By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, April 22: Sarawak Tropical Peat Research Institute (Tropi) presented its research findings at the European Geosciences Union (EGU) General Assembly in Vienna, Austria that took place from April 14–19.
According to a media release by Tropi today, the Tropi team led by its director Datu Dr Lulie Melling, underlined their dedication to the ‘LiWeFor project: Living Labs for Wetland Forest Research’, a four-year research project led by Prof Dr Ülo Mander of the University of Tartu, Estonia in collaboration with University of Helsinki (Finland), the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (Germany), Tropi, and the Research Institute of the Peruvian Amazon.
LiWeFor’s goal is to develop a global network of living labs for wetland forest research, focusing on quantifying greenhouse gas emissions and identifying potential carbon sequestration solutions, aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The research spans across Congo, Malaysia, and Peru, with Tropi managing the Malaysian sites in Sarawak.
“At the EGU2024, Lulie showcased the research from Tropi’s Molecular and Microbiology Research Division.
“On the other hand, research officer Frazer Midot presented groundbreaking findings on ammonia oxidation in tropical peatlands while Claudia Jenai Yeong discussed methane oxidation under varying land uses in Sarawak.
“The team also contributed to three posters and a collaborative oral presentation within the ‘LiWeFor’ framework, presenting extensive data on carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane emissions from various peatland conditions in Malaysia. Additionally, Prof Ülo Mander also provided insights into the comparative studies of methane and nitrous oxide flux across different ecosystems,” the statement read.
Complementing the LiWeFor initiative is the PeatN2O project, another significant research effort funded by the European Research Council focusing on nitrous oxide emissions from peatlands, involving an international consortium that includes members from the University of Exeter, Hokkaido University, Makerere University, the University of Minnesota, and Universidad Nacional De la Amazonia Peruana.
“This year’s EGU assembly not only highlighted the ongoing global research collaborations but also positioned Tropi at the forefront of tropical peatland research, significantly contributing to global environmental strategies,” it added. — DayakDaily
