EXPLORING ANTARCTICA		RESEARCH PROJECTS
		The Evolution and Diversity of Antarctic Periphytic Algae Institution School of Biological Sciences Universiti Sains Malaysia 11800 Minden , Penang Researchers Prof. Mashhor Mansor (Project Leader) Dr. Wan Maznah Wan Omar (Programme Head) Dr. Latiffah Zakaria Assoc. Prof. Dr . Ahmad Sofiman Othman Dr. Nurul Salmi Abdul Latip Postgraduate Students Faradina Merican – PhD ( University of Canterbury , Christchurch , New Zealand ) Masdialily Dahlan – MSc (Universiti Sains Malaysia ) External Collaborators Australian Antarctic Division (expedition on Voyage 5, 4 th January – 13 th February 2004); Project AAD # 2372 : A comparative study on floral ecology between Malaysia and Antarctica Instituto Antartico Argentino ( expedition on Almarente Irzar, 8 th March – 8 th April 2003) Institute of Biological Sciences , University of Malaya ( Prof. Phang Siew Moi: algal expert) Shimane University , Japan (Assoc. Prof. Dr Shuji Ohtani: algal expert) School of Biosphere Sciences, Hiroshima University , Japan ( Assoc. Prof. Dr. Takeshi Naganuma: IPY MERGE) Grants   RMK 8 2003 – RM 54,495.49 2004 – RM 172,800.00 2005 – RM 70,000.00 RMK 9 (2006) – RM 20,000.00 Publications Faradina Merican, Wan Maznah, W. O., Wan Asmadi, W. A., Mashhor Mansor. Freshwater algae community of a meltwater runnel, Reeve Hill, Casey Station, Antractica. Jurnal Biosains. In Press. Conference Proceedings Faradina Merican, Wan Maznah, W. O., Mansor, M., Wan Asmadi Wan Ab.Lah. 2005. Algae composition, diversity and distribution in Antarctic flowing waters. 2 nd Malaysian International Seminar on Antarctica : Global Laboratory for Scientific and International Cooperation. 3-5 May 2004. Penerbit USM. Pp.215-218. Mansor, M. & Marshoff, E.R. 2005. The Distribution of Common Bird species from Peninsular Antarctic to Tierra Del Fuego . Proceedings of the 2 nd Malaysian International Seminar on Antarctica : Global Laboratory for Scientific and International Cooperation. 3-5 May 2004. Penerbit USM. Pp.215-218. Latiffah, Z ., Rashidah, A.R. and Faradina, M. (2005). Notes on Lichen at Casey Station. Proceedings of the 2 nd Malaysian International Seminar on Antarctica . Global Laboratory for Scientific and International Cooperation. 3-5 May 2004. Academy of Sciences Malaysia . pp. 219. Faradina Merican, Wan Maznah, W. O., Mansor, M. & Pozan, O. 2002. A note on Antarctic Algae. Proceedings of the 4 th IMT-GT UNINET Conference. Future Scenario in Biological Research, Insights and Cooperation. 15-17 th October 2002. Penang , Malaysia . Penerbit USM, Pp. 383-385. Conference Presentations Faradina Merican, Wan Maznah, W. O., Mashhor Mansor, Wan Asmadi Wan Ab.Llah . 2006. Freshwater algae community of a meltwater runnel, Reeve Hill, Casey Station, Antarctica . SCAR XXIX/CMNAP XVIII Conference. 8-15 July 2006. Hobart , Australia . Faradina Merican , Wan Maznah, W. O., Mashhor Mansor. 2006. Species composition and the microalgae community structure in an impermanent runnel of Reeve Hill, Casey Station, Antarctica . The 5 th Regional IMT-GT Uninet Conference & International Seminar. The 21 st Century of Bioscience Challenge and Hope. 22-23th June 2006. Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Sumatera Utara, Medan , Indonesia Faradina Merican, Wan Maznah, W. O., Wan Asmadi W. A., Mashhor Mansor. 2005. The Antarctic runnel algae. XXVIII Symposium on Polar Biology. 8-9 December 2005. National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo , Japan . Faradina Merican, Wan Maznah, W. O . , Mansor, M., Wan Asmadi W. A. 2004. Algal communities in the Antarctic flowing waters. XXVII Symposium on Polar Biology. 2-3 December 2004. National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo , Japan . Latifah Zakaria, Faradina Merican, Wan Maznah W. Omar. & Mansor, M. 2005. Observation of Lichen at Casey & Asparanza Station. The Antarctic runnel algae. XXVIII Symposium on Polar Biology. 8-9 December 2005. National Institute of Polar Research, Tokyo , Japan . Wan Maznah, W. O. & Mansor, M., Faradina Merican & Pozan, O. 2002. Diatom Ecology of Antarctica and Malaysia : a preliminary observation. Malaysian International Seminar on Antarctica : Opportunities for research, 5-6 August 2002. Universiti Malaya , Malaysia . Bulletin article Wan Maznah, W. O. 2004. KAOS (Krill, Acoustics and Oceanographic Survey) on Voyage 4 Aurora-Australis. Bulletin of the School of Biological Sciences. Volume VI June 2004. Wan Maznah, W. O. 2004. The Antarctic Research Programme. Research at Universiti Sains Malaysia . Volume 4. The Natural Habitat. Penerbit USM, A 35 th USM Anniversary Publication. IPY Project Activity The project ‘ The Evolution and Diversity of Invasive Species in Polar Regions ' is under MERGE group # 55 ( Assoc. Prof. Dr. Takeshi Naganuma) Expeditions under RMK8 Krill, Acoustics and Oceanographic Survey on Voyage 4 Aurora-Australis 3 rd January – 15 th March 2003. (Australian Antarctic Division). Dr. Wan Maznah Wan Omar  Esparanza Station 8 th March – 8 th April 2003 ( Instituto Antartico Argentino). Prof. Mashhor Mansor Casey Station (Voyage 5) 4 th January – 13 th February 2004 (Australian Antarctic Division). Dr. Latiffah Zakaria; Faradina Merican Mohd. Sidek Merican.   Expeditions under RMK 9  Maldonado Station 3 rd January 2007 (Ecuadorian Antarctic Institute). Masdialily Dahlan. Training of Students Faradina Merican Mohd. Sidek Merican. MSc (completed). Project title: The microalgal community in an Antarctic runnel. Masdialily Dahlan (Master candidate) Project title: Response of Antarctic and Tropical Chlorococcum sp. in batch culture-limiting nutrient (phosphate) under various temperature gradients. Mohd Hanafi b Hamidon (Undergraduate student) 81997/04 Project title: Response of Antarctic Chlorococcum sp in batch-culture limiting nutrient (nitrogen). Asiah bt Mohamad (Undergraduate student) 73721/03 Project title: Response of Antarctic Chlorella sp in batch-culture limiting nutrient (nitrogen)