BIO

Hello, I’m Dr. Derek Ho, a computational marine ecologist and conservation scientist. I currently serve as a Postdoctoral Fellow at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, a Research Scientist at the Cetacea Research Institute, and the Founder of OceanEcho Innovation Ltd. My research investigates the cumulative impacts of anthropogenic stressors—specifically microplastic pollution and underwater noise—on coastal biodiversity. I specialize in applying advanced computational methods (including Bayesian modeling and AI-driven acoustics) to resolve complex ecological problems in heavily urbanized environments.

My work is built on three core themes:

• Marine Mammal Ecology: I utilize Bayesian hierarchical modeling and stable-isotope biogeochemistry to decipher the foraging, spatial, and social ecology of threatened cetaceans in the Pearl River Estuary.
• Eco-Acoustics & AI: I deploy passive acoustic monitoring arrays and develop deep-learning algorithms to separate biological signals from complex urban noise, mapping cetacean habitat use in heavily trafficked waters.
• Microplastics & “One Health”: I trace the fate of microplastics from urban riverine systems to marine food webs and human exposure, with a recent focus on the “plastisphere” microbiome and nanoplastic toxicity.

I am committed to transparent, robust science. My work has been published in leading journals including Nature Communications, Environmental Science & Technology, and Water Research.

Research Topics

Marine Mammal Ecology

• Modeling life history parameters: Bayesian hierarchical analysis of ontogenetic dietary shifts in Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology (2025)
• Reproductive dynamics of an inshore delphinid reflect demographic consequences of large-scale coastal constructions. Biological Conservation (2024)
• Dissecting the role of natural toxins and anthropogenic contaminants in mixture effects on cetacean skin fibroblasts. Environmental Science & Technology (2025)
• Population parameters and heterogeneity in survival rates of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. Frontiers in Marine Science (2024)

Underwater Soundscape & AI

• Fine-scale spatial variability of marine soundscape corresponds with habitat utilization of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. Ecological Indicators (2024)
• Unsupervised classification of marine soundscapes using Non-negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) and Deep Learning
• Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) and nocturnal line-transect surveys for dolphin detection

Microplastic Pollution & One Health

Key Publications:

• Ecological roles and shared microbes differentiate the plastisphere from natural particle-associated microbiomes in urban rivers. Environmental Science & Technology (2025)
• Advanced nanobubble flotation for enhanced removal of sub-10 µm microplastics from wastewater. Nature Communications (2024)
• Characterization and ecological risks of microplastics in urban road runoff. Science of the Total Environment (2024)

Studied Environments & Organisms:

• Mammals: Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins; Human faeces
• Invertebrates: Green-lipped mussel ; Brine shrimp (Tibet) ; Deep Arctic Sponges
• Systems: Urban Rivers; Stormwater Runoff; Marine Water Column

Conservation Technology & STEAM

• Digital Twins: Utilizing 3D photogrammetry to digitize marine biological specimens for research and virtual exhibitions.
• “Sea Through Cetacean”: Leading a HKD 1.7M STEAM education programme to engage students in cetacean biology and skeletal preparation.
• OceanEcho Innovation: Developing immersive educational applications based on marine acoustic data.