Three-Year Report 2006-2008 - zmt Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology Research Capacity Building Coordination
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Three-Year Report 2006-2008
Research
Capacity Building
Coordination
zmt
Leibniz Center for
Tropical Marine
Ecology
Three-Year Report 2006-2008
page
Introduction 3
Research Projects 7
Featured Research 17
Capacity Building and Cooperation 25
Services and Administration 29
Appendix 33
Imprint Published by: Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology • Fahrenheitstraße 6 • 28359 Bremen • Germany Editors: Prof. Dr. Venugopalan Ittekkot • Dr. Susanne Eickhoff • Dr. Christiane Schnack Photos ZMT Staff • MIKA Photography, Hamburg • Harald Rehling, Bremen • Ralf Günther, WGL Cover: Maggy Nugues Design: møller grafik, Bremen Print: ASCO Sturm Druck, Bremen Contact: Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine Ecology • Fahrenheitstraße 6 • 28359 Bremen • Germany Phone: ++49 (0)421 23 800 21 • Fax: ++49 (0)421 23 800 30 • contact@zmt-bremen.de www.zmt-bremen.de Bremen 2009 2
Introduction
The period of reporting saw the second eval- last for a period of three years. The status of
uation of the ZMT by the German Council of these professorships will be reexamined after
Science and Humanities (Wissenschaftsrat) an evaluation during 2009-2010. In 2008,
and its recommendation for the ZMT to be the Center advertised four additional new
accepted as a member of the Leibniz Associa- professorships: two of which concern reef
tion. The final decision on this was taken by ecology and biogeochemistry (in cooperation
the Bund-Länder Kommission in October with the University of Bremen), the other
2007. The ZMT became an associate member two ecological modeling and social sciences
of the Leibniz Association in October 2007 (in cooperation with the Jacobs University
and is a full member since January 2009. The Bremen). Joint appointment committees for
membership was accompanied by a change the positions are expected to complete their
in the legal status of the ZMT and included a work by the end of 2009.
modification of its name to “Leibniz Cen-
ter for Tropical Marine Ecology” (Leibniz- The increasing demand for work space asso-
Zentrum für Marine Tropenökologie GmbH ciated with these developments is being met
– ZMT). The ZMT is currently in the process by renting an additional floor in the annex
of establishing an institutional structure that and by constructing a three-story extension
takes into account the recommendations to the annex for laboratory and office space.
of the Science Council based on its evalu- The construction is expected to be com-
ations. It involves changes in the scientific pleted by the end of 2009, on time for the re-
and organizational structure of the ZMT, cruitment of new research groups associated
the recruitment of new personnel as well as with the newly advertised professorships.
the acquisition of additional space and new
infrastructure. Meanwhile, the ZMT continued to imple-
ment its long-term joint research projects in
Immediately after the evaluation, two new cooperation with universities and research
professorships were installed in cooperation institutions in Indonesia, China, southern Af-
with the University of Bremen in the fields of rica, and Vietnam. These projects addressed
marine botany and social sciences. The coop- issues related to the use and protection of
eration agreement with the University is to coastal and marine systems and collected
Introduction 4
scientific information needed for the devel- is also envisaged with the Institute of Marine
opment of integrated coastal management Sciences of the University of Dar Es Salaam
strategies. The research has contributed to in Zanzibar, Tanzania, where the impact of
enhance our understanding, for example, of changes in the East African monsoon on
marine biodiversity in tropical waters, the coastal ecosystems is the focus of research.
link between coastal degradation and hu-
man health, possible responses of coral reef Bilateral activities of the ZMT formed an
ecosystems to thermal stress under various important contribution to the work of
nutrient regimes as well as of the impact of international organizations such as the IOC-
peat-soil degradation on aquatic systems in UNESCO (Intergovernmental Oceanographic
the tropics. Commission of the UNESCO) and SCOR
(Scientific Committee on Problems of the En-
The ZMT’s research efforts were accompa- vironment), especially in the field of capacity
nied by joint measures with our partners to building. The ZMT continued its cooperation
foster capacity building in the field of marine with the NAM S & T Centre under the joint
sciences. Thus, it continued to contribute fellowship program facilitating short-term
to the English language Master’s program stays for young scientists from developing
offered at the University of Bremen, ISATEC countries to work at the ZMT’s laboratories
(International Studies in Aquatic Tropical in Bremen. Its network of institutions in Asia
Ecology). Together with the Leibniz Insti- ACEMON (Aquatic Ecosystems of Monsoon
tute for Marine Sciences in Kiel, the ZMT Asia) exchanged information on coastal
coordinates the implementation of a Master’s research during its annual meetings.
course in marine sciences at the Universities
of Bremen and Kiel and the Ocean University
in Qingdao, China. The Center also orga-
nized summer schools and special training
courses in China, Indonesia, and Vietnam
under ongoing projects. Through the Ger-
man Operational Center of the International
Ocean Institute, hosted by the ZMT, the
ZMT participated in the development of a
course in fisheries science in Papua New
Guinea.
The ZMT is currently involved in the devel-
opment of new long-term projects in the
regions of southern Africa and China. These
efforts are based on discussions with new
partners during the visits of delegations
of the Federal Ministry for Education and
Research (BMBF) to South Africa, Namibia,
and China. In the region of southern Africa, a
new project (DESIGN – Desert-Sea Interac-
tions in the Ecology and Biogeochemistry of
the Namibian Coastal Waters) was devel-
oped in cooperation with the University of
Namibia and its Marine Research Centre The ZMT was also a partner in organizing
(SANUMARC) in Henties Bay. It is a contri- several regional, national, and international
bution to the BMBF’s Earth System Research events, such as the World Ocean Conference
Initiative “The Southern Africa Research Alli- in Manado, Indonesia, the German exhibi-
ance”, involving many institutions in Germany tion “Germany and China – Moving Ahead
and southern Africa. In China, the ZMT is Together” in Guangzhou, the presentation
taking part in projects within the overall of the MADAM project at the Fiema exhibi-
initiative on “Central Asia: Monsoon Dynam- tion in Brazil, the “Joint NAM S&T – ZMT
ics and Geoecosystems”. Close cooperation Workshop on Coastal Ecosystems: Hazards
5 introduction
Management and Rehabilitation” in Purwok- Overall, the ZMT continued to develop while
erto, Indonesia, the European Coral Reef strengthening its research and capacity build-
Conference in Bremen, a workshop on semi- ing capabilities, thereby taking into account
enclosed basins jointly with SCOR, SCOPE the recommendations of the German Council
and IAPSO at the Hanse Wissenschaftskolleg of Science and Humanities. Its efforts were
in Delmenhorst, and a lecture series plus supported by the State of Bremen and the
exhibition for the public in Bremen within Federal Ministry for Education and Research.
the “Year of the Reef” activities. We are particularly grateful to the support
and help we received from our partner insti-
tutions in the tropics in this regard.
ZMT
The ZMT maintains a global network of partners in tropical countries with which it conducts
its research and capacity building activities. The map shows countries with which the ZMT has
been conducting research projects during the reporting period.
introduction 6
Research Projects
page
Science for the Protection of Indonesian Coastal Ecosystems – SPICE 08
Land-Sea Interactions in Coastal Ecosystems of Tropical China – LANCET 10
Ecosystem Functioning of Rehabilitated
Versus Natural Mangroves in the Can Gio Reserve 11
Ocean-Reef Coupling in the Andaman Sea – ORCAS 11
Investigation of the Spatial Connectivity of Fish Populations
between and to Estuarine and Coastal Habitats 12
Investigation of the Distribution of Zoo- and Ichthyoplankton
in the Angola-Benguela Frontal System 12
River Inputs and their Impact on Reef Ecosystems
along the Coast of Central Vietnam 13
Role of System Biogeochemistry on the Distribution and Abundance
of Vibrio-organisms in Karnaphuli River Estuary, Bangladesh – BIOVIBAN 13
Climate Variability and El Niño Southern Oscillation:
Implications for Natural Coastal Resources and Management - CENSOR 14
Impact of Nitrogen Effluents from Sugar-Cane Monoculture
on Water Quality and Biogeochemistry of the
Mundau-Manguaba Lagoon and adjacent Coastal Waters off East Brazil 14
Environmental Assessment in Tsunami-affected Andaman Islands, India 15
Development of Feed and Quality Improvement for Tropical Shrimps 15
High-PUFA Algae 16
Breeding and Rearing of Ornamental Organisms under Controlled Conditions 16
Science for the Protection of
Indonesian Coastal Ecosystems – SPICE
2003- 2010 Duration
Indonesia Country
Main partners
Universities and research institu-
tions in Germany (Bremen,
Bremerhaven, Geesthacht,
Hamburg, Jena, Kiel, Oldenburg,
Warnemünde) and Indonesia
(Bandung, Bogor, Gondol, Jakarta,
Makassar, Palembang, Pekanbaru,
Purwokerto, Semarang, Surabaya)
BMBF Funding
details
Integrated project with six
subprojects, coordinated by the ZMT
The ZMT coordinates SPICE, the bilateral dynamite fishing and land-based pollution.
German-Indonesian research project that The work on reef ecosystems has been ex-
addresses the scientific, social and economic tended to include aspects of marine botany.
aspects of the protection and sustainable After a survey of the dominant microalgae on
use of Indonesian coastal waters and their the reefs, the photosynthetic characteristics
resources. The SPICE Program was initiated were determined along gradients in depth
in 2003, with the first phase carried out in and anthropogenic impact. This information
2003-2007. It provided significant informa- forms the basis of ongoing experimental
tion on the structure and function of coastal work related to the impact of eutrophication
ecosystems covering mangroves, coral reefs, and to mechanisms of physiological adapta-
coastal pelagic systems, and peat swamps, tion to combined abiotic stress factors.
and on their alterations due to human
interventions. These results have already Understanding Ecological and Socio-
found their way into management strategies Economic Dynamics and their Inter-
currently being developed by the regional action in the Segara Anakan Lagoon
planning authorities. The principal aim is to establish a biogeo-
Phase II started in 2007 and will last until chemical, ecological, and social scientific data
2010. Based on the information and experi- base for the sustainable use of the largest
ence gained in the first phase, the focus on mangrove ecosystem on the island of Java.
natural sciences is complemented by social Seasonal measurements are being made of
science. The aims are to better understand biogeochemical and ecological processes
the social dimension of coastal ecosystem in the lagoon. Because of their role in the
changes, analyze social-ecological dynamics, internal recycling of carbon and nutrients
and improve the links between research and in mangroves and tidal flats, benthic com-
decision-making. munities are receiving special attention. The
In four of the six research clusters within project also succeeded in establishing links
SPICE, the ZMT also conducts its own re- to authorities and stakeholder groups. The
search with partners in Indonesia: work will continue in close cooperation with
the socioeconomic group at the ZMT.
Coral Reef-Based Ecosystems and
Resources Transfer of Natural and Anthropogenic
The work is being carried out in coral reef Material from Land to Coastal Sea
ecosystems and adjacent sea grass meadows Indonesia holds the largest share of tropi-
in South Sulawesi, which are influenced by cal peat lands worldwide which is strongly
research projects 8
affected by deforestation and drainage. Our
study in the Siak River, Sumatra, aims at iden-
tifying and quantifying environmental impacts
of peat soil leaching on the water quality in
the river and the coastal ocean. Results show
that the organic carbon fluxes are enor-
mous and lead to light limitation in coastal
areas, thus contributing to reduced primary
productivity. The study has been extended to
other peat-draining rivers of Sumatra, which
will allow to ascertain the representativeness
of previous results.
Biogeochemical Fluxes in the
Indonesian Seas
This project investigates the influence of
monsoons and climatic anomalies associated
with El Niño events on the upwelling system
off the Javanese coast, which is an important
fisheries region. Initial results show that El
Niño events strengthen upwelling along the
Javanese coast and could increase fisheries
yield. Also, carbon dioxide emissions from
the upwelling system are strongly controlled
by freshwater introduced by small rivers
during the wet season. Further studies will
examine the functional relationships between
the strength of the biological pump and the
freshwater discharge in upwelling systems.
Seasonal Variability in the Impact of
Carbon and Nutrient Inputs from
Brantas River on the Madura Strait
The aim of this project is to develop an auto-
matic measuring system for the assessment
of water quality in the Madura Strait. The
ZMT participates in the project through the
collection of spatio-temporal datasets on the
impact of the influx of nutrients and organic
substances from the Brantas River on the
water quality of the Madura Strait.
Governance and Management of Coastal
Social-Ecological Systems
The project will examine the social and
economic aspects of the use of resources
associated with the mangrove and coral
reef ecosystems in Indonesia. It will concen-
trate on two SPICE research regions where
preliminary information from natural science
projects is available: Spermonde Archipelago
in Sulawesi and Segara Anakan Lagoon in
Java.
9 research projectsLand-Sea Interactions in Coastal Ecosystems
of Tropical China – LANCET
2006- 2009 Duration LANCET examines the role of land-sea
China Country fluxes on tropical coastal ecosystems of
Main partners the Chinese island of Hainan. The results
Universities in Germany are expected to provide detailed scientific
(Bremen, Hamburg) and China
(Shanghai, Qingdao), research information on a tropical system that has
institutes in China (Haikou, been poorly studied. Furthermore, they will
Hangzhou) make a contribution to the current initiatives
BMBF Funding of the Hainan government by providing the
details necessary scientific database for developing
Integrated project with 5
adequate coastal management strategies. The
subprojects, coordinated by
the ZMT LANCET studies are being conducted in 5
subprojects, 3 of which are being led by ZMT
scientists. The overall coordination of the fishes. They move between different coastal
project is also with the ZMT. habitats in close proximity, like mangroves,
seagrass beds, sandy beaches, and coral reefs.
Knowledge about this connectivity is funda-
mental for designing effective conservation
and management strategies. The project aims
at describing the status of fish communities
and the analysis of the connectivity between
ecosystems in an intensively fished estuary.
Fluxes and Transformation of Nutrient
and Organic Matter from Watershed to
the Coastal Sea
The goal of this study is to show how human
activities on land alter river-water quality
and the biogeochemistry of receiving coastal
waters. Thus, conversion of mangrove forests
to aquaculture leads to an increased release
of sediments, nutrients, and pollutants into
coastal waters. Sewage effluents change the
natural pattern of riverine carbon and nutri-
ent fluxes. Riverine and estuarine environ-
ments as well as seagrass beds along the
coast are being investigated with a view to
Current Status and Regulatory Func- assessing the impact of land-based activities.
tions of Hainan Coral Reefs
Once flourishing coral reefs of Hainan are
coming under increasing pressure from
sweeping coastal development. Understand-
ing the response of corals to these pres-
sures is crucial for predicting their resilience
in the face of natural and anthropogenic
disturbances. Substrate cover, composition,
photosynthetic activity as well as physiologi-
cal properties of several coral types are being
studied. In all coral types, water and zoo-
plankton samples are collected to assess the
quality of the ambient environment.
Status of Shallow-Water Fish
Assemblages
Tropical shallow-water habitats function as
important nursery and feeding grounds for
research projects 10Ecosystem Functioning of Rehabilitated Versus
Natural Mangroves in the Can Gio Reserve
This project investigates the question wheth- A second phase has been approved by the Duration 2004- 2009
er reforested mangroves are comparable in DFG for a period of two years. It investi- Country Vietnam
terms of function and structure with natural gates the regeneration of mangrove forests Main partner
mangrove forests, by studying the biogeo- that were damaged by cyclones and lightning Vietnam National University
chemistry and ecology of benthic organisms. within the context of the implemented man- Funding DFG
The first phase of the project ended in 2007. agement practices. details Subproject of the
integrated project “Land-Ocean
Atmospheric Interactions in the
Coastal Zone of Vietnam”,
coordinated by the ZMT
Ocean-Reef Coupling in the Andaman Sea – ORCAS
The project investigates the oceanic pro- investigate the impact of temperature and pH Duration 2006- 2009
cesses that affect the turnover of material changes on calcification and on the primary Country Thailand
and energy in offshore coral reefs of the and secondary production in the reef system. Main partner
Andaman Sea. Of particular interest are Since the principal investigator changed to Phuket Marine Biological Center
internal ocean waves of enormous amplitude the AWI in Bremerhaven in 2008, the project Funding DFG
(80 m) and their impact on the material and is now being conducted from there, while the
energy cycling of the coral reefs. The work ZMT offers support to the students for their
is being carried out by Ph. D. students who research.
11 research projectsInvestigation of the Spatial Connectivity of Fish Populations
between and to Estuarine and Coastal Habitats
2006-2009 Duration Offshore populations of the weakfish understanding of recruitment processes will
Brazil Country Cynoscion acoupa are being investigated using aid in the urgent need for a better manage-
Main partners chemical fingerprints from otoliths and ge- ment of the heavily exploited fish stocks.
Universities of Belem
and Recife netic markers to determine the spatial con- Connectivity between estuarine and coastal
IB / BMBF Funding
nectivity of the fish between estuaries along habitats is quantified for the first time for
the northeast Brazilian coast. An improved C. acoupa.
Investigation of the Distribution of Zooplankton and
Ichthyoplankton in the Angola-Benguela Frontal System
2008 Duration The ZMT’s long-term cooperation with
Namibia, South Africa Countries South Africa and Namibia was continued
Main partners with focus on the Angola-Benguela Frontal
University of Bremen, Marine and System. A major event was the expedition
Coastal Management Institute
(Cape Town) of the Maria S. Merian to the region. The
IB / BMBF Funding
aim was to trace the development of com-
munities in upwelling cells and to conduct
physiological studies on organisms to obtain
information on their adaptation to changing
environmental conditions. This work is
to be continued within the framework of
the BMBF Project “GENUS”, which will be
funded early in 2009.
research projects 12River Inputs and their Impact on Reef Ecosystems
along the Coast of Central Vietnam
The project studies the flux and seasonal this project is a major goal. Sediment and Duration 2006- 2009
variability of suspended matter, sediments nutrient investigations were carried out and Country Vietnam
as well as carbon and nutrient elements, and water and reef samples collected in two Main partner
their possible impact on the reef ecosystems regions. To observe changes in coral growth Institute of Oceanography
(Nha Trang)
of central Vietnam. Processing long-term and environmental conditions, markings and
Funding IB / BMBF
data sets in conjunction with those obtained loggers were placed which allow observa-
from the measurements being made within tions to proceed for up to 2 years.
Role of System Biogeochemistry on the Distribution
and Abundance of Vibrio-organisms in the Karnaphuli
River Estuary, Bangladesh – BIOVIBAN
This one-year project investigates the inter- Duration 2007- 2008
actions between hydrochemical dynamics of Country Bangladesh
tropical estuaries and cholera outbreaks in Main partner
the region. The project contributes towards International Centre for
Diarrhoeal Diseases Research
a better understanding of the distribution
Funding DFG
of Vibrio cholerae in coastal ecosystems and
the observed cyclicity in cholera outbreaks
related to hydrology and climate. Based on
the results obtained, a new proposal is being
submitted to the DFG.
13 research projectsClimate Variability and El Niño Southern Oscillation:
Implications for Natural Coastal Resources and
Management – CENSOR
2004- 2008 Duration CENSOR is an interdisciplinary research
Peru Country project, which aims at assessing and modeling
Main partner the impact of climate variability induced by El
National Agrarian University (Lima) Niño on the Humboldt Current Large Marine
EU Funding Ecosystem and its species assemblages and
details resource users. The ZMT is responsible for
Integrated project with 14 partici-
pating institutions from Germany,
the data integration, dissemination, and mod-
France, Spain, Chile, Peru and eling with different approaches, like tropho-
Argentina, coordinated by AWI, dynamic models which describe holistically
Bremerhaven
the biomass flow structure of the ecosystem
and simulate use scenarios. Workshops,
symposia, and post graduate training courses
were organized for data dissemination and in-
tegration. The project scientists were also in-
volved in the development of a management
plan for coastal resources in northern Peru.
The concluding workshop of this project was
held in September 2008.
Impact of Nitrogen Effluents from Sugar-Cane
Monoculture on Water Quality and Biogeochemistry
of the Mundau-Manguaba Lagoon and adjacent
Coastal Waters off East Brazil
2006- 2009 Duration Increased river inputs of nitrogen to coastal transformation, and fate of the nitrogen from
Brazil Country waters are a major problem in many areas sugar-cane monoculture plantations and its
Main partner of the world. Though an essential nutri- environmental effects on the biogeochem-
Fluminense Federal University ent, nitrogen in high concentrations causes istry and ecology of east Brazilian coastal
(Niteroi/ Rio de Janeiro)
eutrophication and damages coastal ecosys- waters.
BMBF Funding
tems. The project investigates the sources,
details
Subproject of the integrated
project “POLCAMAR –The
Impact of Pollutants from Sugar
Cane Monoculture on Estuaries
and Coastal Waters of Northeast
Brazil”, coordinated by the
University of Bremen
research projects 14Environmental Assessment in Tsunami-affected
Andaman Islands, India
This project aims to study the impact of outside the Park, where strong erosion sug- Duration 2005- 2008
climate and extreme events on coral reefs gests that reef degradation started years ago Country India
adjacent to the Andaman Islands. Several and cannot be related to the December 2004 Main partner
visits to the Andaman Marine National Park event. The ZMT investigates coral cores Institute of Ocean Management
(Chennai)
showed considerable degradation differences retrieved from both areas.
Funding IB / BMBF
between reefs found at the National Park and
Development of Feed and Quality Improvement
for Tropical Shrimps
The experiments in this project were related derived from soya, lupine, peas, etc. Tests Duration 2004- 2008
to the fish feed and biomonitoring of the conducted with cheaper substances such as Main partners
shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. The aim was grain distillery waste showed that additives Polyplan GmbH, Algatec (Bremen),
Institut für Getreideverarbeitung
the development of special shrimp feed could enhance its uptake and assimilation GmbH (Potsdam)
containing various amounts of total protein rates. The research results are currently be- Funding
and a reduced amount of fishmeal, a major ing used by the industrial project partner to Bremer Innovationsagentur,
protein source in commercial shrimp feed. build a pilot plant for feed production. AG industrieller Forschungs-
vereinigungen
Fish protein was replaced by plant protein
15 research projectsHigh-PUFA Algae
2008-2010 Duration The project aims at the optimization of the
Main partners production of polyunsaturated fatty acids
AquaCare GmbH (Dortmund), by conducting experiments with a variety of
Ceramics (Bremen),
TeLa GmbH (Bremerhaven) algae and varying the environmental and pro-
Funding
duction conditions. Within the project, the
AG industrieller ZMT will cooperate with new partners from
Forschungsvereinigungen the industry, e.g. Aquacare-Herten, Tela-
Bremerhaven, and Ceramics-Bremen.
Breeding and Rearing of Ornamental Organisms
under Controlled Conditions
since 2004 Duration The purpose of this project is to promote With these, the focus is on photosynthesis,
Main partners conservation of the coral reefs by breeding respiration, and calcification under varying
University of Bremen, selected ornamental species and thus avoid- abiotic conditions, and on the influence of
Ecomaris GmbH (Büsum)
ing wild catches. The work focuses on three nutrients on animal growth. The produc-
Funding
ZMT, Bremer Innovationsagentur areas: water quality management, brood- tion of live feed (Artemia, Rotaria, copepods
stock management, and nutritional research. and algae) for the rearing of larvae is being
Experiments concentrated on clownfishes, continuously optimized.
seahorses, and particularly on giant clams.
research projects 16Featured Research
page
Collapse of a New Living Species of Giant Clam in the Red Sea 18
Links between Coastal Processes and Vibrio Cholerae Dynamics
in the Indian Subcontinent: Seasonality and Relation to Cholera Incidence 20
Coral Photophysiology in Response to Thermal Stress and Nutritional Status 21
Tropical Peat Soil Degradation: Impacts on the Aquatic Environment 23Collapse of a New Living Species of Giant Clam
in the Red Sea
Claudio Richter Giant clams belong to the most spectacular depleted stocks and thus contribute to the
Hilly Roa-Quiaoit but also the most endangered marine inver- conservation of genetic resources in the Red
et. al. tebrates. The large size of giant clams – their Sea.
shells can measure up to 1.4 m - is due to Morphology has been the foundation of
microalgae living in very high densities in the taxonomy for centuries but has often failed
colorful clam mantle tissues. They provide to delineate between species with overlap-
the energy to precipitate the large amounts ping and variable phenotypes. The incorpo-
of calcium carbonate composing the shell. In ration of molecular and ecological data has
many places, their large size and easy acces- greatly sharpened our ability to draw species
sibility was the reason for overfishing and the boundaries. T. costata features a deeply fold-
ed, almost zig-zag dorsal shell margin, while
its two Red Sea congeners show only weakly
sinusoidal margins. We quantified the mor-
phological similarities by five morphological
parameters. Analysis of similarity showed a
highly significant separation of T. costata from
the other two species. The morphological
differences were corroborated by phyloge-
netic analysis of molecular data. With a frag-
ment of the mitochondrial rRNA gene, we
found a clear delineation between T. costata
and its sympatric congeners, but virtually no
difference between replicate specimens, sup-
porting monophyly of T. costata.
Although seasonal times of reproduction
are not diagnostic features per se and may
vary between years and regions, we found
marked differences between the Red Sea
species: T. costata differed from its conge-
ners in an early and only brief reproductive
period in spring, coinciding with the seasonal
plankton bloom. The timing of reproduction
suggests a planktotrophic development of
the larvae, contrasting the food-independent
larval development in the summer-spawning
collapse of the natural stocks. The diversity T. squamosa and T. maxima.
of giant clams is extremely low, only seven T. costata represents less than 1% of the
extant species of Tridacna are known. present stocks. Underwater surveys carried
Our studies within the “Red-Sea Or- out in the Gulf of Aqaba and northern Red Sea
namentals Program” provided evidence for showed that T. costata must be considered as
a morphologically, genetically, ecologically, critically endangered. Only six out of a thou-
and paleoecologically distinct new species of sand live specimens belonged to the new spe-
giant clam in the Red Sea: Tridacna costata. Its cies. Overall, Tridacna stocks have plummeted
oversight in one of the best-investigated reef to less than 5% of their sizes in the 1980s and
provinces illustrates the dearth of knowledge 1990s because of artisanal reef-top gathering
on marine biodiversity. The Red Sea program for meat and shells. As opposed to T. maxima
was initiated in cooperation with the Marine and T. squamosa, which have a broad vertical
Science Station at Aqaba in 2002. Its goal was range of distribution, T. costata is restricted to
to study the life cycle of giant clams with the the reef top. This fact, along with its narrow
prospect of breeding them in order to supply reproductive window and plankton-dependent
the growing aquarists’ demand for the prized larval development, make T. costata particu-
blue T. maxima, and possibly also re-stock the larly vulnerable to overfishing.
featured research 18One of the striking features of the Red Sea trajectory of decline prior to this period publicationS
is that, in many places, one can time-travel provides the first circumstantial evidence
Richter, C., Roa-Quiaoit,
into the past by means of exposed coral- that humans were not only using but also de- H., Jantzen, C., Al-Zibdah,
reef terraces towering up to tens of meters pleting reef resources. Declining marine and M., Kochzius, M. (2008).
above the present-day sea level. We carried terrestrial resources, by human and climatic Collapse of a new living species of
giant clam in the Red Sea,
out surveys along the shores and well-dated factors, respectively, may have acted in con- Current Biology, 18(17),
emerged reef terraces of Sinai and Aqaba, cert to thwart the precocious but short-lived 1349-1354.
showing that T. costata constituted more than colonization of the Near East by anatomically
Roa-Quiaoit, H., (2007)
80% of the giant clam stocks prior to the last modern but technologically primitive humans The Ecology and Culture of Giant
interglacial (125,000 years ago), after which at the end of the last interglacial. Clams (Tridacidae) in the Jordanian
its proportion plummeted to less than 5% in Sector of the Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea,
PhD Thesis
freshly discarded shell middens.
The wealth of paleolithic artifacts in
emerged reef terraces in the southern and
central Red Sea indicates that modern hu-
mans have been exploiting Red Sea mollusks
for at least 125,000 years. Shells matching
our description were also among the fossils
in other Red Sea areas, suggesting that the
new species, by virtue of its dominance,
conspicuousness, size, and accessibility, has
played an important role in the diet of hu-
man gatherer communities during the last
interglacial.
Along with early shellfishing evidence in
other areas, this has spurred speculation that
the dispersal of anatomically modern humans
out of Africa into the Red Sea and adjacent
regions 100,000 years ago was driven largely
by competition for marine resources. Our
discovery that T. costata was already on a
19 featured researchLinks between Coastal Processes and Vibrio Cholerae
Dynamics in the Indian Subcontinent: Seasonality and
Relation to Cholera Incidence
Ruben Lara Water-driven diseases such as cholera are determine the relationship of cases of chol-
still an important cause of morbidity and era with chlorophyll, as well as sea-surface
mortality in many developing countries in temperature, ocean height, nutrients, salinity,
Asia, Africa, and Latin America due to the and turbidity. The sporadic appearance of
lack of safe water supply and poor hygienic cholera epidemics can now be at least partly
practices. The current cholera pandemic, related to climate-ocean coupling events,
which started in 1961, is the most extensive such as the “El Niño phenomenon”.
in geographic spread and duration. During The detection of reservoirs like man-
1994, cholera epidemics were reported from groves, marshes, or corals, where these and
over 90 countries. The bacterium Vibrio chol- other potentially dangerous microorganisms
erae is the causative agent of cholera. Vibrios can prosper, represents a huge potential for
are aquatic bacteria of marine and estuarine promoting interactions between tropical
origin. They can also cause diseases in fish, coastal research and biomedical science. For
shrimp, corals, and other aquatic organisms. the last three years, the ZMT has been carry-
In tropical areas, coastal ecosystems ing out a cooperation with the International
and their basins are rapidly changing due to Centre for Diarrhoeal Diseases Research in
anthropogenic pressure and global warming. Dhaka, Bangladesh, studying the relationship
Thus, in such health-related issues, basins between the biogeochemistry of estuaries
must be the natural units for vulnerability and wetlands, and the abundance and diver-
assessment and coastal management. Integra- sity of Vibrio organisms. Furthermore, we
tive, comparative approaches are needed investigate the effect of climatic catastrophic
for the understanding of functional links events such as cyclones and landslides on the
between the morphology of different estuar- abundance of pathogenic bacteria in estuar-
ies, marshes, and mangroves, flooding and ies. An upcoming cooperation project with
biogeochemical regimes, pathogen life cycles, the National Institute of Cholera and Enteric
and the incidence of disease. Diseases in Kolkata, India, will continue and
There are converging approaches in the extend this approach to other large estuaries
investigation of tropical marine ecosystems which are affected by dams and pollution.
and human diseases. These include the There is an increasing awareness of
research on the same bacterial genus (Vibrio) the need of enhancing interdisciplinarity in
which is responsible for both coral bleaching biomedical research, particularly through
and cholera, the use of remote sensing of the the integration with environmental sciences.
ocean-surface temperature, climate research, Cholera and other water-driven diseases
and an emerging, epidemiological thinking are not an exclusive problem of develop-
common to these approaches. Traditionally, ing and/or tropical countries. There have
the association between water temperature been cholera epidemics in Europe until the
and coral bleaching has been stressed, and beginning of the 20 th century. More recently,
only recently it has been discovered that this there have been reports of skin infections
is probably triggered by a Vibrio bacterium - in swimmers produced by Vibrio organisms
and that it could be transmitted by a coral- in Sweden (seawater) and The Netherlands
feeding worm acting as “vector”. (freshwater). Slight changes of environmental
Publication
On the other hand, the study of cholera factors such as water temperature, pH, or
disease has drifted into marine and estuarine nutrient content can dramatically change the
Lara, R.J., Neogi, S.B., Islam, M. S., research. The association of V. cholerae with amount and diversity of the microbial com-
Mahmud, Z. H., Yamasaki, S., Nair,
plankton has been established only recently, munity. Thus, increased efforts are required
G.B. (2009)
Influence of Catastrophic Climatic allowing an analysis of the epidemic pat- to detect these changes in an early stage to
Events and Human Waste on Vibrio terns of cholera. Since the zooplankton has avoid the spread of the disease.
Distribution in the Karnaphuli been shown to harbor the bacterium, and
Estuary, Bangladesh,
EcoHealth, DOI: 10.1007/s1 zooplankton blooms follow phytoplankton
0393-009-0257-6 blooms, remote sensing can be employed to
featured research 20Coral Photophysiology in Response to Thermal Stress
and Nutritional Status
Esther M. Borell
Coral bleaching, the dissociation of corals experiments which were carried out at the
and their zooxanthellae (symbiotic unicellular Hasanuddin University Marine Field Station
algae) and/or loss of chlorophyll in response in southwest Sulawesi, Indonesia. In both
to elevated seawater temperature can lead experiments, corals were either starved, i.e.
to extensive coral mortality and loss in deprived of organic particles or fed daily with
biodiversity. It is generally accepted that the freshly hatched brine shrimp nauplii.
foremost causes of bleaching involve chronic The first experiment assessed the effect
photoinhibition of zooxanthellae and the of zooplankton feeding versus starvation
subsequent formation of damaging reactive on the bleaching susceptibility, the photo-
oxygen species. Photoinhibition is coupled synthetic activity, and the photoprotective
to levels of antioxidant activity and rates of mechanism in the temperature-sensitive
protein repair, processes which incur high species Stylophora pistillata under elevated
metabolic costs in terms of nitrogen de- temperature. It was carried out over a
mands and energy expenditure. period of 10 days employing pulse-amplitude-
Since heterotrophic abilities of corals can modulated (PAM) chlorophyll fluorometry.
vary considerably between reef habitats and The second experiment was run for 15 days
species, understanding how food availability in order to investigate the potential interac-
affects the susceptibility of corals to bleach- tions between zooplankton feeding, basal
ing does provide important information metabolic functions (photosynthesis and
aiding the prediction of the effects of increas- respiration), energy status (lipid concentra-
ing temperature on the coral community tions), total protein concentrations, and the
structure in relation to water quality. Using bleaching susceptibility of S. pistillata and the
different methodological approaches, the more temperature-tolerant species Galaxea
objectives of this study were to investigate fascicularis.
the prediction that exogenous food increases As predicted, starved S. pistillata in Ex-
the thermal tolerance of the symbiotic as- periment 1 displayed strong signs of chronic
sociation. This was tested in two feeding photoinhibition, which was reflected by the
21 featured researchsignificant decline in nocturnal recovery rates this hypothesis, further biochemical and
of photosystem II. This was paralleled by the molecular investigations are needed.
progressive deterioration of non-photochem- Near-shore environments are often
ical quenching, an important photoprotec- characterized by heavy loads of terres-
tive mechanism. Fed corals by comparison trial discharges of nutrients and sediment,
maintained higher levels of photoprotection, which result in turbid, nutrient-rich waters
which coincided with significantly higher smothering coral tissues and reducing light
rates of nocturnal photosystem recovery. penetration, i.e. the key resource of scler-
Sustained photosynthesis of fed corals was actinian corals. As such, turbid waters are
accompanied by a reduced loss in pigmenta- commonly considered as a stress factor for
tion compared to starved corals. The tissue corals. Although coral populations can suffer
of starved corals in both experiments ap- high levels of mortality in regions with high
peared pale relative to fed corals. nutrient loads, this is not necessarily always
Publications The combined results of these experi- the case. Near-shore fringing reefs frequently
ments indicate that exogenous food can play feature corals which are adapted to thrive in
Borell, E.M., Bischof, K. (2008)
Zooplankton feeding sustains an important role in reducing the photophys- this type of environment, yielding a high coral
photosynthesis in Stylophora iological damage of zooxanthellae that typi- cover, growth rates and diversity. Suspended
pistillata under thermal stress. cally leads to bleaching. Although the results sediment and inorganic nutrients can be rap-
Oecologia 157, 593-601
of this study provide no indication of the un- idly converted into particulate organic mate-
Borell, E.M., Bischof, K., derlying biochemical mechanisms as to how rial. Against the background of rapid environ-
Yulantri A., Richter, C. (2008) additional resources could have modulated mental change, turbid coastal environments
The effect of heterotrophy
the thermal resistance of the photosynthetic may therefore buffer the stress susceptibility
on photosynthesis and tissue
composition of two scleractinian cor- apparatus, it is conceivable that zooplankton and enhance the fitness of some coral spe-
als under elevated provided a direct source of nitrogen to the cies. This would have important ecological
temperature. zooxanthellae, facilitating enhanced rates of implications for the persistence and dynamics
Journal of Experimental Marine
Biology and Ecology 364, protein repair and reduced photophysiologi- of coral reef communities in the future.
116-123 cal damage of the zooxanthellae. To verify
featured research 22Tropical Peat Soil Degradation: Impacts on the
Aquatic Environment
Tim Rixen
Antje Baum
The exponentially rising population of the and peat fires in 1997. SPICE and the field
world and the growing demand for space, work in the peatlands started in 2004. Dur-
food, energy, etc. are the main drivers of ing the first phase, the work focused on the
global change which have become so acute Siak River in central Sumatra. In the second
that even a new geological epoch, the phase, the working area was expanded and
Anthropocene, was introduced. However, now includes all the six major peat-draining
global change has many local facets which rivers in eastern Sumatra in order to get a
need to be analyzed and studied in order to more representative view on environmental
develop sustainable management strategies changes.
for each individual region and ecosystem. On seven expeditions to the peat-drain-
Southeast Asian peat lands, covering ~10% of ing rivers water and sediment samples and
the Indonesian land mass, are, for example, also peat samples from the catchment soils
a very sensitive ecosystem of global impor- were taken and analyzed for various param-
tance regarding the emission of greenhouse eters, e.g. dissolved organic carbon (DOC),
gases into the atmosphere, as seen during dissolved nutrients and oxygen. Furthermore,
the strong drought induced by El Niño in experiments on the degradation of dissolved
1997. At this time, the peatlands emitted 1.7 organic carbon were carried out.
x 1015g of carbon, representing 74% of the Our first data indicate that the Siak owes
global annual mean CO2 emissions caused by its brown color to dissolved organic matter
land-use changes. Peat-soil degradation in- (DOM) leached from the surrounding, heav-
creased dramatically during the last 40 years. ily disturbed peat soils. The DOC concen-
If the present rate of deforestation remains trations in the Siak are among the highest
constant, ~90 % of the original peat swamp reported worldwide and are even four times
forests will disappear within the forthcoming higher than those of the Rio Negro which
~140 years. is often considered as the world’s classi-
The joint Indonesian/German project cal black water river. Extrapolated to the
“Science for the Protection of Indonesian entire Southeast Asian peatlands, our results
Coastal Marine Ecosystems” (SPICE) aims at indicate that the numerous small Indonesian
studying the environmental impacts of peat- peat-draining rivers contribute approximately
soil degradation on the aquatic ecosystems 10% to the global riverine DOC export into
in eastern Sumatra. The first idea of SPICE the ocean - which stores approximately 20%
was born at an international conference more organic carbon than the terrestrial
organized by the Indonesian government in vegetation including the tropical forests.
Jakarta shortly after the catastrophic forest
23 featured researchThe high DOC concentrations were also from the plantations doubled the dissolved
associated with high DOC decomposition inorganic nitrogen concentrations in the Siak.
rates, reducing the oxygen concentrations in The low light and oxygen levels reduce the
the Siak dramatically. Model results indicate photosynthetic production of organic matter
Publications that an increase of the DOC concentrations and hence the nutrient uptake in the river
Baum, A. (2008)
by ~15% could already lead to oxygen-poor which, in turn, increases the riverine export
Tropical blackwater biogeo- (anoxic) conditions in the Siak. The develop- of nutrients into the coastal ocean. Neverthe-
chemistry: The Siak River in ment of these anoxic zones, also called dead less, despite the anthropogenic impact, the
Central Sumatra, Indonesia.
zones, can lead to a mass mortality of fish as nutrient concentrations and thus their export
PhD thesis, University of Bremen,
pp. 121 has already been observed in the Siak. This into the ocean was still much lower than
emphasizes the sensitivity of the Siak to the observed elsewhere in non-blackwater rivers
Baum, A., Rixen, T, peat-soil degradation which is assumed to because of the low rate of nutrient leaching
Samiaji, J. (2007) increase DOC concentrations in the rivers. from the nutrient-poor peat soils.
Relevance of peat draining
Eutrophication caused by anthropogenic The results obtained during the SPICE
rivers in central Sumatra for
riverine input of dissolved inputs of dissolved inorganic nutrients is project showed that peat-soil degradation
organic carbon into the ocean. considered to be the main reason of the and anthropogenic wastewater discharges
Estuarine Coastal and Shelf observed spread of the dead zones in aquatic strongly affect the ecological balance of the
Science 73, 563-570.
habitats around the industrial world, and Siak River. Since anthropogenic activities on
could also be observed in the Siak. In addition tropical peat soils are predicted to continue
Rixen, T., Baum, A., Pohlmann, T.,
Balzer, W., Samiaji, J., Jose, C. to industrial and urban wastewater discharg- or even increase in the upcoming decades,
(2008) es, agricultural run off played an important further studies are needed to improve our
The Siak, a tropical blackwater role, as was seen during the period of oil- understanding of the impact of peat-soil
river in Central Sumatra
on the verge to anoxia. palm fertilization at the end of the rainy sea- utilization on the very sensitive blackwater
Biogeochemistry 90, 129-140. son, when an enhanced washout of nitrogen ecosystems.
featured research 24Capacity Building
and Cooperation
page
International Studies in Aquatic Tropical Ecology – ISATEC 26
Sino-German Initiative on Marine Sciences 26
PhD Programs 26
Special Courses and Summer Schools 26
ACEMON Research Network 28
ICSU SCOR, SCOPE 28
NAM S&T Centre 28
IOC-UNESCO 28
IGBP-LOICZ, IGBP-IMBER 28
International Ocean Institute (IOI) 28Capacity Building
The ZMT is involved in teaching at the Sino-German Initiative on Marine
University of Bremen, giving lectures and Sciences
courses in ecological, biogeochemical, and Activities in this project aim at contribut-
socioeconomic subjects. The scientific staff ing to the development of an international
also supervises both internal and external education and intensifying scientific exchange.
thesis students. In the period from 2006 to Starting in 2005, a Sino-German Master
2008, 20 doctoral theses and 16 diploma Program in Marine Sciences was jointly
theses were successfully completed. A total developed by the ZMT and other research
of 34 doctoral theses and 6 diploma theses institutions in Bremen and Kiel, together
are currently underway. Furthermore, the with the Ocean University of China (OUC)
ZMT develops joint education programs with in Qingdao. It offers Chinese and German
partner countries such as China. students a two-term study in specific fields
Other capacity building activities like of marine sciences at the partner university
specialist training courses, summer schools, abroad, with the possibility of obtaining
and on-the-job training were offered both in a MSc Double Degree. The first Chinese
Bremen and in partner countries. The ZMT students, who spent an academic year in Bre-
also hosted a number of internships in its men, have already completed their studies
laboratories for students and pupils. at the OUC and have obtained the Master’s
degree. A second group of eight students of
the University of Bremen have begun study-
ing at the OUC as a part of the program in
winter term 2008/09.
Among further activities are annual sum-
mer schools intended to strengthen contacts
and promote the mutual acquaintance with
the teaching methods of each contributing
partner. Since 2008, the ongoing cooperation
is extended to include PhD programs under
an agreement signed between the OUC and
the University of Bremen.
PhD Programs
The ZMT hosts a large number of PhD candi-
dates from its partner countries and Ger-
many, who carry out their thesis research
within the ZMT’s research projects. During
the period of reporting, 20 students com-
pleted their doctoral thesis, whereas 34 PhD
theses are still in progress. The Center also
contributes to the International Graduate
International Studies in Aquatic Tropical School ”Global Change in the Marine Realm”
Ecology – ISATEC established at the University of Bremen in
ISATEC is a two-year international MSc 2007, as a part of the German Excellence
study program on aquatic tropical ecosys- Initiative. The Graduate School educates
tems which was jointly set up by the ZMT young scientists in a stimulating research
and Bremen University in 1999. Most of the environment and enables them to be part of
teaching in the program is done by the ZMT the worldwide effort aimed at dealing with
staff. Postgraduates are trained in theoreti- issues of global change early in their doctoral
cal and applied tropical aquatic ecology, with training.
emphasis on concepts and methodologies for
the sustainable use and conservation of tropi- Special Courses and Summer Schools
cal aquatic ecosystems. The program was Together with scientists from partner institu-
coordinated by the ZMT until 2007, when the tions, the ZMT conducted special courses
Faculty of Biology of Bremen University took from the modular series “The Sea and its
over coordination. Resources” at partner institutions in Brazil,
capacity building 26Indonesia, and Vietnam. In cooperation with
the NAM S&T Centre from India, a work-
shop cum seminar on “Coastal Ecosystems:
Hazards Management and Rehabilitation” was
conducted in Purwokerto, Indonesia. At the
Phuket Marine Biological Centre in Thailand
a training course was held on the subject of
“Participatory Management in IKZM”.
In the scope of Sino-German cooperation,
annual summer schools were organized in
Bremen and Kiel (2006), Büsum (2007), and
Qingdao (2008), covering the subjects “Im-
pacts of Global Change on Shelf-Open Ocean
Systems”, “Processes in Coastal Zones”, and
“Oceans under Stress”. Another summer
school flanking a conference on „Coastal and
Disaster Management for Extreme Events
Impact Mitigation“ was conjointly organized
by the ZMT and the Center for Coral Reef
Research in Makassar, Indonesia.
27 capacity buildingCooperation: Networks and International Organizations
ACEMON Research Network Together with the NAM S&T Centre and
The ACEMON (Aquatic Ecosystems of Mon- Indonesian universities a workshop was
soon Asia) network was established by the organized on “Coastal Ecosystems: Hazards
ZMT in 2004, with the support of the BMBF. Management and Rehabilitation” in Indonesia.
It gives the ZMT and its partner institutions
in Asian countries affected by monsoons the IOC-UNESCO
opportunity to develop joint research and The ZMT participated in the activities of the
training activities for an integrated manage- Intergovernmental Oceanographic Com-
ment of their coastal ecosystems. This co- mission of the UNESCO related to capacity
operation involved the publication of results building in the WESTPAC (Western Pacific)
arising from workshops and training courses region. Research projects like SPICE and the
conducted in Indonesia and Thailand during ACEMON Network contribute to the en-
the previous years. In 2008, the work was fo- hancement of the marine-research capacity
cused on developing a special program in the in the WESTPAC (Western Pacific) region.
region to study coral reefs, which received A new project on coral reefs including the
approval from the IOC-WESTPAC. Three ZMT as a partner was initiated by the IOC-
workshops are planned within the project for WESTPAC.
the next two years.
IGBP-LOICZ, IGBP-IMBER
ICSU SCOR, SCOPE The ZMT contributes to both biogeochemi-
The ZMT contributes with its activities to cal and social science aspects of the investiga-
scientific committees such as SCOPE and tions of LOICZ. Cooperation was intensified
SCOR of the International Council for Sci- since one member of the ZMT scientific staff
ence (ICSU). The Center hosts the chair of is a member of the LOICZ International Sci-
the national SCOPE Committee in Germany entific Steering Committee.. Together with
and of the new committee on capacity build- LOICZ and SCOR, the ZMT is now devel-
ing established by SCOR. oping plans how to enhance the impact of
The SCOPE project on the silicon capacity building activities. In addition, plans
cycle was completed with a publication by for joint activities with respect to regional
Island Press. In 2007, the ZMT also orga- programs are being discussed.
nized, together with SCOPE and SCOR, a
workshop on semi-enclosed basins at the International Ocean Institute (IOI)
Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg in Delmenhorst. The ZMT hosts the German Operational
ZMT scientists continued their cooperation Center of the International Ocean Institute
with the SCOR working group on hypoxia. since October 2002. A member of the ZMT
Also, the ZMT established new contacts staff is the director of the Operational Cen-
with the ICSU Regional Office for Africa, ter and is also chairing the Board of Opera-
pursuing the objective of helping to develop tional Centre Directors that is responsible
capacity in Sub-Saharan Africa. Currently it for the IOI strategy development. The ZMT
develops plans to cooperate with the newly contributes its expertise to networks run by
established Centre of Excellence for Reef the IOI and its OceanLearn program. During
Research at the University of Dar Es Salaam the last three years, the ZMT cooperated
in Zanzibar and the SANUMARC Marine with the IOI in a GTZ project to support
Research Centre in Henties Bay, Namibia. capacity building in the fisheries sector in
Papua New Guinea together with the Na-
NAM S&T Centre tional Fisheries Authority. A fisheries study
In the scope of its cooperation with the program was developed and implemented
NAM (Non-aligned Movement and Develop- at the Vudal University in Papua. The ZMT
ing Nations) Science and Technology Centre, also coordinated the participation of children
the ZMT offers within its projects training from two Bremen schools in a Youth Parlia-
to excellent young scientists from developing ment organized by the IOI in Malta.
countries in the tropics. As yet, four candi-
dates have been chosen and will stay at the
ZMT for three months.
cooperation 28You can also read
