Marine projects for research assistants

During 2010 Operation Wallacea initiated a biotope mapping project that estimated the habitat quality and abundance of key fish and invertebrate taxa on reefs around Kaledupa many of which are not included in the annual change surveys (see IH111). In addition the project incorporated data collection on the distribution and quality of seagrass, mangrove and terrestrial habitats. Using ARC mapping software and GIS (Geographic Information Systems) an accurate map of the habitats and descriptive data for each area of Hoga Island is being created to enable new arrivals at the Marine Research Centre to quickly identify suitable locations for various studies. The objective of the 2011 surveys is to complete the biotope map for the remaining reefs and associated habitats. Research Assistants on this project will be completing restricted effort manta tow, snorkelling and diving surveys, to estimate approximate coral cover on each stretch of reef, and the abundance and size of key fish groups and invertebrate taxa (e.g. Crown of Thorns Starfish). Seagrass surveys will be completed using snorkel transects, mangroves and terrestrial surveys through trekking based transects and human usage of the island through social surveys.

IH111 Coral Reef Fish and Benthic Monitoring (Weeks 2 - 10; need to have completed IH007 and be dive trained or have completed IH005)

The Operation Wallacea Coral Reef Monitoring Programme underpins many of the specific research projects and the results of the repeated annual surveys of 108 transects are fed back to the Government of the Wakatobi to assess annual changes in the reefs. The monitoring programme, which also supports the grant-funded Darwin Project, will continue during 2011 adding to complete the 10th annual survey of these reefs. The surveys are completed along 50m transects with fish community structure assessed from visual surveys using experienced fish biologists. The benthic surveys are completed by underwater video surveys which are then analysed back in the laboratory. In 2011 the stereo video survey approach that was developed by the University of Western Australia and is being used at the other Opwall marine research sites in Cuba, Honduras and Mozambique, will also be used in Indonesia to compare with the results from the surveys completed by the skilled surveyors. Note these data sets from reefs in the Indo-Pacific, Indian Ocean and Caribbean will provide valuable comparative data sets. Research Assistants joining this project will be involved in filming of the transects but will then be expected to work long hours back in the lab completing analysis of the footage.

IH112 Large scale surveys of the density, population structure and activity of the coralivore starfish Acanthaster Planci (Weeks 2 - 10; need to have completed IH007 and be dive trained or have completed IH005)

The crown of thorns starfish, Acanthaster planci is a highly specialized coralivore. When in high abundance this multi-armed starfish can devastate coral reef systems. In areas of the Great Barrier Reef, outbreaks of A planci have decimated huge areas of reefs leading to numerous methods of control and collection. In recent years the abundance of A planci have seemingly increased and in some areas clear damage has been noted. It is therefore extremely important that a comprehensive study of A planci in the Wakatobi is undertaken to determine its abundance, population structure (using size and number of arms as a proxy), and the extent of coral damage across numerous reef habitats and reef sites. This research will include both diving and snorkeling based activities and examine populations of A planci within large belt transects. A high level of effort is required to gain a true estimate of population size and structure due to the patchy and aggregated distribution patterns of the starfish. This important research is therefore ideal for research assistants who want to help with the assessment and management of reefs of the Wakatobi.

IH113 Research Assistant Pool (Weeks 2 - 10; need to have completed IH007 reef ecology course; surveys can be done by snorkelling but if you wish to participate in the dive elements you will also need to be dive trained or have completed IH005)

There are many different marine research and conservation projects running at the Hoga Island Research Centre including diving based projects, snorkelling projects, shallow sub-tidal projects, inter-tidal projects, and research projects focused within the mangrove forests. Research Assistants are always required to help various scientists collect essential data both in the field and at the field centre following field excursions. Research Assistants have the opportunity to gain experience in several different research areas. On arrival at the field base you will be introduced to the range of research projects that are underway and allocated to a scientist whose specific responsibility is to line you up with scientists who need assistance and whose projects match your specific or general interest. Joining the research assistants pool maximises your opportunities to widen your knowledge of marine biology whilst also giving you the opportunity to increase your specialist knowledge in specific areas of research.

IB114 Reef Check and Marine Mammal Surveys for the Wakatobi National Park (Weeks 2 - 10; need to be dive trained or have completed IH005 as well as IH007 reef ecology course)

Volunteers joining this project will be based on the live-aboard research vessel, the Bintang Sedang, which over the course of the season will travel around the Wakatobi Marine National Park in order to complete Reef Check and Marine Mammal surveys. Reef Check is a global project that monitors coral reef health across more than 40 countries, and data collected from the Wakatobi will input directly into their global database. In addition, Research Assistants on the Bintang Sedang will conduct a marine mammal census around the Wakatobi. Previous surveys carried out by Operation Wallacea have found that at least nine different species of dolphin and whale frequent the Park and anecdotal evidence suggests that there could be many more. Many sites visited by the Bintang Sedang are extremely remote, and are rarely dived, allowing Research Assistants to observe near pristine coral reef systems. Applicants considering this option should remember that considerable sea travel is involved and the live-aboard research vessel will spend up to a week away from the main base on Hoga as it travels around the Park.

IH115 Fisheries monitoring within the Wakatobi Marine National Park (Weeks 2 - 10; need to have completed IH007 reef ecology course)

The majority of the near 100,000 residents of the Wakatobi are dependent on marine fish as their major source of protein. Increasing population sizes coupled with increased commercialisation of local fisheries and the recent increased availability of improved technologies have resulted in the overexploitation of fish stocks. Previous research carried out by Operation Wallacea has provided clear evidence of the decline of fish stocks. From 2007 to 2010 the Darwin Initiative funded a continuous weekly data set of fish catches from various fishing techniques used on the reefs around Kaledupa (fish fences, gill nets, bubu traps, line fishing) to determine monthly patterns of catches. From 2011 this continual data set has been replaced by an annual intensive survey of artisanal catches over the June to August period in the same villages surveyed as part of the Darwin Initiative research programme. The data on catch per unit of effort for the various techniques and the percentage of immature fish of each species being captured by the various techniques are being gathered to compare with previous years and determine whether the fishery is recovering or continuing to decline. Information and data collected will be fed back to government and marine park authorities and will directly aid in the formation of appropriate management strategies and fisheries based regulations. Research Assistants joining the fisheries monitoring team will be directly involved with data collection and data entry and will experience traditional Indonesian fisheries techniques. The project is based on Hoga with day trips out (may be very early mornings depending on tides) to help with monitoring fish catches in coastal Indonesian villages.