Welcome to the Tropical IntertiDal Ecology (TIDE) Group at the Swire Institute of Marine Science (SWIMS), HKU! Our primary research interests are in unravelling the mechanisms underlying the behaviours and ecophysiology of intertidal organisms, but we are really interested in almost anything you find on rocky (and occasionally sandy, and extremely occasionally mangrove!) intertidal systems.  By a combination of field and laboratory methods we aim to quantify and understand species responses from individual to biogeographic scales in today’s rapidly changing environment. Using a variety of empirical and modelling approaches, we synthesize novel ideas, examine critical hypotheses, and establish mechanistic links between patterns and processes to advance our knowledge on tropical intertidal ecology.  We also get to travel to great places, work with some really cool people and eat a lot of excellent regional food!

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We are based at SWIMS, which sits on the edge of the northern tropics, a region which is dominated by a strong seasonal monsoon system and so experiences both tropical and temperate climates and as a result has highly diverse intertidal environments and communities. This dynamic environment provides a unique focus for  our research and especially our understanding of the ecology of tropical intertidal regions, challenging some of the paradigms prevailing in the temperate-centric literature. We also sit within the world's marine biodiversity hotspot and have access to a great variety of organisms and tropical habitats within SE Asia.  Together with our active links with overseas scientists both within and outside the region, we aim to develop a network of collaborations which will help develop and advance our knowledge of the communities that exist within this rapidly changing part of the world .