are closely linked to parallel surveys of vegetation communities and soil fauna, allowing me to place plant responses within a broader ecological context. By integrating historical data with contemporary field observations and microclimate monitoring, my work aims to unravel the mechanisms through which cities alter biodiversity across multiple levels, and to reveal how nature adapts to the challenges of a warming and increasingly urbanized world.
Beyond my main research, I worked as a vegetation cartographer within the MBAG project at the Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), focusing on arable flora and cultural landscapes. In this role, I mapped vegetation types, documented rare and indicator species, and analyzed their ecological and historical significance. My thesis on barbed-wire vegetation further reflects my interest in overlooked plant communities and their conservation value. Later, I became responsible for nature management at the local nature reserve ’t Veld, gaining hands-on experience in managing semi-natural habitats such as heath grasslands in Ardooie. Additionally, I volunteered for four months as an ornithologist at the Skagen Bird Observatory and worked for another four months with INBO on the Flemish Breeding Bird Atlas, experiences that broadened my perspective on field-based biodiversity monitoring. Together, these experiences allow me to link detailed ecological research with applied conservation of threatened native species across multiple taxa and habitats.
Qualifications
- MSc in Biology, Ghent University, 2023
- Major in Global Change Ecology
- Master’s thesis: Barbed wire fringe vegetations in central Flanders: plant species diversity, community composition, environmental drivers, and management. Including Erasmus exchange semester at the University of Southern Denmark (Autumn 2021)
- BSc in Biology, Ghent University, 2019
- Bachelor’s thesis: Cool R., Batsleer F. & Bonte D. 2019. In het spoor van een nieuwe leefomgeving. Biodiversiteit langs spoorwegen: de Kiezelspinkhaan als casestudie. Natuur.focus 19(1): 18–25.
Employment History
- Research Scientist, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels
October 2023 – Present
Mapping of the Biological Valuation Map for the Agricultural Biodiversity Monitoring Network (MBAG) - Field Researcher, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden)
July – September 2023
Survey of restored grasslands and soil sampling for eDNA analysis - Field Researcher, Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels
April – June 2023
Field surveys for the Flemish Breeding Bird Atlas