Encyclopedia celebrates wealth of Singapore's flora and fauna

Straits Times 19 Jul 11;

IT MAY be a small country, but Singapore has more than its fair share of different plants and animals.

Yesterday, an encyclopedia was launched to celebrate the island's exciting biodiversity.

With more than 1,500 entries, it is Singapore's first comprehensive reference to its flora and fauna, and celebrates almost 200 years of natural history study here.

Featured in the encyclopedia are species that do not exist anywhere else, such as the Singapore freshwater crab, and others that are critically endangered like the Singapore whiskered bat.

'Contrary to expectations, there are species in Singapore that are found nowhere else in the world, and they should be protected,' said Professor Peter Ng, one of the academics behind the book.

He estimates that Singapore may have more than 40,000 species of plants and animals, which he says is a big number for a small country.

Prof Ng added that he hopes to encourage Singaporeans to cultivate an interest in local creatures and plants, rather than concentrating only on those in other countries, such as pandas.

Called Singapore Biodiversity: An Encyclopedia Of The Natural Environment And Sustainable Development, the book was launched at the National University of Singapore (NUS) by President S R Nathan.

The first part contains essays on Singapore's natural environment and conservation efforts, while the second is an A-Z guide to its biodiversity.

NUS president Tan Chorh Chuan said at the launch: 'This collection provides a detailed record of the key changes that have taken place in our environment over the past two centuries.

'It also highlights what must be done to preserve our natural heritage for future generations.'

The encyclopedia project was started by Prof Ng, director of the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, and Professor Leo Tan, director of special projects at the NUS Faculty of Science.

It took more than three years to compile and involved 65 contributors from academia, government agencies and environmental activist groups.

The encyclopedia was funded by $1.1 million of donations from firms such as Exxon Mobil Asia-Pacific and the Lee Foundation, as well as private entrepreneurs Sam Goi and Oei Hong Leong.

Prof Ng said he hopes the book will find its way into school and university libraries in Singapore over the next six months to a year.

He is also hopeful for the future of the plants and animals featured in the encyclopedia.

He said that despite the changes development has wrought on Singapore's landscape, 'if the policymakers and planners do things correctly and they plan correctly for sustainable development, there is still hope.

'We're still finding more (species), the story is not finished'.

JOANNA SEOW

Guide to Singapore's biodiversity launched
Sara Grosse Channel NewsAsia 18 Jul 11;

SINGAPORE : A comprehensive guide to Singapore's biodiversity was launched on Monday.

It is the country's first encyclopedia on Singapore's natural history and heritage.

The encyclopedia - "Singapore Biodiversity" - was launched by President S R Nathan along with key stakeholders of environment conservation in Singapore.

Those present included the Environment and Water Resources Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, MP for Tampines GRC Mah Bow Tan, and Ambassador-At-Large at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Professor Tommy Koh.

Initiated by two National University of Singapore (NUS) professors, the encyclopedia has information from 65 contributors.

They come from academia, government agencies and environmental activist groups.

The production of the publication is supported by a S$1.1 million fund raised through donations.

From insects to flora and fauna, virtually every known living organism in Singapore is featured in the book.

The 552-page encyclopedia took three years to complete, and charts almost 200 years of natural history study in the country.

And it was quite an effort compiling information from so many contributors.

Professor Peter Ng, general editor of "Singapore Biodiversity", said: "That was a challenge. Getting all these guys together. And then reading it, editing, and checking to make sure the facts are correct.

"Another problem of course was that we always assumed that there was a whole amount of information already gathered that was easy for us to access and then just take and then edit. No. A lot of the information that we gathered for these chapters turned out not so easy to get."

Professor Ng said the core of the encyclopedia is its collection of essays.

They detail Singapore's ecosystems, past and present research, and tackle issues of climate change and public policy.

It also includes interviews with former ministers. The contributions include interviews with Mr Mah, former National Development Minister; Information, Communications and the Arts Minister Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, who was the former Environment and Water Resources Minister; and George Yeo, former Minister for Foreign Affairs.

The encyclopedia will serve as a resource material for scientists, policy makers and educationists.

But contributors are also hoping the book will strike a chord with young Singaporeans.

Professor Leo Tan, director of special projects at the Faculty of Science at NUS, said: "They are the custodians, they are responsible for the environment that they have to live in, raise their children in and maintain that quality of life."

The book will be on sale at bookstores islandwide from July 19, and will retail for S$65.

- CNA/ms



A guide to Singapore's biodiversity
Esther Ng Today Online 19 Jul 11;

SINGAPORE - He does not hate animals but Professor Peter Ng belongs to the camp which feels pigeons, mynas, crows and stray cats should be culled.

These fauna, along with the sparrow and the American red-earred terrapin sold widely in pet shops, are alien to Singapore's natural habitat, argues the National University of Singapore (NUS) conservation biologist.

"They compete with our native species of birds and other animals for limited resources like food and space," said Prof Ng, one of the editors of the first encyclopaedia on Singapore's biodiversity.

With the launch of the 552-page tome, Singapore Biodiversity - An Encyclopedia of the Natural Environment and Sustainable Development, by President S R Nathan yesterday, Prof Ng hopes that more Singaporeans will be more aware of the island's rich biodiversity.

What makes this encyclopaedia different is that it does not just label animals and plants but provides a context on sustainable development and showcases what Singapore has done right or wrong in the past, said Prof Ng.

Professor Leo Tan, another editor of the book, noted non-native species were brought in by people by trains and boats in the past. But today, legally imported pets pose bigger problems because of the sheer number that make their way into the wild when pet owners tire of their pets and abandon them, added the director of special projects at the NUS Faculty of Science.

For instance, feral cats have been known to contribute or even cause the extinction of many species of animals. While Prof Ng does not have data on how many of the urban cat population have turned feral, he believes that they would pose a threat to native species if their numbers are left unchecked.

It would be "good if we start neutering as many stray cats as possible, as well as chip all pet cats so owners cannot let them go when they no longer care or let them roam all over", he said. "There are a lot of cat lovers and humane folks out there but we need to have a check and balance. If there are too many stray and feral cats - what they have to remember is that other animals will have to die to sustain them."

Animal welfare proponents have argued that stopping the pet trade will diminish the incidence of pet abandonment but Professors Ng and Tan feel this is not possible as Singapore practises free trade. The alternative is to educate people to be more responsible pet owners.

But the Cat Welfare Society and the Action for Singapore Dogs, saying that this approach is not effective, has called for sterilisation of strays to be stepped up.

Alien species are not limited to animals but flora as well. The commonly seen water hyacinth has the potential to indirectly alter soil water content, nutrient cycling and to modify the habitat.

Prof Tan said: "Alien species now dominate most non-forest areas and freshwater habitats here."

200 years of Singapore's flora, fauna captured in book
Joanna Seow Straits Times 18 Jul 11;

SINGAPORE'S biodiversity is more exciting and surprising than most people may think, if a new encyclopedia here is anything to go by.

'Contrary to expectations, there are species in Singapore that are found nowhere else in the world, and they should be protected,' said Professor Peter Ng, director of the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research and one of the three editors of Singapore Biodiversity: An Encyclopedia Of The Natural Environment And Sustainable Development.

The book, which is Singapore's first comprehensive reference to local flora and fauna, celebrates almost 200 years of natural history study here.

It was launched at the National University of Singapore (NUS) on Monday afternoon by President S R Nathan.

National University of Singapore president Tan Chorh Chuan said at the launch: 'This collection provides a detailed record of the key changes that have taken place in our environment over the past two centuries.'

'It also highlights what must be done to preserve our natural heritage for future generations,' he added.

New species featured in Singapore eco book
my paper AsiaOne 19 Jul 11;

WITH its beautiful purple speckled shell measuring just 2cm in width, this species of crab had gone unnoticed along Singapore's shoreline until it was discovered last year.

The Lee's Purple Marine Crab (Leelumnus radium), named after the Lee Foundation, was recently classified under a new genus or family of species.

It is not the only creature discovered here recently.

The Jade Tree Snail (Amphidromus atricallosus temasek) - also known as the Temasek Tree Snail - was recently determined to be a new subspecies. It is believed to be found only in Singapore.

Readers can expect to find such nuggets of information in a new book called Singapore Biodiversity - An Encyclopedia Of The Natural Environment And Sustainable Development.

The landmark publication, which summarises what has taken place in the environmental scene in Singapore over the last 200 years, was launched yesterday at the National University of Singapore (NUS) by President S R Nathan.

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan was also present at the event.

The 552-page hardcover publication is the combined effort of 65 contributors, including academics and environmental activist groups here. Published by Editions Didier Millet, the encyclopedia was edited by NUS faculty members Peter Ng, Richard Corlett and Hugh Tan.

NUS president Tan Chorh Chuan said: "This collection provides a detailed record of the key changes in our environment over the past two centuries. It also highlights what must be done today to preserve our natural heritage for future generations."

It took three years to complete the encyclopedia, which was supported by a $1.1-million fund raised through donations from ExxonMobil Asia Pacific, Keppel Corp, Lee Foundation, Ngee Ann Kongsi, Mr Sam Goi and Mr Oei Hong Leong.

Comprising two parts, the first part of the book is a collection of essays and features offering a detailed introduction to Singapore's natural environment and conservation efforts.

It covers Singapore's natural environment, such as its climate and terrain; past and present research; and issues such as climate change.

The second part is as an A-Z guide of 1,500 entries covering virtually every known organism found here.

The book is available at NUS libraries and public libraries.

Life in an urban jungle
New book showcases the more than 40,000 native species of flora and fauna here
Chang Ai-Lien Straits Times 23 Jul 11;

AGAINST all odds, nature abounds in spectacular diversity in our midst.

Urban Singapore is teeming with wildlife, as the country's first biodiversity encyclopaedia shows in bounteous detail.

Filled with photographs, the 552-page book showcases everything from abalone - there are seven species here - to zooxanthellae, single- celled plants living in the tissue of corals.

Sixty-five scientists, nature experts, policymakers and environmental activists produced the mammoth tome, which also chronicles successes, threats and losses in wildlife conservation here.

The book took three years to compile and was brought to life by conservation champions Leo Tan and Peter Ng, professors at the National University of Singapore's (NUS) Faculty of Science, with the help of a chief adviser, Ambassador-at-large Tommy Koh.

'Bit by bit, this story came together, and it was a story worth telling,' said Prof Ng, who also heads the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research. He was one of the book's editors, together with Professor Richard Corlett and Associate Professor Hugh Tan, his colleagues.

Its chapters cover the environmental scene in the country over the last 200 years, how it has tried to balance the often conflicting needs of economic development, conservation and preservation of natural heritage, and its hopes for the future.

Singapore Biodiversity - An Encyclopedia Of The Natural Environment And Sustainable Development also comes with an A to Z guide on virtually every known organism here.

The Republic is home to more than 40,000 native species of flora and fauna which have survived despite extensive habitat destruction.

Prof Tan noted that even biologists and scientists from overseas found this hard to believe, and were quick to underestimate Singapore's rich natural treasure trove.

'Then when they are finally convinced to come here to collect specimens, whether insects or crabs or coral, they are surprised time and time again.'

He added: 'The book also paints the landscape of Singapore's future and will hopefully inspire young people to play a role in shaping it.'

Indeed, some young people will get a chance to do so soon, as a result of the book's publication.

Donations towards producing the encyclopaedia - from ExxonMobil Asia Pacific, Keppel Corp, the Lee Foundation, Ngee Ann Kongsi and businessmen Sam Goi and Oei Hong Leong - were matched by $1.1 million in government funding, which will go into an endowment fund for a new Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree at NUS.

The undergraduate course is being developed and will be taught by professors from eight faculties, with the first batch of 50 students starting next month.

NUS president Tan Chorh Chuan noted that today's environmental issues are complex, spanning many fields.

The programme would nurture graduates who are able to think deeply and broadly, he said, and help to develop novel solutions for Singapore and beyond.

Prof Leo Tan added: 'Each faculty contains experts in their own fields with their own priorities.

'Getting this diverse group together was something of a miracle, but it was necessary because the environment cannot be dealt with by one person or group.'

The book, which was launched on Monday by the university's chancellor, President S R Nathan, is on sale at major bookstores for $65 (excluding GST).