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Joko Purbopuspito

Research Scientist
Joko Purbopuspito working in a mangrove forest with collegues
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My favorite science experience is doing something unusual and at the border of things. In the following three paragraphs, see if you can identify the borders at which I have worked. Each paragraph mentions a different type of border.
I studied the movement of phosphorus (fäs f(ə-)rəs) fertilizers to the roots of plants during the early 1980s. Phosphorous is an essential nutrient for plant growth that helps plants with photosynthesis, plant structure, and energy. In the early 1990s, I planted clove tree seedlings hydroponically (hī drǝ pä ni klē) to mimic the soil nutrient solution. When you plant a plant hydroponically, you grow the plants in a nutrient solution that may not include soil. Today people call this area the rhizosphere (rī zǝ sfir), or the border between soil and plant.
In the early 2000s, I studied the exchange of gases between soil, plants, and the atmosphere to learn about climate change.
Most recently, I worked at the Center for International Forestry Research in Indonesia. The Republic of Indonesia is a country located in Southeast Asia between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. There, I studied mangrove forests growing at the border of the ocean and the land. In this research, I investigated how much carbon was being stored in the forests. You will learn about some of this research in this article.
I love the tides a lot, and ocean fishing is my hobby. Through all my experiences, I learned a lot about myself and I am grateful for that knowledge.

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