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| That's me on the left carrying out the seining activity! |
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| Hermit crab and sea star |
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| A crab found hiding under a rock |
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Changi Beach Practical
As part of LSM1103 Biodiversity, we headed down to Changi Beach for a practical session yesterday! It was a fun and fruitful session, with lots to see and learn. We first did a seining activity, where we dragged a seine along the intertidal zone of the beach to observe the marine life there. There was not just plenty of seaweed, but also sea anemone, filefish (leather jackets), tripodfish, prawns, pipefish, crabs and even scorpionfish!
We also went to the rocky shore to observe other forms of marine life, such as barnacles, crabs, sea stars and hermit crabs.
Singapore is teeming with biodiversity, if only we would open our eyes to see! Yet these natural wonders are not appreciated by all. During the practical, we saw a man picking up a bag full of what appeared to be molluscs along the rocky shore. Our Teaching Assistant said that the man was probably going to sell them. It is upsetting to see how some people take advantage of what's bequeathed upon us for their own financial profit. There is definitely much work to be done regarding the environment in Singapore, and I believe this is where we BES students come in to create positive change :)
Sunday, October 19, 2014
When will we stop?
The state of deforestation in Singapore is no longer something new. But did you know about the serious consequences of such deforestation? In a paper titled "Catastrophic extinctions follow deforestation in Singapore", Brook, Sodhi and Ng document the local extinctions related to habitat loss over the years, and the results are shocking.
With over 95% of our natural forests lost, the observed percentage of loss in biodiversity was at least 28%. But that's not all. The researchers' estimate that the possible total local extinction, whether recorded or unrecorded, may be as high as 73%!
Sad, isn't it, that we have let so much of our natural biodiversity go for the furthering of humankind's existence. While we expand our homes, we selfishly take away the homes of many species, and even cause their extinction. Reading this paper really makes me wonder: do we humans really need so much to sustain ourselves?
I am also reminded of a video I saw in class in ENV1202, which shows man's relationship with his environment.
With over 95% of our natural forests lost, the observed percentage of loss in biodiversity was at least 28%. But that's not all. The researchers' estimate that the possible total local extinction, whether recorded or unrecorded, may be as high as 73%!
Sad, isn't it, that we have let so much of our natural biodiversity go for the furthering of humankind's existence. While we expand our homes, we selfishly take away the homes of many species, and even cause their extinction. Reading this paper really makes me wonder: do we humans really need so much to sustain ourselves?
I am also reminded of a video I saw in class in ENV1202, which shows man's relationship with his environment.
So when will we stop?
References:
Brook, B. W., N. S. Sodhi & P. K. L. Ng, 2003. Catastrophic extinctions follow deforestation in Singapore. Nature, 424(6947): 420-426.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Cross-Island Line: Is it crossing the line?
Yet another new MRT line to add to the network of trains in Singapore. The Cross-Island Line was proposed by the Land Transport Authority on 17 January 2013, but it is not without controversy. Since its announcement, there has been much disagreements over the alignment of the line since the line is proposed to cut through the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR).
The CCNR contains some of the most unspoiled ecosystems in Singapore, including two patches of primary forest and four natural stream systems. Building the Cross-Island Line through the CCNR would negatively affect the habitats of the precious biodiversity found in the forests there. Furthermore, cutting through the CCNR would inevitably lead to forest fragmentation, preventing individuals from mating across isolated patches. (Love Our MacRitchie Forest, 2013)
In that regard, it is heartening to see several environmental groups stepping up to prevent the destruction of our forests. For one, the Nature Society (Singapore) published the Cross-Island Line Discussion and Position Paper in response to the announcement to build the line. The Nature Society (Singapore) proposed 2 alternative alignments for the line, which would only add a mere 4 minutes of travel time.
Another initiative launched is the Love Our MacRitchie Forest campaign, which is about promoting an appreciation for the forests in MacRitchie, so as to garner support for the re-routing of the Cross-Island Line. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of attending a Love MacRitchie walk organised by Love Our MacRitchie Forest. Surprisingly, the walk was guided by none other than NUS students! Their passion and love for our precious biodiversity really inspired me. I saw many species of flora and fauna, and this diversity is something I never thought existed in Singapore!
I am genuinely happy to see different groups taking ownership of the biodiversity in Singapore and doing all they can to protect it. Singapore is not only the bustling metropolitan we know of; it is also home to many species of plants and animals. As much as we have a right to a home, these plants and animals deserve a proper home too.
References:
Love Our MacRitchie Forest, 2013. Why Love MacRitchie Forest?. URL: http://lovemacritchie.wordpress.com/why/ (accessed on 5 Oct 2014)
The CCNR contains some of the most unspoiled ecosystems in Singapore, including two patches of primary forest and four natural stream systems. Building the Cross-Island Line through the CCNR would negatively affect the habitats of the precious biodiversity found in the forests there. Furthermore, cutting through the CCNR would inevitably lead to forest fragmentation, preventing individuals from mating across isolated patches. (Love Our MacRitchie Forest, 2013)
In that regard, it is heartening to see several environmental groups stepping up to prevent the destruction of our forests. For one, the Nature Society (Singapore) published the Cross-Island Line Discussion and Position Paper in response to the announcement to build the line. The Nature Society (Singapore) proposed 2 alternative alignments for the line, which would only add a mere 4 minutes of travel time.
Another initiative launched is the Love Our MacRitchie Forest campaign, which is about promoting an appreciation for the forests in MacRitchie, so as to garner support for the re-routing of the Cross-Island Line. Earlier this year, I had the privilege of attending a Love MacRitchie walk organised by Love Our MacRitchie Forest. Surprisingly, the walk was guided by none other than NUS students! Their passion and love for our precious biodiversity really inspired me. I saw many species of flora and fauna, and this diversity is something I never thought existed in Singapore!
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| That's me on the far right at the walk! :) (Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/habitatnews/14141444913/in/set-72157644489430316) |
I am genuinely happy to see different groups taking ownership of the biodiversity in Singapore and doing all they can to protect it. Singapore is not only the bustling metropolitan we know of; it is also home to many species of plants and animals. As much as we have a right to a home, these plants and animals deserve a proper home too.
References:
Love Our MacRitchie Forest, 2013. Why Love MacRitchie Forest?. URL: http://lovemacritchie.wordpress.com/why/ (accessed on 5 Oct 2014)
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Living Fossils found in Singapore!
Have you guessed already by now the topic of this post? Yes, I'll be talking about horseshoe crabs, or "living fossils" as they are known because they have been around for the past 400 million years, before dinosaurs even existed!
Around the world, there are only 4 species of horseshoe crabs, out of which 2 can be found in Singapore! The species that can be found in Singapore are the Mangrove Horseshoe Crab (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda) and the Coastal Horseshoe Crab (Tachypleus gigas) (Lee, 2014). As such, there is considerable interest in the conservation of horseshoe crabs in Singapore.
Personally, I have taken part in the Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Programme organised by the Nature Society (Singapore), in the Mandai mudflats. I have seen for myself how hardy these creatures are, having survived mass extinction with little morphological evolution. Sadly, irresponsible abandonment of fishing nets in the mudflats has resulted in the decline in horseshoe crab population. Due to their morphology, with their jointed appendages and long tail, horseshoe crabs get easily entangled in fishing nets. Unable to move and feed, they can only wait for death.
During the rescue of horseshoe crabs, I saw the sheer numbers of them being caught in abandoned fishing nets. While some were still struggling for survival, many others were dead, having dried out when the tides receded. Regular volunteers of the programme shared about the interesting observation of how there would always be many more males than females caught in the nets. As they explained later on, once a female horseshoe crab gets caught in the nets, the pheromones released by the females would attract males towards them, leading to several more males getting caught in the nets as well. Unfortunate, isn't it, that a species that has survived millions of years could die out while responding to acts of nature, simply because of mankind's irresponsible behaviour?
References:
Lee, I. S. H., 2014. Living Fossils: Horseshoe Crabs. My Green Space. URL: http://mygreenspace.nparks.gov.sg/living-fossils-horseshoe-crabs/ (accessed on 28 Sep 2014)
Around the world, there are only 4 species of horseshoe crabs, out of which 2 can be found in Singapore! The species that can be found in Singapore are the Mangrove Horseshoe Crab (Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda) and the Coastal Horseshoe Crab (Tachypleus gigas) (Lee, 2014). As such, there is considerable interest in the conservation of horseshoe crabs in Singapore.
Personally, I have taken part in the Horseshoe Crab Rescue & Research Programme organised by the Nature Society (Singapore), in the Mandai mudflats. I have seen for myself how hardy these creatures are, having survived mass extinction with little morphological evolution. Sadly, irresponsible abandonment of fishing nets in the mudflats has resulted in the decline in horseshoe crab population. Due to their morphology, with their jointed appendages and long tail, horseshoe crabs get easily entangled in fishing nets. Unable to move and feed, they can only wait for death.
 |
| (Source: http://mygreenspace.nparks.gov.sg/living-fossils-horseshoe-crabs/) |
During the rescue of horseshoe crabs, I saw the sheer numbers of them being caught in abandoned fishing nets. While some were still struggling for survival, many others were dead, having dried out when the tides receded. Regular volunteers of the programme shared about the interesting observation of how there would always be many more males than females caught in the nets. As they explained later on, once a female horseshoe crab gets caught in the nets, the pheromones released by the females would attract males towards them, leading to several more males getting caught in the nets as well. Unfortunate, isn't it, that a species that has survived millions of years could die out while responding to acts of nature, simply because of mankind's irresponsible behaviour?
References:
Lee, I. S. H., 2014. Living Fossils: Horseshoe Crabs. My Green Space. URL: http://mygreenspace.nparks.gov.sg/living-fossils-horseshoe-crabs/ (accessed on 28 Sep 2014)
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