Marine Ecosystem and Climate Change (MECC) Research Group
Chair: Professor David John Marshall
Secretary: Dr Stefan Herwig Godeke
Dep. Chair: Professor Takaomi Arai
Members:
- AP Dr Basilios Tsikouras
- AP Dr Mansoob Khan
- AP Dr Lim Lee Hoon
- Dr Hussein Taha
- Dr Haziq Jamil
- Dr Pooja Shivanand Breh
- Dr Nurul Amajida Haji Roslim
Contact: research.mecc@ubd.edu.bn
About Marine Ecosystem and Climate Change Research Group
The newly-formed MECC brings together UBD researchers, students and international collaborators with common interests in the conservation and management of Brunei’s marine ecosystems. This is a timely effort considering the disproportionate and extraordinary threat currently placed on natural marine ecosystems by growing industrialization and urban population expansion. Specific research thrusts of the group include marine biodiversity studies, environmental monitoring, climate change stressors and responses, mariculture, and habitat reclamation. So far we have received seed grant funding, and plan to seek major grants to improve our experimental research facilities as well as build an outdoor marine aquarium system. We encourage researchers with relevant interests to contact the Lead.
MECC Research Thrust:
Marine Biodiversity:
- To build baseline datasets and records of present and historical (fossil) benthic and pelagic species, including molecular records.
- Comprehensive datasets should aid conservation management, understanding of connectivity in the South China Sea, the recruitment of taxa to and within Brunei’s marine waters, and the identification of threatened taxa.
- The taxonomic expertise of group members includes that of invertebrates, gastropods, fishes, sea grasses, algae and foraminiferans.
Enviromental Monitoring
- To monitor temporal change in marine ecosystems. Monitoring using instruments or biological approaches should aid understanding of the pace of change in the physical marine environments.
- This should facilitate building datasets of abiotic parameters in marine habitats, as well as mapping, ground-truthing, remote-sensing and satellite-imaging of the local marine ecosystems.
Ecological Processes, Local Anthropogenic Stressors and Global Change
- To understand the interaction between local anthropogenic factors (marine pollution) and global change (tempertaure and acidification) on marine animals and ecosystems. Studies should contribute to theoretical frameworks, but also the generation of knowledge and new applications.
- Studies should further contribute to understanding of the impacts of local and global changes on ecological processes and communities.
Mariculture and habitat Reclamation (Fishes, Invertebrates and Oysters)
- To contribute understanding and aiding of habitat reclamation (corals and decommissioned oil rigs), and mariculture practices appropriate locally.
- In the context of diminishing marine habitat and global resources, it is necessary to artificially reclaim habitat, but also to maintain food security through improved mariculture practices.
Research projects under the Marine Ecosystem and Climate Change Research Group:
- Hydrogeochemistry, Acidic Property and Its Role in Ocean Acidification of Submarine Groundwater Discharge at Pantai Tungku, Brunei Darussalam
