World's Best Scientists 2026 revealed!

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
93
Citations
40104
World Ranking
384
National Ranking
14

Rien Aerts publication distribution in Ecology and Evolution in 2026

The chart shows the distribution of publications by all Research.com ranked scientists in the field of Ecology and Evolution in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Rien Aerts sits on this spectrum.

37–41 publications: 2 scientists 42–46 publications: 9 scientists 47–51 publications: 10 scientists 52–56 publications: 31 scientists 57–61 publications: 56 scientists 62–66 publications: 91 scientists 67–71 publications: 92 scientists 72–76 publications: 127 scientists 77–81 publications: 173 scientists 82–86 publications: 236 scientists 87–91 publications: 227 scientists 92–96 publications: 240 scientists 97–101 publications: 333 scientists 102–106 publications: 280 scientists 107–111 publications: 300 scientists 112–116 publications: 285 scientists 117–121 publications: 305 scientists 122–126 publications: 287 scientists 127–131 publications: 278 scientists 132–136 publications: 289 scientists 137–141 publications: 273 scientists 142–146 publications: 262 scientists 147–151 publications: 246 scientists 152–156 publications: 235 scientists 157–161 publications: 205 scientists 162–166 publications: 199 scientists 167–171 publications: 174 scientists 172–176 publications: 164 scientists 177–181 publications: 173 scientists 182–186 publications: 189 scientists 187–191 publications: 170 scientists 192–196 publications: 139 scientists 197–201 publications: 128 scientists 202–206 publications: 117 scientists 207–211 publications: 115 scientists 212–216 publications: 107 scientists 217–221 publications: 124 scientists 222–226 publications: 81 scientists 227–231 publications: 82 scientists 232–236 publications: 85 scientists 237–241 publications: 75 scientists 242–246 publications: 66 scientists 247–251 publications: 81 scientists 252–256 publications: 69 scientists 257–261 publications: 70 scientists 262–266 publications: 55 scientists 267–271 publications: 64 scientists 272–276 publications: 49 scientists 277–281 publications: 48 scientists 282–286 publications: 44 scientists 287–291 publications: 45 scientists 292–296 publications: 36 scientists 297–301 publications: 39 scientists 302–306 publications: 38 scientists 307–311 publications: 30 scientists 312–316 publications: 34 scientists 317–321 publications: 25 scientists 322–326 publications: 22 scientists 327–331 publications: 28 scientists 332–336 publications: 30 scientists 337–341 publications: 22 scientists 342–346 publications: 30 scientists 347–351 publications: 26 scientists 352–356 publications: 22 scientists 357–361 publications: 29 scientists 362–366 publications: 21 scientists 367–371 publications: 12 scientists 372–376 publications: 18 scientists 377–381 publications: 17 scientists 382–386 publications: 13 scientists 387–391 publications: 21 scientists 392–396 publications: 13 scientists 397–401 publications: 10 scientists 402–406 publications: 15 scientists 407–411 publications: 8 scientists 412–416 publications: 9 scientists 417–421 publications: 8 scientists 422–426 publications: 4 scientists 427–431 publications: 10 scientists 432–436 publications: 10 scientists 437–441 publications: 5 scientists 442–446 publications: 4 scientists 447–451 publications: 10 scientists 452–456 publications: 2 scientists 457–461 publications: 4 scientists 462–466 publications: 7 scientists 467–471 publications: 7 scientists 472–476 publications: 6 scientists 477–481 publications: 6 scientists 482–486 publications: 3 scientists 487–491 publications: 3 scientists 492–496 publications: 4 scientists 497–501 publications: 4 scientists 502–506 publications: 8 scientists 507–511 publications: 5 scientists 512–516 publications: 4 scientists 517–521 publications: 5 scientists 522–526 publications: 4 scientists 527–530 publications: 5 scientists 531+ publications: 100 scientists
37 publications 531+

This scientist: 232 publications — 82nd percentile

82% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 531 publications or more.

Rien Aerts D-index placement in Ecology and Evolution in 2026

The chart shows the D-index (discipline H-index) distribution of Ecology and Evolution scientists ranked by Research.com in 2026. The highlighted bar marks where Rien Aerts sits on this spectrum.

30 D-Index: 95 scientists 31 D-Index: 123 scientists 32 D-Index: 191 scientists 33 D-Index: 245 scientists 34 D-Index: 252 scientists 35 D-Index: 244 scientists 36 D-Index: 249 scientists 37 D-Index: 244 scientists 38 D-Index: 254 scientists 39 D-Index: 254 scientists 40 D-Index: 280 scientists 41 D-Index: 274 scientists 42 D-Index: 266 scientists 43 D-Index: 233 scientists 44 D-Index: 248 scientists 45 D-Index: 208 scientists 46 D-Index: 201 scientists 47 D-Index: 213 scientists 48 D-Index: 207 scientists 49 D-Index: 172 scientists 50 D-Index: 209 scientists 51 D-Index: 199 scientists 52 D-Index: 153 scientists 53 D-Index: 169 scientists 54 D-Index: 163 scientists 55 D-Index: 148 scientists 56 D-Index: 120 scientists 57 D-Index: 146 scientists 58 D-Index: 137 scientists 59 D-Index: 140 scientists 60 D-Index: 104 scientists 61 D-Index: 119 scientists 62 D-Index: 118 scientists 63 D-Index: 99 scientists 64 D-Index: 77 scientists 65 D-Index: 100 scientists 66 D-Index: 86 scientists 67 D-Index: 83 scientists 68 D-Index: 75 scientists 69 D-Index: 94 scientists 70 D-Index: 57 scientists 71 D-Index: 68 scientists 72 D-Index: 59 scientists 73 D-Index: 63 scientists 74 D-Index: 66 scientists 75 D-Index: 60 scientists 76 D-Index: 42 scientists 77 D-Index: 49 scientists 78 D-Index: 39 scientists 79 D-Index: 37 scientists 80 D-Index: 43 scientists 81 D-Index: 41 scientists 82 D-Index: 45 scientists 83 D-Index: 34 scientists 84 D-Index: 40 scientists 85 D-Index: 35 scientists 86 D-Index: 55 scientists 87 D-Index: 24 scientists 88 D-Index: 24 scientists 89 D-Index: 30 scientists 90 D-Index: 23 scientists 91 D-Index: 25 scientists 92 D-Index: 27 scientists 93 D-Index: 27 scientists 94 D-Index: 13 scientists 95 D-Index: 23 scientists 96 D-Index: 12 scientists 97 D-Index: 14 scientists 98 D-Index: 19 scientists 99 D-Index: 16 scientists 100 D-Index: 14 scientists 101 D-Index: 5 scientists 102 D-Index: 21 scientists 103 D-Index: 16 scientists 104 D-Index: 10 scientists 105 D-Index: 7 scientists 106 D-Index: 7 scientists 107 D-Index: 7 scientists 108 D-Index: 6 scientists 109 D-Index: 9 scientists 110 D-Index: 11 scientists 111 D-Index: 12 scientists 112 D-Index: 9 scientists 113 D-Index: 7 scientists 114 D-Index: 3 scientists 115 D-Index: 8 scientists 116 D-Index: 5 scientists 117 D-Index: 11 scientists 118 D-Index: 4 scientists 119 D-Index: 2 scientists 120 D-Index: 5 scientists 121+ D-Index: 100 scientists
30 D-Index 121+

This scientist: 93 D-Index — 96th percentile

96% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 121 D-Index or more.

Overview

Rien Aerts is affiliated with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands and is an active researcher in environmental sciences and earth and planetary sciences. Their work primarily spans several subfields including ecology, atmospheric science, soil science, global and planetary change, and ecology, evolution, behavior, and systematics.

Their research covers a variety of topics, with a particular focus on polar research and ecology, climate change and permafrost, cryospheric studies and observations, soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics, geology and paleoclimatology research, peatlands and wetlands ecology, as well as ecology and vegetation dynamics studies.

Rien Aerts maintains frequent collaborations with several co-authors, including:

  • Stef Bokhorst
  • Richard S. P. van Logtestijn
  • Peter Convey
  • James T. Weedon
  • Juha M. Alatalo

Aerts has published multiple articles in a range of scientific journals. Some of the most common venues for their work are:

  • Global Change Biology
  • Journal of Ecology
  • Nature Communications
  • Nature
  • Soil Biology and Biochemistry

Among their recent papers are:

  • "Global maps of soil temperature," 2021, Global Change Biology
  • "Winters are changing: snow effects on Arctic and alpine tundra ecosystems," 2022, Arctic Science
  • "East Siberian Arctic inland waters emit mostly contemporary carbon," 2020, Nature Communications
  • "Decomposition of leaf litter mixtures across biomes: The role of litter identity, diversity and soil fauna," 2020, Journal of Ecology
  • "Environmental drivers of increased ecosystem respiration in a warming tundra," 2024, Nature

Their body of work typically addresses complex ecological and environmental processes in high-latitude and tundra ecosystems, including soil temperature dynamics and carbon emissions. This reflects interdisciplinary approaches bridging soil science, ecology, and atmospheric interactions under changing climate conditions.

Best Publications

  • The Mineral Nutrition of Wild Plants Revisited: A Re-evaluation of Processes and Patterns

    R. Aerts;F.S. Chapin

  • Plant species traits are the predominant control on litter decomposition rates within biomes worldwide

    William K. Cornwell;Johannes H. C. Cornelissen;Kathryn Amatangelo;Ellen Dorrepaal

  • Climate, leaf litter chemistry and leaf litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems : a triangular relationship

    Rien Aerts

  • Nutrient resorption from senescing leaves of perennials: are there general patterns?

    Rien Aerts

  • A global study of relationships between leaf traits, climate and soil measures of nutrient fertility

    Jenny C. Ordoñez;Peter M. Van Bodegom;Jan Philip M. Witte;Ian J. Wright

  • Consequences of biodiversity loss for litter decomposition across biomes

    I. Tanya Handa;Rien Aerts;Frank Berendse;Matty P. Berg

  • Carbon respiration from subsurface peat accelerated by climate warming in the subarctic

    Ellen Dorrepaal;Sylvia Toet;Sylvia Toet;Richard S. P. van Logtestijn;Elferra Swart

  • The advantages of being evergreen

    Rien Aerts

  • Evidence of the ‘plant economics spectrum’ in a subarctic flora

    Grégoire T. Freschet;Johannes H. C. Cornelissen;Richard S. P. Van Logtestijn;Rien Aerts

  • Interspecific competition in natural plant communities: mechanisms, trade-offs and plant-soil feedbacks

    Rien Aerts

  • The freezer defrosting: global warming and litter decomposition rates in cold biomes

    R. Aerts

  • Growth-limiting nutrients in Sphagnum-dominated bogs subject to low and high atmospheric nitrogen supply.

    Rien Aerts;Bo Wallen;Nils Malmer

  • Methane Feedbacks to the Global Climate System in a Warmer World

    Joshua F. Dean;Jack J. Middelburg;Thomas Röckmann;Rien Aerts

  • Global change and arctic ecosystems: is lichen decline a function of increases in vascular plant biomass?

    J. H.C. Cornelissen;J. H.C. Cornelissen;T. V. Callaghan;J. M. Alatalo;A. Michelsen

  • Nitrogen-use efficiency : a biologically meaningful definition?

    F. Berendse;R. Aerts

  • Highly consistent effects of plant litter identity and functional traits on decomposition across a latitudinal gradient

    Marika Makkonen;Matty P. Berg;I. Tanya Handa;I. Tanya Handa;Stephan Hättenschwiler

  • Global negative vegetation feedback to climate warming responses of leaf litter decomposition rates in cold biomes

    Johannes H. C. Cornelissen;Peter M. van Bodegom;Rien Aerts;Terry V. Callaghan

  • Ecosystem feedbacks and cascade processes: understanding their role in the responses of Arctic and alpine ecosystems to environmental change

    Philip A. Wookey;Rien Aerts;Richard D. Bardgett;Florence Baptist

  • The Effect of Increased Nutrient Availability on Vegetation Dynamics in Wet Heathlands

    Rien Aerts;Frank Berendse

  • A plant economics spectrum of litter decomposability

    Grégoire T. Freschet;Rien Aerts;Johannes H. C. Cornelissen

  • The relation between above- and belowground biomass allocation patterns and competitive ability.

    R. Aerts;R. G. A. Boot;P. J. M. van der Aart

Frequent Co-Authors

Johannes H. C. Cornelissen
Johannes H. C. Cornelissen Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Peter M. van Bodegom
Peter M. van Bodegom Leiden University
Richard S. P. van Logtestijn
Richard S. P. van Logtestijn Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Terry V. Callaghan
Terry V. Callaghan University of Sheffield
Ellen Dorrepaal
Ellen Dorrepaal Umeå University
P.M. van Bodegom
P.M. van Bodegom Leiden University
Matty P. Berg
Matty P. Berg Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Jelte Rozema
Jelte Rozema Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Stef Bokhorst
Stef Bokhorst Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
William K. Cornwell
William K. Cornwell University of New South Wales

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