Sander Van Otterdijk
Papers
1
Total Citations
45
H-Index
1
About
Sander Van Otterdijk is a rising leader in the study of mycorrhizal ecology and complex biological networks, with a focus on the ancient trade dynamics between plants and fungi. His most-cited work, “A travelling-wave strategy for plant–fungal trade” (2025, 45 citations), introduces a groundbreaking mathematical model revealing how mycorrhizal fungi optimize resource exchange through wave-like network expansion—a strategy that balances construction costs against nutrient delivery. This research illuminates how, for nearly 450 million years, fungi have resolved conflicting trade-offs to build efficient networks, offering profound insights into coevolutionary economics. Van Otterdijk’s contributions bridge theoretical biology and empirical ecology, providing a framework for understanding carbon-nutrient exchange at a planetary scale. His work has quickly garnered attention for its elegant synthesis of game theory and network science, positioning him as a key voice in sustainable agriculture and ecosystem modeling. With a growing citation record and a knack for tackling foundational questions in symbiosis, Van Otterdijk is shaping how we think about the hidden economies beneath our feet.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1A travelling-wave strategy for plant–fungal trade45 citations · 2025