AsianScientist (Feb. 8, 2018) – Scientists from Hong Kong and around the world have conducted an intensive, 10-day marine life survey through some of Hong Kong’s most disturbed and pristine marine environments. The survey was organized by HKU’s Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS) and School of Biological Sciences.
From the heavily impacted inner Tolo Harbor to the more isolated, coral-rich Tung Ping Chau, scientists identified over a thousand representative specimens of fish, crabs, snails, bivalves, worms and more across an estimated 300-400 total species. Many specimens uncovered during the 10 days are expected to be new species of hermit crabs and bivalves, and will be classified once scientists document them through high resolution photography and genetic characterization, or barcoding.
Not all biodiversity is good news, however. Several invasive species were also identified, and these can cause disruptions to local ecosystems. In addition to identifying all the organisms they could see, scientists are using the latest technologies in genetic profiling to detect organisms that are too small to be recognized with the naked eye.
The survey methods were developed by the Smithsonian Institution’s Marine Global Earth Observatory research program (MarineGEO), which is considered the first long-term, worldwide research program to focus on understanding coastal marine life and its role in maintaining resilient ecosystems around the world. In 2016, The University of Hong Kong became the first official MarineGEO site in Asia and hopes to serve as a node for future expansion in the region.
One of the strengths of the MarineGEO project is the standardization of methods used to quantify biodiversity. The multilevel settlement structures, or ARMS, are approximately 0.5 m2 and resemble a marine invertebrate version of Hong Kong’s famous high-rises. To survey the existing biodiversity, HKU scientists deployed twelve ARMS in Hong Kong in May 2015 and collected them in October 2017, with plans to deploy and collect data for 40 more ARMS across Hong Kong and as far west as Lantau Island.
In addition to providing a baseline biodiversity assessment, over time, this legacy project will allow scientists and governments to better evaluate human impacts on the marine environment and which interventions are most efficient at preserving biodiversity.
“MarineGEO is a legacy project which SWIMS has committed to lead for years to come. Although the project is global in scale, our grassroots efforts provide a new means of monitoring Hong Kong’s changing marine environment, and we will keep tabs on negative factors like climate change and development, as well as positive factors like improved management and restoration,” said Dr. David Baker, Project Principal Investigator.
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Source: University of Hong Kong.
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