EMBRIO INTERNATIONAL PARTNER WORKSHOP
with Guests from New Zealand and Germany
April 16-17, 2015
1. Organizing Team
EMBRIO Management Office (under the leadership of EMBRIO Director Dr. Neviaty P. Zamani and
with guidance from EMBRIO International Senior Advisor Dr. Carsten Thoms)
Supported by the IPB Directorate for Research & Innovation and the IPB International Collaboration
Office (ICO)
2. Background
Tackling the global environmental challenges that threaten Indonesian Marine Biodiversity requires
multi-location studies and supra-regional counteractions that can only be achieved through
collaborations across political borders. Advanced research technologies are needed for the
exploration and utilization of the biotechnological potential represented by Indonesian Marine
Biodiversity resources that are often very few in Indonesia. Strategic national and international
partnerships are, therefore, of greatest importance for the future development of marine
biotechnology and the conservation of marine biodiversity resources in Indonesia. The EMBRIO
Initiative strives for an increased transparence of Indonesian Marine Biodiversity Research to
potential international partners, this way facilitating collaboration of Indonesian marine scientists
with strategic international partners who can complement their expertise and research facilities.
EMBRIO aims to become a communication hub between marine researchers of different scientific
backgrounds and nationalities.
EMBRIO International Partner Workshops provide a forum for dialogue between Indonesian
scientists and international marine biodiversity experts. Guests from renowned marine research
institutes from around the globe who are interested in joint ventures together with Indonesian
partners are invited to present their research in this forum to provide the basis for discussions about
potential collaborations in research, education, and scientist exchange.
About the EMBRIO Initiative – Enhancing Marine Biodiversity Research in IndOnesia
EMBRIO is a network initiative initiated by the Vice Rector for Research & Collaboration of the Bogor
Agricultural University, Indonesia, to promote scientific innovation based on marine biodiversity
resources and to strengthen counteractions against marine biodiversity loss. EMBRIO aims to grow
into an Indonesia-wide network with strategic international partners and a ‘Center of Excellence’ in
Indonesian Marine Biodiversity Research. For more information about EMBRIO, please visit
http://embrio.ipb.ac.id/ .
3. Workshop Goals
The goal of the EMBRIO International Partner Workshop is to present and discuss the state-of-theart of Marine Biodiversity Research at renowned scientific institutes outside Indonesia. The workshop
is going to be started with a public session in the morning that aims to inspire the dialogue between
the international guests and Indonesian scientists and decision-makers. We hope that the
presentations of the guests will become the basis for numerous follow-up discussions on potential
partnerships in research, education and international scientists’ exchange. This will be encouraged
through a plenary discussion following the guests’ talks and short presentations of the EMBRIO
Initiative and research agendas within the EMBRIO Network.
4. Workshop Agenda
April 16, 2015, IPB Rectorate Building, 6th Floor
Morning Session (open to the public)
8:00-8:30
8:30 – 8.45
8.45-10.00
10:00-10.30
10:30-10.45
10:45-11.00
11:00-11.15
11:15-12.00
Registration
Welcome Addresses (by IPB Rectorate)
Prof. Dr. James Bell, University of Wellington, New Zealand, Future
trajectories for coral reefs: shifts away from coral-dominated states
Dr. Till Oehler, Center for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT), Bremen, Germany,
Submarine Groundwater Discharge as Nutrient Source
around Tropical Islands
The Vision & Mission of the EMBRIO Initiative (Dr. Neviaty P. Zamani)
Research Scope of Institutions within the EMBRIO Network with particular
relevance to the guests (Dr. Am Azbas Taurusman)
“Whom do you search for?” Short notes by the guest speakers on anticipated
collaboration partners in Indonesia
Plenary Discussion (moderation: Dr. Neviaty P. Zamani and Dr. Carsten
Thoms)
Afternoon Session (small group discussion in the Rectorate)
12:30-13.30 Lunch
Short notes to inspire the discussion:
13.30-14.00 IPB Vision & Mission with a special focus on Marine Science (presentation by
IPB Rectorate representative)
14:00-14.15 IPB International Collaboration Agenda (presentation by IPB-ICO
representative)
14.15-14.30 The perspectives of the IPB Marine Science Institutions on international
collaboration (FPIK & PKSPL)
14:30-15.00 Concepts, experiences, administrative basis, and expectations for
collaborations with Indonesian partners from the perspective of Dr. Bell’s
institute and the University of Wellington (summary by guest Dr. James Bell)
15:00-16:00 Round-table Discussion (open end)
16:00-16.30 Optional: Visit to FPIK facilities
19:00
Dinner at the de'Leuit Restaurant in Bogor
April 17, 2015, morning
8:30-9.00
9.00-10.30
Informal visit to Center for Coastal & Marine Resources Studies (PKSPL)
Visit to Kebun Raya Botanical Garden
Future trajectories for coral reefs: shifts away from coral-dominated states
Associate Professor James J. Bell
School of Biological Sciences
Victoria University of Wellington
New Zealand
Sponges represent one of the dominant fauna on many coral reefs and there is increasing evidence from
experimental studies and field observations that sponges may be one group to benefit from declines in coral
as a result of environmental degradation, ocean acidification and rising sea surface temperatures. While the
coral reef scientific community is largely focused on changes to algal-dominated states, sponge reefs
already exist and I will discuss my work and the wider evidence to support my view that further increases in
sponge abundance will occur in the future. I believe this is particularly possible in the Indo-Pacific where
shifts to algal dominated systems in response to declining environmental quality appear less widespread
than in the Caribbean. I will discuss the impacts of changing environmental conditions on population
dynamics of individual sponge species as well as assemblage level effects. I will also consider the potential
for sponges to benefit from environmental change and degradation, and consider subsequent reef ecosystem
impacts. Of particular interest are giant barrel sponges, Xestospongia spp., given their ecological
significance, longevity and widespread distribution. I will discuss recent insights into the population biology
of Xestospongia spp. inferred from genetic data and population studies, and their apparent resilience to
disturbance events despite low dispersal rates and heavily reliance on self-recruitment. I will also discuss
potential trajectories for Indo-Pacific reefs where sponges are the dominant fauna and how this might
influence overall reef ecosystem functioning. This includes recent observations on transitions to more
sponge-dominated states at Palmyra Atoll in the central Pacific, in the Wakatobi Marine National Park,
Indonesia and at Bahia in Brazil. These systems provide examples of what a more sponge-dominated reef
future might look like, and will help us to better understand how reefs can be managed in the future.
Submarine Groundwater Discharge as Nutrient Source
around Tropical Islands
Imke Podbielski and Till Oehler
Coastal ecosystems are sensitive to nutrient availability. Eutrophication can severely inhibit
their functionality. Although rivers are often the main nutrient source to coastal
ecosystems, at individual locations submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) can
dominate nutrient input. Globally, submarine discharge of meteoric freshwater
accounts for up to 10% of river discharge, which is to a large portion derived
from islands. Tropical regions are often characterized by fast weathering, nutrientrich rocks, extensive land-use,
high population densities as well as oligothrophic
waters with diverse coastal ecosystems. A combination of these various chemical,
physical and biological factors leads to the hypothesis that submarine groundwater
discharge is an important nutrient source for marine ecosystems around tropical
islands.
On the tropical island of Java (Indonesia), several potential SGD-sites are currently
explored by a young research group from the Leibniz Center for Tropical Marine
Ecology (ZMT) (Bremen, Germany). During two extensive field campaigns in 2015
and 2016 these sites will be investigated by a group of biologists, geochemists
and hydrologists across spatial and temporal scales. The aim is to quantify the
submarine freshwater discharge and associated nutrient input into the coastal
areas of Java using field techniques as well as numerical modeling. Furthermore,
the impact of SGD on coastal ecosystems as well as its anthropogenic influence will be
investigated.