NParks study shows dragonflies can thrive in urban environment

Mustafa Shafawi, Sharon See Channel NewsAsia 30 Mar 10;

SINGAPORE: A two-year study by the National Parks Board (NParks) has found that a considerable number of dragonfly species are able to thrive in an urban setting.

Previously, they were more commonly found in the nature reserves and rural areas.
In addition, the study also discovered a rare species, the Pseudagrion rubricep, at Toa Payoh Town Park.

It is closely related to the dragonfly and was first recorded in Singapore as a single species found in the nature reserves in 1993.

Now, it is also found in Toa Payoh Town Park, along with the other common species such as the Crocothemis servilia, a bright red dragonfly.

Other rare species include the Ceriagrion chaoi and the Pseudagrion australasiae, both of which were found in Bishan Park.

For two years, NParks combed 19 parks, nature reserves as well as about 30 water habitats that dragonflies frequent.

"We found 40 species, which is about one-third of all the dragonflies in Singapore living within our parks," said Dr Geoffrey Davison, assistant director (terrestrial) of the National Biodiversity Centre at NParks.

"And why we're doing this - first, we want to find out the facts, secondly, we want to increase the number of dragonflies if we can within our parks so the visitors can see them as one more attraction."

The study found that 40 of the more than 120 species in Singapore are living in park ponds, with the majority found at Bishan Park, Kent Ridge Park, and Toa Payoh Town Park.

Dragonflies are known to play important roles in urban ecology, said Robin Ngiam, the officer-in-charge of the project.

"They are top predators in the insect web. They hunt all sorts of insect pests, including mosquitoes," he explained. "And because their larvae lives in water and requires that the water is unpolluted to survive, we can use them as a good bio-indicator of a good fresh water system."

The study will help NParks further enhance and protect dragonflies, and create new habitats for them.

Davison said that rather than having homogeneous open water, a variety of habitats can be provided in future parks using different plants as well as ponds of different depths to enable dragonflies to thrive.

NParks is currently working on a book to document the findings and share with the public about the dragonfly diversity in Singapore's parks and gardens.

The book will be published by the end of the year.

In addition, NParks will also be publishing "A Selection of Plants for Greening of Waterways and Waterbodies in the Tropics" next month.

The book, which is the first of its kind, features plants suitable for aquatic landscapes in the tropics, including a selection of plants that can attract dragonflies, cleanse the water and absorb specific chemical elements from the environment.

- CNA/yb

Mozzie busters thriving in Singapore
Many more species of dragonflies found
Amresh Gunasingham, Straits Times 31 Mar 10;

SINGAPORE'S landscape may be largely built-up, but its natural environs are in fairly decent shape, and a flourishing type of insect provides the evidence.

The first study of dragonflies conducted here has shown that there are 120 species in Singapore, a big increase from decades ago, when there were only around 70 known types.

And since dragonflies flourish only in freshwater sources, this state of affairs is proof that the freshwater ecosystem in Singapore is healthy.

The two-year study, conducted by the National Parks Board (NParks) and which costs around $100,000, also threw up rare species not usually associated with built-up environments like Singapore's.

The study identified 19 parks where as many as 40 different species of dragonflies can be found. Three parks - Kent Ridge, Bishan and Toa Payoh - had the largest concentration.

Traditionally found in forested areas, ponds, marshes and streams where their larvae inhabit, up to a third of the recorded species in Singapore was discovered in freshwater ponds.

In Bishan Park, for example, 33 different species were discovered in three ponds there. Two of them are not common to urban settings.

NParks director of development Yeo Meng Tong said parks built in future, as well as those being renovated, could replicate the design of the 19 parks identified to ensure that they can better attract wildlife.

And because dragonflies are such voracious predators of mosquitoes, increasing their numbers could provide a better defence against dengue.

'They are top insect predators, which means they are able to control the mosquito population and prevent them from breeding further,' said Mr Robin Ngiam, a senior project officer at NParks' National Biodiversity Centre, who led the study.

Other countries such as Israel and Egypt are already ahead of Singapore in introducing dragonflies into water bodies as a means of bringing down the mosquito population.

NParks has started talks with the National Environment Agency (NEA) to assess how such a project could be replicated here.

The key to attracting more of the mozzie busters appears to lie in growing certain types of freshwater plants in the ponds, such as cattails and water lilies, which dragonflies tend to gravitate towards.

Mr Ngiam's team included 15 researchers, volunteers and NParks officers who visited 30 freshwater ponds in parks here. They collected data on the number of dragonflies, the types of plants around them, and water quality in the ponds.

It is not known how big the dragonfly population is here, although experts estimate that the more common species number in their hundreds.

Dr Geoffrey Davison, assistant director (terrestrial) of NParks' National Biodiversity Centre, said that although the region is characterised by a 'high dragonfly diversity', the number of species discovered here is still significant and compared favourably.

Malaysia, for example, is estimated to be home to between 200 and 300 such species.

Dr Davison added that it was intriguing to learn from the study that despite the rapidly expanding concrete landscape, many of Singapore's parks had become a refuge for dragonflies.

'Urban parks do play an important role in dragonfly conservation,' he said.

Potential Lifesaver
Straits Times 31 Mar 10;

This dragonfly could be a lifesaver. Known as a blue dasher, or Brachydiplax jhalybea, it is one of 120 known dragonfly species thriving in parks across Singapore, a number that has grown over the decades. Dragonflies are voracious predators of pests such as mosquitoes, and the authorities hope to grow their numbers and eventually deploy them as a weapon against diseases such as dengue and malaria. That is not all: the presence of so many types of dragonflies here is evidence of a thriving freshwater ecosystem within Singapore?s parks, and shows that even with an increasing urban sprawl, greening efforts here are bearing fruit.-- ST PHOTO: BRYAN VAN DER BEEK

Rare dragonfly species found in Toa Payoh
Today Online 31 Mar 10;

SINGAPORE - Dragonflies have adapted to city life, and that is good news. A two-year study by the National Parks Board (NParks) has found that a considerable number of dragonfly species - previously more commonly found in nature reserves and rural areas - are now able to thrive in an urban setting.

Forty of the more than 120 species of dragonflies in Singapore were found in park ponds, with the majority at Bishan Park, Kent Ridge Park and Toa Payoh Town Park.

Dragonflies are known to play important roles in urban ecology, said project officer Robin Ngiam Wen Jiang of NParks' National Biodiversity Centre.

A rare species - Pseudagrion rubricep (picture) - was also discovered at Toa Payoh Town Park.

It was previously known to exist only in the nature reserves, when a single specimen was discovered in 1993. SHARON SEE

NParks' Dragonfly Project Unveils One Third of Total Species Existing in Singapore Sighted at Urban Parks and Gardens
NParks Press Release 30 Mar 10;

Singapore, 30 March 2010 - Despite Singapore's highly urbanised environment, one third of all our dragonflies can still be found in our parks. A recent study by NParks has revealed 40 species living in our park ponds with the majority at key locations such as Bishan Park, Kent Ridge Park, and Toa Payoh Town Park. Historical research on Singapore dragonflies, dating back to the late 1800s, recorded species mainly in the Central Catchment Nature Reserve and Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. NParks current finding is significant as it shows that a considerable number of species of dragonflies are able to thrive in an urban setting, when previously they are more commonly found in the reserves and rural areas.

In addition, the study also discovered a rare species at Toa Payoh Town Park previously known to exist only in the nature reserves.

Initiated in 2008, the dragonfly project by NParks was conducted over two years, studying more than 19 parks, as well as the nature reserves, and covered more than 30 freshwater habitats ranging from small ponds to lakes and streams that dragonflies frequent. NParks officers, volunteers and dragonfly scientists conducted surveys to obtain baseline data on the dragonflies by repeated counts, and linked the results to information about plants and water quality at each site. This gives a good picture of the requirements for each species.

Species worldwide and in the region

About 5680 species of dragonflies are known worldwide. The Oriental region, which includes Indo-Malayan, southern China and the Indian subcontinent, is considered to be especially rich with 1665 species. The total number of species of dragonflies ever recorded in Singapore has now reached over 120. This is as large as the number in the whole of Europe. Singapore has a group of experts from the universities, nature society and special interest groups who are now steadily accumulating the information needed for conservation of these fascinating insects.

Discoveries at Urban Parks

A significant discovery of the dragonfly project was made at Toa Payoh Town Park, where researchers found the presence of a rare damselfly species, the Pseudagrion rubriceps. This was first recorded in Singapore by a single specimen from the nature reserves in 1993. 18 species have been recorded in this park.

Other surveyed parks which are rich in dragonfly diversity include Kent Ridge Park, where 31 species have been recorded, and Bishan Park, where 33 species were recorded from three ponds. The latter represents more than a quarter of all known species existing in Singapore. In addition, Bishan Park is the only urban park that harbours two damselflies, Ceriagrion chaoi (first recorded in Singapore in 2005) and Pseudagrion austalasiae, which have previously been known to exist only in the nature reserves.

Over the last few years, NParks has integrated pockets of nature areas in the design and development of the parks to attract wildlife. NParks Director of Development, Mr Yeo Meng Tong said: "The integration of pockets of nature in parks is part of NParks' larger initiative to enhance biodiversity within urban areas. We are heartened that these efforts, including the selection of aquatic plants to attract dragonflies and damselflies, have been successful in attracting wildlife, and bringing nature closer to the community."

Benefits of Dragonflies

Dragonflies are known to play important roles in urban ecology. Their presence indicates a non-polluted water body, hence making them an essential component of the freshwater eco-system. They do not bite or sting and are harmless to humans. They are in fact beneficial to people as they are aggressive predators of smaller insects like the mosquitoes. They are colourful and active, and now form a new type of visitor attraction in the parks.

Helping Dragonflies to Thrive

The dragonfly study will now help NParks further enhance and protect dragonflies, and create new habitats for them. For example, rather than having homogeneous open water, a variety of habitats can be provided in future parks using different plants as well as ponds of different depths, to enable dragonflies to thrive.

Dr Geoffrey Davison, Assistant Director at NParks' National Biodiversity Centre, said:"Singapore is located within a region of high dragonfly diversity. It is particularly exciting when we can see biodiversity in the places where we live or visit for recreation, like parks. We are thrilled to discover that many of the common species have adapted to ponds and wetlands in our parks and gardens. We are even more intrigued to learn that many of Singapore's parks have become refuges for rare species of dragonflies. We believe that the wide spread of parks through Singapore's landscape; the large variety of ponds and other waterbodies inside the parks; and conscientious management of water quality are key reasons for the dragonflies' presence."

He concluded, "Urban parks do play an important role in dragonfly conservation. The results of this two-year study are valuable insights for us in our planning and development of parks, current and future, so that we create suitable habitats where the dragonfly population can thrive. The information will also be relevant to other agencies managing water, drains and ponds in Singapore, or anyone who owns a pond."

New Books and Public Workshops/Talks

NParks is currently working on a book to document the dragonfly project findings and to further share with the public about the dragonfly diversity in Singapore's parks and gardens. This will be published by the end of the year. In addition, NParks will also be publishing "A Selection of Plants for Greening of Waterways and Waterbodies in the Tropics" next month. This book, which is the first of its kind, features plants suitable for aquatic landscapes in the tropics, including a selection of plants that can attract dragonflies, cleanse the water, and absorb specific chemical elements from the environment.

Since last year, NParks has also been sharing interesting details about dragonflies through public workshops and talks.In particular, NParks has worked with Kheng Cheng Primary School to help their students learn about the ecology and breeding of dragonflies and provided guidance to set up a dragonfly pond in the school.

These outreach activities will continue this year as they will be part of the celebratory events in support of 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. The celebrations aim to raise public awareness and appreciation of the rich biodiversity in Singapore. More details can be found on http://www.nparks.gov.sg/IYB2010

Related links
Dazzling Dragonflies of Singapore on the Celebrating Singapore's Biodiversity blog - more about dragonflies and damselflies.