Conserving Coral Reefs: The Backbone of Marine Biodiversity

The colourful underwater landscapes of tropical coral reefs are a haven for marine life, while around the world half a billion people depend on them for food, income, and protection from storms and coastal erosion. Coral reefs are also important for tourism and attract divers from around the world, helping to grow local economies.

But these reefs, often called the ‘rainforests of the sea’, are facing a number of threats, from ocean acidification to overfishing. Lisa Schellenberg, a PhD student at the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), is committed to deciphering what chemical compounds in the water might harm these reefs. 

Her research focuses on the island of Curaçao in the Dutch Caribbean, close to Venezuela, which is surrounded by about 40 square miles of coral reefs. They’re a hotspot for the island’s incredible biodiversity - fish, aquatic plants, and sea turtles all call them home, forming part of the 25% of the ocean’s species that depend on coral reefs for survival. Like many other places around the globe, the island’s history, and its future, are intertwined with the fate of its coral.

To help safeguard the reef’s health, Lisa’s research - conducted as part of the wider interdisciplinary project SEALINK - includes exploring the impact of chemicals known as xenobiotics. “Xenos is a Greek word for stranger - these chemicals are in an environment they're not supposed to be in,” she explains. These substances originate from sources like pesticides, trash, pharmaceuticals, and metals, and travel from land to ocean, threatening the growth and survival of the reefs. 

Lisa aims to understand where xenobiotics come from and enter the ocean, where certain chemicals tend to linger, and the effect they can have on the ecosystem. These findings may serve as a basis for policy recommendations, providing insight into the presence of potentially harmful substances that may affect reef health, and how their movement is linked to weather conditions like rainfall. “With this type of research it's important to not only publish in scientific journals but also inform the general public and non-scientists as well,” she says. 

Lisa has carried out four field trips to the Dutch Caribbean as part of the SEALINK project, which has close ties to the island’s research facilities and access to the national research ship RV Pelagia. The project is made up of nine PhD students across six universities and research institutes, each bringing their unique expertise from their specific discipline, from microbiology to hydrodynamics to social sciences. “You discuss with and learn from each other, opening your eyes to see things from a different angle, which helps to see the larger picture,” she says.

Such moments of discovery are why Lisa would encourage more young people to pursue a PhD in science. “You may get interesting surprises when analysing your data. Of course, you have an idea beforehand, but then it's really interesting to see the actual results. Especially when you connect them to other disciplines.”

“There's always something new to discover, and it's great to develop in the direction that you want. That's something that I really value in science, the same as being here at NIOZ - the help to develop in the direction of your interest. The xenobiotics work was all new to me, but I love it, and I had the freedom to say, I want to focus on that.”

“I feel really supported, especially by my supervisors. They are always there for me. And if I pitch a good idea, they always listen.”