Sigit Deni Sasmito

Sigit is a wetlands ecologist at James Cook University's Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research (TropWATER) and is based at JCU Bebegu Yumba campus, Townsville. Sigit has more than 12 years of experience in researching the roles and impacts of tropical wetlands for climate change mitigation and adaptation, with a focus on high-carbon stock ecosystems such as peatland and blue carbon ecosystems (mangrove, seagrass, tidal marsh) in Asia Pacific region, including Indonesia, Vietnam, India, and Australia.

His research experience includes carbon monitoring, greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, ecosystem restoration assessment and natural carbon capture and removal. He uses interdisciplinary approaches such as systematic review and meta-analysis, spatial mapping, field assessment, and lab analysis by using stable isotopes and radionuclide sediment dating techniques. His research is closely relevant to policies and decision-makers, specifically by providing science-based evidence on how to include wetlands conservation and restoration into national emissions reduction targets as well as voluntary carbon market mechanisms.

Sigit holds a PhD in Environmental Science from Charles Darwin University, Australia and a BSc in Applied Meteorology from IPB University, Indonesia. 

Selected publications (see full publication list in Google scholar):

1. Murdiyarso, Swails, Hergoualc’h, Bhomia, Sasmito. 2024. Refining greenhouse gas emission factors for Indonesian peatlands and mangroves to meet ambitious climate targets. PNAS. doi: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2307219121
2. Sasmito, Basyuni, Kridalaksana, Saragi-Sasmito, Lovelock, Murdiyarso. 2023. Challenges and opportunities for achieving Sustainable Development Goals through restoration of Indonesia’s mangroves. Nature Ecology and Evolution. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01926-5
3. Sasmito, Sillanpää, Hayes, Bachri, Saragi-Sasmito, Sidik, Hanggara, Mofu, Rumbiak, Hendri, Rumbiak, Taberima, Suhaemi, Nugroho, Pattiasina, Widagti, Barakalla, Rahajoe, Hartantri, Nikijuluw, Jowey, Heatunubun, Ermgassen, Worthington, Howard, Lovelock, Friess, Hutley, Murdiyarso. 2020. Mangrove blue carbon stocks and dynamics are controlled by hydrogeomorphic settings and land-use change. Global Change Biology, 26 (5), 3028-3039. doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15056 
4. Sasmito, Kuzyakov, Lubis, Murdiyarso, Hutley, Bachri, Friess, Martius, Borchard. 2020. Carbon burial and sources in soils of coastal mudflat and mangrove ecosystems. Catena, 187. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2019.104414 
5. Sasmito, Taillardat, Clendenning, Cameron, Friess, Murdiyarso, Hutley. 2019. The effect of land-use and land-cover changes (LULCC) on mangrove blue carbon: a systematic review. Global Change Biology, 25 (12), 4291-4302.  doi: https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14774 
6. Sasmito, Murdiyarso, Friess, Kurnianto. 2016. Can mangroves keep pace with contemporary sea level rise? A global data review. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 24 (2), 263-278. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-015-9466-7