Best of our wild blogs: 5 Mar 16

Short Night Walk At Lower Peirce Reservoir (04 Mar 2016)
Beetles@SG BLOG

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Singapore must boost water supply resilience: Masagos

At the opening of Singapore World Water Day, Mr Masagos Zulkifli urged Singapore to plan ahead and continue to invest in infrastructure to boost the country's water supply resilience. At the same time, the public must conserve and value water.

Angela Lim, Channel NewsAsia 5 Mar 16;

SINGAPORE: The Republic must plan ahead and continue to invest in infrastructure to boost our water supply resilience, said Environment and Water Resources Minister Masagos Zulkifli at the opening of Singapore World Water Day at Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park on Saturday (Mar 5).

In light of extreme weather events that could threaten the reliability of Singapore’s water supply, Mr Masagos urged for a comprehensive monitoring system and stronger infrastructure to meet Singapore's water needs.

"Drier weather in the region last year has affected the stock level at Linggiu Reservoir in Johor,” he said. “This has significance for Singapore as Linggiu Reservoir regulates the water flow in Johor River, from which we draw water for supply to Singapore. Today, Linggiu Reservoir is less than half full and if they dry weather continues, we could see the level fall further."

He also shared an example of a recent water emergency in Nottinghamshire, England.

“The incident flooded the streets and some homes, disrupted some bus services and some businesses had to close,” he said. “Residents turned to bottled water for their daily needs. We need to continue to plan ahead and invest sufficiently in our infrastructure to ensure resilience in our water supply against various risks.”

However, it is not enough to focus on infrastructure, he said.

Held through the month of March, activities marking Singapore World Water Day will be aimed at rallying the community to conserve and value water.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli participating in the “Wash on a Full Load” art installation by Anderson Secondary School. (Photo: PUB)

Among them include yoga and Zumba classes, which were enjoyed by people from all walks of life on Saturday. They also took part in organised walks along the Kallang River to learn more about water conservation.

Throughout the month, more than 400 community partners will be organising about 200 initiatives to highlight the importance of water sustainability island-wide.

- CNA/ek

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LTA on Tesla: CO2 emissions for electric cars start at power grid

The LTA's clarification came after a consumer detailed the months-long journey of getting his Tesla Model S electric car on Singapore's roads.

Channel NewsAsia 4 Mar 16;

SINGAPORE: All used cars imported into Singapore will have to undergo exhaust emissions and fuel efficiency tests, and for electric cars, this means having the car's electricity generation process assessed for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, said the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

The authority was responding to Channel NewsAsia's questions after a local consumer, Mr Joe Nguyen, was reported to have spent months trying to get a licence for his Tesla Model S car to be driven on local roads. Additionally, he was not given the Carbon Emissions-based Vehicle Scheme (CEVS) rebate of S$15,000 but was charged S$15,000 tax for having a non-fuel-efficient car instead.

Mr Nguyen said in the Stuff report on Tuesday (Mar 1): "I don't get it, there are no emissions. Then they send out the results from VICOM, stating that the car was consuming 444 watt hour per kilometre (Wh/km). These are not specs that I have seen on Tesla's website, or anywhere else for that matter. And then underneath it, there's a conversion to CO2 emission."

A LTA spokesperson explained that for Mr Nguyen's case, the car was tested under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) R101 standards. The result was that the electric energy consumption of his imported used Tesla car was 444Wh/km, she said.

"As for all electric vehicles, a grid emission factor of 0.5 g CO2/Wh was also applied to the electric energy consumption. This is to account for CO2 emissions during the electricity generation process, even if there are no tail-pipe emissions. The equivalent CO2 emission of Mr Nguyen’s car was 222g/km, which is in the CEVS surcharge band," the spokesperson added.

Under the revised CEVS, Mr Nguyen's Tesla falls in the C3 band, which accounts for cars with 216 to 230 g/km, and carries with it a S$15,000 surcharge.

She added that the Tesla is not the first fully electric car where grid emission factor was applied. A Peugeot Ion, for instance, was registered in July 2014 and received the maximum CEVS rebates, the spokesperson said.

LTA did acknowledge the delays Mr Nguyen faced during the testing process at VICOM Emission Test Laboratory. He had told Stuff that he experienced a two-month "ordeal" getting his car assessed.

"This is the first time a Tesla Model S has been tested for emissions," the spokesperson said.

- CNA/kk

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Record number pledge support for Marina Bay energy-saving campaign

Channel NewsAsia 4 Mar 16;

SINGAPORE: To help power sustainable light festival i Light Marina Bay, a record 73 buildings and organisations around Marina Bay pledged their support for a campaign to switch off non-essential lighting and turn up air-conditioning temperatures throughout the festival period, organiser Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) announced on Friday (Mar 4).

The energy savings from the campaign "Switch Off, Turn Up", will be used to offset the power consumption of the light art installations at the festival, which features 25 local and international light art installations and runs from Friday to Mar 27.

Many of the installations were also designed with sustainability in mind. For example, Lampshade by Snøhetta, Norway comprises solar-powered light bulbs that will be donated to off-grid communities after the festival and a simple bamboo structure that will be dismantled and recycled as construction scaffolding.

URA festival director and director for Place Management Jason Chen said the campaign shows how sustainability can resonate at the organisational and individual level.

"The festival is not only a platform to showcase works from the local and international art scene; it also aims to get people thinking about a sustainable future," he said.

"We hope i Light Marina Bay and this initiative, in particular, can influence us to change some of our behaviour and encourage more to join us in the push for sustainability.”

The festival also coincides with the annual Earth Hour on Mar 19, 8.30pm to 9.30pm, when buildings across the nation will switch off their lights for one hour to raise awareness for climate change. The light art installations at the festival will also be switched off during this hour, organisers said.

Beyond the display of artworks, the organisers said the festival seeks to elevate the discourse of sustainability with i Light Symposium 2016, a dialogue which gathers thought leaders from various fields and industries to provide insights and discussions on the topic of light, in relation to the city and its people.

Other sustainability-themed activities include an LED light bulb exchange, where visitors can bring used incandescent bulbs and exchange them for new energy-saving LED light bulbs, and a hands-on workshop for children where they will be able to make lanterns and installations out of recyclable materials, URA added.

- CNA/mz

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Malaysia: Nature lovers in for a treat as birds take off for spring migration

The Star 5 Mar 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: Nature lovers will be in for a treat on March 12 as more than 30,000 raptors are expected to soar across the Malaysian skies as part of their annual spring migration.

The Raptor Watch will be held in Tanjung Tuan Forest Reserve at 10th mile, Port Dickson, one of the favourite local destinations for these predatory birds.

It is an opportunity to observe the raptors in their natural environment, feasting on bees, little birds, lizards and other small animals during their stop in Tanjung Tuan.

Situated at the narrowest part of the Malacca Strait, the forest is ideal for birdwatching as it is the least difficult path for the birds to cross over the water from Sumatra, Indonesia.

Last year, 48,662 birds were counted.

Among those were the Oriental Honey Buzzards, Brahminy Kite, White Bellied Sea-eagle, Common Buzzard, Booted Eagle as well as one Eurasian Hobby, spotted for the first time there.

This event, organised by the Malaysian Nature Society (MNS) with the support of the Malacca and Negri Sembilan governments, has attracted thousands of people every year to observe and photograph the raptors heading northwards to their breeding grounds.

March 12 is chosen as the ideal birdwatching date after years of monitoring by the MNS. It has been observed that the peak period is in the middle of March.

MNS also suggested the period between 11am and 3pm as the best time to watch the raptors, although the event will be from 9am to 5pm.

It will also be a fun-filled day for the family as colouring competitions, jungle walking and a series of nature-related talks have been organised.

There will also be selfie booths, games, face painting as well as other booths that showcase products and activities that promote nature appreciation.

Interested nature lovers can head for PNB Ilham Resort to reach the event easily.

Readers can find out more at mnsraptorwatch.wordpress.com.

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Malaysia: We can’t stop coral reefs from dying -- Environment Minister

NICHOLAS CHENG The Star 5 Mar 16;

KUALA LUMPUR: There is no way Malaysia can stop its coral reef population from dying due to the strong El Nino and climate change.

Saying that the natural warming of Malaysia’s waters was something that was beyond control, Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tunku Jaafar said the only thing that could be done was for the country to minimise the damage on corals caused by humans.

“I have discussed this with the Marine Park Department (JTLM) and we will work ­together with local universities, the Department of Hydrology and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation on the problem of El Nino’s impact on the corals and coral reefs,” he said in a phone interview.

Universiti Malaya coral reef ecologist Affendi Yang Amri had said climate change coupled with a strong El Nino could threaten up to 90% of the country’s coral reefs.

The loss of coral reefs could also translate to a significant drop of commercial fish like groupers, snappers, emperors, sweet lips and fusiliers, which rely on reefs for habitat.

Dr Wan Junaidi said there were more pressing issues faced by the ministry in the protection of Malaysia’s underwater eco­system.

Pollution and ghost fishing, he said, were causing just as much damage to the reefs as El Nino, while the JTLM severely lacked the staff to monitor and maintain the vast 3,600 sq km of coral reefs in our waters.

Ghost fishing is when abandoned nets and fishing gear wraps itself around reefs, breaking or damaging them and snaring aquatic life in the process.

“We send scuba divers to monitor the reefs and to remove any nets that may have been caught in them. But we are very shorthanded.”

Gazetting marine parks is also an issue for the ministry, because the power to do so comes under the Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Ministry.

“We can only gazette marine parks under the Fisheries Act, which is not under us. It’s under another ministry.

“We need the law to fully enable us to protect the underwater ecosystem. But we are enforcing someone else’s law. I am personally handicapped because of the law,” he said.

Wan Junaidi added that the ministry’s intention of gazetting the proposed Tun Mustapha Park off Kudat, which has over a million hectares of coral reefs, was being hampered as the Fisheries Act was not under his purview.


GM: Reduce tourists, save our corals
JOASH EE DE SILVA The Star 5 Mar 16;

PETALING JAYA: Malaysia should consider capping the number of tourists at its islands to reduce stress on coral reefs threatened by climate change and the El Nino phenomenon.

Reef Watch Malaysia general manager Julian Hyde (pic) said most of the stress on coral reefs stemmed from tourism and that limiting the number of tourists there was an option.

The large number of divers and snorkel­lers, and the incidents of touching and hitting the coral, were a major stress factor for the reefs, he said.

iphcoral: Reef Check Malaysia general manager Julian Hyde said it has started a pilot project to cultivate corals at Mentangor Island, near Pangkor Island.

“Every morning there are hundreds of people snorkelling at the marine parks near Redang Island. Who is managing them?

“More education is needed to change the habits of divers and snorkellers,” he said.

Hyde said capping the number of tourists was practised at only a few places now.

“There is a logistical number beyond which you simply cannot cope and there are only so many people that can fit on an island, but deciding what that number is will be difficult,” he said.

He was responding to a statement by Universiti Malaya coral reef ecologist Affendi Yang Amri that climate change, coupled with a strong El Nino effect, could threaten up to 90% of the country’s coral reefs.

Affendi had said that while very little could be done to reduce nature’s effects on the reefs, steps could be taken to minimise water pollution, litter, coastal development and damage by divers and snorkellers.

According to Hyde, holiday resorts with inadequate sewage treatment systems were also a problem.

He said that while there were plans to better maintain septic tanks and improve the systems in places like Pulau Redang and Pulau Perhentian, along with a trial programme to desludge the tanks on Pulau Tioman, these needed to be carried out at all resorts and islands.

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Malaysia: Forest officers arrest three poachers with sambar deer parts

IVAN LOH The Star 5 Mar 16;

IPOH: Three hunters were caught with dissected parts of sambar deer – a protected species – in the Aman Jaya Forest Reserve, near KM69 of the East Coast Expressway in Grik.

State Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) director Rozidan Mohd Yassin said the hunters, all from Kelantan, were caught while trying to load the deer parts into their four-wheel drive vehicle at about 3.45am yesterday.

“Two others, including one who was carrying a rifle, got away.

“Besides the deer parts, we found ammunition and a shooting licence belonging to the individual with the rifle.

“We are now looking for the rifle owner,” he told reporters here yesterday.

Sambar deer, said Rozidan, had been categorised as vulnerable and protected.

“The deer are the main prey for tigers. There’s a market for deer meat. This costs between RM40 and RM60 per kg,” he said, adding that illegal hunting activities were still happening in the forest reserve.

“Based on our investigation, there are many entry points into the forest along the expressway.

“Although we don’t have enough man­power, we always carry out patrols along the forest reserve.

“We are also working with other agencies like the Forestry Department and the police.”

Rozidan said this was the third case this year.

“We previously arrested two hunters found with kijang and serow,” he said.

Those arrested, he said, would be investigated under Section 60(1) and 62 of the Wildlife Conservation Act and could face up to three years in jail or a fine of not more than RM50,000 or both.

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Indonesia: Regencies improve sanitation systems to combat snail fever

Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post 4 Mar 16;

The Central Sulawesi provincial administration has set up an integrated team, directly led by Governor Longki Djanggola, to implement programs to deal with schistosomiasis, also known as snail fever.

One of the programs is to improve sanitation systems by constructing toilets on the Lindu Plain, where the dangerous worms are often found. The construction is part of a nation-wide one-million-toilet campaign to encourage residents to stop defecating in the open.

Schistosomiasis is a disease caused by parasitic worms belonging to the schistosoma genus and carried by freshwater snails. There are three types found in humans: Schistosoma japonicum, Schistosoma haematobium and Schistosoma mansoni.

In Indonesia, Schistosoma japonicum is endemic in Central Sulawesi, especially on the Lindu and Napu plains in Sigi and Poso. The number of people at risk of contracting schistosomiasis is 15,000.

The head of the provincial health agency, Ansayari Arsyad, said that although there was no medicine to cure the disease that was available in Indonesia, regular fever treatment in community health centers (Puskesmas) and hospitals had worked well.

“We have also distributed boots and will hand some more to local residents as a preventive measure,” he said.

Ansayari said that in Poso, the worms could be found in six districts: East Lore, Lore Peore, Central Lore, South Lore, North Lore and West Lore. While in Sigi regency, he said, the disease was found in five subdistricts on the Lindu Plain.

Ansayari said his agency had cooperated with the Poso and Sigi regency health agencies to conduct a survey in the relevant subdistricts to find more effective eradication measures of the schistosomiasis worms.

He added that an eradication effort last year had been successful in reducing the incidence rate of the disease in Poso to 1.39 percent and in Sigi to 0.7 percent.

“We have the target of reaching an incidence rate of zero percent this year.”

Separately, Longki said that his administration had also conducted various efforts to prevent the spread of snail fever, including assigning a special team to examine the disease-endemic regions.

Research on schistosomiasis in Indonesia began in 1940, following the finding of schistosomiasis cases in Tomado subdistrict, Lindu plain, Kulawi district, Sigi regency, in 1935.

The research found that 53 percent of 177 residents tested positive after researchers found the worms in the feces sample.

Data at the provincial health agency show that in 1972 a new endemic area of the disease was found in Napu valley, Poso regency. Ever since, snail fever continues to increase in the region.

Health Minister Nila Djuwita F. Moeloek said recently during a meeting in Palu to discuss measures to deal with the disease that the disease had attracted attention from the international health communities.

She said that she supported all programs to combat the disease, requesting local authorities to continuously disseminate information to the people on the danger of open defecation that could cause the fever.

Schistosomiasis starts with the hatching in water of Schistosoma japonicum eggs, called mirasidium, which penetrate the bodies of snails and develop into sporokista I and II, before becoming serkaria.

The serkaria will later swim in the water in search of a new host and they can survive in stagnant water for 48 hours before finding new places to grow.

Serkaria could infect 13 mammals including humans, deer, cats, hog deer, cows, horses and buffalo. Serkaria infects humans through the pores and enters the blood stream before laying eggs in the intestines.

Symptoms of snail fever include coughing and swelling of the stomach. The disease needs an incubation period of 20 years before killing a human sufferer.

The most dangerous scenario, according to Ansyari, was when serkaria reached the liver, where it could grow into adult worms. When the worms lay eggs, they make holes in the walls of the intestine and cause sufferers to defecate blood.

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Indonesia: Komodo population continues to decline at national park

Markus Makur, The Jakarta Post 5 Mar 16;

The population of the endangered Komodo dragon in Komodo National Park in Flores, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), continues to decrease according to the park’s management.

Park spokesperson Margareta Priska said on Friday that numbers had fallen from 3,222 in 2013 to 3,092 in 2014, with a further decrease to 3,014 in 2015.

She said the dragon currently only inhabited Komodo, Rinca, Gili Motang, Nusa Kode and Padar islands.

Separately, Achmad Ariefiandy, a researcher at the Komodo Survival Program Institution, told The Jakarta Post on Friday that the rare animals’ diminishing numbers had occurred particularly on smaller islands like Nusa Kode, Gili Motang and Padar.

“The population on the bigger islands such as Komodo and Rinca is relatively stable,” he said.

Achmad linked the declining numbers with the availability of the dragon’s prey, such as deer, which is also facing scarcity.

He therefore suggested that the government take security measures to minimize deer poaching.

The researcher also called on the government to consider reintroducing deer from Padar to Gili Motang.

Achmad noted that the dragons were also found outside the national park, including on Mbeliling Island in the southern part of West Manggarai and on Longos Island in northern West Manggarai.

His institution and the NTT Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BKSDA) had conducted a survey on the population spread of the dragon in the northern part of Flores Island. It started in Labuan Bajo, the regency capital of West Manggarai, and ended in Sikka, the capital of Maumere regency.

The survey revealed that dragons were also found on Watu Payung Island in the East Manggarai regency, and both on Ontoloe and Riung islands in Ngada regency.

When asked whether he had found dead dragons in the national park during his research, Ariefiandy said he had found fewer than 10. They had died from old age, he explained.

Meanwhile, environmental activist Zakarias Samuel Sem of West Manggarai has pointed his finger at tourism, especially cruise ships, as a disruptive presence to the animal.

“We must work together to ensure a sustainable number of dragons in this province,” Zakarias said.

“The national park’s management should limit the number of tourists visiting the Komodo and Rinca islands, especially cruise ships,” Zakarias said.

The head of NTT BKSDA’s technical division, Maman Surahman, said that the population of Komodo dragons in a particular region fluctuated. The inventory team sometimes finds 10 to 15 in one area and then none in another area.

Surahman also urged locals to stop hunting the dragons’ food source, such as deer and swine, and not to release dogs in the woods because their presence disturbed the dragons’ habitat.

“We expect cooperation from all parties in East Nusa Tenggara for the preservation of this majestic creature,” he said.

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Best of our wild blogs: 4 Mar 16

Celebrate World Water Day with a mangrove cleanup @ Sungei Pandan, Sat 26 March 2016: 7.30am
News from the International Coastal Cleanup Singapore

In the pipeline – a partial closure of the Rail Corridor
The Long and Winding Road

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Singapore ready to deal with threat to corals

Audrey Tan, Straits Times AsiaOne 4 Mar 15;

Safeguards targeting rarer coral species to be put in place if seas become too warm: NParks

Even though Singapore has lost over 60 per cent of its coral reefs through extensive land reclamation, its waters are still home to about a third of the world's hard coral species. But they could still be under threat - this time from warming seas as a result of climate change.

The National Parks Board (NParks) is ready to jump into action if sea surface temperatures creep up to a point that Singapore's corals are in danger of bleaching.

A coral safeguard programme targeting rarer coral species will be implemented, said Dr Karenne Tun, deputy director of the coastal and marine division at NParks' National Biodiversity Centre.

"We will collect fragments of these species from as many colonies as we can find, and grow them out in various reef areas as well as in aquaria, to ensure that we are able to maintain the population," she told The Straits Times. "We will also out-plant them back on the reefs after the bleaching event passes."

Meanwhile, NParks has initiated monitoring schemes to better understand how elevated sea surface temperatures may influence the photosynthetic responses of corals.

Coral reefs cover just 284,000 sq km of the ocean floor - about 0.1 per cent of the total ocean area - but they support a surprising amount of biodiversity. Around the world, these underwater palaces support about 30 per cent of all described marine species.

In Singapore waters, there are more than 250 species of hard corals. The total reef area here is an estimated 13.25 sq km.

But even as a global climate pact was forged in Paris last December, coral reefs worldwide are reeling from the impact of climate change.

Marine scientists say coral reefs are one of the habitats most under threat, due to the dual effects of ocean warming and ocean acidification. "Ocean warming is a direct impact of climate change that increases temperature stress on corals," said Dr Intan Suci Nurhati, a coral researcher from Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology.

When carbon dioxide dissolves in the ocean, carbonic acid is formed. The increasing acidity will lead to higher rates of erosion of the physical structure of reefs, said Assistant Professor Huang Danwei, a marine biologist from the National University of Singapore's (NUS) department of biological sciences. Current and projected rates of global warming mean many stony corals will expel the symbiotic microalgae living within them and nourishing them, Prof Huang added. But expelling the algae causes coral bleaching.

In October last year, science journal Nature reported widespread coral bleaching. This caused the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to officially declare a global bleaching event on Oct 8, the third in recorded history, after 1998 and 2010.

These were El Nino years, referring to the phenomenon linked to prolonged warmer weather that is expected to continue this year as well, with scientists warning of bleaching events. In 1998, about 25 per cent of corals here died, while 5 per cent of them did so in 2010.

Prof Huang, who runs the Reef Ecology Lab at NUS, said coral reefs can protect shorelines and support recreation and tourism.

"The dive trail at the Sisters' Islands Marine Park attests to that. We have many more coral reefs that have the potential to become world-class dive sites, right in our backyard."


Viruses 'may be keeping coral reefs healthy'
Straits Times 4 Mar 16;

Coral reefs are one of the most vibrant and colourful habitats of the ocean, but the key to their health could lie in organisms not visible to the naked eye.

Microbial communities comprising viruses and bacteria could be the unlikely drivers of coral reef health, according to research by a marine biologist from Nanyang Technological University .

During a study of a pristine ring of coral in the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean, Associate Professor Federico Lauro found that the water within the coral ring contained more of a type of virus than the surrounding water, despite constant water exchange.

The Italian's research has indicated that it could be these viruses that are helping the coral reefs there to thrive.

Known as bacteriophages, the viruses can infect and break down a type of cyanobacteria - organisms that make their own food through photosynthesis - called Synechococcus. The destruction of Synechococcus releases nutrients such as nitrogen- and phosphorous-based compounds, which nourish the corals.

"Not all viruses are bad. Some of them are good and, in this case, they could play a role in cycling nutrients," said Prof Lauro.

"In a healthy human, there is a balance of the different types of microbes in the body, and it is the same for coral reefs."

The Chagos Archipelago is uninhabited except for military personnel, and is part of a marine protected area established by Britain. The water there is clean, and the coral reefs in the area are considered among the healthiest in the world.

Prof Lauro's research has wider implications for coral reef conservation, as scientists can now look beyond physical factors, such as sedimentation, to determine why reefs are dying and how to restore them.

"There is a clear indication that the viruses have an effect on the Chagos coral atoll, and it is interesting to study how biological factors are affecting other reefs," he said .

The research was conducted aboard his own recreational sailing boat, the 18.5m Indigo V. "This shows that you don't need a large oceanographic vessel to do good science, and a lot more ocean samples can be collected by recreational boat owners who are sailing the world in their own time," he said.

His study cost $70,000, a fraction of what a similar study on board a large oceanographic vessel with high-tech scientific devices could cost. For his work, he clinched the prestigious Lowell Thomas Award for Innovation in Conservation last November.

This is an international award which last year was given to explorers who exhibit excellence and innovation in conservation, with emphasis on emerging techniques and technologies. Past winners include Sir David Attenborough, the golden voice of nature documentaries, and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, one of the first men to walk on the moon.

On his win, Prof Lauro said: "It was surprising, considering that the past winners like Sir David Attenborough are so good, but I hope that the win will help us get funding for the Indigo project, for more exciting science."

He is due to set off on another research trip to the Indian Ocean on board Indigo V later this month.

Assistant Professor Huang Danwei of the National University of Singapore's Department of Biological Sciences said: "The methods established (by Prof Lauro) also pave the way for a convenient approach for even non-scientists to contribute to the monitoring of various marine environments, including coral reefs, which have distinct microbial signatures."

Audrey Tan

Polluted waters: Corals fight back
Coral reefs are the world's underwater gardens and guardians of life. But, as oceans warm and become more acidic due to climate change, these important habitats are at risk. The good news is that nature is resilient. New scientific research has uncovered more information about coral reefs, which could help in their conservation. The Straits Times takes a look at the links between climate change and coral reefs.
Audrey Tan Straits Times 4 Mar 16;

Murky waters full of sediment may make it difficult for scuba divers to explore under water, but they have a far more ominous impact on marine life.

Corals, in particular, are exceptionally vulnerable. As well as grappling with the effects of climate change, sedimentation caused by land reclamation or pollution is also posing a challenge.

Sunlight does not penetrate sedimented waters as well as in clear waters. This affects the photosynthetic ability of the microalgae living in the coral to produce food, which nourishes the host.

High levels of sediment in the water can also physically smother corals and affect their reproduction.

Unlike broadcast-spawning coral species, which release male and female sex cells in a spectacular fashion, colouring the waters a milky white, brooding coral species establish new colonies in a less extravagant way.

The fertilised egg, or larva, is released into the water column and carried to another part of the ocean, where it starts developing new colonies. But sediment collecting in coral crevices could prevent the larva from being dislodged or hinder its development.

Nature, however, is resilient.

Scientists from the National University of Singapore's Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI) have discovered an encouraging adaptation in the native blue coral Heliopora coerulea that seems to help it thrive in sedimented waters.

During brooding, the female Heliopora coerulea holds a fertilised egg using feathery tentacles. The inflated tentacles help to elevate the larvae above the sediment layer that has accumulated on the colonies.

"The inflated polyps protrude from accumulated sediment in the colony crevices, thus raising the brooded larvae above the layers," said Dr Toh Tai Chong, 31, a research fellow at TMSI who led the project.

The discovery was recently published in science journal Marine And Freshwater Behavior And Physiology.

Dr Toh and Mr Lionel Ng, a research assistant at TMSI, were conducting coral reef surveys at the offshore islands south of Singapore in April 2014 as part of a study to assess the effectiveness of reef rehabilitation efforts here when they noticed a patch of white while swimming over some Heliopora coerulea corals.

"It looked like a dense white mat was laid over the corals," said Mr Ng, 32.

The researchers believe their findings could help with the conservation of Heliopora coerulea, which is listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as being vulnerable to extinction.

"We have a lot more broadcast spawners than brooders, and little is known about the reproductive biology of Heliopora coerulea," said Dr Toh.

The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that while three-quarters of stony corals are broadcast spawners, the remaining quarter of coral species are brooders.

"Since the Heliopora coerulea broods only once a year around April, this discovery enhances our existing knowledge on the biology of reef organisms, which could help us better manage the areas they are found in to reduce disturbance and further sedimentation during the reproductive season," said Mr Ng.

Dr Toh also pointed out that since sedimentation affects all types of coral, further research could look into the different adaptation strategies to improve our understanding of how Singapore's reefs remain resilient.

This also facilitates the conservation of more vulnerable species through measures such as artificial propagation to reduce the risks of local extinction.

Dr Karenne Tun, deputy director of the coastal and marine division at the National Parks Board's (NParks) National Biodiversity Centre, said coral reefs will ensure the availability of marine-based resources, such as food and breeding spaces, and continue to support the ecosystem's resilience to a changing climate.

"NParks continually works with various coral reef researchers (here) to increase our knowledge of Singapore's coral reefs and develop better management strategies of coral reefs through our targeted conservation programmes, such as the setting up of the coral nursery and the initiation of a coral bleaching monitoring programme."

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Cross Island Line Questions and Answers on gov.sg

Gov.sg 3 Mar 16;

Do we need the Cross Island Line? Can we do without it?

The Cross Island Line (CRL) will be an important part of our MRT network. It will provide a faster commute between the east and the west, from Changi to Jurong, stretching more than 50 km with about 30 stations. Nearly half of these stations will be interchange stations. Our preliminary estimate is that commuters from residential areas like Loyang, Pasir Ris, Hougang, Ang Mo Kio, Sin Ming, Bukit Timah, Clementi and West Coast will make at least 600,000 trips on the CRL every day. This will place the CRL higher, in terms of capacity and usage, compared to the North East Line. The CRL will also significantly enhance the resilience of our network, as the CRL will connect with all radial lines to provide commuters with many more travel routes to their destinations.

Why can’t the government just go with the alignment that does not cut through the CCNR?

To make an informed decision on the alignment option that best serves the public, the Government has to understand the total impact of both alignments, including on transport connectivity, engineering feasibility, the CCNR and the environment, as well as the nearby homes and families. It is for this reason that LTA is conducting an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study, site investigation works, and an engineering feasibility study

The direct alignment is 4km long, with 2km of the tunnel running beneath the CCNR and the other 2km located outside it. As a shorter alignment, it will provide commuters faster East-West connectivity. The tunnels for the direct alignment will be about 40m deep and there will not be any construction of infrastructure on the surface within the CCNR. However, members of the public and nature groups have voiced concerns over the environmental impact of the direct alignment on the CCNR.

The skirting alignment, about 9km long, does not cross under the CCNR. However, the longer alignment will incur an additional travel time of six minutes for commuters crossing between the East and the West. It will also require longer tunnels and extra ventilation facilities. Besides land and home acquisitions that could affect families, the extra works could incur $2 billion more in expenditure.

What is an EIA? Is it a standard process as part of planning for all our MRT lines?

An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) evaluates the possible impact of a proposed project on the environment. The EIA on the two possible CRL alignments assesses the impact to the ecology, geology and hydrology of the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR).

Two years of planning, evaluation and consultation had been taken to develop the Phase 1 EIA report. An EIA of this scale is new for rail development and is necessary because the Government, too, cares about minimising the impact on the CCNR.

What is being done to mitigate the impact of site investigations?

Following extensive consultations with the nature groups for the first phase of the Environmental Impact Assessment, the site investigation to determine the geological properties of the ground, will adopt mitigating measures including reducing the number of boreholes within the gazetted boundary of the CCNR.

* First, only 16 boreholes will be drilled to extract vertical columns of soil samples, down from the earlier estimate of 72. These boreholes are 10cm in diameter and will be confined to public trails/existing clearings so as not to affect any vegetation. The drilling machines will also be modified to reduce the noise level and prevent spillage of slurry and fluid.
* Second, engineers will use non-intrusive geophysical survey methods.
* Imposing strict criteria to guide off-trail movements. The contractors will be supervised by NParks officers at all times.
* Avoiding ecologically sensitive areas such as streams, and swampy areas. For example, a 30m buffer zone is applied from these areas and no boreholes are allowed.
* All site investigation activities will also be restricted to daylight hours, so as not to affect nocturnal animals.
* With the mitigating measures, the number of machines and human movement within the reserve will be minimised.

Are the two proposed alignments for the Cross Island Line (CRL) running aboveground? Do you need to chop down any trees?

No. Both proposed options are underground and any tunnels beneath the CCNR will be located deep below the nature reserve at about 40m (equivalent to 12 storeys). There is no need to remove any vegetation for the site investigation works.

In addition, there will not be any construction work on the surface level within the gazetted boundary of CCNR. For both options, construction will be undertaken by tunnelling method using a Tunnel Boring Machine that starts from outside the nature reserve (see diagram below).

Tunnelling starts and ends outside the CCNR.Tunnelling starts and ends outside the CCNR.

Similarly, the ventilation shafts or facility buildings will be sited outside the gazetted boundary of CCNR.

Is the EIA report available online for public viewing? How can I give my views?

The first phase of the EIA report for the CRL is available on the LTA website for public viewing. Members of the public can email their views to LTA_CRL_CCNR_EIA@lta.gov.sg.

What was the consultation process like?

When LTA first announced the possible alignment of the CRL in 2013, nature groups raised concerns about the potential environmental impact on the CCNR. In response, LTA formed a working group, including representatives from NParks and nature groups, to serve as a discussion/consultation forum for the EIA study in the CCNR for the proposed Cross Island Line.

Since 2013, MOT, LTA and the nature groups have held many formal and informal meetings, including walkabouts in the CCNR with Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo.

Over the course of more than two years, LTA consulted the nature groups extensively in preparing for Phase 1 of the EIA report. For example, when studying the impact of the proposed site investigation works on the ecology and biodiversity of the CCNR, LTA’s EIA consultant took into consideration a study that the nature groups had done.

Separately, some residents living near the CCNR have expressed concern that the possible alignments may affect their homes. LTA has been engaging them by keeping them informed about the CRL study as well.

LTA will continue its engagement with stakeholders including the nature groups and residents in the area.


Related links
Love our MacRitchie Forest: walks, talks and petition. Also on facebook.

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