Trends and Future Projections for Marine Biogeochemistry Researchin Indonesia

Biogeochemistry as the science system is relatively new field in Indonesia, therefore, projection is needed for the future research in marine science. The objectives of this study are to specify the trends in biogeochemistry research topics and to determine the opportunities for marine biogeochemistry research in Indonesia. Bibliometric analysis was used with citation databases as the main data. The keyword ‘marine biogeochemistry’ was used to sort the database. We conducted the further analysis mostly in publications from 2011-2013. The data about research themes related to oceanography in Indonesia were collected from Research Center for Oceanography and Institute for Marine Research and Observation). On the basis of the analyses, we tried to predict the likely main themes in marine biogeochemistry in Indonesia in the future. The likely topics are: the effects of global warming on mangroves and coral reefs, the effects of ocean acidification on primary production or benthic organisms, shifts in species distribution, and the biogeochemical role of certain species in organic material transfer. It is suggested that the relatively new discipline of biogeochemistry must be an essential part of any comprehensive study of marine science, especially in significant areas such as global climate change and ocean acidification.