life and death at chek jawa editted verson

LIFE AND DEATH LIFE AND DEATH AT CHEK JAWAAT CHEK JAWA

A UROPS RESEARCH EXPERIENCEA UROPS RESEARCH EXPERIENCE

What isWhat is

U R O P sU R O P s

Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in ScienceOpportunities Programme in Science

►doing an independent research project doing an independent research project ►work with Faculty staffwork with Faculty staff► foster mentoring relationshipsfoster mentoring relationships►work and gain knowledge in a specific work and gain knowledge in a specific

field of study field of study ►experience creative thinkingexperience creative thinking►acquire special communication and acquire special communication and

presentation skillspresentation skills

What motivated me to do What motivated me to do UROPsUROPs??

►curiositycuriosity►gain experiencegain experience►more free play to pursue topicsmore free play to pursue topics►opportunities to make mistakes and learnopportunities to make mistakes and learn►work with my lecturer mentors work with my lecturer mentors ► learn from their experience and knowledgelearn from their experience and knowledge

Have you been to Have you been to Chek JawaChek Jawa before? before?

Where isWhere is Chek JawaChek Jawa

Chek JawaChek Jawa (103°59'E, 1°24'N), is an intertidal (103°59'E, 1°24'N), is an intertidal flat located at the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin, a small flat located at the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin, a small island to the northeast of Singapore’s main islandisland to the northeast of Singapore’s main island

Chek Jawa

Johor

Mainland Singapore

Chek Jawa is lauded for its high Chek Jawa is lauded for its high biodiversitybiodiversity

Figure from

Ria Tan

Six distinct ecosystems

exist at Chek Jawa

and it is abundant

with locally rare fauna and flora

Coastal Hill ForestCoastal Hill Forest

MangrovesMangroves

Rocky ShoreRocky Shore

Photos: N. Sivasothi

Sandy EcosystemsSandy Ecosystems

Photos: Ria Tan

Seagrass LagoonSeagrass Lagoon

Coral Rubble AreaCoral Rubble Area

Photos: Ria Tan

While Team Seagrass arrived for While Team Seagrass arrived for a field orientation on 20th a field orientation on 20th

January 2007…January 2007…

Mass Mass DeathDeath occurredoccurred

on January 2007on January 2007

Soft bodied invertebrates affectedSoft bodied invertebrates affected

DyingDying Carpet Anemones Carpet Anemones

DyingDying Sponges Sponges

DyingDying sea stars and sea cucumbers sea stars and sea cucumbers

Asking Asking questionsquestions►What happened at Chek Jawa?What happened at Chek Jawa?►What caused the mass death?What caused the mass death?►Why were some animals more Why were some animals more

affected as compared to others?affected as compared to others?►Is this mass death a tragic event?Is this mass death a tragic event?►Will Chek Jawa recover? Will Chek Jawa recover? ►If yes, how?If yes, how?

Answering Answering questionsquestions through.. through..

UROPSUROPS

Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors

Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors

Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors1. Mr. N. Sivasothi 1. Mr. N. Sivasothi (Department of Biological Science, NUS)(Department of Biological Science, NUS)

2. Dr. Peter Todd 2. Dr. Peter Todd (Department of Biological Science, NUS)(Department of Biological Science, NUS) 3. Dr. Dan Rittschof 3. Dr. Dan Rittschof (Duke University)(Duke University)

Photo: Ria Tan

At the beginning…At the beginning…

►reading up various literaturesreading up various literatures ►compilation of anecdotal recordscompilation of anecdotal records►Discussions with my supervisors and expertsDiscussions with my supervisors and experts►Yet also left alone Yet also left alone Independence! Independence!

Resources from NUS LibrariesResources from NUS Libraries

Literature read upLiterature read up

At the beginning…At the beginning…

►reading up various literatures reading up various literatures ►compilation of anecdotal recordscompilation of anecdotal records►Discussions with my supervisors and expertsDiscussions with my supervisors and experts►Yet also left alone Yet also left alone Independence! Independence!

Some supervisors may have Some supervisors may have

funnyfunny requests requestshttp://cjproject.blogspot.comhttp://cjproject.blogspot.com

Conducting of field surveysConducting of field surveys

2.2. Transects surveys (once in 3 months)Transects surveys (once in 3 months)3.3. Monitoring of different groups of marine Monitoring of different groups of marine

animals (once in 2 months)animals (once in 2 months)

Sometimes we set off early…Sometimes we set off early…

…sometimes we go back late

Six transect linesSix transect linesT1

T2

T3

T4

T5

T6

T1

T5

T4

T3

T2

T6

Transect surveyingTransect surveying

Sometimes disasters do happen…Sometimes disasters do happen…

……af t e r a day’ s har d wor kaf t e r a day’ s har d wor k

Who do I Who do I workwork with? with?►My three supervisorsMy three supervisors►Experts from their various fieldsExperts from their various fields►Nature volunteers/friendsNature volunteers/friends

ExpertsExperts sought during the project sought during the project

►Prof Wong Poh PohProf Wong Poh Poh (NUS Geography Department)(NUS Geography Department)

►Prof Matthias RothProf Matthias Roth (NUS Geography Department)(NUS Geography Department)

►Dr Lim Han SheDr Lim Han She (NUS Geography Department)(NUS Geography Department)

►Dr Daphne FautinDr Daphne Fautin (University of Kansas)(University of Kansas)

►Dr David LaneDr David Lane (Universiti Brunei Darussalam) (Universiti Brunei Darussalam)

►Dr Tan Koh SiangDr Tan Koh Siang (Tropical Marine Science Institute)(Tropical Marine Science Institute)

►Siti Maryam YaakubSiti Maryam Yaakub (National Parks Board)(National Parks Board)

Carpet AnemonesCarpet Anemones((Stichodactyla haddoniStichodactyla haddoni) )

Photos: Ria Tan

•30 located and marked

•Shortest and longest diameter axis measured

•Tentacles counted

Sea anemone morphology is variable Sea anemone morphology is variable

NOTNOT easy to study easy to study

What I’ve learnt from field What I’ve learnt from field applications from Dr Daphne Fautin?applications from Dr Daphne Fautin?

► anemones from tide pools anemones from tide pools contract when exposed to contract when exposed to airair

► can detach and movecan detach and move► difficult to determine sizedifficult to determine size► density differs density differs ► incorrect to correlated size incorrect to correlated size

with agewith age

FriendsFriends

►From different backgroundsFrom different backgrounds►Make new friends!Make new friends!►Work towards a common goalWork towards a common goal►Doing their part for natureDoing their part for nature►Stirring interest in doing related studiesStirring interest in doing related studies

Grain size distribution analysis at Grain size distribution analysis at Chek Jawa Chek Jawa

Nearing Nearing submissionsubmission of report… of report…

►Data compilation for analysisData compilation for analysis►Drafting nonstop for THE reportDrafting nonstop for THE report►Hunt for more help from “good people”Hunt for more help from “good people”►Oral presentation drillOral presentation drill►Oral presentation Oral presentation examexam with two lecturer with two lecturer

examinersexaminers

ChallengesChallenges and frustrations and frustrations

►especially at the beginningespecially at the beginning► limitations in survey methologieslimitations in survey methologies►Organise and coordinate trips Organise and coordinate trips ►Difficulties to account for many other thingsDifficulties to account for many other things►There are also not-so-helpful peopleThere are also not-so-helpful people►Have to learn how to accept failuresHave to learn how to accept failures

What are my What are my future plansfuture plans after after UROPs?UROPs?

►Preparing to publish my findingsPreparing to publish my findings►Working on sea stars behaviourWorking on sea stars behaviour► teaching after I graduate from NUSteaching after I graduate from NUS►Sharing experiences with my students Sharing experiences with my students

My honours project on sand star My honours project on sand star behaviour and ecologybehaviour and ecology

Astropecten indicus

How UROPs has enhanced my How UROPs has enhanced my undergraduate experienceundergraduate experience??

►Understand the meaning of Understand the meaning of researchresearch►Start questioning, analysing and exploringStart questioning, analysing and exploring►More questions than answersMore questions than answers►Gain experiences and knowledgeGain experiences and knowledge►Walk out of comfort zone Walk out of comfort zone ►Wholesome student and learnerWholesome student and learner

LifeLife at Chek Jawa at Chek Jawa

Some interesting Some interesting experiencesexperiences

Celebrating Celebrating ChristmasChristmas at at Chek JawaChek Jawa

My firstMy first filmingfilming experienceexperience

Featured at The Straits TimeFeatured at The Straits Time

Featured at NUS Advertorial, The Featured at NUS Advertorial, The Straits TimeStraits Time

Many more Many more experiencesexperiences recorded here recorded here

cjproject.blogspot.comcjproject.blogspot.com

Thank you Thank you & best wishes& best wishes