2026 Jean Poesen: Earth Science Researcher – H-Index, Publications & Awards

Discipline name	D-Index	World Ranking	Current World Ranking	National Ranking	Current National Ranking	Publications	Citations
Earth Science	151	2	2	1	1	1387	75429

Research.com Recognitions

2026 - Research.com Earth Science in Belgium Leader Award
2025 - Research.com Earth Science in Belgium Leader Award
2023 - Research.com Earth Science in Belgium Leader Award
2022 - Research.com Earth Science in Belgium Leader Award

Overview

Jean Poesen is affiliated with KU Leuven in Belgium and has contributed extensively to research in environmental science and agricultural and biological sciences. Their work predominantly focuses on soil science, ecology, water science and technology, management, monitoring, policy and law, as well as earth-surface processes.

Their research covers several main topics, including:

Soil erosion and sediment transport
Hydrology and sediment transport processes
Aeolian processes and effects
Hydrology and watershed management studies
Flood risk assessment and management
Landslides and related hazards
Rangeland management and livestock ecology

Recent publications authored or co-authored by Jean Poesen include:

Measuring, modelling and managing gully erosion at large scales: A state of the art (2021, Earth-Science Reviews)
Projections of soil loss by water erosion in Europe by 2050 (2021, Environmental Science & Policy)
A Soil Erosion Indicator for Supporting Agricultural, Environmental and Climate Policies in the European Union (2020, Remote Sensing)
Policy implications of multiple concurrent soil erosion processes in European farmland (2022, Nature Sustainability)
Gully prevention and control: Techniques, failures and effectiveness (2020, Earth Surface Processes and Landforms)

Jean Poesen frequently collaborates with other researchers, including Matthias Vanmaercke, Jan Nyssen, Panos Panagos, Pasquale Borrelli, and Sofie De Geeter.

They have published multiple articles in specific scientific venues known for environmental and soil research. Common venues for their work are:

Earth Surface Processes and Landforms
International Soil and Water Conservation Research
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
The Science of The Total Environment
CATENA

Jean Poesen has also contributed to book publications through KU Leuven, including a 2024 title entitled The state of soils in Europe: Fully evidenced, spatially organised assessment of the pressures driving soil degradation.

Best Publications

Gully erosion and environmental change: importance and research needs

Jean Poesen;Jeroen Nachtergaele;Gert Verstraeten;C Valentin

2186
Citations
The European Soil Erosion Model (EUROSEM): A dynamic approach for predicting sediment transport from fields and small catchments.

Rpc Morgan;JN Quinton;RE Smith;Gerard Govers

1732
Citations
Impact of plant roots on the resistance of soils to erosion by water: a review

Gwendolyn Gyssels;Jean Poesen;E Bochet;Y Li

1408
Citations
Gully erosion: Impacts, factors and control

Christian Valentin;J. Poesen;Y. Li

1397
Citations
The new assessment of soil loss by water erosion in Europe

Panos Panagos;Pasquale Borrelli;Jean Poesen;Cristiano Ballabio

1386
Citations
Predicting soil erosion and sediment yield at the basin scale: Scale issues and semi-quantitative models

Joris de Vente;Jean Poesen

926
Citations
Rates and spatial variations of soil erosion in Europe: A study based on erosion plot data

O. Cerdan;G. Govers;Y. Le Bissonnais;K. Van Oost

822
Citations
Rock fragments in top soils: significance and processes

Jean Poesen;H Lavee

791
Citations
Human impact on the environment in the Ethiopian and Eritrean highlands—a state of the art

Jan Nyssen;Jan Nyssen;Jean Poesen;Jan Moeyersons;Jozef Deckers

745
Citations
The role of fine and coarse roots in shallow slope stability and soil erosion control with a focus on root system architecture: a review

Bert Reubens;Jean Poesen;Frédéric Danjon;Guy Geudens

738
Citations
Resistance of soils to concentrated flow erosion: A review

Anke Knapen;Jean Poesen;Gerard Govers;Gwendolyn Gyssels

696
Citations
Soil erosion in the Anthropocene: Research needs

Jean Poesen

662
Citations
Grain-size analysis by laser diffractometry: comparison with the sieve-pipette method

Laurent Beuselinck;Gerard Govers;Jean Poesen;G. Degraer

632
Citations
Root tensile strength and root distribution of typical Mediterranean plant species and their contribution to soil shear strength

S. De Baets;J. Poesen;B. Reubens;K. Wemans

622
Citations
Modelling mean annual sediment yield using a distributed approach

Anton J. J. Van Rompaey;Gert Verstraeten;Kristof Van Oost;Gerard Govers

622
Citations
The role of tillage in soil redistribution on hillslopes

Gerard Govers;Karel Vandaele;P Desmet;Jean Poesen

539
Citations
Soil and water components of banded vegetation patterns

C Valentin;JM d'Herbes;Jean Poesen

533
Citations
Effects of grass roots on the erodibility of topsoils during concentrated flow

S. De Baets;J. Poesen;G. Gyssels;A. Knapen

527
Citations
Effects of rock fragments on soil erosion by water at different spatial scales: a review

Jean Poesen;D Torri;K Bunte

517
Citations
Adoption of soil conservation practices in Belgium: An examination of the theory of planned behaviour in the agri-environmental domain

Erwin Wauters;Charles Bielders;Jean Poesen;Gerard Govers

516
Citations
Erosion, flooding and channel management in Mediterranean environments of southern Europe:

J.W.A. Poesen;J.M. Hooke

507
Citations

Frequent Co-Authors

Jan Nyssen Ghent University

Gerard Govers KU Leuven

Jozef Deckers KU Leuven

Gert Verstraeten KU Leuven

Jan Moeyersons Royal Museum for Central Africa

Amaury Frankl Ghent University

Matthias Vanmaercke KU Leuven

Mitiku Haile Mekelle University

Nigussie Haregeweyn Tottori University

Anton Van Rompaey KU Leuven

External Links

Personal website of Jean Poesen

If you think any of the details on this page are incorrect, let us know.

Related Online Degrees & Career Pathways

Exploring Earth Science often opens doors to diverse career opportunities beyond traditional geography or environmental science roles. For those interested in management or organizational leadership within scientific fields, pursuing an online masters in human resource management can be a strategic choice. This degree helps develop skills essential for managing teams and resources effectively in research institutions or environmental agencies.

Many learners returning to education later in life may find flexible options through college degrees for seniors. These programs provide opportunities to enhance knowledge in Earth Science or related areas without disrupting existing commitments.

For those drawn to information management and data curation within Earth Science, an online mlis degree ala accredited offers specialized training in library and information science. This can be particularly valuable when organizing scientific data or supporting research through accessible archives.

Considering whether advanced degrees are worthwhile? Insights into is a masters in library science worth it can help guide decisions for specialists aiming to combine environmental knowledge with information expertise, creating unique career pathways in Earth Science and beyond.