Dr. Yusmiana Rahayu

Biography

Yusmiana Puspitaningsih Rahayu is a PhD student at the University of Western Australia, focusing on blue carbon studies, particularly in seagrass ecosystems. Her research investigates the quantification of blue carbon value in seagrass meadows, which are key components of coastal ecosystems that capture and store carbon in biomass and sediments. However, degraded ecosystems release carbon back into the atmosphere, shifting from carbon sinks to sources. Indonesia boasts the largest extent of tropical seagrass in the world, prompting the government to develop policies that integrate coastal ecosystems for carbon storage as climate change mitigation strategies. While substantial knowledge exists regarding mangroves, there is a significant gap in understanding seagrass. Yusmiana's research aims to contribute to this understanding of carbon dynamics within seagrass meadows, including geographical patterns and carbon storage and sequestration predictions, alongside carbon biogeochemistry. This research is critical for evaluating and developing methods to integrate seagrass into climate change mitigation policies in Indonesia. The overarching objective of her PhD project is to elucidate the potential role of seagrass in mitigating climate change through capturing and sequestering carbon, which involves developing statistical models to predict carbon stock and estimate carbon flux. The findings are intended to enhance the understanding of coastal carbon in Indonesia and inform policy development.

Research Interests