You are welcome to incorporate these ideas (but not limited to) into your application materials.
Benthic community structure and function in high-energy submarine canyon
The Gaoping Submarine Canyon (GPSC) is on an active continental margin and experiences intense internal tides, frequent turbidity currents, and mass wasting events. This area represents a high-energy and extreme example of a submarine canyon ecosystem. Additionally, the GPSC is connected to the Gaoping River, a small mountain river known for its high sediment yield. As a result, it acts as a significant conduit for sediment and organic carbon (OC) to the deep South China Sea. The primary objective of this project is to investigate the structure and function of the benthic community within the Gaoping Submarine Canyon (GPSC) and the continental slope off southwest Taiwan, with a particular focus on summer sampling during the typhoon season.
Benthic community structure and function on the continental shelf associated with small mountain river
River-associated continental shelves receive a substantial amount of particulate organic matter from land sources, which contributes significantly to the processes of degradation and burial in these areas. The transport processes, sources, composition, and degradation of organic matter (OM) are complex, yet their effects on benthic communities and their functions are often neglected. There is a notable knowledge gap regarding the dynamics of OM in shelf communities, especially those located in high-sediment-yield regions and near small mountain rivers. This project aims to enhance our ecological understanding of river-associated benthic communities likely to be affected by changing precipitation patterns due to climate change.
Benthic diversity in the coral reef sediment around Taiwan
Coral reefs are among the most vital marine ecosystems, providing essential ecosystem services in Taiwan. To understand the current state of coral reef ecosystems, it is necessary to evaluate not only coral cover and health but also the diversity of benthic fauna associated with these reefs. In particular, the sediment benthos are sensitive to environmental changes, making them valuable ecological indicators for assessing the environmental impacts on reef communities. This project will investigate benthic diversity across Taiwan's coral reefs to support future environmental impact assessments, including those related to anthropogenic activities or accidental oil spills.
Climate change hazards and impact on deep-sea demersal fish
The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) climate models use Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) scenarios to predict climate change during the 21st century. The SSPs are an extension of the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) and include various socioeconomic trajectories that lead to different climate forcings. This project will apply CMIP6 models to assess seafloor climate change hazards and impacts within Taiwan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), focusing on organic carbon flux, oxygen levels, pH, and temperature. The analysis aims to clarify the extent of range shifts and the vulnerability of the deep-sea demersal fish community.
Examine deep-sea scavenger community structure using benthic camera lander.
The challenging terrain around Taiwan has made traditional deep-sea sampling difficult. To address this, we have developed a compact lander equipped with a digital camera, underwater light, fish bait, CTD, and hydrophone to facilitate the recording of mobile scavenging fauna in Taiwan’s continental margin. The camera can be programmed to intermittently record video, which helps conserve power and allows us to analyze the structure of the scavenger community from the captured footage. This study will be conducted opportunistically during research cruises.
Benthic community structure and function in high-energy submarine canyon
The Gaoping Submarine Canyon (GPSC) is on an active continental margin and experiences intense internal tides, frequent turbidity currents, and mass wasting events. This area represents a high-energy and extreme example of a submarine canyon ecosystem. Additionally, the GPSC is connected to the Gaoping River, a small mountain river known for its high sediment yield. As a result, it acts as a significant conduit for sediment and organic carbon (OC) to the deep South China Sea. The primary objective of this project is to investigate the structure and function of the benthic community within the Gaoping Submarine Canyon (GPSC) and the continental slope off southwest Taiwan, with a particular focus on summer sampling during the typhoon season.
Benthic community structure and function on the continental shelf associated with small mountain river
River-associated continental shelves receive a substantial amount of particulate organic matter from land sources, which contributes significantly to the processes of degradation and burial in these areas. The transport processes, sources, composition, and degradation of organic matter (OM) are complex, yet their effects on benthic communities and their functions are often neglected. There is a notable knowledge gap regarding the dynamics of OM in shelf communities, especially those located in high-sediment-yield regions and near small mountain rivers. This project aims to enhance our ecological understanding of river-associated benthic communities likely to be affected by changing precipitation patterns due to climate change.
Benthic diversity in the coral reef sediment around Taiwan
Coral reefs are among the most vital marine ecosystems, providing essential ecosystem services in Taiwan. To understand the current state of coral reef ecosystems, it is necessary to evaluate not only coral cover and health but also the diversity of benthic fauna associated with these reefs. In particular, the sediment benthos are sensitive to environmental changes, making them valuable ecological indicators for assessing the environmental impacts on reef communities. This project will investigate benthic diversity across Taiwan's coral reefs to support future environmental impact assessments, including those related to anthropogenic activities or accidental oil spills.
Climate change hazards and impact on deep-sea demersal fish
The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) climate models use Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP) scenarios to predict climate change during the 21st century. The SSPs are an extension of the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) and include various socioeconomic trajectories that lead to different climate forcings. This project will apply CMIP6 models to assess seafloor climate change hazards and impacts within Taiwan’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), focusing on organic carbon flux, oxygen levels, pH, and temperature. The analysis aims to clarify the extent of range shifts and the vulnerability of the deep-sea demersal fish community.
Examine deep-sea scavenger community structure using benthic camera lander.
The challenging terrain around Taiwan has made traditional deep-sea sampling difficult. To address this, we have developed a compact lander equipped with a digital camera, underwater light, fish bait, CTD, and hydrophone to facilitate the recording of mobile scavenging fauna in Taiwan’s continental margin. The camera can be programmed to intermittently record video, which helps conserve power and allows us to analyze the structure of the scavenger community from the captured footage. This study will be conducted opportunistically during research cruises.
