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Ecology and Evolution
Netherlands
2026

D-Index & Metrics

Ecology and Evolution

D-Index
112
Citations
54585
World Ranking
151
National Ranking
6

Theunis Piersma 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 Theunis Piersma sits on this spectrum.

37–46 publications: 11 scientists 47–56 publications: 41 scientists 57–66 publications: 147 scientists 67–76 publications: 219 scientists 77–86 publications: 409 scientists 87–96 publications: 467 scientists 97–106 publications: 613 scientists 107–116 publications: 585 scientists 117–126 publications: 591 scientists 127–136 publications: 567 scientists 137–146 publications: 535 scientists 147–156 publications: 481 scientists 157–166 publications: 404 scientists 167–176 publications: 338 scientists 177–186 publications: 362 scientists 187–196 publications: 309 scientists 197–206 publications: 246 scientists 207–216 publications: 223 scientists 217–226 publications: 205 scientists 227–236 publications: 167 scientists 237–246 publications: 141 scientists 247–256 publications: 150 scientists 257–266 publications: 125 scientists 267–276 publications: 113 scientists 277–286 publications: 92 scientists 287–296 publications: 81 scientists 297–306 publications: 77 scientists 307–316 publications: 64 scientists 317–326 publications: 47 scientists 327–336 publications: 58 scientists 337–346 publications: 52 scientists 347–356 publications: 48 scientists 357–366 publications: 50 scientists 367–376 publications: 30 scientists 377–386 publications: 30 scientists 387–396 publications: 34 scientists 397–406 publications: 25 scientists 407–416 publications: 17 scientists 417–426 publications: 12 scientists 427–436 publications: 20 scientists 437–446 publications: 9 scientists 447–456 publications: 12 scientists 457–466 publications: 11 scientists 467–476 publications: 13 scientists 477–486 publications: 10 scientists 487–496 publications: 7 scientists 497–506 publications: 12 scientists 507–516 publications: 10 scientists 517–526 publications: 9 scientists 527–532 publications: 6 scientists 533+ publications: 100 scientists
37 publications 533+

This scientist: 747 publications — 100th percentile

100% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 533 publications or more.

Theunis Piersma 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 Theunis Piersma 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: 152 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: 120 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: 28 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: 8 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: 3 scientists 122+ D-Index: 99 scientists
30 D-Index 122+

This scientist: 112 D-Index — 98th percentile

98% of scientists in this discipline score the same or lower.

The last bar groups every scientist with 122 D-Index or more.

Research.com Recognitions

  • 2026 - Research.com Ecology and Evolution in Netherlands Leader Award
  • 2025 - Research.com Ecology and Evolution in Netherlands Leader Award
  • 2022 - Research.com Ecology and Evolution in Netherlands Leader Award
  • 2014 - Spinoza Prize, Dutch Research Council
  • 2009 - Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences

Overview

Theunis Piersma is affiliated with the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and specializes in Environmental Science with a strong emphasis on Ecology. Their research covers several key subfields including Ecology, Global and Planetary Change, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Oceanography, and Nature and Landscape Conservation.

Theunis Piersma's work predominantly addresses topics related to Avian ecology and behavior, Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, Animal Behavior and Reproduction, Marine and coastal plant biology, Marine and fisheries research, Species Distribution and Climate Change, as well as Fish Ecology and Management Studies.

Frequent publication venues for Theunis Piersma include:

  • Ardea
  • Ibis
  • Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research)
  • SSRN Electronic Journal
  • Avian Research

Coauthor collaborations often involve the following researchers:

  • Jos C. E. W. Hooijmeijer
  • Chris J. Hassell
  • Mo A. Verhoeven
  • Allert I. Bijleveld
  • A. H. Jelle Loonstra

Recent papers by Theunis Piersma demonstrate a focus on migratory bird behavior and ecological systems. Notable publications include:

  • Pattern and predictability of potential wind assistance for waders and geese migrating from West Africa and the Wadden Sea to Siberia, 2020, Ornis Svecica
  • Mangrove-mudflat connectivity shapes benthic communities in a tropical intertidal system, 2021, Ecological Indicators
  • Age-dependent timing and routes demonstrate developmental plasticity in a long-distance migratory bird, 2021, Journal of Animal Ecology
  • Exploration speed in captivity predicts foraging tactics and diet in free-living red knots, 2021, Journal of Animal Ecology
  • Geolocators lead to better measures of timing and renesting in black-tailed godwits and reveal the bias of traditional observational methods, 2020, Journal of Avian Biology

Theunis Piersma has been recognized with several awards including the Spinoza Prize from the Dutch Research Council in 2014 and membership in the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences since 2009.

Best Publications

  • The interplay between habitat availability and population differentiation

    Yvonne Verkuil;Theunis Piersma;Joop Jukema;Leo Zwarts

  • Phenotypic flexibility and the evolution of organismal design

    Theunis Piersma;Jan Drent

  • Rapid reversible changes in organ size as a component of adaptive behaviour

    Theunis Piersma;Åke Lindström

  • Rapid population decline in red knots: fitness consequences of decreased refuelling rates and late arrival in Delaware Bay

    Allan J. Baker;Allan J. Baker;Patricia M. González;Theunis Piersma;Lawrence J. Niles

  • Extreme endurance flights by landbirds crossing the Pacific Ocean : Ecological corridor rather than barrier?

    Robert E. Gill;T. Lee Tibbitts;David C. Douglas;Colleen M. Handel

  • Rethinking China's new great wall

    Zhijun Ma;David S. Melville;Jianguo Liu;Ying Chen

  • A supergene determines highly divergent male reproductive morphs in the ruff

    Clemens Küpper;Clemens Küpper;Michael Stocks;Judith E Risse;Natalie Dos Remedios

  • HIGH-LEVELS OF ENERGY-EXPENDITURE IN SHOREBIRDS - METABOLIC ADAPTATIONS TO AN ENERGETICALLY EXPENSIVE WAY OF LIFE

    Marcel Kersten;Theunis Piersma

  • The Flexible Phenotype: A Body-Centred Integration of Ecology, Physiology, and Behaviour

    Theunis Piersma;Jan A. van Gils

  • Mass changes in migrating birds: the evidence for fat and protein storage re‐examined

    Åke Lindström;Theunis Piersma

  • Rapid Changes in the Size of Different Functional Organ and Muscle Groups during Refueling in a Long‐Distance Migrating Shorebird

    Theunis Piersma;Gudmundur A. Gudmundsson;Kristján Lilliendahl

  • Pay-offs and penalties of competing migratory schedules

    Rudi Drent;Christiaan Both;Martin Green;Jesper Madsen

  • Shorebirds: An illustrated Behavioural Ecology

    Jan van de Kam;Bruno Ens;Theunis Piersma;Leo Zwarts

  • Do global patterns of habitat use and migration strategies co-evolve with relative investments in immunocompetence due to spatial variation in parasite pressure?

    Theunis Piersma

  • Guts Don't Fly: Small Digestive Organs in Obese Bar-Tailed Godwits

    Theunis Piersma;Robert E. Gill

  • Empirical evidence for differential organ reductions during trans-oceanic bird flight

    Phil F Battley;Theunis Piersma;Maurine W Dietz;Sixian Tang

  • A Three-Stage Symbiosis Forms the Foundation of Seagrass Ecosystems

    Tjisse van der Heide;Laura L. Govers;Jimmy de Fouw;Han Olff

  • Long‐term indirect effects of mechanical cockle‐dredging on intertidal bivalve stocks in the Wadden Sea

    Theunis Piersma;Anita Koolhaas;Anne Dekinga;Jan J. Beukema

  • Travelling on a budget: predictions and ecological evidence for bottlenecks in the annual cycle of long-distance migrants

    Deborah M Buehler;Theunis Piersma

  • Waterbirds around the world

    Theunis Piersma

  • Interactions Between Stomach Structure and Diet Choice in Shorebirds

    Theunis Piersma;Anita Koolhaas;Anne Dekinga

  • Effects of microhabitat, flocking, climate and migratory goal on energy expenditure in the annual cycle of Red Knots

    Popko Wiersma;Theunis Piersma

Frequent Co-Authors

Anne Dekinga
Anne Dekinga Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research
Jan A. van Gils
Jan A. van Gils Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research
Han Olff
Han Olff University of Groningen
Tjisse van der Heide
Tjisse van der Heide Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research
Allan J. Baker
Allan J. Baker Royal Ontario Museum
Phil F. Battley
Phil F. Battley Massey University
Christiaan Both
Christiaan Both University of Groningen
Johan van de Koppel
Johan van de Koppel Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research
Åke Lindström
Åke Lindström Lund University
Henk W. van der Veer
Henk W. van der Veer Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research

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Choosing a related degree that suits your interests can enhance your expertise and open doors to unique roles within and beyond Ecology and Evolution.

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