Prof.dr. D. van der Wal | People Pages: Find employees & contact details

Daphne van der Wal is, since 2017, full professor Spatial Water Quality and Aquatic Systems in the Department of Environmental Resources, Faculty of Geo-Information and Earth Observation (ITC) of University of Twente, Enschede. In addition, she is senior scientist at NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, in the Department of Estuarine and Delta Systems, Yerseke (where she started in 2002).

Her background is in physical geography (PhD, 1999, from the University of Amsterdam), and she was a postdoctoral research fellow at Royal Holloway, University of London.

She aims to address the global challenges in marine, coastal, estuarine and delta systems, by research and education on these (eco)systems using earth observation techniques, particularly regarding water quality, biodiversity and nature-based solutions.

Organisations

Ancillary activities

On behalf of UTPlatform/ Council Earth and Environmental Sciences (AMW)
NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research, NWO-IEmployee (function research leader)

Daphne van der Wal is an expert in earth observation of coastal, estuarine, and delta systems. Using earth observation, her main interest is in understanding the functioning of aquatic systems, with focus on the interaction between physical processes and biology in the coastal zone. Topics include the response of aquatic systems to climate change and human impact (e.g., water quality, salinity intrusion), as well as ecosystem services of the coastal zone and nature-based solutions (e.g., for flood risk reduction).

Approaches include satellite, airborne and near-surface remote sensing (optics, LIDAR, radar/ SAR, TIR), combined with statistical and physical (radiative transfer) models and big data analyses.

Key qualifications: Remote sensing, geo-information, water quality, river-sea interactions, wetlands, biodiversity, coastal processes, bio-geomorphology, nature-based solutions

See research output at ORCID and PURE.

Publications

2026

Quantifying Estuarine Dynamics Across Scales: Interactions among Vegetation, Salinity and Hydrodynamics (2026)[Thesis › PhD Thesis - Research UT, graduation UT]. University of Twente. Bootsma, J.https://doi.org/10.3990/1.9789036574488Remote sensing-based water quality crisis monitoring at Lake Chivero, Zimbabwe (2026)[Contribution to conference › Other] 27th WaterNet / WARFSA / GWP-SA Symposium 2026 (Unpublished). Münch, F. B., Penning de Vries, M. J. M., van der Wal, D., Marewangepo-Chasara, D., Siziba, N. A. & Magaiza, S.The water cycle: a documentary about water quality issues, their monitoring, as well as adaptation and mitigation measures (2026)[Non-textual form › Digital or Visual Products] University of Twente Science Communication Club. Münch, F. B., Penning de Vries, M. J. M., van der Wal, D., Duim, J., van Duren, I., Siziba, N. A., Muhlanga, T., Zifodya, K., Magaiza, S., Zinyama, B., Goza, D. & Dijkstra, A. M.https://doi.org/10.17026/PT/CIP3MKThe exchange of water and sediment across a microtidal Caribbean mangrove forest (2026)Estuarine, coastal and shelf science, 338. Article 109933. Gijsman, R., Engel, S., van der Wal, D., van Zee, R., Johnson, J., van der Geest, M., Wijnberg, K. & Horstman, E.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2026.109933Estimating the carrying capacity of tidal flats for migratory shorebirds: A comparison between the Changjiang and Western Scheldt estuaries from 1990 to 2020 (2026)Journal of environmental management, 413. Article 130386. Zhang, T., Ma, Z., Tian, B., Bijleveld, A. I., van Gils, J. A., Bo, S., Zhou, Y. & van der Wal, D.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2026.130386A hydrological switch drives the transition from saltmarsh to peat-forming reedland ecosystems (2026)Communications Earth & Environment, 7(1). Article 860. Valsamidou, A., Bastiaanse, M., van der Wal, D., Kasse, C., Keller, G. K., Kleinhans, M. G., Van der Putten, N., Rietkerk, M. & van de Koppel, J.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03780-wShort-Term bed-level dynamics of an intertidal shoal after large-scale nourishment (2026)Journal of marine science and engineering, 14(14). Article 1260. Grandjean, T. J., van Belzen, J., van der Wal, D., de Vet, P. L. M., van Dalen, J., de Smit, J. C., Zhou, Z., van de Koppel, J., Bouma, T. J. & Walles, B.https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse14141260A hydrological switch drives the transition from saltmarsh to peat-forming peatlands - Complete Dataset (2026)[Dataset Types › Dataset]. Zenodo. Valsamidou, A., Bastiaanse, M., van der Wal, D., Kasse, C., Keller, G., Kleinhans, M. G., Van der Putten, N., Rietkerk, M. & van de Koppel, J.https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15649544Dataset underlying the study "How Managed Realignment Modifies Salt Intrusion in Short Estuaries" (2026)[Dataset Types › Dataset]. 4TU.Centre for Research Data. Bootsma, J., Borsje, B., Siemes, R., Geerts, S., van der Wal, D. & Hulscher, S.https://doi.org/10.4121/7e480a74-e44b-472a-a6be-a36bb622d107How Managed Realignment Modifies Salt Intrusion in Short Estuaries (2026)Journal of geophysical research. Oceans, 131(5). Article e2025JC023485. Bootsma, J., Borsje, B. W., Siemes, R. W. A., Geerts, S. J., van der Wal, D. & Hulscher, S. J. M. H.https://doi.org/10.1029/2025JC023485

Research profiles

Happily contributing to the bi-annual summer school of the Netherlands Centre for Coastal Research (NCK) on coastal and estuarine processes - aimed at young engineers and scientists. See: NCK Summer School 2026. Next opportunity in June 2028!

Affiliated study programs

PROJECTS

Project partner (WP leader) in EU HE REWRITE: REWilding and Restoration of InterTidal sediment Ecosystems for carbon sequestration, climate adaptation and biodiversity support, see doi 10.3030/101081357 and see the REWRITE website: Rewilding European shorelines and beyond.

Contributing to NWO SALTISolutions on (estuarine) salinity intrusion. See the NWO SALTISolutions website. See an introduction movie here: About us – SALTISolutions

Contributing to NWO MERIAN project on water hyacinths. See the project website Water hyacinths: Use them or lose them? Improving human and ecosystem health by bringing the science to the people of Lake Chivero, Zimbabwe (WHYimprove).

Please also see the project site at NIOZ.

Address

University of Twente

Langezijds (building no. 19), room 1325
Hallenweg 8
7522 NH Enschede
Netherlands

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