MALAYSIA FIELDWORK 2015 on Marine Ecology
We are now calling for participants in Malaysia Fieldwork scheduled in June, 2015
About the Fieldwork
Marine ecology is the scientific study of marine life habitats and the interactions between existing organisms and their surroundings. The marine ecosystem encompasses the oceans, estuaries and salt marshes, coral reefs, mangroves and coastal regions such as lagoons, sea grass beds and intertidal systems including the rocky, sandy and muddy shores. The marine ecosystem is accordingly home to a host of different species ranging from tiny planktonic organisms that comprise the base of the marine food web to large marine mammals like the dolphins and others.
The Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS) is located at Muka Head at the northwestern tip of Penang and is part of the Penang National Park. This national park is currently the world’s smallest national park with an estimated area of 1,181.94 hectares of forests and 1,381.01 hectare of wetlands. Once a forest reserve, it was legally gazetted as a national park on 4 April 2003 under the National Park Act 1980. Under this Act, emphasis is given for the “preservation and protection of wildlife, plant life and objects of geological, archaeological, historical and ethnological and other scientific and scenic interest and through their conservation and utilisation to promote the education, health, aesthetic values and recreation of the people”. Since CEMACS is part of the Penang National Park, it serves as natural laboratories to study and survey the marine biodiversity in the area. Some flora and fauna can act as bioindicator to any changes in the biodiversity in relation to any environmental degradation in the marine environment.
This USM-Marine Ecopark (USM-ME) field program comprises the marine intertidal areas (sandy and rocky beaches) and mangrove areas (muddy beaches) and various diversity of fauna and flora will be surveyed. Participants will be looking into various animals along the tropical sandy and rocky beach and mangrove ecosystem. Line transect will be constructed along the sandy beach. Sediment samples will be cored and sieve to retain organisms that live in the sediment. The organisms will be counted and identified. For rocky shore area, participants will observe certain adaptation of animals that are found on the rock. A random transect will be carried out to record the diversity and abundance of organisms that live on upper, middle and lower part of the rock. At the end of the day, participants will be taught to understand the role and function of certain organisms that live along the sandy beach as well as rocky shore.
Location: The Centre for Marine and Coastal Studies (CEMACS), Penang, Malaysia
Time: June 6- 15, 2015
Language Requirement: English
Target and Capacity: The fieldwork is for both undergraduate and graduate students from EBA partner universities and from Keio University, in which the expected total number of recruited students from EBA partner universities is 8 students.
Selection process: How the selection process is decided depends on each EBA partner university. Please contact EBA local representatives (see list here) for more details on this.
*Please note that we do not accept application from individual students without the acknowledgement of their school.
Proposed Schedule (subject to changes)
Date |
Activities |
6/6/2015 (Saturday) |
Arrival (USM Guest House)/Free dayLunch and/or Dinner: On your own |
7/6/2015 (Sunday) |
Breakfast: On your own (USM Guest House)EBA Pre-Fieldwork Workshop
Please meet up at the School of Computer Sciences Conference Room (G31 Building – Level 7) by 9:00AM. 9:00 ~ 10:00 Ice-breaking game 10:00 ~ 10:30 Getting to know USM (by USM Computer Sciences) 10.30 ~ 12.30 Getting to Know Malaysia I (by USM Computer Sciences) 12:30 ~ 14:00 Lunch (USM) 14:00 ~ 17:00 Guidance and Workshop (by Keio team) 17:00 ~ 18.00 Industry Talk on Data Science and Internship Opportunities (Subject to confirmation) 18:00 ~ Welcome party (USM) (Subject to confirmation) |
8/6/2015 (Monday) |
Breakfast: On your own (USM Guest House)EBA Pre-Fieldwork Workshop
Please meet up at the School of Computer Sciences Conference Room (G31 Building – Level 7) by 9:00AM. 9.00 ~ 11.15 Getting to Know Malaysia II (by USM Computer Sciences) 11.30~12.30 Visit NADI (National APEX Development Indicators Centre), USM 12:30 ~ 14:00 Lunch on your own 14:00 ~ 18:00 Workshop Dinner: On your own |
9/6/2015 (Tues) |
Breakfast: On your own (USM Guest House)10:00 Depart to Bayview hotel and experience Penang Heritage Tour
16.00 Check-in at Bayview hotel Dinner: On your own |
10/6/2015 (Wed) |
8:00 ~ 9:00 Breakfast at the hotel9:00 Depart to CEMACS (Centre for Marine & Coastal Studies), USM
10:00 ~12.30 Introduction to CEMACS and Ecology Workshop at CEMACS conference hall 12.30 ~14:00 Lunch at CEMACS canteen hall 14:00 ~16:00 Introduction to research equipment and equipment handling (In-situ physical and chemical parameters e.g. measurement of pH, salinity, light, humidity) 16.00 ~ 18.00 Fieldwork on intertidal sandy beach diversity 18:00 ~18:30 Back to Bayview hotel Dinner: On your own |
11/6/2015 (Thurs) |
8:00 ~ 9:00 Breakfast at the hotel9:00 Check-out from Bayview hotel and leave luggage at hotel.
Overnight stay in CEMACS. Depart to CEMACS, USM 9.30 Check-in at CEMACS flatlets 10:00 ~12:30 Fieldwork and identification on rocky shore ecology and diversity 12.30 ~14.00 Lunch at CEMACS canteen hall 14:00 ~ 16:00 Identification and sorting of marine organism (voucher sample) in Laboratory 16:00 – 18:30 Visit meromictic lake and Turtle Sanctuary at Pantai Kerachut 19:00 – 22:00 Barbeque dinner by the beach or Dinner (subject to confirmation) |
12/6/2015 (Fri) |
8:00 – 9:00 Breakfast at CEMACS canteen hall9:00 – 12:00 Fieldwork presentation on fauna and flora of intertidal
12:00: Check out from CEMACS flatlets and depart to USM Guest House and lunch on your own 15.30-17.00 pm Visit USM Tuanku Fauziah Museum and Art Gallery Dinner: On your own |
13/6/2015 (Sat) |
Breakfast: On your own (USM Guest House)EBA Post-Fieldwork Workshop
Please meet up at the School of Computer Sciences Conference Room (G31 Building – Level 7) by 9:00AM. 9:00 ~ 12:30 Workshop 12:30 ~ 14:00 Lunch on your own 14:00 ~ 18:00 Workshop Dinner: On your own |
14/6/2015 (Sun) |
Breakfast: On your own (USM Guest House)EBA Post-Fieldwork Workshop
Please meet up at the School of Computer Sciences Conference Room (G31 Building – Level 7) by 9:00AM. 9:00 ~ 12:30 Workshop 12:30 ~ 14:00 Lunch on your own 14:00 ~ 18:00 Workshop 18.00 or 20.00 Dinner: Farewell Dinner (USM) (Subject to Confirmation) |
15/6/2015 (Mon) |
Free day on your ownDeparture |
Costs and Supports: Cost The EBA consortium will bear the cost of International airfare, domestic transportation during the Fieldwork and accommodation during the stay in Malaysia. Please note that travel insurance and food expenses are not included.
Contact: For further information about this, please contact your local EBA representative (see list here) or email us at info[at]eba-consortium.asia
.