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Environmental Resilience & Sustainability Research Group - Thematic Projects

  • Project Title: Establishing an effective paradigm of coral reef governance in Taiwan in the Anthropocene: Lyudao as a case study
  • Project Duration: January 2023 – December 2025
  • Principal Investigator: Dr. Chaolun Allen Chen / Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica
  • Project Background and Objectives:
Coral reef ecosystem services contribute to human well-being and support the sustainability of human civilization. However, in the Anthropocene, threats and pressures such as overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution, and climate change are accelerating coral reef degradation. This sub-project, using Lyudao as a case study, focuses on the assessment and changes in coral reef ecosystem services, emphasizing compatibility with the Green National Income Accounting framework to ensure comparability and standardization in coral reef ecosystem service evaluations.
  • Key Members:
    • Sub 1: Environmental impact and recovery of Ludao's coral reef ecosystem in Anthropocene
      • Dr. Chaolun Allen Chen / Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica
      • Dr. Yi-Chia Hsin / Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica
      • Dr. Mao-Chang Liang / Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica
    • Sub 2: Human disturbances and governance
      • Dr. Hsing-Sheng Tai / Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, National Dong Hwa University
      • Dr. Colin Kuo-Chang Wen / Center for Ecology and Environment, Tunghai University
    • Sub 3: Local's adaptive capacity for sustainable marine tourism
      • Dr. Chun-Hung Lee / Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, National Dong Hwa University
      • Dr. Yun-Ju Chen / Department of Applied Economics, National Chung Hsing University
    • Sub 4: Unifying approaches to coral reef ecosystem services valuation
      • Dr. Mei-Hua Yuan / Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica
      • Dr. Shu-Yuan Pan / Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, National Taiwan University
    • Sub 5: Spatial system modeling and decision-support system for land-use/cover and seascape interaction
      • Dr. Chun-Lin Lee / Department of Urban Planning, National Cheng Kung University
      • Dr. Chi-Ru Chang / Department of Landscape Architecture, Chinese Culture University
  • Project Title: LTSER Core Platform
  • Project Duration: September 2022 – August 2025
  • Principal Investigator: Dr. Chaolun Allen Chen / Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica
  • Project Background and Objectives:
This project aims to establish a Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) Core Observatory by conducting fundamental environmental, ecological, and social investigations and consolidating collected data into a centralized platform. Through literature reviews and in-depth interviews, this sub-project seeks to understand the current status of economic activities, land use, and marine resource utilization in Lyudao and identify key issues.
  • Key Members:
    • Dr. Chaolun Allen Chen / Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica
    • Dr. Kuo-Fang Chung / Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica
    • Dr. Mao-Ning Tuanmu / Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica
    • Dr. Chien-Hsiang Lin / Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica
    • Dr. Tzu-Hao Lin / Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica
    • Dr. Yi-Chia Hsin / Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica
    • Dr. Mei-Hua Yuan / Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica
    • Dr. Colin Kuo-Chang Wen / Center for Ecology and Environment, Tunghai University
    • Dr. Yuh-Wen Chiu / Department of Biological Resources, National Chiayi University
    • Dr. Sung-Ying Yang / Department of Aquatic Biosciences, National Chiayi University
  • Project Name: Health Investigation and Air Sensing for Asian Pollution (Hi-ASAP)
  • Project Schedule: 2019 October– present
  • Principal Investigator: Dr. Shih-Chun Candice Lung, Research Fellow
  • Project Background and Objective:
Air pollution, especially aerosols, contributes to the greatest uncertainty in climate change projection. Aerosols affect cloud formation, atmospheric radiation, and thus regional climate. Therefore, air pollution per se is one of the major root causes of current climate disasters. Moreover, the health impact of air pollution is one of the most pressing issues in Asia and the Pacific region. Sound scientific evidence is crucial for strategically minimizing the health impacts of air pollution. Reducing air pollution has co-benefits for slowing down climate change and protecting public health. The current advancement in low-cost sensors provides opportunities for scientists in low and middle-income countries (LMIC) to conduct air pollution and health studies. This Advanced Institute (AI) is planned to offer lectures and hands-on practices for conducting air pollution and health research using low-cost sensors.
  • Research findings and results：
The objective of the AI on Hi-ASAP is to provide young to mid-career practitioners and researchers interested in air pollution and health research in Asia with knowledge, experience, and hands-on practices in the techniques and methodologies required to conduct research with the aim of reducing health risks of air pollution. At the end of the advanced institute, the participants should have:
  1. Enhanced comprehension of the applications of scientific approaches for Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) research focusing on air pollution, sensing, and health among scientists of different fields;
  2. Developed capacity in the application of sensor technology and data analysis methods on environmental monitoring and health evaluation to reduce air pollution risks.
  • Research framework and personnel：
serial
number		 Country Name Organization name
1. Bangladesh Abdus SALAM Department of Chemistry, University of Dhaka
2. Indonesia Puji LESTARI Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Institute Teknology Bandung
3. Malaysia Mazrura SAHANI Center for Health and applied Sciences, National University of Malaysia
4. Mongolia Chonokhuu SONOMDAGVA Department of Environment and Forest engineering, National University of Mongolia
5. Myanmar Ohnmar May Tin HLAING Environmental Quality Management Co., Ltd
6. Philippines Maria Obiminda L. CAMBALIZA School of Science and Engineering, Ateneo de Manila University
7. Thailand Kim OANH School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology
8. Vietnam Thi Hien TO University of Science, Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City
 
  • Sustainability Science Research Program, Academia Sinica
  • Project Name: Taiwan Drought Study: Change, Water Resource Impacts, and Risk Perception and Communication
  • Project Schedule: January 1, 2016–December 31, 2018
  • Principal Investigator: Dr. Huang-Hsiung Hsu, Distinguished Research Fellow
  • Project Background and Objective:
Drought occurs in Taiwan every few years, and severe drought disasters pose a great threat to agriculture, industries, and life. Recent studies have discovered that Taiwan’s climate has clearly become drier in the past few decades, and future climate is predicted to exhibit a similar trend. Thus, Taiwan will face increasingly severe pressure on its water resources in a warming future. Accordingly, this project conducted transdisciplinary research involving experts in the fields of climate change, hydrology, humanities, and social sciences to understand the impacts of drought and water resources in Taiwan’s hot spots (Shihmen Reservoir in northern Taiwan and Zengwen Reservoir in southern Taiwan) under the context of climate change. The results are provided to the government and stakeholders to serve as a crucial basis for planning and implementing adaptation policies.
  • Research framework and personnel：
  • Research findings and results：
  • Under the influence of global warming, the atmospheric circulation characteristics that are inconducive to precipitation in Taiwan and its neighboring regions will gradually strengthen. This project discovered that between 2040 and 2060, precipitation in East Asia and Taiwan during spring may decrease, whereas dry days and drought extension may increase. Precipitation in reservoir catchment areas in northern Taiwan will decrease in spring as well as in the autumn and winter of the previous year. This will also reduce water supply and increase the risk of drought in the future.
  • This project discovered Banxin Project II effectively reduced the water shortage in the northern region, enabling the water supply to meet the water demand. However, if the impact of climate change is considered, the risk of public water shortages in the northern region during spring in the mid-21st century may be aggravated. In addition, shortages of farm water supply in the Shihmen Dam irrigation area during spring will be more severe compared with the current situation.
  • The effects of climate change will lead to an approximately 50% probability of a 20% (or higher) water shortage occurring in the Banxin and Taoyuan regions. In the face of the risk of such extreme water shortages, the existing water resource strategy and drought response measures may be inadequate, and additional adaptation plans will be required in the future.
  • This project suggested adaptation strategies for drought and water resource risks in response to climate change in Taiwan, which can serve as a reference for relevant government agencies and stakeholders.
  • Project features：
  • Sustainability Science Research Program, Academia Sinica
  • Project Name: Trans-disciplinary PM2.5 Exposure Research in Urban Areas for Health-oriented Preventive Strategies
  • Project Schedule: January 1, 2018–December 31, 2020
  • Principal Investigator: Dr. Shih-Chun Candice Lung, Research Fellow
  • Project Background and Objective：
In the past decade, the threats of environmental change on human health called for effective strategies to reduce health risks. Future Earth (Research for Global Sustainability,) promotes "trans-disciplinary collaboration", "co-design and co-production" and "solution-oriented" sciences in order to best utilize scientific evidences to assist our society to tackle challenges due to environmental changes. This thematic project (shorten as Urban-PM2.5) is to conduct an integrated trans-disciplinary research focusing on PM2.5 (particulate matters with aerodynamic diameters equal to or less than 2.5μm), one of the major environmental health concerns, with the aim of providing science-based evidences for formulating preventive strategies and health promotion tactics to protect public health. Urban-PM2.5 is a trans-disciplinary collaboration of scientists from environmental, information, statistics, and public health sciences, as well as policy makers. Urban-PM2.5 targets on the neglected community pollution sources and peak PM2.5 exposure, evaluates controllable factors considering the progression of emission to health impacts, establishes PM2.5 community and exposure models, and explores options for intervention, which lead to formulation of effective preventive strategies.
 
  • Research framework and personnel：
Categories Project Title Name and Role of PI, Role on Project (Project Director, Sub-project PI, Co-PI) Institution/Department Title
Main Project Trans-disciplinary PM2.5 Exposure Research in Urban Areas for Health-oriented Preventive Strategies Shih-Chun Candice Lung
(Project Director)		 RCEC, AS Research Fellow
Da-Wei Wang
(Project co-Director)		 IIS, AS Research Fellow
Ling-Jyh Chen
(Project co-Director)		 IIS, AS Research Fellow
Meng-Chang Chen
(Project co-Director)		 IIS, AS Research Fellow
Subproject 1 Cross-scale environmental monitoring and analysis for PM2.5exposure Shih-Chun Lung
(Sub-project PI)		 RCEC, AS Research Fellow
Chih-Da Wu
(Sub-project Co-PI)		 Dept. of Forestry, NCYU Associate Professor
I-Chun Tsai
(Sub-project Co-PI)		 RCEC, AS Assistant Research Fellow
Yi-Chiu Lin
(Sub-project Co-PI)		 TTFRI Assistant Researcher
Subproject 2 Vision-based traffic and crowd analysis using convolutional neural networks Chih-Wen Su
(Sub-project PI)		 Dept. of ICE, CYCU Assistant Professor
Mark Liao
(Sub-project Co-PI)		 IIS, AS Distinguished Research Fellow
Subproject 3 The relationship between heart rate, apparent temperature and air pollution exposure in adult during cardio exercise Shih-Yu Lee
(Sub-project PI)		 RCEC, AS Assistant Research Fellow
Tzu-Yao Chuang
(Sub-project Co-PI)		 CMU Children’s hospital Attending Physician
Subproject 4 Metabolomics profiling and gene expression study to understand the health impacts of cooking oil fumes and the potential protective roles of vegetables and fruits Wen-Harn Pan
(Sub-project PI)		 IBS, AS Research Fellow
Hsin-Chou Yang
(Sub-project Co-PI)		 ISS, AS Research Fellow
  • Academia Sinica Sustainability Science Research Program
  • Project Name: Vulnerability Assessment for Heat Wave and Relevant Adaptation Strategy Recommendations
  • Project 2012 May – 2014 December
  • Principal Investigator: Dr. Shih-Chun Candice Lung, Research Fellow
  • Project Background and Objective:
Under climate change, heatwaves are expected to occur more frequently and continually break historical records. In recent years, Taiwan has repeatedly experienced unusually prolonged heatwaves, accompanied by rising mortality rates from respiratory and cardiovascular diseases during these periods. To reduce the adverse impacts of heatwaves, it is imperative to immediately establish forward-looking vulnerability assessments to inform the development of effective heatwave adaptation strategies. Therefore, this research project adopts an interdisciplinary collaborative approach to investigate the various determining factors influencing heatwave vulnerability, to reduce vulnerability and enhance adaptive capacity in Taiwan.
  • Research findings and results：
This thematic project has concrete contributions in three aspects: technology development, methodology development and research findings regarding heat-stress and heat adaptation, and social impacts. In terms of technology development, the IT tools for social media mining, activity locating, pollution sensing, and vision-based traffic analysis with fine tempo-spatial resolutions were developed. These technologies were applied to exposure assessment for heat-stress and PM2.5, heat-health relationship evaluation, and response capacity survey in this thematic project. The most ground-breaking development is the development of research-grade PM2.5 micro-sensor device, which can be widely applied in environmental health research. Most importantly, the synthesized findings have been provided to governmental agencies based on the multidisciplinary integration of social surveys, field monitoring with advanced sensors and IT tools, and heat indicator modeling. After continuous discussion with policymakers even after the project ended, we have successfully collaborated with governmental agencies to establish a WBGT (wet-bulb globe temperature) heat warning system in Taiwan, which is embedded in a cell phone APP 樂活氣象 in 2021.
  • Research framework and personnel：
RCEC, AS: Lung, SCC; Lin, Chuan-Yao; IIS, AS: Wang, Da-Wei; Chen, Sheng-Wei; Chen, Meng-Chang; Chen, Ling-Jyh; Huang, Wen-Liang; Liao, Mark; CSR, RCHSS, AS: Liao, Pei-Shan; Tu, Su-Hao; DICE, CYCU: Su, Chih-Wen; DPH, FJU: Tang, Chin-Sheng; DEES, FCU: Chang, Li-Te; DFNR, NCYU: Wu, Chih-Da.
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