Our trip to Sungei Buloh,
At first it seemed boring but yet it was rather joyful.
There were so many things to see and do
We were never going to finish all of this, I just knew.
The many many species, both flora
and fauna.
Blind your eye, so poisonous
That it might even cause temporary blindness.
And that is not the only one;
A touch of the Sea Poison Tree may even cause you quite a ton.
Monitor lizards with venomous tongues
Who eat everything around its feet;
Our litter and our crumbs
And maybe even our spit.
There were also many interesting species
All in which I have never seen.
The mudskippers and the ribbon worms
And the many plants I have learnt.
With our tour guide leading us all the way
I had learnt a lot from him that day.
About mangroves, plants and animals
And even some old stories and tales
Once it was time to leave,
We felt that it was too early.
With so many things to see,
We couldn’t possibly have been done, believe me.
This was a great fruitful trip
Mangroves no longer seemed like
places unbearably hot and humid
But a place where we actually like
Sungei buloh what a place,
To learn, to explore, to be amazed.
We would definitely come again,
To this ‘classroom’, to this great wetland.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The What's
There are three types of Mangroves; Red Mangrove, Black Mangrove and White Mangrove.
Red Mangrove (Rhizophora Mangle)
The Red Mangrove - also known as the “Walking Tree” – is identified by the trunk roots which have a reddish colour to the bark. They have shiny deep green leaves which are lighter on the underside. The leaves measure 1-5 inches in length and are broad and blunt at the tip. Their prop roots - arching out from the trunk and the branches, produce additional roots and make the tree look as if it is walking into the water.
The Red Mangrove produces bud-like growths which grow into torpedo-shaped seedlings known as propagules. These seedlings eventually fall into the water and either take root in the ground below or float and float on water until suitable ground is found. It can take about as long as a year.
Black Mangrove (Avicennia Germinans)
These are old plants are the most cold tolerant of the three species. They can readily be identified by:
Looking at the ground. These trees are surrounded by pneumatophores (prounounced “new-mat-afores”) – stick-like structures (growths) - pointing skyward from the soil surrounding the trunk of the tree. They help the tree to breathe. This species of mangrove generally grows in areas where the soil is saturated with water – without it, the tree would lack the oxygen it needs. The bark of a Black Mangrove is dark. The leaves are shiny dark green on the top and pointed at the tip. The undersides of the leaves are a dull green colour with short dense hairs - glands - which excrete salt – the leaves serve as a back-up system for ridding the Black Mangrove of the salt that has not been excreted by the roots.
Looking at the ground. These trees are surrounded by pneumatophores (prounounced “new-mat-afores”) – stick-like structures (growths) - pointing skyward from the soil surrounding the trunk of the tree. They help the tree to breathe. This species of mangrove generally grows in areas where the soil is saturated with water – without it, the tree would lack the oxygen it needs. The bark of a Black Mangrove is dark. The leaves are shiny dark green on the top and pointed at the tip. The undersides of the leaves are a dull green colour with short dense hairs - glands - which excrete salt – the leaves serve as a back-up system for ridding the Black Mangrove of the salt that has not been excreted by the roots.
The seedlings produced by these trees are light green in colour and shaped like large coins.
White Mangroves (Laguncularia Racemosa)
White Mangroves, usually found further upland than the red or black mangroves can easily be identified by: Their leaves which are light green in colour, approximately 3 inches long, rounded at both ends – often having a notch in the tip.
At the base of their leaves, where the leaves meet the stems, you will find two bumps. These bumps are glands which excrete the salt found in the water. The seedlings of the White Mangrove are pod-shaped, about the size of a coin and whitish in colour.
Mangrove Functions and Values
1. Overwash mangrove forests: These are small mangrove islands, frequently formed by tidal washings.
2. Fringing mangrove forests: These occur along the borders of protected shorelines and island. They are sensitive to erosion and long period’s exposure to purely marine conditions.
3. Riverine mangrove forests: These mangroves exist along rivers and creeks, which are flooded daily by the tidal waves. Such forests are affected by large amounts of freshwater with fluvial nutrients and thus making the system highly productive with trees growing taller.
4. Basin mangrove forests: These are stunted mangroves located along the interior side of the swamps and in drainage depressions. Their channels are a runoff which moves towards the coast with a slow water flow.
5. Hammock mangrove forests: These are similar to the basin type except that they occur in higher sites than the four types given above.
2. Fringing mangrove forests: These occur along the borders of protected shorelines and island. They are sensitive to erosion and long period’s exposure to purely marine conditions.
3. Riverine mangrove forests: These mangroves exist along rivers and creeks, which are flooded daily by the tidal waves. Such forests are affected by large amounts of freshwater with fluvial nutrients and thus making the system highly productive with trees growing taller.
4. Basin mangrove forests: These are stunted mangroves located along the interior side of the swamps and in drainage depressions. Their channels are a runoff which moves towards the coast with a slow water flow.
5. Hammock mangrove forests: These are similar to the basin type except that they occur in higher sites than the four types given above.
The Where's
There are two mangroves in Singpore. One in Sungei Mandai Mangroves and the other situated not far from the Sungei Mandai Mangroves is Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.
The Why's & How's
The causes of the destruction of mangroves include population pressure, conversion for shrimp and fish farming, agriculture, infrastructure and tourism, as well as pollution and natural disasters or even heavy rain.
Tourism: Many tourists nowadays visit mangroves. When they visit these places, tour guides work hard just to please the tourists and earn money. By doing this, they sometimes affect the mangroves. However, not all tour guides do the job for the money; some do it voluntarily out of their interest for no pay. Tourists on the other hand, with no clue about mangroves tend to do things that cause harm to the mangrove such as pluck flowers or touch the plants. And like any other tourists or normal human being, they litter. All these acts can cause a lot of harm to the mangroves; both the flora and fauna species.
Natural Disasters: A few years back, a major natural disaster had occurred and many mangroves all over the world got affected by this. This natural disaster was the tsunami. Many mangroves were hit and creatures and species of all sorts were washed out causing great destruction.
Heavy rain: During heavy rain when there is lightning and thunder, trees and plants, being the tallest things in mangroves, are always the first to get strike by lightning. The trees and plants then lose parts of the plant that got affected and therefore resulting in irregular plant growth.
Swamp fern
The swamp fern is a fern that is frequently seen growing on mud lobster mounds, especially in moist, shady sites. When young, the leaves are brownish and in fertile fronds, the lower surface is filled with dark brown spores.
Sea Hibiscus
With maroon-centred yellow flowers, this plant has leaves that can be used as a remedy for
Sea Hibiscus
With maroon-centred yellow flowers, this plant has leaves that can be used as a remedy for
fevers and are known to be ‘cooling’. Sea Hibiscus’ are commonly found along sandy shores.
Sea Poison
A large tree that has big egg-shaped leaves. Located along sandy rocks and shores, their fruits are in the shape of a lantern and float on the water. The seeds of this fruit as well as other parts of the tree contain poison and are used as bait for fisherman.
A large tree that has big egg-shaped leaves. Located along sandy rocks and shores, their fruits are in the shape of a lantern and float on the water. The seeds of this fruit as well as other parts of the tree contain poison and are used as bait for fisherman.
Rhizophora sp.
Rhizophora sp. ,or ‘root bearer’ in Greek, has arching stilt roots, which branch out from the stem as structures to help the tree stand up straight in the muddy surface. The seedlings, which are shaped like little javelins, enable the trees them stick to the ground and are also able of withstand saltwater, germinating only at suitable sites away from the parent plant.
Rhizophora sp. ,or ‘root bearer’ in Greek, has arching stilt roots, which branch out from the stem as structures to help the tree stand up straight in the muddy surface. The seedlings, which are shaped like little javelins, enable the trees them stick to the ground and are also able of withstand saltwater, germinating only at suitable sites away from the parent plant.
Bruguiera cylindrical-Bakau Puith
Bruguiera cylindrica also known as Bakau Putih has knee-like roots which can grow up to 25m tall. The bark is smooth and grey, and has an adaptive feature which is having pores that allow gas exchange when there is low oxygen content in the mud. Their seeds germinate into cigar-shaped seedlings.
Ceriops tagal
This rare mangrove tree is identified by its inverted egg-shaped leaves and angular seedling.
This rare mangrove tree is identified by its inverted egg-shaped leaves and angular seedling.
Its roots are kneed like that of the Bruguiera. The bark is used for firewood and tannin.
Nipah
The fruits of this plant are dispersed through water and their seeds are soaked in sugar water, eaten as a snack (attap-chee) or in desserts such as ice kachang. Its leaves can grow to as long as 9m in length.
The fruits of this plant are dispersed through water and their seeds are soaked in sugar water, eaten as a snack (attap-chee) or in desserts such as ice kachang. Its leaves can grow to as long as 9m in length.
Avicennia sp.
Avicenia sp can grow up to 25m and has pencil-like roots (pneumatophores) that protrude from the bark help the tree during respiration. The roots above the ground that grow below the soil allow absorption of oxygen through root cells known as lenticels. This adaptation helps as the muddy ground that Avicenia grow in a condition called anaerobic where there is very little oxygen available.
Avicenia sp can grow up to 25m and has pencil-like roots (pneumatophores) that protrude from the bark help the tree during respiration. The roots above the ground that grow below the soil allow absorption of oxygen through root cells known as lenticels. This adaptation helps as the muddy ground that Avicenia grow in a condition called anaerobic where there is very little oxygen available.
Blind-your-eyes
This plant also called Exoecaria agallocha, has white milky sap oozes out from broken parts of the tree and will cause temporary blindness when it enters the eye. Like Sea Poison, the sap can also be used as fish poison.
Sea Holly
This plant may appear similar to Christmas holly but they do not have any relation whatsoever. Sea Holly is a stiff, semi-woody plant that can grow up to 1.5 meters tall. Its leaves are thick and waxy and some bear spines like the European holly leaves. The leaves also excrete salt on the upper surface.
This plant may appear similar to Christmas holly but they do not have any relation whatsoever. Sea Holly is a stiff, semi-woody plant that can grow up to 1.5 meters tall. Its leaves are thick and waxy and some bear spines like the European holly leaves. The leaves also excrete salt on the upper surface.
Sea Derris
The Sea Derris chokes trees when climbing on them to obtain sunlight. This plant also bears small pink flowers that have a flat pod that contains only one seed. The roots contain a poison as fish poison by fisherman.
The Sea Derris chokes trees when climbing on them to obtain sunlight. This plant also bears small pink flowers that have a flat pod that contains only one seed. The roots contain a poison as fish poison by fisherman.
Fauna:
Giant Mudskipper
Ribbon Worm (Phylum Numertea)
Mud lobster (Thalassima anomala)
Golden Web Spider (Nephila pilipes)
Stork-billed kingfisher (Halcyon capensis)
