New UKRI-funded research projects will develop climate-resilient seaweed and explore little-known biodiversity in the Amazon basin

The Tsiino Hiiwiida: unveiling multiple dimensions of plant and fungal biodiversity of the Upper Rio Negro project will accelerate the discovery of plants and fungi in one of the least explored regions of the Amazon basin, filling in critical knowledge gaps in a region which is under threat from mining and deforestation.

Natural History Museum Executive Director of Science Tim Littlewood says: “These projects are great examples of Museum scientists working with local and indigenous communities and researchers to find solutions to some of the biggest challenges we face – from the impacts on climate change on a globally vital crop in southeast Asia to supporting crucial forest conservation in the Amazon, one of the most biodiverse areas of the world.”

GLOBALSEAWEED-PROTECT

Seaweed farming in southeast Asia is increasingly impacted by pests and diseases whilst the wild seaweed populations that could provide new disease-resilient stock are suffering the effects of climate change.

Seaweed is the fastest growing aquaculture sector, currently making up half of marine production globally. The red seaweeds Kappaphycus and Eucheuma species, collectively known as the eucheumatoids, produce carrageenan, a chemical compound which can be used as an ingredient across a wide range of key products including food, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics in an industry worth $14 billion. Over 1 million livelihoods are supported by the seaweed industry in Southeast Asia – the largest producer of red seaweed – particularly across Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia. Seaweed production is threatened in this region by a lack of genetic diversity in the cultivars, increasing the seaweeds’ vulnerability to pests and diseases. Climate change is simultaneously having a devastating impact on wild seaweed habitats – on which the industry depends for sourcing new cultivars.

The Natural History Museum has secured funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to help tackle the growing threats to seaweed production in Southeast Asia. The three-year project, ‘GLOBALSEAWEED-PROTECT’, is led by Professor Juliet Brodie and will create healthy seaweed crops using biosecurity management to prevent the spread of pests and develop early warning systems to spot early signs of diseases. It will also make production systems resilient to climate change and enhance biodiversity across wild seaweeds and the wider aquatic environment. Project outcomes should shore up long-term livelihoods for farmers and communities and it is hoped to provide a model template for global use to help address the planetary emergency. It is funded through the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) as part of UKRI.

Professor Juliet Brodie, Merit Researcher at the Natural History Museum and senior member of the GLOBALSEAWEED-PROTECT team says: “I’m excited to be leading GlobalSeaweed-PROTECT. It’s about finding long-term solutions to the challenges faced by the seaweed industry in Southeast Asia. And that’s about developing healthy, climate-resilient crops for the seaweed farmers alongside protecting and restoring the wild seaweeds stocks on which the future of the industry depends. It’s a unique opportunity to continue our strong UK-Southeast Asia partnership and to work towards improving the livelihoods of farmers and their communities.”

Creating climate-resilient seaweed will optimise seaweed health, benefitting ecosystems and seaweed farming across Southeast Asia. Seaweed habitat restoration will in turn strengthen production systems, increasing seaweed sustainability for farmers, reducing poverty by aiding communities that depend on these crops as a legacy beyond the project.

Tsiino Hiiwiida: unveiling multiple dimensions of plant and fungal biodiversity of the Upper Rio Negro

Another three-year project, ‘Tsiino Hiiwiida: unveiling multiple dimensions of plant and fungal biodiversity of the Upper Rio Negro’, will be co-led by Dr Sandra Knapp, Interim Director of Research Themes at the Natural History Museum, acting as the sole international partner. The Cabeça de Cachorro (Tsiino Hiiwiida in the indigenous language of the Baniwa people) is a biologically and culturally unique region in the Amazon, in the remote region of the upper Rio Negro. It has been an epicentre for discovering new and endemic species, though until now, much of its botanical diversity has been less well-documented than other areas in northern South America, not only for flowering plants but also for important forest components such as mosses and fungi. This three-year project is supported by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) and Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) as part of UKRI’s investment in the Brazilian led Amazonia+10 Initiative.

Through the collection of samples, this project intends to accelerate the discovery of plants and fungi in one of the least explored regions of the Amazon basin, filling in critical knowledge gaps across evolution, taxonomy and biogeography. Mining and deforestation in the area are increasingly creating environmental change and disrupting the integrity of the ecosystem, impeding conservation efforts.

The project will provide new insights into the evolution of Amazonian biodiversity that will directly aid conservation, as well as describing previously undocumented plant and fungal diversity in a global hotspot. Project workers will collaborate with and empower local indigenous communities, providing training and locally relevant tools for the ongoing monitoring of diversity. This project will offer a novel glimpse into the diversity of this extraordinarily rich region and coupled with historical items held in the Museum’s collections, provide a unique perspective on the colonial and cultural importance of this region.

Dr Sandra Knapp, Interim Director of Research Themes at the Natural History Museum and co-lead of the Tsiino Hiiwiida project says: “I am thrilled to be part of this project led by my Brazilian colleagues to explore lesser-known elements of botanical diversity such as mosses and fungi in order to really get a real picture of Amazonian plant diversity. Working in an area that was visited by the naturalists Alfred Russel Wallace and Rihcard Spruce in the 19^th century is also a fantastic opportunity to share archival materials with local people and begin important dialogue about the future of these precious forests.”

Both projects are part of the Natural History Museum’s research into understanding why biodiversity is changing to inform conservation efforts and policies that can halt and reverse its decline. GLOBALSEAWEED-PROTECT contributes to our Resourcing the Green Economy thematic area and Tsiino Hiiwiida to our Evolution of Life thematic area.

Visitors to the Natural History Museum will be able to learn more about the Museum’s groundbreaking research into nature-based solutions, including its work on seaweed farming which is showcased in its new permanent gallery, Fixing our Broken Planet which opened on 3 April 2025.

ENDS

Notes to editors

GLOBALSEAWEED-PROTECT is being led by the Natural History Museum, with Scottish Association for Marine Science, University of Malaya, Kasetsart University, University of Mataram and University of the Philippines Diliman as partners. Funded by BBSRC as part of UKRI.

Tsiino Hiiwiida: unveiling multiple dimensions of plant and fungal biodiversity of the Upper Rio Negro’. Part of a Brazilian-led ‘Amazon+10 Initiative’ which aims to support research and technological development in Brazilian Legal Amazonia. The Natural History Museum are the only international partner on this project, aligning with a Brazilian partnership led by Charles Eugene Zartmann of Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA). This project is funded by NERC and AHRC as part of UKRI.

Images available here.

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