Rick LeongUNSW Sydney | UNSW · Centre for Marine Science and Innovation
Rick Leong
UNSW Sydney
About
6
Publications
6,941
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149
Citations
Introduction
My research interests encompass the understanding ecological connectivity in marine ecosystems in a seascape namely between coral reefs, oyster reefs, mangrove forests and seagrass meadows. My specific research interests include investigation of community changes across the seascape ecosystems, understanding dispersal ranges of key species between the ecosystems, and nutrient fluxes across the ecosystems.
I have investigated mangrove species distribution across the surface elevation gradient and researched on the effects of macroalgae, herbivory and substrate design on juvenile coral survivorship in Singapore. My MSc dissertation focused on the sedimentation effects by oyster reefs in the Dutch Eastern Scheldt.
Additional affiliations
September 2018 - present
March 2017 - present
March 2013 - August 2014
Position
- Research Assistant
Description
- Coral Reef Ecology and Rehabilitation in Singapore
Education
September 2014 - September 2016
Publications
Publications (6)
Understanding how habitat attributes (e.g., patch area and sizes, connectivity) control recruitment and how this is modified by processes operating at larger spatial scales is fundamental to understanding population sustainability and developing successful long‐term restoration strategies for marine foundation species—including for globally threate...
Population characteristics (e.g., density and body sizes) of foundation species can affect their own persistence and provisioning of ecosystem functions. Understanding the drivers of population characteristics of foundation species at multiple spatial scales is therefore critical for maximizing ecosystem functions of restored habitats. We analyzed...
Scleractinian corals are vulnerable to a range of environmental disturbances, but generally suffer the highest rates of mortality during early life-history stages, i.e., from larval settlement until a few months post-settlement. Variations in survival rates of corals during this period play a key role in structuring adult coral populations. Many co...
Vital for their diverse ecosystem services, Southeast Asian mangroves are the most biodiverse in the world and are critically threatened, yet they remain woefully understudied. A notable exception is Mandai mangrove in Northwest Singapore, a hotspot of research for decades, with an intensive contemporary research agenda. It provides not only a base...
