RESEARCH

Our research group conducts both basic and advance research that focus on diversity, ecology, and restoration of reefs both in tropical and temperate areas. In addition, we also investigate the ecological causes and consequences of biodiversity loss. Our research involves a diverse suite of organisms including hard corals, soft corals, nudibranchs, crustaceans, echinoderms, and fish. We are also recognized as the first group in Thailand to succeed in mass coral culture using sexual reproduction technique.

Current Research themes include:

  • Coral reef biology and conservation
  • Genetic diversity of corals
  • Biological invasion in the Gulf of Thailand
  • Marine bioactive compounds
  • Physical and chemical oceanography in coral reef habitats
  • Impact of climate changes on polar and tropical regions

In addition, our people in the research group are served as:

  • Deputy Director for Academic Affairs, Thai Sea and Island Natural History Museum, Plant Genetic Conservation Project under the Royal Initiative of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn - Royal Thai Navy (V. Viyakarn)
  • Deputy Director, Chula Unisearch, Chulalongkorn University (V. Viyakarn)
  • Project leader, UNESCO-IOC/WESTPAC Project on coastal marine biodiversity and conservation (S. Chavanich)
  • Thailand Reef Check Coordinator (S. Chavanich)
  • Director, Center of Excellence for Climate Change Knowledge Management (P. Singhruck)

Outreach

Our research finding is always available to a broad spectrum of the general public. We also actively promote marine conservation knowledge by teaching local children, dive shops operators, and diving instructors.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

  • Putchim, L., S. Chavanich, and V. Viyakarn. 2002. Species diversity of mushroom corals (Family Fungiidae) in the Inner Gulf of Thailand. Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University. 2(2):47-49. (Download: PDF)
  • Chavanich, S., V. Peaw-on, and V. Viyakarn. 2004. Colonization of marine zooplankton and epifauna in different morphology of artificial seagrass beds. Natural History Journal of Chulalongkorn University. 4(2):101-103. (Download: PDF)
  • Chavanich, S., A. Siripong, P. Sojisuporn, and P. Menasveta. 2005. Impact of Tsunami on the seafloor and corals in Thailand. Coral Reefs. 24(4):535.
  • Chavanich, S., P. Koeysin, V. Viyakarn, S. Piyatiratitivorakul, P. Menasveta, K. Suwanborirux, and S. Poovachiranon. 2005. A tunicate from a Thai coral reef – a potential source of new anticancer compounds. Coral Reefs. 24(4):621.
  • Chavanich, S., N. Ketdecha, V. Viyakarn, and S. Bussarawit. 2007. Preliminary surveys of the commensal amphipod, Leucothoe spinicarpa (Abildgaard, 1789), in the colonial tunicate, Ecteinascidia thurstoni Herdman, 1891, in the Andaman Sea, Thailand. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory: Special publication series. 8:97-101. (Download: PDF)
  • Goto, K., S. Chavanich, F. Imamura, P. Kunthasap, T. Matsui, K. Minoura, D. Sugawara, and H. Yanagisawa. 2007. Distribution, origin and transport process of boulders deposited by the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami at Pakarang Cape, Thailand. Sedimentary Geology. 202(4):821-837. (Download: PDF)
  • Darumas, U., S. Chavanich, and K. Suwanborirux. 2007. Distribution patterns of the renieramycin-producing sponge Xestospongia sp. and its association with other reef organisms in the Gulf of Thailand. Zoological Studies. 46(6):695-704. (Download: PDF)
  • Chavanich, S., V. Viyakarn, A. Siripong, P. Sojisuporn, and P. Menasveta. 2008. Patterns of coral damage associated with the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami at Mu Ko Similan Marine National Park, Thailand. Journal of Natural History. 42(3-4):177-187.
  • Chavanich, S., V. Viyakarn, T. Loyjiw, P. Pattaratamrong, and A. Chankong. 2009. Mass bleaching of soft coral, Sarcophyton spp. in Thailand and the role of temperature and salinity stress. ICES Journal of Marine Science. 66(7):1515-1519. (Download: PDF)
  • Chavanich, S., V. Viyakarn, S. Piyatiratitivorakul, K. Suwanborirux, and S. Bussarawit. 2009. Introduced tunicate species in Thailand. Aquatic Invasions. 4(2):349-351. (Download: PDF)
  • Viyakarn, V., S. Chavanich, C. Raksasab, and T. Loyjiw. 2009. New coral community on the breakwater in Thailand. Coral Reefs. 28(2):427. (Download: PDF)
  • Senanan, W., S. Panutrakul, P. Barnette, S. Chavanich, V. Mantachitr, N. Tangkrock-Olan and V. Viyakarn. 2009. Preliminary risk assessment of Pacific whiteleg shrimp (P. vannamei) introduced to Thailand for aquaculture. Aquaculture Asia Magazine 14: 28-32. (Download: PDF)
  • Kuanui, P., S. Chavanich, C. Raksasab and V. Viyakarn. 2009. Lunar periodicity of larval release and larval development of Pocillopora damicornis in Thailand. Proceedings of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 7–11 July 2008: 382-384.
  • Loyjiw, T., V. Viyakarn and S. Chavanich. 2009. Diversity of gorgonians and influence of cutting on their growth in the upper Gulf of Thailand. Proceedings of the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, 7–11 July 2008: 1367-1369. (Download: PDF)
  • Chavanich, S., V. Viyakarn and H.S. Park. 2010. Amphipods associated with Codium species in Korea. Crustaceana 83: 795-807. (Download: PDF)
  • Koyama, S., D.B. Akolkar, T.Shiokai , M. Nakaya, S. Piyapattanakorn and S. Watabe. 2011. The occurrence of two types of fast skeletal myosin heavy chains from abdominal muscle of kuruma shrimp Marsupenaeus japonicus and their different tissue distribution. The Journal of Experimental Biology. 215:14-21. (Download: PDF)
  • Chavanich, S., V. Viyakarn, P. Adams, J. Klammer and N. Cook. 2012. Reef communities after the 2010 mass coral bleaching at Racha Yai Island in the Andaman Sea and Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand. Phuket Marine Biological Center Research Bulletin 71: 103-110. (Download: PDF)
  • Pansook, A., W. Khonsue , S. Piyapattanakorn and P. Pariyanonth. 2012. Phylogenetic Relationships among Hoplobatrachus rugulosus in Thailand as Inferred from Mitochondrial DNA Sequences of the Cytochrome-b Gene (Amphibia, Anura, Dicroglossidae). Zoological Science. 29:54-59. (Download: PDF)
  • Nomura, D., D. Simizu, S. Chavanich, H. Shinagawa and M. Fukuchi. 2012. An artificial pool experiment in Antarctic sea ice: Effects of sea ice melting on physical and biogeochemical components of pool water. Antarctic Science 24: 536–544.
  • Koyama, H., D.B Akolkar, S. Piyapattanakorn and S. Watabe. 2012. Cloning, Expression, and Localization of Two Types of Fast Skeletal Myosin Heavy Chain Genes From Black Tiger and Pacific White Shrimps. Journal of Experimental Zoology. 317A:608–621. (Download: PDF)
  • Chavanich, S., V. Viyakarn, K. Sanpanich and LG. Harris. 2013. Diversity and occurrence of nudibranchs in Thailand. Marine Biodiversity 43: 31-36.
  • Koyama, H., S. Piyapattanakorn and S. Watabe. 2013. Cloning of Skeletal Myosin Heavy Chain Gene Family From Adult Pleopod Muscle and Whole Larvae of Shrimps. Journal of Experimental Zoology. 319A:268-76. (Download: PDF)
  • Chavanich, S., S. Ussavauschariyakul, V. Viyakarn, and T. Fujita.  2013.  Influence of mineral accretion induced by electric current on the settlement and growth of the scleractinian coral Pocillopora damicornis (Cnidaria, Antrozoa, Hexacorallia).  Marine Research in Indonesia.  38:85-90. (Download: PDF)
  • Songploy, S., W. Hemachandra, S. Chavanich, and V. Viyakarn.  2013.  Fish assemblages in coral communities at Chao Lao Beach, Chanthaburi Province, Thailand.  Galaxea.  2013:189-194. (Download: PDF)
  • Roder, C., C. Arif, T. Bayer, M. Aranda, C. Daniels, A. Shibl, S. Chavanich, C. R. Voolstra.  2014.  Bacterial profiling of white plague disease (WPD) in a comparative coral species framework.  ISME Journal. 8:31-39. (Download: PDF)
  • Lin, C, F. Kuo, S. Chavanich, and V. Viyakarn.  2014.  Membrane lipid phase transition behavior of oocytes from three gorgonian corals in relation to chilling injury.  PLOS ONE.  9(3):e92812. (Download: PDF)
  • Chavanich, S., K. Soong, A. Zvuloni, B. Rinkevich, and P. Alino. 2015.  Conservation, management, and restoration of coral reefs.  Zoology.  118:132-134. (Download: PDF)
  • Chanokporn, M., S. Chavanich, V. Viyakarn, K. Watanabe, S. Imura, A. S. Vangnai, and O. Pinyakong.  2015.  Abundance and diversity of functional genes involved in the degradation of aromatic hydrocarbons in Antarctic soils and sediments around Syowa Station.  Environmental Science and Pollution Research.  22:4725-4735. (Download: PDF)
  • Costello, M.J., P. Archambault, S. Chavanich, P. Miloslavich, D. M. Paterson, S. M. Phang, I. Sousa Pinto, A. Pierrot-Bults, S. Song, E. H . Soto, N. C. Stenseth, T. N. Molodtsova, and M. Thorndyke.  2015.  Organizing, supporting and linking the world marine biodiversity research community.  Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.  95:431-433. (Download: PDF)
  • Kuanui, P., S. Chavanich, V. Viyakarn, M. Omori, and C. Lin.  2015. Effects of temperature and salinity on survival rate of cultured corals and photosynthetic efficiency of zooxanthellae in coral tissues.  Ocean Science Journal.  50:263-268.
  • Tsai, S., W. Yen, S. Chavanich, V. Viyakarn, and C. Lin.  2015. Development of cryopreservation techniques for gorgonian (Junceella juncea) oocytes through vitrification.  PLOS ONE.  9(3):e0123409. (Download: PDF)
  • Viyakarn, V., W.Lalitpattarakit, N. Chinfak, S. Jandang, P. Kuanui, S. Khokiattiwong, and S. Chavanich.  2015. Effect of lower pH on settlement and development of coral, Pocillopora damicornis (Linnaeus, 1758). Ocean Science Journal.  50:475-480.
  • Chavanich, S., V. Viyakarn, D. Nomura, and K. Watanabe. 2015. Potential changes in feeding behavior of Antarctic fish, Pseudotrematomus bernacchii (Boulenger, 1902) on the East Ongul Island, Antarctica. Polar Science. 9:389-392. (Download: PDF)
  • Kuanui, P., S. Chavanich, V. Viyakarn, H. Park, and M. Omori. 2016. Feeding behaviors of three tropical scleractinian corals in captivity. Tropical Zoology. 29(1):1-9. (Download: PDF)
  • Chavanich, S., V. Viyakarn, W. Senanan, and S. Panutrakul. 2016. Laboratory assessment of feeding-behavior interactions between the introduced Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) (Penaeidae) and five native shrimps plus a crab species in Thailand. Aquatic Invasions. 11 (1): 67–74. (Download: PDF)
  • Tsai, S., W. Chang, S. Chavanich, V. Viyakarn, and C Lin. 2016. Ultrastructural observation of oocytes in six types of stony corals. Tissue and Cell. 48:349–355. (Download: PDF)

BOOKS PUBLISHED

Corals
ปะการัง		 Nudibranchs of Thiland
ทากเปลือยในประเทศไทย
Biology of Nudibranchs
ชีววิทยาของทากเปลือย		 Marine Animals in Antarctica
สัตว์ทะเลในแอนตาร์กติก
Antarctica...Land of Ice
แอนตาร์กติก...ดินแดนแห่งน้ำแข็ง		 Polar Harmony