Title of Project: 
Baseline Survey of Marine Biodiversity in the Waters Surrounding Taiping Island (Nansha Islands)

Duration:
January–December 2025

Name of Principle Investigator:
Director Kang-Ning Shen, Marine Ecology and Conservation Research Center, National Academy of Marine Research 
Assistant Research Fellow Li-Chin Chou, Marine Ecology and Conservation Research Center, National Academy of Marine Research 

Abstract of Project:
In 2025, the National Academy of Marine Research (NAMR) integrated the professional expertise of government agencies as well as domestic and international academic institutions to advance a wide range of marine science research and ecological conservation initiatives in the waters surrounding Taiping Island. The research scope encompassed continuous marine environmental monitoring; studies using Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS); environmental DNA (eDNA) water sampling; surveys of subtidal macroalgae; investigations of gobiid fishes symbiotic with snapping shrimp; and assessments of small- to medium-sized gastropod and bivalve resources. The Academy also supported intertidal crustacean assemblage surveys, population assessments of crown-of-thorns starfish, and evaluations of current coral reef ecosystem conditions. The resulting outcomes provide critical, time-resolved baseline scientific data for the South China Sea and continue to strengthen Taiwan’s marine research capacity in the region, facilitating the gradual development of the Nansha area into a key hub for marine ecological research.

Outcomes and Milestones: 
In 2025, the NAMR continued to advance multiple in-house research programs in the waters surrounding Taiping Island, while collaborating with relevant research institutions to jointly carry out a range of survey activities. During the operation and management of the Nansha Marine Research Station, research teams were deployed to Taiping Island in successive rotations to conduct multi-faceted field investigations and research. In total, 27 personnel deployments were completed, accounting for an aggregate of 1,290 person-days on the island, and at least six baseline research surveys were accomplished.
The research activities included long-term continuous monitoring of seawater temperature; deployment and retrieval of Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) at two sampling sites (yielding a total of 12 sample units); seasonal environmental DNA (eDNA) water sampling conducted quarterly at eight stations; subtidal macroalgal surveys documenting 57 species; identification of nine species of gobiid fishes symbiotic with snapping shrimp; and resource surveys of small- to medium-sized gastropods and bivalves encompassing 43 families, with taxonomic identification still ongoing. During the same period, intertidal crustacean assemblage surveys were conducted with institutional support between May and June, and from June to August, collaborative studies were undertaken on crown-of-thorns starfish removal and assessments of coral reef ecosystem conditions.
Through cross-team collaboration and integrated sharing of research data, these outcomes collectively provide effective scientific support for advancing marine ecological research initiatives in the Nansha region