Enhancing climate resilience in Malaysian shrimp coastal communities: quorum sensing properties in algal integrated multi-trophic aquaculture

 

Global warming affects biological and ecological processes, impacting the whole marine food web and disrupting the natural resources vital for the livelihood of coastal communities in Malaysia. This has led to a higher incidence of zoonotic diseases (diseases that pass from animals to humans) and a related overuse of antimicrobials to combat them. The overuse of antimicrobials globally is increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR), minimizing their effectiveness and exposing the community to health risks.

This project intends to explore algae’s ability to interfere with pathogenic bacteria’s communication systems and thus control diseases and reduce AMR in integrated multi-trophic aquaculture (IMTA) systems. IMTA, which is a nature-based solution, is based on the idea that some species feed off the waste of others. By farming species together — for example, finfish, shellfish and marine plants — farmers can take advantage of the recycling of waste nutrients.

The project begins with an investigation of gender-based vulnerability to climate change in the selected coastal communities’ aquacultural practices and their nature-based aquaculture adaptation strategies involving algae. Next, the existing IMTA systems will be improved through the addition of algae with thermal-tolerant and communication-disrupting properties. This will be followed by comprehensive training programs targeting women and other vulnerable groups. Once the sustainability of the approach has been established, the results will be widely disseminated.

The project is part of the Nature-based Climate Solutions in Aquacultural Food Systems in Asia-Pacific initiative (AQUADAPT), which is co-funded by Global Affairs Canada and IDRC. AQUADAPT is a four-year, CAD23-million initiative aimed at driving research-action toward inclusive nature-based aquaculture solutions and at better understanding how such solutions can contribute to climate change adaptation, biodiversity conservation and food security across the Asia-Pacific region.