Rizkie is a junior researcher at the Indonesian National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) focused on coral bioecology. He is currently conducting his PhD research at Naturalis Biodiversity Center, under supervision of Lisa Becking (Naturalis) and Udhi Hernawan (BRIN). For his PhD project, Rizkie focuses on how nutrient enrichment influences coral biodiversity and associated fauna. He furthermore wishes to expand the existing reference DNA-barcode database of Scleractinia in Indonesia.
Keywords
Coral bioecology, coral reefs, coral biodiversity, Indonesia
Projectdescription
Coral reefs host an outstanding diversity of dwelling reef organisms, but their resilience is threatened by global and local stressors. Among these, eutrophication is a well-known driver of coral decline worldwide. Excess nutrients disrupt the balance of the coral ecosystem, leading to coral physiology, shift to algae dominance, and declining biodiversity. In more remote areas such as Banda and Raja Ampat, coastal development is expanding rapidly due to the development of tourism, yet the effects of the development are still poorly studied. Likewise, the role of natural nutrient enrichment from upwelling and internal waves in the coral reef ecosystem is less studied.
This project investigates how different levels of nutrient enrichment influence the coral reef community. By combining benthic community surveys, associated fauna as bioindicators, and physiological data, the study will identify structural and functional responses of reef ecosystems to nutrient enrichment. Ultimately, by integrating ecological and physiological metrics, the research aims to identify thresholds of eutrophication that compromise reef resilience, providing essential guidance for coastal management and conservation policy in the Coral Triangle.
Keypublicaties
- Abrar, M., Bengen, D.G., Zamani, N.P., Putra, R.D., Sari, N.W.P., Siringoringo, R.M., Hadi, T.A., Utama, R.S., Hermanto, B., Arbi, U.Y. and Hukom, F.D., 2024. Spatial distribution of juvenile corals (Scleractinia) in the coastal and small islands of Sumatra, Indonesia. Regional studies in marine science, 80, p.103857.
- Hadi, T.A., Utama, R.S. and Arfianti, T., 2023. Species richness and the dynamics of coral cover in Bangka Belitung Islands, Indonesia. PeerJ, 11, p.e14625.
- Utama, R., Hadi, T.A., Hermanto, B., Giyanto, G. and Budiyanto, A., 2023. Changes in reef benthic
communities in Sumba Timur, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity, 24(2). - Utama, R.S., Renyaan, J., Nurdiansah, D., Makatipu, P.C., Suyadi, S., Hapsari, B.W., della Rahayu, E.M., Sugiharto, A. and Akbar, N., 2022. Diversity of reef fish species in presence of mangrove habitat in Ternate, North Maluku, Indonesia. Biodiversitas Journal of Biological Diversity, 23(10).
- Juhel, J.B., Marques, V., Utama, R.S., Vimono, I.B., Sugeha, H.Y., Kadarusman, K., Cochet, C., Dejean, T., Hoey, A., Mouillot, D. and Hocdé, R., 2022. Estimating the extended and hidden species diversity from environmental DNA in hyper‐diverse regions. Ecography, 2022(10), p.e06299.