Abstract:

The pollution caused by excess nutrients is one of the major anthropogenic impacts on the coastal marine ecosystems which in turn, affects the marine benthic environment and biota. Due to the sedentary lifestyle and relatively long-term exposure to the pollution sources, macrobenthic assemblages are useful candidates to detect the sources, analyze the pathways, and estimate the fate of nutrients in the coastal ecosystems. In addition, Carbon and stable isotope techniques are useful tools for (quantitatively and qualitatively) discriminating the anthropogenic and natural sources flowing into the ecosystem and contributed to the benthic consumers' diet. In this presentation, the application of the stable isotopes in the characterization of trophic function in coastal/estuarine ecosystem will be discussed as well as the finding in the mentioned target of research in a case study; Daya Bay as a semi-enclosed subtropical system in the South China Sea under serious excess nutrients. Analyses of basal food sources (i.e. sedimentary and particulate organic matter, microalgae, mangrove leaf litter, and plankton biovolume), isotopic ratios of macrobenthic consumers, and the contribution of different (terrigenous vs. marine and anthropogenic vs. natural) organic matter sources in the diet of consumers in different ecological level (species to community) will be applied to evaluate the trophic function and structure of the mentioned study area in response to excess nutrients. 

Scientific Specialization:

Ecological assessment of coastal ecosystems

Biogeochemical characterization of nutrients and trophic function

Anthropogenic impact assessment in coastal benthic habitats

Academic positions & affiliations

2018-19: Assistant Professor (Iranian National Institute of Oceanography & Atmospheric Sciences; INIOAS)

2014-2018: Ph.D. Student & Research Fellow (South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; SCSIO, CAS)

2013: Chief Scientist (Persian Gulf-Gulf of Oman Oceanographic Cruise; PGGOOS)

2010-2014: Research Faculty & Persian Gulf Marine Biological Oceanography Laboratory Head (INIOAS)