Evolution is thoughtless, lazy and imperfect - and that is exactly why it works!
Evolution is thoughtless, lazy and imperfect - and that is exactly why it works!
Publications and media attention
Here you can find all my publications & awards, listed at the bottom of this page.
Also, have a look my Naturalis YouTube videos, or at a selection of my appearances in traditional media!
Enjoy my DNA talks
Learn more about DNA and evolution through my videos on the Naturalis YouTube channel.
Previous episodes
DNA talk 1: A strange salamander syndrome
DNA talk 2: What is DNA?
DNA talk 3: What is evolution?
DNA talk 4: How do species arise?
DNA talk 5: DNA barcoding of amphibians
DNA talk 6: Hybrid species
DNA talk 7: Foreign Tree Frogs!
In the media (a selection)
List of services
-
NPO Radio 1 - Interview
The Dutch radio station NPO Radio 1 invited me to their show 'Villa VdB' to discuss my PhD project on the mystery of salamander eggs - and to talk a little bit about my passion for Halloween.
-
NU.nl - Article
I commented on our new research paper on exotic Alpine newts in the Netherlands, and NU.nl quoted me!
-
NRC - Personal interview
Recently I was interviewed by the NRC about what it is like to be a biologist. Quite the honor! I did my best to carefully explain not only my current research on salamander DNA, but also the personal route I've taken to get to this point in my early career! (Dutch only)
-
de Volkskrant - Article
I was interviewed for de Volkskrant, a large Dutch newspaper, to talk about how volunteers help toads to cross roads safely on their way from their hibernation sites to their breeding ponds ánd to say something about why we should be concerned about the species' decline... (Dutch only)
-
SLAM! Radio - Interview
At the beginning of 2023, I was interviewd on live radio at SLAM! I was asked to explain why we should (or better: should not) bring extinct species such as the dodo and the mammoth back to life. Listen to the interview (Dutch only) or read an English summary here:
-
BioNieuws - Article
Occasionally I appear in Bionieuws to discuss amphibians. Such as recently, in March, to respond to a scientific publication regarding the evolution of camouflaging colors and/or bright warning colors in amphibians: which strategy provides the best protection against predators?
-
KIJK Magazine - Article
On the 20th of January, 2023, I commented in an online article by KIJK Magazine on a recently published paper in the field of 'genomics'. The article is about how chicken DNA threatens the wild red junglefowl!
-
NOS - Front page news!
Early December, 2022, a true media storm began in response to the publications of our team regarding exotic tree frogs and other amphibians in the Dutch dunes. One of the media, the NOS (which is the biggest news organization of the Netherlands), wrote about it on their front page and they even included my YouTube video in the article!
-
Scientias.nl - Interview
In response to the 'alien amphibian' media storm, Scientias interviewed me extensively on the topic. More through the link:
-
Vroege Vogels, BNNVARA - Interview
In the morning of Sunday the 2nd of May, 2021, I was a guest on the radio show 'Vroege Vogels' at BNNVARA on NPO Radio 1 to tell about my PhD research.
You can listen to the interview via the link, a brief intro was broadcasted ~9:00am, the detailed interview ~9.40am.
-
Quest - 'Vraag & Antwoord'
For the column 'Vraag & Antwoord' (translated: 'Question & Answer') I was asked why frogs and toads keep their front legs up, in front of their eyes, when in danger. My answer appeared in the Dutch popular science magazine 'Quest' at the beginning of 2022.
-
Nature Today - ArticleListing 1
In April 2021 I appeared on Nature Today (both the Dutch and International pages) in an article about pygmy hogs, following a publication I wrote together with my colleagues in Current Biology Magazine.
-
Leidsch Dagblad - ArticleListing 4
The Leidsch Dagblad wrote an article about me and my colleagues in response to our paper on a genetic abnormality found in Triturus newts, published in RAVON in 2021.
-
Radio538 - InterviewListing 3
In 2019 I was on the radio at Radio538, where I was interviewed about my work as a biologist and how I combine this work with my other job, for which I work in the world of theatre around Halloween.
More videos!
See also these two interviews: one about crested newts, the other one about crested mangabeys (fun, right, all these beautiful animals with crests!?)
Biologist Manon de Visser about mangabeys
Awards & Prizes
- Selected as 'Face of Science 2023' by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), The Youth Academy (De Jonge Akademie) and NEMO Kennislink, after being nominated by Associate Professor and marine biologist Dr Lisa Becking.
- "1st prize for one-minute pitch" at the Netherlands Society of Evolutionary Biology PhD & Postdoc meeting 2021 (NLSEB2021), for the pitch: "The balanced lethal system in Triturus: an evolutionary trap!"
- "3rd best oral presentation" at the Programming For Evolutionary Biology Conference 2021 (miniPEB2021), Freie Universität Berlin, for the talk: "Studying the lethality and evolutionary origin of the balanced lethal system in Triturus newts."
- "1st prize for oral presentation" within subtheme: Global Health - Humans and Animals" at the University of Copenhagen EuroLeague of Life Sciences (ELLS) Student Conference 2017, for the MSc project "The Importance of Genomics for the Conservation Management of the Critically Endangered Pygmy Hog (Porcula salvania)."
- "Best oral presentation" at the Benelux International Society of Applied Ethology (ISAE) meeting 2016, for the MSc project "The effect of exposure to visitors on stress in the critically endangered blue-eyed black lemur (Eulemur flavifrons) and other primate species at Apenheul Primate Park, the Netherlands."
Publications
- Struijk, R.P.J.H., Prins, N., Koster, S., Putters, N., Jansen, N., Esselaar, J., De Visser, M.C., France, J.M., Wielstra, B.M. (2024) Knoflookpad in Callantsoog: verspreiding, voortplanting en geografische herkomst, RAVON
- Kazilas, C., Dufresnes, C., France, J., Kalaentzis, K., Martínez-Solano, I., De Visser, M.C., Anrtzen, J.W., Wielstra, B. (2024) Spatial genetic structure in European marbled newts revealed with target enrichment by sequence capture, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 194: 108043.
- Kalaentzis, K., Arntzen, J.W., Aziz, A., Van den Berg, V., Beukema, W., France, J.M., Olgun, K., Van Riemsdijk, I., Üzüm, N., De Visser, M.C. & Wielstra B.M. (2023) Hybrid zone analysis confirms cryptic species of banded newt and does not support competitive displacement since secondary contact, Ecology and Evolution 13(9): e10442.
- Robbemont, J., Van Veldhuijzen, S., Allain, S.J.R., Ambu, J., Boyle, R., Canestrelli, D., Cathasaigh, É.Ó, Cathrine, C., Chiocchio, A., Cogalniceanu, D., Cvijanović, M., [. . .],
- De Visser, M.C. & Wielstra, B.M. (2023) An extended mtDNA phylogeography for the alpine newt illuminates the provenance of introduced populations. Amphibia-Reptilia 44(3): 347-361.
- Kuijt, M., Oskam, L., Den Boer, I., Dufresnes, C., France, J., Gilbert, M. J., De Visser, M.C., Struijk, R.P.J.H, Wielstra, B. (2023) The introduction of three cryptic tree frog species in the Dutch coastal dunes challenges conservation paradigms. Amphibia-Reptilia 44(1), 1-10.
- Koster, S., Prins, N., Dufresnes, C., France, J., De Visser, M.C., Struijk, R.P.J.H., Wielstra, B. (2023) The conservation paradox of an introduced population of a threatened species: spadefoot toads in the coastal dunes of the Netherlands. Amphibia-Reptilia 44(1), 11-18.
- De Brouwer, J., Helder, B., France, J., De Visser, M.C., Struijk, R.P.J.H., Wielstra, B. (2023) An isolated crested newt population in Dutch coastal dunes: distribution relict or introduction? Amphibia-Reptilia 44(1), 19-26.
- Vliegenthart, C., Van de Vrede, M., Den Boer, I., Gilbert, M., Lemmers, P., France, J., De Visser, M.C., Struijk, R.P.J.H., Wielstra, B. (2023) The limits of mtDNA barcoding for determining the provenance of invasive species: a midwife toad example. Amphibia-Reptilia 44(1), 27-33.
- De Visser, M.C., Prins, N., France, J.M., Struijk, R., Wielstra, B. (2023) Exotische amfibieën in de duinen ontmaskerd met mtDNA barcoding. Holland's Duinen 82(1): 25-29.
- Wielstra, B.M., Den Boer, I., France, J.M., De Visser, M.C., Struijk, R. (2023) MtDNA barcoding van exotische amfibieën in de duinen. RAVON 89(2): 26-29.
- Van der Goot, A., De Visser, M., Hiemstra, A.F. (2022) Smooth newts Lissotriton vulgaris observed hibernating in a waterfowl nest. Herpetological Bulletin: 162: 41-42.
- Struijk, R.P.J.H., Backx, B., Demirkapu, B., De Visser, M., Wielstra, B. (2022). 'Rise and fall' van een populatie westelijke smaragdhagedissen in Scheveningen. RAVON: 24(4): 24-27.
- De Visser M., Prins E., Bosse M., Crooijmans R., Ter Meulen T. (2022). Maximum longevity and juvenile mortality in zoo-housed mangabeys. Zoo biology: 1-11.
- Helder B., De Brouwer J., Ouwehand J., De Visser M. & Wielstra B. (2021). Koi-kamsalamander, Schubben & Slijm (48): 8.
- Meilink W.R.M., France J., De Visser M. & Wielstra B. (2021). Balanced Lethal Systems: An Evolutionary Mystery. Frontiers For Young Minds. 9:632945.
- Fahrbach M., De Visser M.C. & Wielstra B.M. (2021). The hybrid zone between the Italian and Northern crested newts (Triturus carnifex and T. cristatus) reaches Germany, Salamandra 57(3): 428-434.
- De Visser M.C., Liu L. & Bosse M. (2021). Pygmy hogs, Current Biology 31(8):R366-R368.
- De Visser M.C., France J.M., Meilink W.R.M. & Wielstra B.M. (2021). Een evolutionair raadsel: het dodelijke chromosoom 1 syndroom in Triturus-salamanders, RAVON 23(1): 9-12.
- Struijk R.P.J.H, Demirkapu B., De Visser M.C. & Wielstra B.M. (2021). Exotische smaragdhagedissen in de duinen bij Scheveningen, Kijk op Exoten (34): 12-13.
- Liu L., Bosse M., Megens H.J., De Visser M.C., Groenen M.A.M. & Madsen O. (2020). Genetic consequences of long‐term small effective population size in the critically endangered pygmy hog. Evolutionary Applications 14:710-720.
- Van Tuijl C., Van Bochove K. &
De Visser M.C. (2019).
Genetic Structure of Badger Populations in a Fragmented Landscape: How Do Barriers Affect Populations on a Genetic Level? Lutra 62: 65-76.