List of publications and media attention

For the most recent list of publications please visit my Google Scholar page

2026

Soms kun je beter het zeegras beschermen dan de schildpad. Trouw 1 maart 2024.
Herbivores shape the seascape: Cascading effects of herbivores on the functioning of tropical seagrasses in a changing world. Fee Smulders PhD thesis Wageningen University & Research. Click to download.
Dit vergeten plantje gaat de wereld redden. Juni 2024. Universiteit van Nederland.
Herbivore effects increase with latitude across the extent of a foundational seagrass. Justin E. Campbell et al. 2024 Nature Ecology & Evolution. Click to download.

Seagrass abundance predicts surficial soil organic carbon stocks across the range of Thalassia testudinum in the Western North Atlantic. Jim Fourqurean et al. Estuaries and Coasts.
Battle for the mounds: niche competition between upside-down jellyfish and invasive seagrass. Fee O. H. Smulders, Naomi Slikboer, Marjolijn J. A. Christianen, J. Arie Vonk. Ecology. Click to download.
Green turtles shape the seascape through grazing patch formation around habitat features: Experimental evidence. F. O. H. Smulders, E. S. Bakker, O. R. O'Shea, J. E. Campbell, O. K. Rhoades, M. J. A. Christianen. Ecology. Click to download.
Zeekoeien in Burgers’ Zoo gaan vloggen voor onderzoek naar zeegras. NU.nl 10 januari 2023.
Zeekoe aan het vloggen: Belangrijk om steeds meer te leren over onze dieren. De Telegraaf 11 januari 2023.

Seagrass ecosystem multifunctionality under the rise of a flagship marine megaherbivore. Marjolijn J. A. Christianen, Fee O. H. Smulders, Jan Arie Vonk, Leontine E. Becking, Tjeerd J. Bouma, Sabine M. Engel, Rebecca K. James, Mabel I. Nava, Jaco C. de Smit, Jurjan P. van der Zee, Per J. Palsbøll, Elisabeth S. Bakker. Global Change Biology. —> Click to download.
Haaien beschermen belangrijke zeegrasvelden. Radio interview Vroege Vogels.
Range expansion of Marinomyxa marina, a phytomyxid parasite of the invasive seagrass Halophila stipulacea, to the Caribbean. V Kolátková, FOH Smulders, EA Ward, M Vohník. Aquatic Botany. —> Click to download.
Zeegras evolueerde net als de walvis terug naar zee. G. Venhuizen. NRC https://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2022/10/07/zeegras-evolueerde-net-als-de-walvis-terug-naar-zee-a4144196 —> Click to download.
Fish grazing enhanced by nutrient enrichment may limit invasive seagrass expansion. FOH Smulders, ST Becker, JE Campbell, ES Bakker, MM Bouwmeester, JA Vonk, MJA Christianen. Aquatic Botany. —> Click to download.

“The price they pay for your perfect vacation photo” 11 May 2021, The New York Times.

“Zeeschildpadden worden aggressief door toeristen die bijvoeren” 03 feb 2021, Trouw.
“Bijvoeren door toeristen maakt schildpadden aggressief” 01 feb 2021: NU.nl.
Animal-borne video reveals atypical behaviour in provisioned green turtles: A global perspective of a widespread tourist activity. FOH Smulders, OR O’Shea, MJA Christianen. Global Ecology and Conservation. —> Click to download.

Inconclusive evidence of sexual reproduction of invasive Halophila stipulacea: a new field guide to encourage investigation of flower and fruit production throughout its invasive range. FOH Smulders, KL Chiquillo, DA Willette, PA Barber. Botanica Marina, 63 (6).
—> Click to download paper and Click here to download fieldguide.

Seagrass ecosystem metabolic carbon capture in response to green turtle grazing across Caribbean meadows. RA Johnson, AG Gulick, N Constant, AB Bolten, FOH Smulders, MJA Christianen, MI Nava, K Kolasa, KA Bjorndal. Journal of Ecology, 108(3), 1101-1114.
—> Click to download.

Megaherbivores may impact expansion of invasive seagrass in the Caribbean. MJA Christianen, FOH Smulders, MS Engel, MI Nava, S Willis, AO Debrot, ...Journal of Ecology. —> Click to download.

Seagrass leaf element content: A global overview. JA Vonk, FOH Smulders, MJA Christianen, LL Govers, Marine pollution bulletin 134, 123-133. —> Click to download.
Article in Bionews: ‘Global defaunation and plant invasion: cascading effects on seagrass ecosystem services’.

Contributed to Mongabay article: ‘Why saving seagrass meadows could help save the world’s coastlines’.

Conservation state of the sea turtles of the Caribbean Netherlands. Gulsah Dogruer et al. 2025, State of Nature Report for the Caribbean Netherlands, Wageningen Marine Research.
Zeegras is niet alleen goed voor klimaat, maar ook voor dieren en waterkwaliteit. NU.nl 22 april 2025.
Temperature drives seagrass recovery across the Western North Atlantic. Fee O.H. Smulders et al. Global Change Biology. Click to download.

Expansion and fragment settlement of the non-native seagrass Halophila stipulacea in a Caribbean bay. FOH Smulders, JA Vonk, MS Engel, MJA Christianen, Marine Biology Research 13 (9), 967-974 —> Click to download.