I made a lot of pictures in and around Belgium this winter. Find a nice overview of them in this gallery on the right of my blog.
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Ready?
The sun sets above the sea at the Belgian coastline, on one of these days that hint towards the approaching spring.
For plant ecologists, these hints of spring trigger the start of the fieldwork season. I am currently wrapping up the final analyses for my third introduction paper and, as from today, I start looking forward with full enthusiasm to the data collection and planned papers for coming season. I am sure it will bring so many good things, and I am ready to face them all!
I promise to keep you posted about all these adventures, from wherever in the world I will be.
The root of all power
Earlier, I wrote about the strong foundation that is needed to build houses in the dunes. 
Natures’ prototype of such a strong holdfast is found in the shape of European beachgrass, the true hero of the dunes. This species grows from a network of so-called rhizomes, that as no other keep together the sand and immobilize it.
These rhizomes have amazing skills for live in the dunes, one of them to grow two meters laterally every year, allowing the beach grass to colonise new areas in the highly disturbed environment at the sea shore. The rhizomes even tolerate a certain time submerged in water, so they can break off, drop in the water, come ashore somewhere else and start a new colony.
This species is unbeaten as king of dune fixation, and at this point still the best method we have to limit erosion in damaged dunes. Beachgrass hence serves a major role in the protection of the lowlands of Western Europe against storms and rising sea levels.
They are a perfect example of a stress-tolerant species. They can handle (certain levels of) the recurring disturbance caused by sea, wind, sand and rain, they know how to deal with the bad soil conditions in the dunes and they are true pioneers, as they will always be the first plant species to colonise the bare sand areas.
The true powers of plants never cease to amase.
Pictures from Bray-Dunes, Northern France
Stand your ground
Apparently stress applies to buildings as well. They rely heavily on the characteristics of the soil on which they are located, which makes them in that matter comparable with the plants in my research.
This bunker feels the power of erosion under its foundation
If the belowground environment consists of hostile dry sand like in the coastal dunes, even the strongest bunker has a rough time standing its ground against the powers of nature.
As wind and rain keep the sand on the move, all living and dead things in the dunes should be prepared that their current location can only be temporary. The powers of erosion and sedimentation will one day or another end the peace, and that day will rather be sooner than later here.
As both plants and buildings cannot move unaided to a safer location, they need a strong foundation to warrant a long life. That is the reason why the roots of dune plants will be the most important part of the whole organism.
Maybe the architects of the buildings in these pictures could learn a lesson from the plant world…
Being generous pays off
It is not difficult to make the birds happy. A little piece of bread, some cheese or an apple and they accept you as their generous god.
It never fails to entertain how the little friends hop around through the shrubs on a safe distance to check if there is a catch to this tempting offer, before they gradually lose their guard and accept your donations.
It becomes even better when squirrels accept your friend request. I have the impression that they are a bit more difficult to persuade of your good intents, but as soon as they are convinced, they give back even more love.
They are just undeniably cute with their tails curled on their back and their little paws busy with the food.
I could watch them for hours, these little friends!
Out of date…
… but not out of my heart!
My passport ran out of date, so I had to replace my most loyal travel companion before leaving on my next trip.
I have to thank this little booklet for serving me all these years as a key that unlocks the whole world.
I asked the authorities in a burst of nostalgia if I could keep the old passport as a souvenir, and luckily they granted my wish. He only needs to get his official retirement-stamp, after which he will be revalued as my official Guardian of Memories.
The 3D lab 