Marjolijn Christianen

If you arrive on Derawan, especially with low tide, you will notice one thing immediately: GARBAGE. It’s everywhere! People living next to the shore throw everything in the water/on the beach; Garbage, toilet contents, everything. So one day when we were on our way to Maratua but when we had to return due to dangerous [...]

This time I will be here for 6 weeks only, visiting seagrass meadows of Pulau Tikus (Pulau Seribu, in front of Java) and Derawan (Kalimantan) again. I am working together with Wawan Kiswara (the Indonesian seagrass expert from Jakarta) who is very helpful and has a never-ending hospitality surge. Together with his daughter Nina we [...]

After a long silence I’m know blogging from Jakarta again! After 3 days, which consisted of taking a motor taxi (Ocek), and bus way back and forth between Immigration, Police, Ministry of Internal affaires and RISTEK, I have my KITAS! 1 day delay because the Indonesian had to vote for their new president (SBY; Yudhuyono, [...]

If I’m with my nose between the seagrass I sometimes encounter camouflaged creatures which I would have missed if I wasn’t studying the seagrass. These encounters are most rewarding and will “make my day” If you have more examples of fauna mimicking seagrass, please send me your pics/movies. Click here to see some more seagrass [...]

*Next fieldwork period from Augustus 2009* Are you looking for a research project for your MSc specialisation? AND: Interested in Marine Ecology and Ecosystem wide processes? Would like to participate in fieldwork in the Derawan Archipelago, East Kalimantan, Indonesia Would like to gain experience in fieldwork in an experimental setting and in chemical laboratory technique [...]

In august I visited Maratua for some measurements on the seagrass there. When I arrived the water was too high to work; time for some exploring! So I asked a man from the village about the marine lakes there. Off we went, through palm forests and mangroves with a “parang” cutting out our way. And [...]

After performing the same experiment with transported Thalassia hemprichii last year I wanted to test the same treatments in the field. So after some creative thinking I came up with this set-up (click for more pics): I’m (amongs others) testing if high ammonia concentrations could cause troubles to seagrass.

Time is flying. The enclosure experiment is finished and Laura and Madelon left for their holidays. Time for me to visit the civilized world and put some pictures on the internet. It isn’t very structured but that is because only emailing this pictures costed me 1 1/2 a small discription can be found next to [...]

Time for a presentatie for WWF, TNC and the local goverment in Berau about our research in Derawan. After a morning with presentations (Nina thanks for the translation in Bahasa Indonesia) and a very nice discussion it was time for a afternoon of jungle. We rented a boat and drove 0,5 hours from Berau to [...]

Two months into my first research period I would like to update you on my progress. Because it’s almost impossible to post from my research location on Derawan I will show a compilation of photo’s. When I will be back in the Netherlands I will elaborate some more on the specific experiments. Click on the [...]

Before my supervisors arrive and the experiment will be started I’m first testing my cage set-up. The cages are build out of concrete-iron with fishing nets on the sides and on top of the cage, attached by cable ties. The net is 5cm in diameter to prevent the turtles from getting stuck into the net. [...]

The first days I’m testing the set-up of my experiment, I’m snorkeling 4 hours a day to check out the seagrass and the turtles here (also found dugong grazing trails!), and I’m talking to officials here and setting up logistics at this island. The 21th of May my supervisors and students are arriving so I [...]

Trying to find all the materials needed for research is one thing. Transporting them to Derawan is really much more adventurous. The rainy season is not over yet and the road between Samarinda and Berau is in bad condition and sometimes not excisting anymore. But this is the only way to get your stuff (if [...]

Before I can start with experiment 1, I have to start from scratch with the collection of the materials which are needed to start experiment 1. The family of the homestay in Balikpapan are pro-actively helping me with every weird thing that I carry to their house. After showering I exitedly noticed that the father [...]

Finally! 23 hours before my flight left to Jakarta I got my VISA! It was a really stressful last week and without Pak Wawan helping me, I would never had made it in time before my flight left. So for all of you curious about how this procedure worked out for me here is a [...]

Together with Liesbeth Pierson we spend a day looking to seagrasses at a totally different perspective. The results from 6 tropical seagrass species are published at vitual classroom biology but you can get sneak preview of microscopic views of Cymodocea serrulata below. In this movie you can see the transport of chloroplasts over a cytoplasmatic [...]

To get permission to do my fieldwork in Indonesia I’m trying hard to get al the required documents together. These are all the documents that you need to apply for a research permit.

Seagrass systems under nutrient loads and grazing. Interactive effects and feedbacks. 5 year PhD project within the NWO-WOTRO project WT 84-645 MJA (Marjolijn) Christianen MSc. Description of the project Rapidly growing economic development in SE Asia has led to increased human activities, particularly in coastal areas (L. Kamp-Nielsen et al. 2002). Among others, deforestation, fish [...]