University of Arkansas leads effort to develop bioscience network between U.S., southeast Asia

The University of Arkansas is taking a leadership role in developing a bioscience network that connects scientists in the U.S. and southeast Asia.

The Food, Energy, Water and Ecosystems Resources Research Coordination Network was established with a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NFS). University of Arkansas biologist and assistant professor Ruben Ceballos pointed out that the grant could not fund individual efforts, but could be used to integrate multiple research efforts.

The project's primary research topics include aquatic biology and ecosystems science, natural products development, biofuel and the impact of climate change on the Mekong delta's biodiversity.

“Dams that were built over the last 30 years on the upper and lower Mekong River have altered sediment flow, fisheries and tributaries of the river, resulting in a host of issues,” Ceballos said.

U.S. scientists and researchers in Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam are studying the changes in the biodiversity of the lower Mekong Basin. 

“There are about 80 million people who rely on the Mekong River and there are some similarities between the Mekong River delta and the Mississippi River delta; thus, there are significant opportunities for U.S. scientists to collaborate with counterparts in southeast Asia to address pressing issues,” Ceballos said.