Rob van Soest

{{short description|Dutch marine biologist - specialist in sponges}}

{{use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}

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Robertus Wilhelmus Maria van Soest, born in 1946,{{cite web|url=https://www.idref.fr/073915807|access-date=2022-03-13|title=IdRef: Soest, Rob W. M. van (1946-.... ; biologiste)|language=fr|website=idref.fr}} is a Dutch marine biologist. He works at the Naturalis Biodiversity Center and is also affiliated with the University of Amsterdam. He co-authored with John N. A. Hooper Systema Porifera: A Guide to the Classification of Sponges,{{cite Q|Q63090983}} a standard reference for sponge classification.{{cite Q|Q56268027}}{{citeQ|Q56268026}}{{cite journal |last1=Chambers |first1=Susan |title=Systema porifera. A guide to the classification of sponges,edited by J.N.A. Hooper and R.W.M. van Soest. Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers, Dordrecht, 2002, 1756pp. ISBN 0‐306‐47260‐0 |journal=Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems |date=September 2003 |volume=13 |issue=5 |pages=461–462 |doi=10.1002/aqc.593}}

He was editor in chief of the World Porifera Database (WPD) from 2004 to 2021,{{Cite web |title=World Porifera Database |url=https://www.marinespecies.org/porifera/ |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=www.marinespecies.org}} and is currently (March 2022) one of its taxonomic editors.{{Cite web |last=IMIS |first=VLIZ - |title=WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - IMIS: Dr Rob van Soest |url=https://www.marinespecies.org/imis.php?module=person&persid=5008 |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=www.marinespecies.org |language=en}}

He has contributed to the systematics, the phylogeny and the taxonomy of sponges,{{cite Q|Q49106926}}{{cite Q|Q28477121|doi-access=free}}{{Cite Q|Q104454716}} to their chemistry{{Cite Q|Q105027244}} and biological properties (and the pharmacological use thereof){{cite Q|Q33373804}}{{cite Q|Q82653366}}{{cite Q|Q50487016}}

His zoological abbreviation is van Soest.