As part of the #OceanDecade, and thanks to the contribution of the Principality of Monaco, five of these awards were dedicated this year to young scientists from across the world focusing on marine, island and coastal issues. These laureates will strengthen the knowledge base for the sustainable management of fragile ecosystems at the frontlines of climate disruption and biodiversity loss:
Abigail Baidoo, from Ghana, plans to investigate the ecological and socio-economic impacts of salt production at the Songor Biosphere Reserve.
Pedro Andrés Garzo, from Argentina, will assess the morphodynamic behavior of beach and dune environments in the Mar Chiquito Biosphere Reserve, focusing on native and exotic dune plant assemblages.
Yakout Nawel Moussaoui, from Algeria, will combine spatial analyses, ecological vulnerability assessments and forward-looking models (2030-2050) to anticipate the impacts of climate change and human pressures on the marine biodiversity along the Algerian coast, focusing on islands and species-rich areas in Algerian biosphere reserves.
Manuel Vivanco-Bercovich, from Mexico, will study the surfgrass meadows in the Pacific Islands and the Vizcaino Biosphere Reserves in the Baja California Peninsula.
Hongfei Zhuang, from China, will study the movement and habitat use of the endangered spotted seal, a symbolic species known as the « panda of the sea » in northern China.
Source: UN Ocean Decade
