Bertrand Boeken

Born 26 August 1951, Amsterdam, Netherlands   

Address: The Wyler Dept. of Dryland Agriculture

The Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev

Sede Boqer Campus, 849900 Israel

Tel. 972-8-659-6893 

E-mail: bboeken@bgu.ac.il

Academic status

Associate Professor.

Education

• B.Sc.: 1975    University of Amsterdam, Dept. of Biology.
  

• M.Sc.: 1980   University of Amsterdam, Dept. of Biology.
  

• Ph.D.: 1986   Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Department of Life Sciences.
  

Positions held

• 1987-1989     Researcher, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva.
  

• 1989-1991     Postdoctoral Associate at the Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Millbrook NY, USA.
  

• 1991-1998     Researcher C, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva.
  

• 1998-present Lecturer, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva.
  

• 2002-present Director, Park Shaked Long-Term Ecological Research Station, Israeli LTER.
  

• 2003-present Senior Lecturer, Wyler Dept. of Dryland Agriculture, Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Sde Boker Campus, Israel.
  

• 2006-present Director, The Evenari Farm in Avdat Long-Term Ecological Research Station, Israeli LTER.
  

Research interests

• Effects of rainfall and drought, livestock grazing and landscape structure on productivity and diversity of herbaceous plant communities in semi-arid shrubland.

• Relationships between herbaceous and woody vegetation dynamics and geomorphological processes during landscape pattern formation in semi-arid shrubland.

• Establishment and sustaibability of native woody plant species in natural and planted dry Mediterranean forest.

Latest publications

• Shachak, M., Boeken, B., Groner, E., Kadmon, R., Lubin, Y., Meron, E., Ne'eman, G., Perevolotsky, A., Shkedy, Y. and Ungar, E. 2008. Woody species as landscape modulators and their effect on biodiversity patterns. BioScience, 58, 209-221.

• Boeken, B. 2008. The role of seedlings in the dynamics of dryland ecosystems – their response to and involvement in dryland heterogeneity, degradation and restoration In: Seedling Ecology and Evolution (eds. Leck, M., Parker, V.T. and Simpson, R.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 307-330.

• Buis, E., Veldkamp, A., Boeken, B, Van Breemen, N. 2009. Controls on plant functional surface cover types along a precipitation gradient in the Negev Desert of Israel. J. Arid Env., 73, 82-90.

• Shachak, M. and B. Boeken. 2010. Patterns of biotic community organization and reorganization: a conceptual framework and a case study. Ecological Complexity Ecological Complexity 7, 433–445.

• Buis E., A.J.A.M. Temme, A. Veldkamp, B. Boeken, A. G. Jongmans, N. van Breemen and J. M. Schoorl. 2010. Shrub mound formation and stability on semi-arid slopes in the Northern Negev Desert of Israel: A field and simulation study. Geoderma 156, 363-371. (IF 2.461, JR 5/31, 0 citations).

• Maestre T.F., Quero, L.J., Gotelli, J. N., Escudero, A., Ochoa, V.,  Delgado-Baquerizo, M., García-Gómez, M., Bowker, A. M., Soliveres, S., Escolar, C., García-Palacios, P.,  Berdugo, M., Valencia, E.,  Gozalo, B., Gallardo, A.,  Blones, J.,  Boeken, B., Bran, D., Conceição, A.A.,  Cabrera, O., Chaieb, M., Derak, M., Eldridge, J. D., Espinosa, I. C., Florentino, A., Gaitán, J.,  Gatica, M.G., Ghiloufi, W., Gómez-González, S., Gutiérrez, R.J.,  Hernández, M. R.,  Huang, X., Huber-Sannwald, E.,  Jankju, M., Miriti, M., Monerris, J., Mau, L.R., Morici, E.,  Naseri, K., Ospina, A.,  Polo, V., Prina, A.,  Pucheta, E., Ramírez-Collantes, A. D.,  Romão, R., Tighe, M.,  Torres-Díaz, C.,  Val, J., Veiga, P. J.,  Wang, D.,  Zaady, E. 2012. Plant Species Richness and Ecosystem Multifunctionality in Global Drylands. Science 335: 214-218.

• Nicolai, N. and B. Boeken, (in press) Harvester ants modify seed rain using nest vegetation and granivory. Ecological Entomology.

Currently funded projects

• 2008-2018. K KL/Jewish National Fund. Long-term eco-hydrological research in Ya'ar Shagririm, northern Negev. S. Arbel, E. Argaman, B. Boeken, M. Gatker, E. Groner, Y. Carmel, E. Zaady.
  

• 2009-2012. IALC  The role of herbaceous plant communities in the maintenance of shrub patches. B. Boeken, H. Yizhaq, J. Herrick, G. Okin.
  

• 2009-2012. Israel Ministry of Agriculture. The expected effect of climate change on the carrying capacity of rangeland ecosystems in Israel. E. D. Unger (PI), numerous Cis.
  

• 2011-2013. Israel Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry Branch. Tabor Oak Park sustainability. O. Reisman-Berman (PI), B. Boeken, D. Kaplan, Z. Henkin.
  

• 2011-2013. KKL/Jewish National Fund. Pistacia atlantica: selection of genotypes and populations for improved establishment in afforestation of arid zones. Reisman-Berman (PI), B. Boeken.