tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-365821872024-03-18T17:47:58.940+08:00teamseagrassRia Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.comBlogger334125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-3801290867855479642019-02-24T20:24:00.002+08:002019-02-24T20:24:50.510+08:0016 Mar (Sat): TeamSeagrass joins Celebrating Singapore Shores at Berlayar CreekSave the date! A chance to win plenty of great prizes! Join fun games as TeamSeaGrass volunteers share about Singapore's seagrass and the important role they play in our marine ecosystem. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WcXMN6Iv0kAhZcE7xxkYs54JxlcM7mSr2ZqNY9TWUvdu-eQ_QWphafeholrR_sXCUOZhq1ILAH1cP7rQ25AXoy_xNicRBmY80iIEDvqg7AZeh5cdT7SsV6Fi7VC4ConC_YajwA/s1600/TSGBooth.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" data-original-height="371" data-original-width="530" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WcXMN6Iv0kAhZcE7xxkYs54JxlcM7mSr2ZqNY9TWUvdu-eQ_QWphafeholrR_sXCUOZhq1ILAH1cP7rQ25AXoy_xNicRBmY80iIEDvqg7AZeh5cdT7SsV6Fi7VC4ConC_YajwA/s400/TSGBooth.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
The event is FREE, no registration required. Specially for kids and the family, there will be lots of other community groups offering games and prizes, nature walks and films. Come and join us!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>As <a href="http://celebratingsingaporeshores.blogspot.sg/p/what-is-international-year-of-reef-2018.html">International Year of the Reef 2018</a> comes to a close, <a href="https://celebratingsingaporeshores.blogspot.com/">Celebrating Singapore Shores</a> will go on! To mark the occasion, the marine community invites all to join this evening event.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/33319272698/in/dateposted-public/" title="16 Mar (Sat): Celebrating Singapore Shores at Berlayar Creek"><img alt="16 Mar (Sat): Celebrating Singapore Shores at Berlayar Creek" height="400" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7877/33319272698_ee12b26a09_z.jpg" width="283" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
The event starts at Berlayar Creek boardwalk, next to Labrador MRT station.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/37559822146/" title="Berlayar Creek Boardwalk with Bukit Cermin"><img alt="Berlayar Creek Boardwalk with Bukit Cermin" height="225" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4490/37559822146_bc9beb4a38_n.jpg" width="400" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
And takes you from the mangroves there to the corals at Marina at Keppel Bay!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/45259560652/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Fishing at Berlayar Creek"><img alt="Fishing at Berlayar Creek" height="226" src="https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1951/45259560652_dde1cd1d47_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mangroves at Berlayar Creek</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/47032014731/in/dateposted-public/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Living pontoons at Marina at Keppel Bay"><img alt="Living pontoons at Marina at Keppel Bay" height="225" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7880/47032014731_e124f10dce_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corals growing on the pontoons at Marina at Keppel Bay</td></tr>
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From otters to corals, here's a glimpse of what we might encounter at Berlayar Creek to Marina at Keppel Bay<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/36207671644/in/dateposted-public/" title="Berlayar Creek to Marina at Keppel Bay"><img alt="Berlayar Creek to Marina at Keppel Bay" height="225" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4373/36207671644_7556e96f50_n.jpg" width="400" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
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Save the date and see you there!<br />
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Date: 16 March 2019 (Saturday) First day of March school holidays.<br />
Venue: Berlayar Creek Boardwalk (next to Labrador Park MRT Station) to Marina at Keppel Bay<br />
Time: 4pm – 8pm<br />
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More details on the <a href="https://celebratingsingaporeshores.blogspot.com/2019/02/16-mar-sat-celebrating-singapore-shores.html">Celebrating Singapore Shores blog</a>.Ria Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-53863095947115318212018-06-14T09:21:00.000+08:002018-06-14T09:21:07.379+08:00Sign the petition for World Seagrass Day!Support the World Seagrass Association's bid for an international World Seagrass Day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsaolheGxvvznZmhAWJUaQXqYnkZFRjOChfg-XM4XiTjJ4K9Be4Ac7jXIzSCjXJ65_607HBp9qMm0OFheiNGWtVQZco1fUasz7e5oZksdelJcCxr-CDRUv6T3qxlpDXd0bo8a/s1600/WSD8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="1000" height="261" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwsaolheGxvvznZmhAWJUaQXqYnkZFRjOChfg-XM4XiTjJ4K9Be4Ac7jXIzSCjXJ65_607HBp9qMm0OFheiNGWtVQZco1fUasz7e5oZksdelJcCxr-CDRUv6T3qxlpDXd0bo8a/s400/WSD8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
To raise awareness on the importance of seagrass meadows, threats to them, what happens if we lose them. A day of global recognition is a crucial step towards saving seagrasses.<br />
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<a href="http://wsa.seagrassonline.org/world-seagrass-day/">Sign the petition</a> (scroll to the bottom of the page).<br />
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<a name='more'></a>From <a href="http://wsa.seagrassonline.org/world-seagrass-day/">the World Seagrass Association</a><br />
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Globally, seagrasses are vital for food security, maintaining a healthy climate, healthy ocean and for biodiversity. Seagrasses are also an important part of many traditional communities and cultures. <br />
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We are losing seagrasses at an accelerating rate<br />
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Close to 30% of the world’s seagrass meadows have already been lost, and the rate of decline of seagrass meadows has accelerated since the 1990s. <br />
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Currently, an estimated 110 square kilometres of seagrass is lost annually. This rate is equivalent to two football fields of seagrass being lost every hour. <br />
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The actual loss may be more severe, as there are vast areas of the world where seagrass resources are abundant but haven’t been documented and accounted for. <br />
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This includes regions such as Southeast Asia, and coastal East and West Africa.<br />
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<b>Does Singapore have seagrasses? YES!</b><br />
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Almost every shore in Singapore has sprinkles of seagrasses. We have some surprisingly large meadows too. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/26480463129/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Living seagrass meadows at Changi"><img alt="Living seagrass meadows at Changi" height="225" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4586/26480463129_eeddbe4f8d_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hermit crab on seagrass meadows at Changi.</td></tr>
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Like underwater forests, our seagrass meadows teem with life! What are seagrasses? How can we visit seagrass meadows? More about <a href="http://celebratingsingaporeshores.blogspot.com/search/label/seagrass%20meadows" target="_blank">Singapore's seagrass meadows</a>.<br />
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Here's a wonderful video about Singapore's seagrasses by Faiq<br />
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<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="280" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/dvJZx6AGaoU" width="400"></iframe><br /></div>
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<b>TeamSeaGrass</b><br />
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In Singapore, TeamSeaGrass has been studying Singapore's best seagrass meadows. For the last 10 years, we have been scientifically monitoring seagrasses at Chek Jawa, Pulau Semakau and Cyrene Reef.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/8591857352/" title="TeamSeagrass volunteers celebrating National Day on Cyrene Reef"><img alt="TeamSeagrass volunteers celebrating National Day on Cyrene Reef" height="295" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8385/8591857352_f25ed1332d_z.jpg" width="400" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
Ordinary people are welcomed to join this citizen science effort! Join the Team to learn about seagrasses, how to identify them as well as help take important measurements and data so we can monitor the health of Singapore's seagrass meadows.<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/2402998380/" title="TeamSeagrass hard at work"><img alt="TeamSeagrass hard at work" height="266" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3269/2402998380_abd841d4e0_z.jpg" width="400" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<br />
<a href="http://wsa.seagrassonline.org/world-seagrass-day/">Sign the petition for World Seagrass Day</a> (scroll to the bottom of the page).Ria Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-54577377154252019472017-09-10T10:42:00.001+08:002017-09-10T10:42:31.191+08:00June 2018: International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) in Singapore!Let's talk seagrass at <a href="http://www.isbw13.org/">the International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW13)</a> <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRi_1-2m72ZPKqN-rqJjHsLAead4tRTAsskddOQAoKGPE5s2L2ThUnucG9jU_iCOMH2cXsXvZnGDmO4cgkgdXsUl4EBvEVP6cLhW5KidKCMpZY12PriO-RNFcPHO5bhRiHbZ86IA/s1600/isbw.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="699" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRi_1-2m72ZPKqN-rqJjHsLAead4tRTAsskddOQAoKGPE5s2L2ThUnucG9jU_iCOMH2cXsXvZnGDmO4cgkgdXsUl4EBvEVP6cLhW5KidKCMpZY12PriO-RNFcPHO5bhRiHbZ86IA/s400/isbw.png" width="400" /></a></div>
TeamSeaGrass will be contributing to this very special event in 2018! What is ISBW13 about and how can Singapore contribute?<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The theme for ISBW13 is “Translating Science into Action”. The theme is motivated by the ever-important need for effective communication of seagrass science amongst scientists, managers and practitioners, to better develop and implement science-based seagrass conservation and restoration policies. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/9049181848/in/album-72157601317177756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="TeamSeagrass field training Chek Jawa June 2013"><img alt="TeamSeagrass field training Chek Jawa June 2013" height="295" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5457/9049181848_34969f718a.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TeamSeaGrass at Chek Jawa, Pulau Ubin.</td></tr>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
With its highly urbanised shoreline and intensively utilised coastal waters, Singapore exemplifies how coastal development exerts pressure on seagrass meadows and marine habitats. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/7730322476/in/album-72157601317177756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Happy National Day from TeamSeagrass on Cyrene Reef"><img alt="Happy National Day from TeamSeagrass on Cyrene Reef" height="294" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7126/7730322476_75aa68a826.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TeamSeaGrass at Cyrene Reef on National Day.</td></tr>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
It also provides a useful case study of environmental management, and adoption of management practices that aim to balance development and conservation of natural resources. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/6439961953/in/album-72157601317177756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="TeamSeagrass at work at Cyrene Reef"><img alt="TeamSeagrass at work at Cyrene Reef" height="294" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6439961953_1750b44011.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TeamSeagrass at Cyrene Reef in the world's busiest port.</td></tr>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
We hope to use this meeting as a forum to discuss the changing face of seagrass science communication and conservation and how old paradigms can be refreshed to take on the key challenges to seagrass habitats in the future.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/34941589592/in/album-72157601317177756/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="TeamSeagrass at Balik Chek Jawa for Pesta Ubin 2017"><img alt="TeamSeagrass at Balik Chek Jawa for Pesta Ubin 2017" height="224" src="https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4265/34941589592_5b73193e7b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TeamSeaGrass doing outreach during Pesta Ubin.</td></tr>
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<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script><br />
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<b>More about ISBW</b><br />
The International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) is the only international meeting specifically tailored to seagrass scientists, professionals and students.<br />
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ISBW13 will be held in June 2018 in Singapore and will incorporate the World Seagrass Conference 2018. <br />
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The International Seagrass Biology Workshop series is the biennial lead event of the World Seagrass Association. In 2018, the 13th ISBW will be held in conjunction with the World Seagrass Conference (WSC) at the National University of Singapore, Singapore. The WSC will be held from 11 to 14 June, and ISBW13 from 15 to 17 June. This event is supported by DHI Singapore Pte. Ltd., the National Parks Board, and the National University of Singapore.<br />
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And the TeamSeaGrass logo has also been refreshed!<br />
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<br />Ria Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-53432569216771308232017-05-25T13:40:00.002+08:002017-05-25T13:40:50.339+08:003 Jun (Sat): TeamSeaGrass at Balik Chek JawaFREE, no registration required, just come to <a href="http://wildsingapore.com/places/cj.htm">Chek Jawa</a>! As part of <a href="https://pestaubin2017.blogspot.sg/">Pesta Ubin</a>, TeamSeaGrass volunteers will be at this Chek Jawa Open House.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/26887332853/in/photostream/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="TeamSeagrass at Balik Chek Jawa at Pesta Ubin"><img alt="TeamSeagrass at Balik Chek Jawa at Pesta Ubin" height="300" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/8/7386/26887332853_05338418f1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fun for the family: Seagrasses and more!</td></tr>
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Volunteer guides will be stationed all over the boardwalk to share about Chek Jawa's amazing wildlife. Fun for the whole family, there will be free colouring sheets and kids activities too!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Volunteers are eager to share about monkeys to wild boar, birds to butterflies, crabs to mudskippers, and fascinating plants of the mangroves and shores, some of which are rare elsewhere. If we are lucky we may encounter otters or even a dugong.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/8590758309/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Wong Ley Kun leading the free guided tour of Chek Jawa by the Naked Hermit Crabs"><img alt="Wong Ley Kun leading the free guided tour of Chek Jawa by the Naked Hermit Crabs" height="295" src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8510/8590758309_4af9888b74.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A spectacular view at from the Jejawi Tower! </td></tr>
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Volunteers have hand-carved stamps of Chek Jawa! Kids will get a 'passport' to collect these stamps!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglN1rVPrQqjssJ2DU0RLBuHR3otkO2YqsUgLuQ03MHx9rDmmWKs-yxnh4xRGcJOm5mYfIJstROMFX9FAovJHwccVvcKgp8cVtfc4ovCuLTUfYtCmuydkbmeBDsuqUy2wdrNk6BDw/s1600/1-stamps.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglN1rVPrQqjssJ2DU0RLBuHR3otkO2YqsUgLuQ03MHx9rDmmWKs-yxnh4xRGcJOm5mYfIJstROMFX9FAovJHwccVvcKgp8cVtfc4ovCuLTUfYtCmuydkbmeBDsuqUy2wdrNk6BDw/s400/1-stamps.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Get your 'passports' stamped by the guides.</td></tr>
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Also FREE colouring sheets!<br />
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<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/34775859985" title="Ubin mangroves fun with R.U.M. at Pesta Ubin"><img alt="Ubin mangroves fun with R.U.M. at Pesta Ubin" height="300" src="https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4248/34775859985_16d46f9d28.jpg" width="400" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<br />And lots of other fun kids' activities at House No. 1, Chek Jawa's Visitor Centre.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEeV7CzdZOL4qearlSdSp1oG6tTF4BE74XOz7iCrl9UGWtuuR4SsqetJ78001_Jyh0XGeePiFhCTH8ZvL3FDnYP1I317v_AtW85wj2yO7U861EWExpA3vmg2cULFdvEw1bfHs/s1600/balik-cj-3a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjEeV7CzdZOL4qearlSdSp1oG6tTF4BE74XOz7iCrl9UGWtuuR4SsqetJ78001_Jyh0XGeePiFhCTH8ZvL3FDnYP1I317v_AtW85wj2yO7U861EWExpA3vmg2cULFdvEw1bfHs/s400/balik-cj-3a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />This activity is by the Chek Jawa community, led by the <a href="http://nakedhermitcrabs.blogspot.sg/">Naked Hermit Crabs</a> with friends of Chek Jawa like <a href="https://www.nparks.gov.sg/contribute/volunteer">NParks Chek Jawa volunteers</a>, <a href="http://teamseagrass.blogspot.sg/">TeamSeagrass</a>, <a href="http://rum-initiative.blogspot.sg/">Restore Ubin Mangroves (R.U.M) Initiative</a> and <a href="https://toddycats.wordpress.com/">Toddycats</a>. (There will be NO activities on the seashores).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDMWHLyjSLIfOsyzPy-PzBgns23t-ysvefjpFxV4gZ8zItoiBJgE9AYOuqtJLohQG-YTx_3vpSxFFnk34O5W7i8k5_3vgJNCpif0-6pwpDKN0bYZLWKvxvAnQ2i2oPIEu5IrfP/s400/Balik+Chek+jawa+2017.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="283" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">click on image for larger view.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Date: 3 Jun (Sat)<br />
Time: 10am - 3pm<br />
Meeting point: Chek Jawa Info Kiosk, 3.3km away from Ubin Jetty (<a href="https://pestaubin2017.blogspot.sg/p/ubin-map.html">map</a>). About 1.5-2 hour walk, 15-min van ride. More on how to get to <a href="http://wildsingapore.com/ubin/going.htm">Chek Jawa</a>.<br />
<br />
No charge, the activity is free! <br />
No registration required, simply come to Chek Jawa.Ria Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-35787122267753065762016-12-30T12:15:00.002+08:002016-12-30T12:39:58.790+08:00TeamSeagrass and seagrass sexThanks to Jose Hong for sharing the work by Dr Siti Maryam Yaakub, Samantha Lai and volunteers of TeamSeagrass, to better understand why seagrasses are dying off at Pulau Semakau and other shores. It appears our seagrasses need to have more sex!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5RfV1tlgKNyHbrBHnow7OLLu3aAFUYUC8MyNWZ9NyeTga9I_KecOSp9mI-VHQ3dJIt1LqV6Pvukl6QJjLE0_k2v62SLoP54TFZSmKOi4JRA74xcZx6tFWZO3rfZQ3O_grdaR/s1600/1059206196_ce621ba17c_z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv5RfV1tlgKNyHbrBHnow7OLLu3aAFUYUC8MyNWZ9NyeTga9I_KecOSp9mI-VHQ3dJIt1LqV6Pvukl6QJjLE0_k2v62SLoP54TFZSmKOi4JRA74xcZx6tFWZO3rfZQ3O_grdaR/s400/1059206196_ce621ba17c_z.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TeamSeagrass in 2008 when seagrasses were still lush.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Data from TeamSeagrass and observations by TeamSeagrass volunteers have been vital to observing this trend. Thanks to all our dedicated seagrassers for your time and effort in helping conserve our natural heritage.<br />
<br />
What is seagrass sex? And how YOU can make a difference for our seagrasses.<br />
<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>From <a href="http://wildsingaporenews.blogspot.sg/2016/12/growing-problem-for-singapores-seagrass.html">Growing problem for Singapore's seagrass</a> by Jose Hong, Straits Times <a href="http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/growing-problem-local-seagrass">AsiaOne</a> 29 Dec 16,<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
"Around three to four years ago, Dr Siti Maryam Yaakub, started noticing that most of the flowers and fruits had simply stopped appearing.<br />
<br />
Seagrass populations can grow by cloning themselves, and long-term surveys have indeed seen certain meadows increasing in size, such as those at Chek Jawa on Pulau Ubin.<br />
<br />
But Dr Siti said this clonal growth - if it is indeed what Singapore's seagrass are doing could mean all the new seagrass are equally vulnerable to stressors like disease, making it more likely for entire new populations to die at the same time.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, without seeds lying around in the environment, it would be much harder for new plants to return.<br />
<br />
Ms Samantha Lai, a PhD candidate at the Experimental Marine Ecology Lab at the National University of Singapore (NUS), said there was already one such case on the shores of Pulau Semakau.<br />
<br />
In 2009, a seagrass meadow off the island suddenly died, and aside from a few scattered patches of seagrass, the area remains barren, she said.<br />
<br />
Ms Lai said environmental factors were also to blame, but added that one of the consequences of not having enough sexual reproduction "is not having enough seedlings or seeds to help the recovery of Semakau".</blockquote>
<b><br /></b>
<b>What is seagrass sex?</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/enhalus.htm">Tape seagrasses</a> have very long leaf blades that can reach 1.5m. Like all seagrasses, they produce flowers! Female Tape seagrass flowers are large with three long petals. Male Tape seagrass flowers are tiny white blobs that float in the water (they resemble styrofoam beads).<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/3129983801/" title="Tape seagrass (Enhalus acoroides) with female flower and male flowers"><img alt="Tape seagrass (Enhalus acoroides) with female flower and male flowers" height="294" src="https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3084/3129983801_9890041319.jpg" width="400" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
The floating male flowers meet female flowers and pollination happens! Eventually, a fruit forms and when it's ripe, it opens and seeds float away to settle down and grow into new Tape seagrass plants.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/457347430/" title="Tape seagrass (Enhalus acoroides) fruits with seeds"><img alt="Tape seagrass (Enhalus acoroides) fruits with seeds" height="294" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/237/457347430_6dce211859.jpg" width="400" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<br />
<b>Why are seagrasses important?</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/seagrass.htm">Meadows of seagrass</a> leaves create a miniature underwater forest. Small plants and animals thrive in these thickets. Seagrasses provide shelter for many animals that are not adapted for fast swimming (e.g., the seahorse and filefish). These include juveniles of larger fishes and animals that later move out into deeper waters and include commercially important fishes and sea creatures. Seagrass leaves also provide a place for animals to lay their eggs, and for small animals to settle down. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/2514889303/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Alligator pipefish (Syngnathoides biaculeatus)"><img alt="Alligator pipefish (Syngnathoides biaculeatus)" height="294" src="https://c8.staticflickr.com/4/3031/2514889303_58892b9b3b.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Alligator pipefish is found among seagrasses.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
The <a href="http://startrackers.blogspot.com/2008/05/cyrene-reef-important-habitat-for.html">Star Trackers</a> have noted that the seagrass meadows on Cyrene Reef are important and possibly the only habitat left in Singapore where baby Knobbly sea stars (Protoreaster nodosus) can be found in large numbers.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/24564176269/in/photolist-M97WXE-DqDPNv-DNCrGQ-C6dVJm-zfYeR5-zfWBH7-yA64BU-zxZt4B-xpgBEy-qXbqsQ-rU6Nsi-rBAabA-rBBvxY-rUbkZT-rBJ2Gn-rU6NxP-oiCsMr-oBSNs6-fuKjZa-cXwJh1-cFs7pb-cn4iuQ-cn4iqq-cn4inw-bXdTo4-ceAfAm-ceAfy7-bXdTkp-bXdTpV-bXdTik-ceAfFh-bXdTci-bqUZZo-bqV11o-bqUZYf-bqV12y-bDPWCD-bqUZV1-aP5qQ4-aP5qLT-ajKC4i-ajKBZP-ajNppS-ajNpx9-ajKBYv-ajNpoC-ajKBX2-ajNpnd-ajKBPD" title="Baby Knobbly sea star (Protoreaster nodosus)"><img alt="Baby Knobbly sea star (Protoreaster nodosus)" height="224" src="https://c6.staticflickr.com/2/1534/24564176269_83d509aea4.jpg" width="400" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
<br />
<b>Disappearing seagrasses in Singapore</b><br />
<br />
More details about observations of disappearing seagrasses in Singapore since 2010 on the <a href="http://wildshores.blogspot.sg/2016/12/seagrasses-disappearing-in-singapore.html">wild shores of singapore blog</a>.<br />
<br />
<b>You CAN make a difference!</b><br />
<br />
Join the volunteers of TeamSeagrass who have been monitoring Singapore's seagrasses since 2007!<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/wildsingapore/4496995990/in/album-72157601317177756/" title="TeamSeagrass outdoor orientation 2010"><img alt="TeamSeagrass outdoor orientation 2010" height="294" src="https://c7.staticflickr.com/3/2690/4496995990_c36cf37e25.jpg" width="400" /></a><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js"></script></div>
Our work helps gather data to better understand and protect our meadows and the animals that depend on them.Ria Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-54781951410984965382016-05-12T12:55:00.004+08:002016-05-12T12:56:26.767+08:00TeamSeagrass colouring sheet for Pesta Ubin!Specially for <a href="http://pestaubin2016.blogspot.sg/">Pesta Ubin 2016</a>, TeamSeagrass is offering this colouring sheet. Have fun and learn more about seagrasses and how you CAN make a difference for Singapore's seagrass meadows.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-IcVJtsXz6v2rn0JIlaIuSBwgTN9lBq4v0R1M7BkTj3ACs48AA4cZEJrrCa9M8b3czND3TsmK5ECQJkaVAuXydwrWnJiD3U9_MKfe3g_M73NPu49jZ-rTzC2BRsevW3rImhQuQ/s1600/teamseagrass-small-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW-IcVJtsXz6v2rn0JIlaIuSBwgTN9lBq4v0R1M7BkTj3ACs48AA4cZEJrrCa9M8b3czND3TsmK5ECQJkaVAuXydwrWnJiD3U9_MKfe3g_M73NPu49jZ-rTzC2BRsevW3rImhQuQ/s400/teamseagrass-small-01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
To get your copies of this colouring sheet, come visit TeamSeaGrass on <a href="http://pestaubin2016.blogspot.sg/2016/05/4-jun-sat-learn-about-seagrasses-with.html">4 Jun (Sat) 2016</a> at the Assembly Area at Ubin Town, or on <a href="http://pestaubin2016.blogspot.sg/2016/03/5-jun-sun-balik-chek-jawa.html">5 Jun (Sun) 2016</a> at Chek Jawa.<br />
<br />
<a name='more'></a>The colouring sheet features the <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/mammals/dugong.htm">dugong</a> that feeds only on seagrasses. As well as the sea turtle, that also munches on <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/reptilia/seaturtle.htm">seagrasses</a>. Other animals may not eat seagrasses, but the dense meadows provide shelter for animals that are not adapted for fast swimming, like the <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/fish/syngnathidae/hippocampus.htm">seahorse</a> and <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/fish/monacanthidae/monacanthidae.htm">filefish</a>. Some animals like <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/crustacea/othercrust/shrimp/penaeidae.htm">shrimps</a> grow up in the safety of seagrass meadows before moving into deeper waters as adults. <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/echinodermata/asteroidea/protoreaster.htm">Knobbly sea star babies</a> are also commonly seen in seagrass meadows, while the adults are found in coral reefs. The underground stems and roots of seagrasses form a mat which stabilises the ground, while their leaves slow the water flow and thus help keep sediments down and the water clear. This benefits coral reefs nearby.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/seagrass.htm">Seagrasses</a> are flowering plants. The flowers and fruits of the long <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/enhalus.htm">Tape seagrass</a> are common and more easily seen. Flowers and fruits of other seagrass species are much smaller and often overlooked. Seagrass species in this colouring sheet include <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/ovalis.htm">Spoon seagrass</a>, <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/decipiens.htm">Hairy spoon seagrass</a>, <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/beccarii.htm">Beccari's seagrass</a>. As well as <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/syringodium.htm">Noodle seagrass</a>, <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/halodule.htm">Needle seagrass</a>, <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/thalassia.htm">Sickle seagrass</a> and <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/spinulosa.htm">Fern seagrass</a>. These are all found in Singapore!<br />
<br />
Hope you have enjoyed the colouring sheets! Ria Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-43574655640003649462015-06-09T18:23:00.000+08:002015-06-10T00:32:27.011+08:00Mark Your Calendar for Ubin Day and Festival of Biodiversity<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The month of June is an exciting time for TeamSeaGrass as we
look forward to be part of two major events that celebrates some of our most
favourite things in the world: Pulau Ubin and biodiversity conservation. That’s
right folks. TeamSeaGrass will be taking part in <a href="http://ubinday2015.blogspot.sg/">Ubin
Day </a>on 13 June and <a href="http://festivalofbiodsg.wix.com/festivalofbiodsg">Festival
of Biodiversity</a> on 27 and 28 June. More information about these two events, including volunteering
opportunities can be found below. </div>
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<br />
<br />
<a href="http://ubinday2015.blogspot.com/"><i><u>Ubin Day 13 and 14 June 2015</u></i></a></div>
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<a href="http://ubinday2015.blogspot.com/"><i><u>
</u></i></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9FpvqJIw0xvZ4va8kp-tOV07kc1nq9XgDD-T2jbEjpP1Lz3UGhZdUfnkmUrSLdQwDvxAh2k3bNlvcUw7JkCc1Pe5LPNolpvnmqdxXgLQSDwzSbk3-mkzsqsWwgK1AEFUMtdK/s1600/Ubin+Day.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_9FpvqJIw0xvZ4va8kp-tOV07kc1nq9XgDD-T2jbEjpP1Lz3UGhZdUfnkmUrSLdQwDvxAh2k3bNlvcUw7JkCc1Pe5LPNolpvnmqdxXgLQSDwzSbk3-mkzsqsWwgK1AEFUMtdK/s640/Ubin+Day.jpg" width="449" /></a></div>
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<br /><a href="http://ubinday2015.blogspot.com/"><i><u></u></i></a></div>
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Ubin Day is a time where we all celebrate every bit of Ubin:
its culture, kampung life, nature and wildlife, Ubin land and sea. Through
these events, we hope to also raise awareness of Pulau Ubin and issues facing Pulau
Ubin.</div>
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Ubin Day will be happening this weekend (13 and 14 June
2015). TeamSeaGrass will be setting up a booth on 13 June. More information
about our booth can be found <a href="http://ubinday2015.blogspot.sg/2015/04/learn-about-seagrasses-with-teamseagrass.html">here</a>.
We will be there from 7am to 6pm at the <a href="http://ubinday2015.blogspot.sg/p/ubin-map.html">Assembly Area opposite
the HSBC Volunteer Hub</a> and if you would like to join us to help out at our booth,
please email us at <a href="mailto:teamseagrass@gmail.com">teamseagrass@gmail.com</a>
and indicate the duration you would be helping out. We will get back to you
with more details. </div>
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<br /></div>
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Otherwise, come visit us and say hi or join in the many
activities offered by other <a href="http://ubinday2015.blogspot.sg/2015/04/what-to-do-on-ubin.html">groups</a>
and get to explore different sides of Ubin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> _______________________________________________________________ </span></div>
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<a href="http://festivalofbiodsg.wix.com/festivalofbiodsg">
</a></div>
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<i><a href="http://festivalofbiodsg.wix.com/festivalofbiodsg">Festival of Biodiversity 27 and 28 June 2015</a></i></div>
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</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNe3Ez3XAAPRhBE9jUYHY4VA99rxkciUCXxW4LK-rADpRgQ9Qg1UAYAc-aZjn4O68A34PnDoeqB5f91_9vhDHeOMM73Z5EbDG7FJ89bCMf0V-9Nr4Q4i2fg_2Uxo5JtATWwaIg/s1600/FoB+Poster+2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNe3Ez3XAAPRhBE9jUYHY4VA99rxkciUCXxW4LK-rADpRgQ9Qg1UAYAc-aZjn4O68A34PnDoeqB5f91_9vhDHeOMM73Z5EbDG7FJ89bCMf0V-9Nr4Q4i2fg_2Uxo5JtATWwaIg/s640/FoB+Poster+2015.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
The <a href="http://festivalofbiodsg.wix.com/festivalofbiodsg">Festival of
Biodiversity</a> is back for the 4<sup>th</sup> year will be held over the
weekend of 27 and 28 June at VivoCity. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The Festival is organised by NParks
in collaboration with the Biodiversity Roundtable, a group of about 20 key
representatives from various sectors of the biodiversity community which
TeamSeaGrass is part of. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">This year,
learn more about local biodiversity through a display featuring 50 species of interesting
flora and fauna closely linked to Singapore, a marine exhibition that brings
the ocean to you, nature-themed craft workshops and booths showcasing the causes,
research and activities of environmental groups! </span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The Festival is also adding a new element that will add
variety and a new level of interactivity with the public: the Festival of
Biodiversity Concert at the Amphitheatre (Level 3). The free concert will be
played on both evenings. More information about the local musicians who will be
performing at the concert can be found <a href="http://festivalofbiodsg.wix.com/festivalofbiodsg#!concert/c47u">here</a>.
</div>
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<br /></div>
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For those of you who would like to be involved in the
Festival, NParks is calling for volunteers to help them out in various
activities such as running the booths, exhibition and children's art and craft
workshops! Some of the TeamSeaGrass members have already signed up to help out.
If you would also like to volunteer your time to help out at the event, please
sign up at <a href="http://tinyurl.com/FOB2015Volunteer" target="_blank" title="sign up form for volunteer">http://tinyurl.com/FOB2015Volunteer</a> by 19
June 2015. You can indicate your preferred date, time slots and
activities/roles in the form, and more details will be sent to you after you
sign up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
See you at the events! <br />
<br /></div>
Rachel Lhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10808199489024085574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-48864083206935894412015-01-12T00:57:00.000+08:002015-02-09T14:02:56.191+08:002015 TeamSeaGrass Monitoring Trips Are Up<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9480">
Hi TeamSeaGrass,</div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9481">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal">
A great 2015 to all. Hope everyone had a great year end
break. </div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9498">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9499">
The 2015 monitoring dates have been finalised. As usual,
they will also be posted on the <a href="http://teamseagrass.blogspot.sg/p/dates.html#.VLKrSckasd8">blog</a> if
you need to refer back. A really good
news is that we can finally return to Pulau Semakau (YAY!!), so we are back to
our normal programme once again. Will need to point out that due to really
lousy weekend tides this year, there will be 2 weekdays trips. These are CR01
and CJ03. Really sorry about this. Would really appreciate anyone’s effort to
come join us for these weekdays trips. Other than that, the trips are actually pretty
well spread out this year, with an average of 1 trip per month. </div>
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<br clear="none" /></div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9501">
Here's how this year's monitoring dates look like </div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9502">
<br clear="none" /></div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9503">
21 Mar (Sat): Chek Jawa (CJ01) 4pm - 8pm<br />
<br clear="none" />
22 Apr (Wed): Cyrene Reef (CR01) 6am - 10am* <span id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9504" style="color: #cc0000;">(Weekday trip)</span><br />
<br clear="none" />
9 May (Sat): Pulau Semakau (PS01) 6am - 11am<br />
<br clear="none" />
<br clear="none" />
6 Jun (Sat): Chek Jawa (CJ02) 6am - 11am<br />
<br clear="none" />
5 Jul (Sun): Cyrene Reef (CR02) 6am to 11am*<br />
<br clear="none" />
2 Aug (Sun): Pulau Semakau (PS02) 6am to 10am<br />
<br clear="none" />
<br clear="none" />
28 Oct (Wed): Chek Jawa (CJ03) 3pm to 7pm <span style="color: #cc0000;">(Weekday trip)</span><br />
<br clear="none" />
28 Nov (Sat): Cyrene Reef (CR03) 4pm to 8pm*<br />
<br clear="none" />
12 Dec (Sat): Pulau Semakau (PS03) 4pm to 8pm</div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9509">
<br clear="none" /></div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9508">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9507">
The first 3 trips of the year are up for sign ups. I will upload and announce the other sign up dates closer to the trips. <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/teamseagrass/database" rel="nofollow" shape="rect" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ teamseagrass/database</a> Looking
forward to seeing you guys soon. </div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9507">
<br /></div>
<div class="yiv8757590900MsoNormal" id="yui_3_16_0_1_1420994979814_9507">
<br /></div>
Rachel Lhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10808199489024085574noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-20791089639796163642014-07-02T12:35:00.001+08:002014-07-02T12:41:06.615+08:00Festival of Biodiversity, 12 and 13 July 2014If you're looking for something different to do on a weekend, why not visit the Festival of Biodiversity?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCo-Vwm_vj_G7Tn5GKVPpFznUt9NyhQ-yDRPPW5fqPlzKaW-n6X8g5jD4QsYItDFR9K02zeH-e4VqaTVGs-5k_hUTOS9EpE_w5FowLVXPh2uxL4QoGmiBXlDLb0DDXDUnQWmNl/s1600/FOB_Publicity+Poster_A3_270614-01low.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCo-Vwm_vj_G7Tn5GKVPpFznUt9NyhQ-yDRPPW5fqPlzKaW-n6X8g5jD4QsYItDFR9K02zeH-e4VqaTVGs-5k_hUTOS9EpE_w5FowLVXPh2uxL4QoGmiBXlDLb0DDXDUnQWmNl/s1600/FOB_Publicity+Poster_A3_270614-01low.jpg" height="640" width="451" /></a></div>
<br />
TeamSeaGrass will be participating together with other local blue groups. We'll be at the marine section so do pop by to say hi!<br />
<br />
We're also looking for volunteers from among TeamSeaGrass members to engage with the public at the marine section. This section will showcase Singapore's marine biodiversity as well as highlight local marine research and the initiatives of local blue groups. Please sign up <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_PKiML433DpryAPXt65DKONhW_9mUxZ7Y1fkE4wSKqU/edit?usp=sharing" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a> or email <a href="mailto:noraishah@gmail.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Nor Aishah</a> for more information.<br />
<br />
See you at the Festival!<br />
<br />
<br />NAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08093861463684769702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-47806712337789871082014-06-16T21:53:00.000+08:002014-06-16T22:04:36.150+08:00Cyrene Reef (15 June 2014)Greetings readers! TeamSeagrass is back with another successfully completed monitoring survey on Cyrene Reefs! We had a short scare when it started to drizzle on our way to the marina, but thankfully stopped after 20 minutes. We had 9 volunteers (including myself!) for this trip. Monitoring trips to Cyrene require our volunteers to have at least participated in 1 Chek Jawa monitoring and 3 P. Semakau monitoring due to the complexity of the meadows. Therefore, we had a couple of newly-minted volunteers on this trip - Cheryl, Bryan and Pearlynn! Good to see volunteers slowly upgrading their experience with us! :)<br />
<br />
The day started out with thick and fluffy clouds and a beautiful sunrise before it was covered by the clouds again... Interestingly, this wasn't how it first looked like when we had arrived...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWZ8lqSpD6pbbLu0X2Wx3uJQfyyeBNFYlqqT3hRadY8Kv1HB9p_pbg0FnsMoj9nQ-lp0EnRJm1GHEAQ5V-aMgmY2d3TyQR6DK-T_A9o3-z63wS-HX9gofnO3kR3oh7z7R-4px/s1600/A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrWZ8lqSpD6pbbLu0X2Wx3uJQfyyeBNFYlqqT3hRadY8Kv1HB9p_pbg0FnsMoj9nQ-lp0EnRJm1GHEAQ5V-aMgmY2d3TyQR6DK-T_A9o3-z63wS-HX9gofnO3kR3oh7z7R-4px/s1600/A.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise at Cyrene.</td></tr>
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We departed really early yesterday morning (5.30am!?) as Alex needed to be back at the marina for a second batch of customers. This meant that we did our very first amphibious landing IN THE DARK! I have to say I was quite worried (although the volunteers were eager to get onto the reefs), but all things turned out well. With my handy torch, I guided them to the sand bar where we gathered and arranged our usual equipment.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeOQJK7Sz1JiufTzGCXXr-ruSRYcCyLBlNJl40BwN2pm3DokqZ0cSGGdJbsQRMdBoRCsRq4aRxwTQzafzm7BIJsQUoL-Y1P_zXYV76miQ1U_82hqQ0hgw__eHX7PnW1zbu0NQ/s1600/B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbeOQJK7Sz1JiufTzGCXXr-ruSRYcCyLBlNJl40BwN2pm3DokqZ0cSGGdJbsQRMdBoRCsRq4aRxwTQzafzm7BIJsQUoL-Y1P_zXYV76miQ1U_82hqQ0hgw__eHX7PnW1zbu0NQ/s1600/B.jpg" height="320" width="211" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteers and coordinators chatting (top). Photo from Johnson Ong; amphibious landing in total darkness! (bottom). Photo from Pearlynn Sim.</td></tr>
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Yep... This is how it looked like when we first landed. Fortunately everyone was ever-ready to head out for monitoring! Being kiasu, I suggested to Rachel and Samantha that we should take the volunteers to their Site 2. :P<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIduAEambaR9rhYGu7RmbrQwwgkduVba091mE6ANDJvif4_OwfoaWfgLw4UVgaQSzOmxIjlqBwBKYG9gwKCusHCVWlAXnru8Os1XjShF5OLqe3SN7snpFMydd-J4hSbkhKcqA/s1600/C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizIduAEambaR9rhYGu7RmbrQwwgkduVba091mE6ANDJvif4_OwfoaWfgLw4UVgaQSzOmxIjlqBwBKYG9gwKCusHCVWlAXnru8Os1XjShF5OLqe3SN7snpFMydd-J4hSbkhKcqA/s1600/C.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Johnson shining the light for Boon Seng... Photo from Johnson Ong.</td></tr>
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Finally first light at 6.50am! Time to start monitoring!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgj9AarLs-CaVoXUeaU8PfDqMYqhh1yFuJXWu5jeHZSTddnra7RHJWK5kYBsrgMdGGOnExSKPpOxA8RjrzJD_1f_Ycl8NgJvWj28muHOkDKZKkG4oE2QYQYRhuPqGuJy3wrzy/s1600/D.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYgj9AarLs-CaVoXUeaU8PfDqMYqhh1yFuJXWu5jeHZSTddnra7RHJWK5kYBsrgMdGGOnExSKPpOxA8RjrzJD_1f_Ycl8NgJvWj28muHOkDKZKkG4oE2QYQYRhuPqGuJy3wrzy/s1600/D.jpeg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam and I talking about seagrass (I think..?). Photo from Rachel Lim.</td></tr>
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We were blessed with a cool and breezy weather with almost no sun! It makes monitoring alot easier, minus the glare and sweat.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkyhOv3ELReEjGd0mrdSgGtNczLedMh397d9W5bIqE4b8BnXfSE5gY_A05T6VZLs8kTWGjwwvnyY4BVMWNx3LKYJ1Q4mY-oKNB1uvdnVtJYaKuMCAB8R-TI8YGSviaTKXtUMr/s1600/E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFkyhOv3ELReEjGd0mrdSgGtNczLedMh397d9W5bIqE4b8BnXfSE5gY_A05T6VZLs8kTWGjwwvnyY4BVMWNx3LKYJ1Q4mY-oKNB1uvdnVtJYaKuMCAB8R-TI8YGSviaTKXtUMr/s1600/E.jpg" height="320" width="234" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sam at Site 1, T3 (top); Cheryl at Site 2 (bottom). Photo from Johnson Ong.</td></tr>
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This trip is much shorter than our usual trips but that didn't stop us from having a look around!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOkTgVdG9bsFHK2ogXMGrRvPL3Si6KVXy7X_KtBvfE3W70MfWldq3fBroSF7XCDukZqdLSa8N2QELzUfTifI3WO-scvFRSkrjVrJms1kSIltHIMs4YYsIr96SvR6SfvzQJOu0/s1600/F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbOkTgVdG9bsFHK2ogXMGrRvPL3Si6KVXy7X_KtBvfE3W70MfWldq3fBroSF7XCDukZqdLSa8N2QELzUfTifI3WO-scvFRSkrjVrJms1kSIltHIMs4YYsIr96SvR6SfvzQJOu0/s1600/F.jpg" height="264" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Left: Ribbon worm; Right top: Common seastar (Photo from Johnson Ong); Right bottom: Cake seastar?</td></tr>
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We noticed an interesting phenomenon - mass mortality of this shrimp (below)! We tried to save some of them by putting them back into the water but usually they are already dead. Some volunteers were wondering if it could be due to drying out on the sand bar - possible but I was doubtful as these animals tend to survive well under tidal conditions. So what happened here?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNN7JLwLsrmMklBC_EDDagBFm7UYCjArB_NbSBwUz6BgeMDL8ih6JA1WRym7Vap4KT86IUse_DvZVGmXUny-A5QAQnzAHB8whvbEU85aytSR5GXk0MeCDRFwPoVLujfqW9qep/s1600/G.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNN7JLwLsrmMklBC_EDDagBFm7UYCjArB_NbSBwUz6BgeMDL8ih6JA1WRym7Vap4KT86IUse_DvZVGmXUny-A5QAQnzAHB8whvbEU85aytSR5GXk0MeCDRFwPoVLujfqW9qep/s1600/G.jpg" height="320" width="241" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Penaeid shrimps? Mass mortality?</td></tr>
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Another phenomenon that has been reported since the start of June is bleaching of corals and other zooxanthellate animals... So far, bleaching has been minimal with most corals having a small patch of bleached out. We are expecting higher water temperatures in July and that could have severe repercussions to our coral reefs. :( I think I also found a patch of zoanthids looking pale... Oh no!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96EYw_e0IZ1DbjC8oDoSRDlTCPmQUygO7AmZnkyHQXo3NDxaKX93skiKQgu_Ho3LUB9dKKGPPqbZP6A1sm3emZm56H5q3sm2ThDPrdekH3T24f-Y2GunOSPxt4lBfCutqfJw0/s1600/H.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg96EYw_e0IZ1DbjC8oDoSRDlTCPmQUygO7AmZnkyHQXo3NDxaKX93skiKQgu_Ho3LUB9dKKGPPqbZP6A1sm3emZm56H5q3sm2ThDPrdekH3T24f-Y2GunOSPxt4lBfCutqfJw0/s1600/H.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bleaching of soft corals (left) and hard corals (right). Photos from Rachel Lim.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Sk3rq1ZzOVqh6WM2L9FTo4aRS2-k7vi-xP5cJhHBIU26jGrWl5BpHKd6M1b5nroR_5NVggKCssRGD5RhrTSk6yzrGSsYp1cfys_vWkvLS_7suU90q-l6JblQ2jG1hw6p6XNM/s1600/I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Sk3rq1ZzOVqh6WM2L9FTo4aRS2-k7vi-xP5cJhHBIU26jGrWl5BpHKd6M1b5nroR_5NVggKCssRGD5RhrTSk6yzrGSsYp1cfys_vWkvLS_7suU90q-l6JblQ2jG1hw6p6XNM/s1600/I.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More bleaching records... Zoanthids bleaching? (right bottom)</td></tr>
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Before the tides turn, we had our (formal) group photo! Everyone was very sporty! haha...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOwlpiXH1AF9sXcvWflPvXt0Ep6zun6zs8wz1xeowQW8ZhnA1z_nVcRpscJrae9nB1NWmsOHFzCmyYSn3anTWpOQMHlpLEnArhQFs3t2Zx-ns2nyWuVSPx1LzjMMFGUI6X_8M/s1600/J.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFOwlpiXH1AF9sXcvWflPvXt0Ep6zun6zs8wz1xeowQW8ZhnA1z_nVcRpscJrae9nB1NWmsOHFzCmyYSn3anTWpOQMHlpLEnArhQFs3t2Zx-ns2nyWuVSPx1LzjMMFGUI6X_8M/s1600/J.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our iconic orange life jackets! :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFLT8DIAzSEJ1c628_SekK-vr7mhTl4TvSbw2sf9rRgT-Jl78Wsi-9eS4wn4Fq6loTZlGBczWPUKOmNsJihJEQ5Ortut7I3wNPMZVTUzWGQXYIMCkTJ7bEjFlhm4CSUuMs9_T/s1600/K.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEFLT8DIAzSEJ1c628_SekK-vr7mhTl4TvSbw2sf9rRgT-Jl78Wsi-9eS4wn4Fq6loTZlGBczWPUKOmNsJihJEQ5Ortut7I3wNPMZVTUzWGQXYIMCkTJ7bEjFlhm4CSUuMs9_T/s1600/K.jpg" height="252" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteers disembarking for the boat. Having selfie time!</td></tr>
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A great day out! A BIG thank you to our dedicated volunteers: Johnson, Boon Seng, Bryan, Pearlynn, Cheryl, and Juin Bin, and thank you Rachel and Samantha for making arrangements for the fieldtrip and looking out for everyone! :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1srh8j74ngd3eecDScFtpM_N9eXPq9O6pzDxAYIwCAf_tZ0XdNKgUfZPFUzXbu2kR9TlaZ6RRTSC5wwQ-QCIo_jimLxN1vPYeGg7uQf4v4m9X4W3tv0_Zc5FS_ZAQyL69VCr/s1600/L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS1srh8j74ngd3eecDScFtpM_N9eXPq9O6pzDxAYIwCAf_tZ0XdNKgUfZPFUzXbu2kR9TlaZ6RRTSC5wwQ-QCIo_jimLxN1vPYeGg7uQf4v4m9X4W3tv0_Zc5FS_ZAQyL69VCr/s1600/L.jpg" height="320" width="191" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A picture with our iconic Knobbly seastars! :D</td></tr>
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We still have another two more monitoring trips for 2014! Do sign up with us at our <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/teamseagrass/database">database</a>!<br />
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TeamSeagrass is also now on Twitter and Instagram. Check us out @TeamSeagrass!<br />
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ALSO, TeamSeagrass will have a panel at this year's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/fob.nparks">Festival of Biodiversity</a>! Do drop by and say hi! We have something special installed for our volunteers so stay tune to our blog!Neo Mei Lin (Dr.)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15707138402355497263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-66337505264199784302014-05-30T15:38:00.002+08:002014-05-30T20:48:56.792+08:00Chek Jawa (18 May 2014)It was another lovely day out at Chek Jawa with a team comprising many newbies and some oldies (but goodies).<br />
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We assemble at the Changi Point Jetty in the wee hours of the morning to catch the bumboat to Pulau Ubin.<br />
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One bumboat and van ride later...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZrinXRFdROMWnJAM1TkianURfh-mcY9bcpRiPmuHrS8vhZ85P3oW6KmkCdPo6SYYcug7iL0mOQ2HprtSzRYYBHzufK2aLROth6iukiaXOhIaR6mi7JaRQDWPDz-Iy7l4vQJR/s1600/P1000003.JPG" height="400" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="302" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Everyone's awake! Shocker.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUWMQ34JBuCTLKIuHmKZBqvxGeYhBbXIEDEUk7I5sjttVmkrqNGf-XfCYyeQtQVJ0xbgcFusuyExmSOyFGHJ4TATyRpdey1QU6qjKqd2xvRKBddK1lKXzaJUY-WBcsPliBkdJ/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUWMQ34JBuCTLKIuHmKZBqvxGeYhBbXIEDEUk7I5sjttVmkrqNGf-XfCYyeQtQVJ0xbgcFusuyExmSOyFGHJ4TATyRpdey1QU6qjKqd2xvRKBddK1lKXzaJUY-WBcsPliBkdJ/s1600/image.jpeg" height="400" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>The van taking us into the unknown...</i></td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a>We're here! We gear up and start off with Ms Rachel Lim splitting the volunteers up into groups. These are assigned such that newbies are grouped with more experienced volunteers. Here at the Team, we take our on-the-job training very seriously!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Let's talk about the data sheet...</i></td></tr>
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I conducted the safety briefing and explained the data sheet near the Chek Jawa information counter before we set off down the boardwalk. A lovely sunrise greeted us!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Good morning!</i></td></tr>
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But alas, the gate leading to the ladder was locked and we had to turn back and walk down by the side of the boardwalk. Thankfully, today's low tide was longer than usual so we did not have to rush.<br />
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Samantha then conducted the seagrass ID briefing. We have a look at some of the seagrasses commonly found on Chek Jawa and learn how to tell them apart.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Samantha showing the Team the seagrasses of Chek Jawa.</i></td></tr>
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Today, I am with the team heading to Site 2 (aka the far site). We head off with Samantha leading the way.<br />
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Samuel, Yi Sze and I take Transect 1 at Site 2. Uh-oh! Not many seagrasses along our transect line.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3Of-aOzF0-SUbEBzFrgU3iQTbDjVxP8GfECuL8064yew7vkHyK8sma96xP868y7XaTyVLLF1nQFkapjHw0uus6BMZ2ZpVB5A3DOXn-5ioRP0ZGwOq2avKi09ZdlMffyfjyd4/s1600/P1010748.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx3Of-aOzF0-SUbEBzFrgU3iQTbDjVxP8GfECuL8064yew7vkHyK8sma96xP868y7XaTyVLLF1nQFkapjHw0uus6BMZ2ZpVB5A3DOXn-5ioRP0ZGwOq2avKi09ZdlMffyfjyd4/s1600/P1010748.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Site 2, Transect 1, 25m. This was typical of our transect. :(</td></tr>
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Over at Transect 3 of Site 2, things are looking more lush...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Site 2, Transect 3. Measuring the water depth.</i></td></tr>
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And yes... Finally, we are done!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWmvDiM2_SfJ859pw3mDrJQ7gGebKRLbSA1u-rAVfBvhHEBkfpgbDmwttq11Cnq0I_vZIS5kvPL00OmiyvsMiHLL6PdTM5SnqtCU9a7wCrlROr32LQRt2tAv2G2DqfJ9P6mQX/s1600/P1010759.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHWmvDiM2_SfJ859pw3mDrJQ7gGebKRLbSA1u-rAVfBvhHEBkfpgbDmwttq11Cnq0I_vZIS5kvPL00OmiyvsMiHLL6PdTM5SnqtCU9a7wCrlROr32LQRt2tAv2G2DqfJ9P6mQX/s1600/P1010759.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy volunteers!</i></td></tr>
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As it is a longer low tide today, we had a little more time to look around. We are joined by a pack of dogs frolicking in the water! Looks like they're enjoying their day out too!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Having a look around.</i></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Happy dogs join our volunteers on the shore!</i></td></tr>
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But then the dark clouds started rolling in, signalling to us that it's time to go. We head back and not a moment sooner, for it started pouring when we were walking up the slope to the information counter!<br />
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The rain doesn't deter us from washing the equipment. The washing up endeavour is led by Boon Seng, our MVV (most valuable volunteer) of the day! Boon Seng's car had a flat tyre on the journey to the Changi Point Jetty but this didn't stop him from making his own way to Chek Jawa! Thank you, Boon Seng!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>A little rain won't stop us from cleaning up the equipment!</i></td></tr>
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And thank you to the volunteers who joined us today: Chin Yi Wen, Cong Yi Sze, Feng Yu Hui, Huynh Thuan Phuoc, Cheryl Koh, Samantha Lai, Benjamin Lee, Lee Juin Bin, Rachel Lim, Nor Aishah, Quek Boon Seng, Pearlynn Sim, Kristine Tan, Samuel Tan, Tan Yi Mei, Wong Xinyuan and Joanna Yeo. Thanks too to the NParks interns, Mashitah, Joanna Wong and Zubaidah.<br />
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See you at the next trip!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIAjKzF3qq-lUb_rQ2ZTrqDjn9WYrkAVDToOLDzXz1VZFM6atOO9aP3SeWNgjL1l3OjMRvsusEBIh9MmO1hgGUpk7b30VdUhl4qHm7gB2JTCcbiMBdFg4M73qmkYgA5qTgikh/s1600/image+(2).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvIAjKzF3qq-lUb_rQ2ZTrqDjn9WYrkAVDToOLDzXz1VZFM6atOO9aP3SeWNgjL1l3OjMRvsusEBIh9MmO1hgGUpk7b30VdUhl4qHm7gB2JTCcbiMBdFg4M73qmkYgA5qTgikh/s1600/image+(2).jpeg" height="400" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>We remembered to take a group photo, guest starring the bikini babe!</i></td></tr>
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<!-- Blogger automated replacement: "https://images-blogger-opensocial.googleusercontent.com/gadgets/proxy?url=http%3A%2F%2F3.bp.blogspot.com%2F-A3Kp6BNNjc4%2FU4go4zwBEZI%2FAAAAAAAAGsM%2FLo0q4l_RIjA%2Fs1600%2Fimage.jpeg&container=blogger&gadget=a&rewriteMime=image%2F*" with "https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLUWMQ34JBuCTLKIuHmKZBqvxGeYhBbXIEDEUk7I5sjttVmkrqNGf-XfCYyeQtQVJ0xbgcFusuyExmSOyFGHJ4TATyRpdey1QU6qjKqd2xvRKBddK1lKXzaJUY-WBcsPliBkdJ/s1600/image.jpeg" -->NAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08093861463684769702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-2538285422050204772014-04-23T19:47:00.002+08:002014-05-30T20:49:40.769+08:00Cyrene Reef (19 April, 2014)<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our first Cyrene Reef trip started off early today at Marina @ Keppel Bay. It also marked the start of the morning low-tides, so the Team had to get adjusted to the early hours again. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Despite having to wake up at 5am on a weekend, everyone turned up on time and we left promptly at 6am.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Siti showing a surprising amount of energy for an early morning trip, while Johannes clearly has other priorities. </span></i><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo courtesy of Rachel.</i></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: justify;">After a quick ride on Alex's boat, we reached the waters off Pasir Panjang Port and disembarked onto Cyrene. We spotted quite a few purple jellyfishes on the dinghy ride over to the reef (a bloom?) but everyone managed to arrive sting-free.</span>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>One perk of morning trips is that you get to catch the sunrise! </i></span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo courtesy of Mei Lin and Rachel.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After a quick mandatory Team photo, we set off to our transects. Thankfully, we still managed to find our stakes at Site 2 without our GPS. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cyrene has one of the most diverse seagrass meadows in Singapore, and it is not unusual to find up to 5 species within the same quadrat! This means that we have to be meticulous about identifying the different species within each quadrat, especially since some seagrasses like <i>Cymodocea serrulata, C. rotundata </i>and <i>Thalassia hemprichii</i> are superficially similar. This also makes it more difficult to estimate species composition.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Nor Asiah and Siti hard at work! We (Siti) also ensure that volunteers are well fed (with Tostitos) even during the survey. Talk about volunteer welfare! </i></span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo courtesy of Mei Lin.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Similar to what we saw at the last Chek Jawa trip, some of the seagrasses appeared to have blackened tips - perhaps due to the prolonged sun exposure during the drought?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Seagrasses with blackened tips. Photo courtesy of Mei Lin.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While the work at Cyrene is never easy, we are always rewarded by the rich biodiversity found on this patch reef.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>A knobbly seastar chilling out in a bare batch near the end of our transect. </i></span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo courtesy of Rachel.</i></div>
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<i>Is that seaweed? Look closely - its an octopus demonstrating an excellent example of mimicry. </i><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo courtesy of Mei Lin.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Here's the same octopus not pretending to be something else! </i></span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo courtesy of Johannes.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>There were also plenty of common seastars getting it on. </i></span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo courtesy of Johannes.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>A giant anemone among the seagrass. </i></span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo courtesy of Mei Lin.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>A commensal shrimp on another anemone. </i></span><i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo courtesy of Johannes.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Thank you Rachel, Siti, Nor Aishah, Mei Lin, Johnson, Juin Bin, Johannes and Michelle for making it down over the long weeked!</span></div>
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<i style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Photo courtesy of Johannes.</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">TeamSeagass is now on Twitter and Instagram. Check us out @TeamSeagrass!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You can also sign up for the rest of 2014's trips at our <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/teamseagrass/database">database</a>. Spaces are limited, so do it soon!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16978852274097304614noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-72917339125803243822014-03-03T10:26:00.001+08:002014-05-30T20:52:00.304+08:00Chek Jawa (1 March 2014)Second monitoring trip for 2014 and TeamSeagrass heads to Chek Jawa. It's looking to be another HOT day as the Team boarded the boat to Pulau Ubin.<br />
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We had a large group of newbies and some old-bees who had forgotten how to monitor; so we decided today will be a teaching session, where we take it slow and emphasize the finer points of monitoring. After we sorted the old-bees, newbies and stalwarts into groups (this always takes waaay too much time, maybe we need a TeamSeagrass sorting hat?), I did the briefing and we headed out to shore to do the seagrass ID session.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Siti giving the briefing. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading out on the boardwalk - there were many visitors around and we didn't want to give the wrong idea by climbing down the "side-route". Also, just like any other group that is allowed access to Chek Jawa, TeamSeagrass had to apply for a permit to carry out our quarterly monitoring. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quick seagrass ID session and we are off! :) </td></tr>
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The inter-tidal elves have been up to mischief because this is the second day that we've found the stakes marking our transect start points missing. At CJ1, only one stake was left standing and from what I hear, there was some trouble locating CJ2 as well. In situations like this, we are relieved to have our trusty GPS to tell us where our sites are. After a quick introduction on how to set up the site (transect lines 2 and 3 were missing from CJ1), we started the monitoring.<br />
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I had Loius and Erine in my group, both of whom were relatively new, but enthusiastic and responsive, which is great. It always sucks when you ask a question only to be met with silence; although if I had been given a dollar every time it happens, I think I'd be pretty rich. I did the first 4 or 5 quadrats with Erine and Louis, making sure to emphasize the importance of checking their estimates against the percent cover standards sheets, how to include only seagrasses that have their "footprint" in the quadrat to prevent overestimation, and how to estimate relative species composition. I also taught them how to use the epiphyte cover matrix, which really helps take the guesswork and brain sprain out of estimating epiphyte cover.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PEQezH_JlND7YQt0G-aqR9PtXZZy1Q0ecZsbzSAiOe9K9XKgDySe4AsznbnSdKzcahVzbUACvVaR_BmyShlN9h-pYo3gJUdktz6Y-cP3XX2wXZeec2PplLWaWr7Ver_67ija/s1600/photo_4_epimatrix_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PEQezH_JlND7YQt0G-aqR9PtXZZy1Q0ecZsbzSAiOe9K9XKgDySe4AsznbnSdKzcahVzbUACvVaR_BmyShlN9h-pYo3gJUdktz6Y-cP3XX2wXZeec2PplLWaWr7Ver_67ija/s1600/photo_4_epimatrix_640x480.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using the Epi-Matrix to estimate epiphyte cover on seagrass leaves. Its much easier and more accurate to use this matrix because its a standard that's being used across all seagrass monitoring sites. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_3ZreRaT8ZgbR_VeqVkFoG7cEv3FGRT-LPZ4rLWno2wdlcfxmE4bovkANFncM-zhAXG69Tnf1HgEVUDaBgz-rxkk_euRdzAzzM9351oZVWD8cHw6C5yBOQoQYCSB-j72pmir/s1600/photo_5_percentcoversheet_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_3ZreRaT8ZgbR_VeqVkFoG7cEv3FGRT-LPZ4rLWno2wdlcfxmE4bovkANFncM-zhAXG69Tnf1HgEVUDaBgz-rxkk_euRdzAzzM9351oZVWD8cHw6C5yBOQoQYCSB-j72pmir/s1600/photo_5_percentcoversheet_640x480.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using the percent cover standards sheets allows us to calibrate our percent cover estimates against the same set of standards used at other Seagrass-Watch monitoring sites worldwide. This makes the data we collect more reliable and comparable to data collected using the same methods at other sites. </td></tr>
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After the 5th quadrat, I decided to take a step back and let my team practice what I've just taught them. I think they did pretty well. The method designed by Seagrass-Watch is meant to be simple and easily replicated, which is what makes it such an ideal method to be used by citizen science groups like ourselves. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuSMdaEvSGAQTv8YznbSFx7yS1Qc75E_Bdd-nQTuAzHpFICffFaZ4gd4RQNtKG_b36pQL2OgHfLUgCXizTU0_e5qkUK3ljdb3qxOXjSg7geIrKv8MpXm3LbPpnalwQ0Tze3Yq/s1600/photo_6_cjmonitoring_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFuSMdaEvSGAQTv8YznbSFx7yS1Qc75E_Bdd-nQTuAzHpFICffFaZ4gd4RQNtKG_b36pQL2OgHfLUgCXizTU0_e5qkUK3ljdb3qxOXjSg7geIrKv8MpXm3LbPpnalwQ0Tze3Yq/s1600/photo_6_cjmonitoring_640x480.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Erine and Louis monitoring seagrass like pros :) </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Looking around, I see the other two transect groups led by Nor Aishah and Rachel hard at work too, which makes my inner dictator happy.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0na2eMBrAzwKjxokNyx5FwP12NsGuSeBsGAy3JytHQJ7H9ZO8FYDpbZW-Xzz4jG8mq_ya7xkWhgLSa_s8vBpwXZRJJaxiBZNRqjP6RVNE64BhB2RKEaUx1yxbKjZUTMQJzAhI/s1600/P3010263_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0na2eMBrAzwKjxokNyx5FwP12NsGuSeBsGAy3JytHQJ7H9ZO8FYDpbZW-Xzz4jG8mq_ya7xkWhgLSa_s8vBpwXZRJJaxiBZNRqjP6RVNE64BhB2RKEaUx1yxbKjZUTMQJzAhI/s1600/P3010263_640x480.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rachel with new volunteers Christine and Wan Yi at CJ site 1 transect 1. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Y73vYnytm_tcjOw1WOgwHT2W87fSMh16-qj95nJNK09YHXpXUaj1-lu-hvvx5ma4vOoFMBqjYw1rI1a4OwcHDOFy_l06h1ffEJTV6oArqh__JQr56MwXTobqh2tlY9PIcdpG/s1600/P3010266_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Y73vYnytm_tcjOw1WOgwHT2W87fSMh16-qj95nJNK09YHXpXUaj1-lu-hvvx5ma4vOoFMBqjYw1rI1a4OwcHDOFy_l06h1ffEJTV6oArqh__JQr56MwXTobqh2tlY9PIcdpG/s1600/P3010266_640x480.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nor Aishah with Jocelyn (another one!) and Ivan at CJ1T2. </td></tr>
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All in all, it was a pretty good day, the <i>Cymodocea rotundata</i> (ribbon seagrass) meadow between the boardwalk and at CJ1 looked to be in pretty good shape despite the heat and sun (which by the way, decided to go play behind some clouds and the wind picked up which made for AWESOME monitoring weather). Although, some of the seagrass on the fully exposed sand mounds looked a little worse for wear - likely from dessication at low tide and over-exposure to direct sunlight.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blackened <i>Halophila ovalis </i>(spoon seagrass) likely from overexposure to sunlight coupled with drying out from being exposed during an afternoon low tide. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqic8xPfCJvdLVJYwQjMYA6ityNtj9RkgkI3n1qzOGUyaGYH7C_zUFTe1opPVXOGuCvLDhuiNsJCGONY9stX-lmkOV0zZSZo3Bzjg_gVn94Im_h7IP88-H5ZZ0QReqQxWfbz5F/s1600/P3010254_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqic8xPfCJvdLVJYwQjMYA6ityNtj9RkgkI3n1qzOGUyaGYH7C_zUFTe1opPVXOGuCvLDhuiNsJCGONY9stX-lmkOV0zZSZo3Bzjg_gVn94Im_h7IP88-H5ZZ0QReqQxWfbz5F/s1600/P3010254_640x480.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More examples of stress - seagrasses looking bleached. Direct exposure to sunlight at low tide can cause stress to the plant and chlorophyll to break down. </td></tr>
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After wrapping up, we managed to have a bit of a walk about and spotted some cool critters chillaxing in the wetter parts of the meadow, like a sea pen, some cool sea cukes (that's cucumbers), and noble volutes laying eggs. Chek Jawa always has a surprise or two up its sleeve :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmuYgtTL6muqE8sEd2gKR3El_ciOD43icVp-cwZaXxec5KiG2YH-TM0WOyT4sNg3YO28J-Fdn5uebDvghng1rm2iIza1G4NULqfvt_GFovXFKL0VMe9U86HTcXzSAxE8iwFME/s1600/photo_3_ivanguiding_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZmuYgtTL6muqE8sEd2gKR3El_ciOD43icVp-cwZaXxec5KiG2YH-TM0WOyT4sNg3YO28J-Fdn5uebDvghng1rm2iIza1G4NULqfvt_GFovXFKL0VMe9U86HTcXzSAxE8iwFME/s1600/photo_3_ivanguiding_640x480.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We activated Ivan and he went into guide mode, telling the newer volunteers about the fun critters we saw :)</td></tr>
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And of course, we saw lots of dugong feeding trails, but it never seems to happen IN our site :( Although, one has to wonder if the trails were really from dugongs or just hungry TeamSeagrass volunteers! ;)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2FM_ysg2n98L3fDZh9pa-5KwJayl3cr48oGnbz93XD8eBdWsXC3kscREKW-524KpnDVeWM_ppNsl-9Uds6ABUe2qnzo4k5m4VBEPjHcPIwIV6LNZUrPHFFeBH_7-H9Q9egtl/s1600/photo+dugong+trail_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF2FM_ysg2n98L3fDZh9pa-5KwJayl3cr48oGnbz93XD8eBdWsXC3kscREKW-524KpnDVeWM_ppNsl-9Uds6ABUe2qnzo4k5m4VBEPjHcPIwIV6LNZUrPHFFeBH_7-H9Q9egtl/s1600/photo+dugong+trail_640x480.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dugong feeding trail? Or was Pei Yan feeling peckish? ;)</td></tr>
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That's all for now folks, till our next monitoring trip, TeamSeagrass, signing out! :)<br />
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For more on yesterday's monitoring, check out <a href="http://www.psychedelic-nature.blogspot.sg/2014/03/happy-wild-boars-at-chek-jawa-01-march.html" target="_blank">Mei Lin's blog</a> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-44395606472410673702014-03-01T11:33:00.002+08:002014-05-30T20:53:40.451+08:00Pulau Semakau (28 February 2014)2014 marks TeamSeagrass's 8th year in monitoring! Woo hoo! Our very first monitoring trip brings us to Pulau Semakau. It is also unfortunately our <a href="http://www.eco-business.com/news/nea-plan-seeks-limit-damage-landfill-expansion/">last trip to Pulau Semakau</a> for the next year or so, as NEA is starting works on the construction of Phase 2's cells to accommodate future waste disposal.<br />
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Nevertheless, we managed to gather a team of 20 volunteers - firstly a BIG THANK YOU for coming to join us, especially since it is a weekday. With the recent hot dry spells, we urged our volunteers to protect themselves and hydrate! We also conducted our usual briefing in the NEA building prior to departure onto the seashore... <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3lPAH4Z-r-11tG-n52FGLotWY_sYDb9uO9V41urF6BW2VlMOG8W1DRiBS_PNNwTsqZ6PdvohOMFQnE_iw6VAURffR-u_x_0RCRekdI0C8YsBV2lRCzbweNjrZVdTV_70b93y/s1600/A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3lPAH4Z-r-11tG-n52FGLotWY_sYDb9uO9V41urF6BW2VlMOG8W1DRiBS_PNNwTsqZ6PdvohOMFQnE_iw6VAURffR-u_x_0RCRekdI0C8YsBV2lRCzbweNjrZVdTV_70b93y/s1600/A.jpg" height="400" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Captain Siti briefing everyone</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZfUPgoXf1MXeDaFZyfTMjh8fz4dz9UkglDs2T5ucc6pueJfJXuzSMsU5aNhGI-kA9H4o_7xmxj8AYsAUUN92UHXCnp1q2BtL0sUF9gsmMJdtvScdEU6Xp9lSrs6beFYHTLzl/s1600/B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ZfUPgoXf1MXeDaFZyfTMjh8fz4dz9UkglDs2T5ucc6pueJfJXuzSMsU5aNhGI-kA9H4o_7xmxj8AYsAUUN92UHXCnp1q2BtL0sUF9gsmMJdtvScdEU6Xp9lSrs6beFYHTLzl/s1600/B.jpg" height="258" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Attentive volunteers</td></tr>
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Upon arrival, I was pleased to find out that the tides were much lower than the expected tides! The flats were exposed to the very reef-edge! This made our monitoring smooth and easy too (especially with the photography of quadrats). While it was particularly sunny, we were blessed that the clouds came over to shelter us from the sun.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYwDEfkhyCxHcW9rejJ3DGPJ3tLZPA7qaAT6doYp7PNJiKKBQX8-jGc47spdZFGXihSnCDmJWhWcti_WAvlR8hV4OKIikcksxYW7fDTBZK2TSuw0XpK4X_QmhqK-OHBzGg2XZ/s1600/C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEYwDEfkhyCxHcW9rejJ3DGPJ3tLZPA7qaAT6doYp7PNJiKKBQX8-jGc47spdZFGXihSnCDmJWhWcti_WAvlR8hV4OKIikcksxYW7fDTBZK2TSuw0XpK4X_QmhqK-OHBzGg2XZ/s1600/C.jpg" height="235" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteers in pairs, working together to gather data</td></tr>
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How are the seagrasses on Pulau Semakau? Sadly, it appears to have deteriorated even further since the <a href="http://teamseagrass.blogspot.sg/2013/11/pulau-semakau-3-november-2013.html#.UxFQdl5Xcuo">previous monitoring</a>. In my transect, almost half the quadrats had no seagrass cover at all; algae cover appears to be very low, if not zero in most quadrats too... What is happening to our seagrasses?? <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKpqZQKapdCrftQUrtjvhC2SyvA_Si3gQJv4Yh553yju1P3TWEXn5LRfiIc3Y0P5p9iL37RtvkswCUyiySbtcCQe4DwgSTwvXxLaLXQ70ZAyn_o0fhvHe8IgemaCmpQngyGlD/s1600/D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZKpqZQKapdCrftQUrtjvhC2SyvA_Si3gQJv4Yh553yju1P3TWEXn5LRfiIc3Y0P5p9iL37RtvkswCUyiySbtcCQe4DwgSTwvXxLaLXQ70ZAyn_o0fhvHe8IgemaCmpQngyGlD/s1600/D.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5m mark - 5%</td></tr>
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Apart from the low (or zero) seagrass cover, many volunteers have commented that the canopy of grasses were very low (~1.5cm). :( The cropped seagrass syndrome has been observed on another monitored reef, Cyrene but to a lesser extent.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfM1c1F5tDXJN3Ktkiu-JKUNEf23dhnACnPYzthPcMGzxQ5gn1w-Xw_W2fHTjzfGsSRJKLb11UKOprhJCKrr6OSePmb_Ybzi68BUM-Hn0me2OuM4DS2lBGwgvgspEmSa1UlTbW/s1600/E.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfM1c1F5tDXJN3Ktkiu-JKUNEf23dhnACnPYzthPcMGzxQ5gn1w-Xw_W2fHTjzfGsSRJKLb11UKOprhJCKrr6OSePmb_Ybzi68BUM-Hn0me2OuM4DS2lBGwgvgspEmSa1UlTbW/s1600/E.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">25m mark - 0%</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmgsh2SOvQF_lTR3w3gsyDlZU3qL2UQB8mTiIFnJikWSZQBHBLShCudvUX8S69VXLD-Dy7_30TL8SevfRDm6ppXnDMzJA7ovwwEgxDRzjYfQK27cc2ZHl9wtnIQ4F2uPw7mZE/s1600/F.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmgsh2SOvQF_lTR3w3gsyDlZU3qL2UQB8mTiIFnJikWSZQBHBLShCudvUX8S69VXLD-Dy7_30TL8SevfRDm6ppXnDMzJA7ovwwEgxDRzjYfQK27cc2ZHl9wtnIQ4F2uPw7mZE/s1600/F.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">45m mark - 5%</td></tr>
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Thankfully, the residents of the seagrass meadows appear to be doing well for themselves! These knobblie seastars are one of the largest seastars found in Singapore - while they used to be found amongst the seagrasses, these animals appeared to have moved nearer towards the reef edge. Could they tell us what's happening to this meadow?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxLc-2T56RfOQ6c_EorrZ_FMcDTO7TvOTW2Ruf_9yPgxDl4LfeJ09N7aG3OldGOaw_NhJUz0PnkUClpLfq0s5yzIUCy-Hil0zta7Mcv0tOK1-TAb2hk_8DrZKwuumAD9ZDUxI/s1600/G.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKxLc-2T56RfOQ6c_EorrZ_FMcDTO7TvOTW2Ruf_9yPgxDl4LfeJ09N7aG3OldGOaw_NhJUz0PnkUClpLfq0s5yzIUCy-Hil0zta7Mcv0tOK1-TAb2hk_8DrZKwuumAD9ZDUxI/s1600/G.jpg" height="288" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Knobbly seastar (<i>Protoreaster nodosus</i>)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mJ1MKpnBfDpxtt5Zc0ANcn6BrZFW4kXdb2xIu3MPDq4X8DJKseuKnH4JLcHKdY6I2T6-vIBx1k8C0vinXVUw1g0Ly3kawrwp-BM-YoaJ8dZ0R9JBxPh-EERSVmPwrJKHjfer/s1600/H.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-mJ1MKpnBfDpxtt5Zc0ANcn6BrZFW4kXdb2xIu3MPDq4X8DJKseuKnH4JLcHKdY6I2T6-vIBx1k8C0vinXVUw1g0Ly3kawrwp-BM-YoaJ8dZ0R9JBxPh-EERSVmPwrJKHjfer/s1600/H.jpg" height="400" width="310" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Always entertaining everyone with their 'arm' stands</td></tr>
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I was really proud of myself for finding this small giant clam! Yes, this is a GIANT CLAM - the smallest known species, <i>Tridacna crocea</i>. This species can grow up to 15cm in length, and this one here is ~4.5cm - a long way more to go! It is heartening for me to see new individuals (and possibly newer recruits) onto our local reefs. I'm happy to share this young clam with all the volunteers.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXDaguBjpNquzSryJGnYWodO0bTZii1J7QMnafbd4Vi-MQVXYkVOWZgNkAkp0CDIurrLvJFK4vmp8DGYK5shokXj7of-qehWuAJc6gMfPm9fahlbK7drMosA-95p1Qjp1if1o/s1600/I.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxXDaguBjpNquzSryJGnYWodO0bTZii1J7QMnafbd4Vi-MQVXYkVOWZgNkAkp0CDIurrLvJFK4vmp8DGYK5shokXj7of-qehWuAJc6gMfPm9fahlbK7drMosA-95p1Qjp1if1o/s1600/I.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Tridacna crocea</i></td></tr>
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Another rare guest on the shore - the horseshoe crab (possibly the coastal species?).<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvprl3x67TdPcn3I3QdZ1sLC3AxXNri20FLNUGXjfkaP-Hv65TLQ9LD01gbX-Q7ihIORxjykJPfeHCY8IQNcHqOZPyBIFPCrZyrFOn0h6MczFkhEGo98ShIIVCo1j70kVGQ1r/s1600/J.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYvprl3x67TdPcn3I3QdZ1sLC3AxXNri20FLNUGXjfkaP-Hv65TLQ9LD01gbX-Q7ihIORxjykJPfeHCY8IQNcHqOZPyBIFPCrZyrFOn0h6MczFkhEGo98ShIIVCo1j70kVGQ1r/s1600/J.jpg" height="278" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Horseshoe crab</td></tr>
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Sean and friends also followed a friendly octopus around for a while! Check out his photo album for more cool photographs!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUYTJ5yhCD526-J8OOr1lIMTmBW4cK7JDhcakCx1EeMrAINhXErorUFFWA9xqelqsB1mGxJnooeS8F3pmBi30EUbpJyg3A8vrow4mG1_nLfctgUL4iR6oIJotzICx8zP_AWSP/s1600/1798236_10152099117098551_625659315_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUYTJ5yhCD526-J8OOr1lIMTmBW4cK7JDhcakCx1EeMrAINhXErorUFFWA9xqelqsB1mGxJnooeS8F3pmBi30EUbpJyg3A8vrow4mG1_nLfctgUL4iR6oIJotzICx8zP_AWSP/s1600/1798236_10152099117098551_625659315_n.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/balloonspider/media_set?set=a.10152099116578551.1073741866.609918550&type=1">Friendly octopus</a> - Shared on Sean Yap's Facebook</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBPFteZ4wcyUi9EzNrn5-ANvQuwetQwa_1ITALCAnoio6WMZGlvlQllkGBy6j9MQC9279YFC9Mx1-pSU791VDKxSTWAOAdzbLXVfrOQ0r2q9u0ZLhb4QYJRtjWMzroiCOuAI1/s1600/K.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXBPFteZ4wcyUi9EzNrn5-ANvQuwetQwa_1ITALCAnoio6WMZGlvlQllkGBy6j9MQC9279YFC9Mx1-pSU791VDKxSTWAOAdzbLXVfrOQ0r2q9u0ZLhb4QYJRtjWMzroiCOuAI1/s1600/K.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Volunteers having a look around</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBj-n0VIZSKLWpze4Dy9eiKfWAl-3d0kHX_kd_8qPgOuOVB5OuuW_FixnlXtr99Ln9CrHIYsdSO8_lDNNrYJwvGcALbzqc9dYU6bvPAc6J_dSy5Q7G_28GHLK3SzFdQH6KhpJ/s1600/L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglBj-n0VIZSKLWpze4Dy9eiKfWAl-3d0kHX_kd_8qPgOuOVB5OuuW_FixnlXtr99Ln9CrHIYsdSO8_lDNNrYJwvGcALbzqc9dYU6bvPAc6J_dSy5Q7G_28GHLK3SzFdQH6KhpJ/s1600/L.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prelude to sunset</td></tr>
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To wrap up the day, we took a group photo behind (alas!) the mangrove tree spot... Many thanks to all the volunteers who took time out to join us today and we hoped you had enjoyed it! Next up - Chek Jawa!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0-tl9u1kqZrvilhkklgslvmENaKmlDNTfl3-UpmNdO9lhF6OYxw1z5bq6t0Z8e4ZF_N5XWaMc6OgkiGKM2n6NSCZ7NwaySpcEqi_a5FRkn5MnQZ7ATKA2SDZzg4qg1Dj1loz/s1600/M.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0-tl9u1kqZrvilhkklgslvmENaKmlDNTfl3-UpmNdO9lhF6OYxw1z5bq6t0Z8e4ZF_N5XWaMc6OgkiGKM2n6NSCZ7NwaySpcEqi_a5FRkn5MnQZ7ATKA2SDZzg4qg1Dj1loz/s1600/M.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Smile everyone! Credits to Marcus Ng.</td></tr>
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Special thank you to our guests: Ross Coleman and Becki Morris from the University of Sydney! They work on rocky shores and seawalls - boy, they were so excited when they spotted one! Here's a photo of them looking around! :)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYUYpKgQCZXay31f-fkXIZ1Uau4wkcrYZhVo9lKy7gMpKDuvr1R8U5lj_NLAYDdIoivoYFCbPw0-3XlujzUT-Soh1tBZNN315E3fDkHE_riQPt6diM-9q9A7rHQzHnz7lCIRm/s1600/O.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbYUYpKgQCZXay31f-fkXIZ1Uau4wkcrYZhVo9lKy7gMpKDuvr1R8U5lj_NLAYDdIoivoYFCbPw0-3XlujzUT-Soh1tBZNN315E3fDkHE_riQPt6diM-9q9A7rHQzHnz7lCIRm/s1600/O.jpg" height="220" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seawall troopers!</td></tr>
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Neo Mei Lin (Dr.)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15707138402355497263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-69085809819427050412014-02-04T12:57:00.000+08:002014-05-30T20:55:46.205+08:00Of mud and seed banks: Adventures with Seagrass-Watch, 2nd - 3rd Feb 2014. So this is a totally belated post btw, I was supposed to do it, but all the thesis writing made it very difficult to face a computer and type stuff, so I put it off for as long as I could until it just got ridiculous, so here goes.<br />
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Len and Rudi from Seagass-Watch HQ visited us over the CNY weekend and OF COURSE we had to go seagrass adventuring. The aim of the trip was to collect some samples for nutrient analyses, genetic studies and to do a preliminary seed bank study.<br />
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Fortunately, the tides are evening tides, which means that we could sleep in after the CNY feasting and festivities before heading out to Chek Jawa on Sunday, 2nd Feb. Once we were there, Sam, Nor Aishah and I set out collecting samples for genetic analyses. There were some curious members of the public out and about and we had to tell them what we were doing. Good thing we have that research permit!<br />
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After that, Rudi showed us how to do seed bank sampling. It's a relatively simple method, using very simple tools, namely a PVC pipe and a kitchen sieve. The idea is to get about 10cm of sediment in the corer and sieve out the sediments and look for seeds. Here's Sam showing us how it's done:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjswHKJKCkylcpDRQ16U5gjMxS-Ckxuy3E5cWCMhRTlgTWO22RDZcOFtRD2KCfSLGpwThBv1ie3SwKlSEcRUjFVv-JQguDUPENICbATQyUYjJ02qSsqLiyEdYuQzuZro1NwXRdM/s1600/P1010610_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjswHKJKCkylcpDRQ16U5gjMxS-Ckxuy3E5cWCMhRTlgTWO22RDZcOFtRD2KCfSLGpwThBv1ie3SwKlSEcRUjFVv-JQguDUPENICbATQyUYjJ02qSsqLiyEdYuQzuZro1NwXRdM/s1600/P1010610_640x480.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Using the Corer (PVC pipe with cap) to sample ~10cm o sediment. </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sieving sediment away with a sieve (no! yes, really). </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHK-qijPoU2NPPJGLKY8BH8P1I4XTNxqbMNxVGLUwZMQrSNqmOWvso2YhdHMR1MmrvQTcSxqrdu6xqUp9GOnvLly9GEroLeLN-QQmCj3Hp4MzC-68SR9U4Hmf2cb4OxRLVIPw/s1600/P1010612_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqHK-qijPoU2NPPJGLKY8BH8P1I4XTNxqbMNxVGLUwZMQrSNqmOWvso2YhdHMR1MmrvQTcSxqrdu6xqUp9GOnvLly9GEroLeLN-QQmCj3Hp4MzC-68SR9U4Hmf2cb4OxRLVIPw/s1600/P1010612_640x480.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking for <i>H. uninervis</i> seeds. </td></tr>
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Unfortunately, we were not able to find any whole seeds :( Even after Len and Rudi tried (we thought maybe we were just blind!). Len and Rudi did however, find some seed coats from seeds that have already germinated, so we know that our seagrasses are having sexy times, although maybe, not often enough. If this sounds familiar, well... <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbE6PH-K2dRMi3tRtfk6Pku7wlsX_GBE3veI-uCvpo2O71Dz8Ts70BGOdsmH7-ZPhPTxaFYpv1NOEMER0om2ApcStEf4AzvC_8DYOAes1a0VyM6ZZPCiiTSvWfzRIL_WCH0PYa/s1600/P1010625_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbE6PH-K2dRMi3tRtfk6Pku7wlsX_GBE3veI-uCvpo2O71Dz8Ts70BGOdsmH7-ZPhPTxaFYpv1NOEMER0om2ApcStEf4AzvC_8DYOAes1a0VyM6ZZPCiiTSvWfzRIL_WCH0PYa/s1600/P1010625_640x480.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It wasn't just us! The seeds wouldn't appear even for Len and Rudi!</td></tr>
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The meadow was also full of dugong feeding trails!!! There were so many and they criss-crossed all over the meadow. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHMvu0w_bsPiX2Fr3OiOy8GmTA9Zy9ah4tLaEPxRBzPEiSUcqjlUBoMkGHw2tUccNusWaAIQ8y1OfZjKUCdJCTIiTiJsnfod22nPezWGK0SfCffbpHKuSspevfP7AK1nauPKF/s1600/P1010607_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdHMvu0w_bsPiX2Fr3OiOy8GmTA9Zy9ah4tLaEPxRBzPEiSUcqjlUBoMkGHw2tUccNusWaAIQ8y1OfZjKUCdJCTIiTiJsnfod22nPezWGK0SfCffbpHKuSspevfP7AK1nauPKF/s1600/P1010607_640x480.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those are some hungry dugongs! </td></tr>
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The next day, we went to the Mandai Mangroves to look for <i>Halophila beccarii</i>, which is a vulnerable species on the <a href="http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/173342/0" target="_blank">IUCN red list</a>. As I'm not familiar with Mandai mangroves, having been there like, twice in my life, we enlisted the help of a friend from NUS who did a study in the area, and she showed us how to get into the area safely. Do NOT try this by yourself especially if you don't have a research permit because you COULD be arrested (like for realz).<br />
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We found <i>H. beccarii</i> quite quickly, and set about collecting samples. Collecting genetic samples means collecting parts of the plant that yields the best DNA when extracted and this tends to be the "new or growing" bits, like the meristem, growing tips or young shoots.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLqg0flrtUS6WEd7teA19FH3C1jl_ZRSLedbKlGNyVK-z_DelUPojEZSmX2bOZ3c7zZfMn1Ytk3f49PWSo9extH-PzlU4nCd65642SDsvYmgvnWCRBLKbHwLWVUMh7hZwq1Qa/s1600/P1010632_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMLqg0flrtUS6WEd7teA19FH3C1jl_ZRSLedbKlGNyVK-z_DelUPojEZSmX2bOZ3c7zZfMn1Ytk3f49PWSo9extH-PzlU4nCd65642SDsvYmgvnWCRBLKbHwLWVUMh7hZwq1Qa/s1600/P1010632_640x480.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></div>
Mangroves are relatively unfamiliar territory for us seagrass peeps who are used to firmer sediment, so there was a bit of getting stuck - especially for me. I put it down to a biomass issue, but it's fortunate that this was nowhere near as bad as what I experienced in the mangrove forests in Thailand.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbT3urdMxdQIW2VXma8jOiQiNKiPchfofEt60LLn0xSLsCNgu4sSXLOnAKM-ZbNcsYx_wpm-fN5vqamp91JKYBWrvIUg8k9508JtxVA2A5-4AVKTdRAJsR6BWDaDc7pcMRfkVW/s1600/P1010636_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbT3urdMxdQIW2VXma8jOiQiNKiPchfofEt60LLn0xSLsCNgu4sSXLOnAKM-ZbNcsYx_wpm-fN5vqamp91JKYBWrvIUg8k9508JtxVA2A5-4AVKTdRAJsR6BWDaDc7pcMRfkVW/s1600/P1010636_640x480.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ugh what's this squishy stuff? </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpEx2liMZNKswktJeS0ZcYPnc61Z5YE-yq8wrFO1UYvIIzJZaOoZvXYkEGp2qZ4mu2jpkGgIuTTl3a8szwRDsyIeOYHdPRkNpX7eizAieEiqRDcMmhTDkFEi5PuoGMu6gAMDV/s1600/P1010634_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpEx2liMZNKswktJeS0ZcYPnc61Z5YE-yq8wrFO1UYvIIzJZaOoZvXYkEGp2qZ4mu2jpkGgIuTTl3a8szwRDsyIeOYHdPRkNpX7eizAieEiqRDcMmhTDkFEi5PuoGMu6gAMDV/s1600/P1010634_640x480.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skip ahead skip ahead! Don't stay too long in one place or you'll sink! </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkArXKr0U1uHsuYps7Cy4zPh-saY3waAMjPO5-nKnFOzlixeEiavTRY_0n-Gl1Vagj6CmL4ofPZnDGRtTRBhDG_pXvZtMlF_AvgcXnZwmNKS9DA8OM6ZWefkJ11l961MgSYwhq/s1600/P1010638_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkArXKr0U1uHsuYps7Cy4zPh-saY3waAMjPO5-nKnFOzlixeEiavTRY_0n-Gl1Vagj6CmL4ofPZnDGRtTRBhDG_pXvZtMlF_AvgcXnZwmNKS9DA8OM6ZWefkJ11l961MgSYwhq/s1600/P1010638_640x480.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mission accomplished! Now to get outta here. </td></tr>
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After awhile though, I found relatively firmer sediment in the exposed river bed and I decided to just stay there and do what I do best - that is, I point and stuff and make people do things.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsYa3rvvHDYJxM64UZiW1-YIJjzbjLJE8sRIm3FJeExAK8yPnrXUNi-E_7RkLrzz19mU-yc2VYPF_j7xT7SjdhysPvbC8-8zNECE9WP8XKK_CghPZtogys0DVaNu5wkTMGHdM/s1600/P1010640_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtsYa3rvvHDYJxM64UZiW1-YIJjzbjLJE8sRIm3FJeExAK8yPnrXUNi-E_7RkLrzz19mU-yc2VYPF_j7xT7SjdhysPvbC8-8zNECE9WP8XKK_CghPZtogys0DVaNu5wkTMGHdM/s1600/P1010640_640x480.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not the happiest camper. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SR_g4UPTTd6CHNicOunMN1mXer-C7P9tKTn6eXuC4PgUkAc22xMG0ho9my9-u9w5Fl0LhOUet0CSzX_OD3mjneVLdIqOjQiF1KlOdnsSABZm0FWHpho7In5TBwhiK7uFbq1P/s1600/P1010642_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SR_g4UPTTd6CHNicOunMN1mXer-C7P9tKTn6eXuC4PgUkAc22xMG0ho9my9-u9w5Fl0LhOUet0CSzX_OD3mjneVLdIqOjQiF1KlOdnsSABZm0FWHpho7In5TBwhiK7uFbq1P/s1600/P1010642_640x480.jpg" height="268" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"There's some seagrass there to your right" </td></tr>
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After enough exploring, we made our way back out. Those of us with long legs trudged ahead:<br />
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While some of us opted for a more melodramatic exit:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3r6iwUiPv2IFf97NrCNuhbPIyP07_ymbXwbRnVt9uVH501rrgtiTleBWvs9VIs3g-FemjyocXlbPU_x2no2YrhSpc1Sh7MzGa5mA5pE0aH6pyaxxvzX4_ySacD7mHx0rDOxc/s1600/P1010648_640x480.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE3r6iwUiPv2IFf97NrCNuhbPIyP07_ymbXwbRnVt9uVH501rrgtiTleBWvs9VIs3g-FemjyocXlbPU_x2no2YrhSpc1Sh7MzGa5mA5pE0aH6pyaxxvzX4_ySacD7mHx0rDOxc/s1600/P1010648_640x480.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The fields are aliiiveeeee... with the sound of muuuuuusiiicccc</td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-23099310650461153742013-11-12T00:00:00.001+08:002014-01-01T12:19:05.983+08:00Pulau Semakau (3 November 2013)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-GB">What better way to celebrate Deepavali than to do our last monitoring of Pulau Semakau for 2013! It looked like a promising day, with most of the afternoon showers cleared by the time we met up at Marina South Pier. Unfortunately, we had to soldier on without three of our TeamSeagrass troopers – Siti, Rachel and Nor Aisha – who were all down with food poisoning from a very suspect <i>ban mian</i> stall.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i>TeamSeagrass preparing to leave for yet another public holiday survey</i></div>
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<a name='more'></a><span lang="EN-GB">That aside, the trip started without a hitch. We left the pier promptly at 3pm, and on reaching P. Semakau, were quickly whisked away to the hut near the field site by the vans provided NEA. I think everyone was pretty relieved that we didn’t have the walk all the way to the field site on such a warm day! </span>After a quick safety briefing and a run-down of how to fill up the datasheets (thanks for stepping up Jonathan!), we were all ready to begin the survey.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWa5MiMW_XCZARIpG43iuR5xMjN4szIgB5z5HTHDCOLrFvFZFG4el1JfNA-e8AD4xRgRZp5XhRcKpi1SwEZvLsuzC1ASZa2FwUJj7WJWTmA1TY7j1B5SGvy6OgPec1v1Gzsmv/s1600/IMG_0433%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWa5MiMW_XCZARIpG43iuR5xMjN4szIgB5z5HTHDCOLrFvFZFG4el1JfNA-e8AD4xRgRZp5XhRcKpi1SwEZvLsuzC1ASZa2FwUJj7WJWTmA1TY7j1B5SGvy6OgPec1v1Gzsmv/s320/IMG_0433%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Jonathan giving his lecture on data recording </i></div>
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The tides were not very cooperative, and the water was still a bit high when we started, making it difficult to ID seagrass and estimate cover in some areas.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzWCC7dvhyp9_OyEvCnpKXeiXLc_1-e3T_AzB2szwr7OsGMaMXmf_qAChfLXPK5mp57xkABXbozCNXguk0Y-2Iv0weOUn3mohvqA7cyEaxVKTlH5gjzx_INbbIr_1Yu3w8zRn/s1600/IMG_0436%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwzWCC7dvhyp9_OyEvCnpKXeiXLc_1-e3T_AzB2szwr7OsGMaMXmf_qAChfLXPK5mp57xkABXbozCNXguk0Y-2Iv0weOUn3mohvqA7cyEaxVKTlH5gjzx_INbbIr_1Yu3w8zRn/s320/IMG_0436%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>You can barely see the quadrat!</i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The algae were also beginning to bloom, with masses of <i>Sargassum sp</i>. and <i>Padina sp</i>. growing among the seagrass. In large quantities, algae can compete with seagrasses for nutrients and light, and can affect seagrass growth. However, these blooms happen regularly every year, and the seagrasses seem to be able to cope with this short-term disturbance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdLQff4tuGFkwkwzzLxPvqUiVPCHjdCeN3bGIoOWlmcNWvD-v5_WPeYpYy6PrMGwrLcqF3rTZJRFfPNjiiYungJeTIuVdGkp9DLCWhjknREJpXdCTpykINHM6S-BOqaJ9yYIV/s1600/IMG_0461%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfdLQff4tuGFkwkwzzLxPvqUiVPCHjdCeN3bGIoOWlmcNWvD-v5_WPeYpYy6PrMGwrLcqF3rTZJRFfPNjiiYungJeTIuVdGkp9DLCWhjknREJpXdCTpykINHM6S-BOqaJ9yYIV/s320/IMG_0461%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Algae </i>Sargassum sp.<i> growing among s</i><i>eagrass </i>Enhalus acoroides<i> </i></div>
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<span lang="EN-GB">The heavens did threaten to rain down upon us halfway through the survey, but decided that our monitoring efforts were so commendable that we deserved a cool breeze and a pretty sunset instead.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEius9A5K-KOi6oYRgiWt_VEab1P1AqUp72Lmvy7YDO29Q_VMVSkVdssUtI3gn9hN0Ku8LogHNGyCwgS5uvRrOQU5O33PSXHos_86FGLhWRjvSBZcTzxYlC-Jyd-Z3LdJCKs03ok/s1600/IMG_0454%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEius9A5K-KOi6oYRgiWt_VEab1P1AqUp72Lmvy7YDO29Q_VMVSkVdssUtI3gn9hN0Ku8LogHNGyCwgS5uvRrOQU5O33PSXHos_86FGLhWRjvSBZcTzxYlC-Jyd-Z3LdJCKs03ok/s320/IMG_0454%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Too hard at work to notice the weather</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1z698JDyw9dluECHnOC07UdvPa8d_zltre02Xbpf8zYHLFKnJpONfZ_iOg9mu5AhzrtxySHzj536AyWgCl9GMN12oaR5i4uGv8mSLiLNka7Jn_h77chslQOxOSmuJDQFee-xB/s1600/IMG_0452%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1z698JDyw9dluECHnOC07UdvPa8d_zltre02Xbpf8zYHLFKnJpONfZ_iOg9mu5AhzrtxySHzj536AyWgCl9GMN12oaR5i4uGv8mSLiLNka7Jn_h77chslQOxOSmuJDQFee-xB/s320/IMG_0452%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1z698JDyw9dluECHnOC07UdvPa8d_zltre02Xbpf8zYHLFKnJpONfZ_iOg9mu5AhzrtxySHzj536AyWgCl9GMN12oaR5i4uGv8mSLiLNka7Jn_h77chslQOxOSmuJDQFee-xB/s1600/IMG_0452%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
</a><i>Team J (Jamie and Jonathan) measuring water depth</i></div>
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While seagrass monitoring was hard work, people were happy to be out in the field and not cooped up at home!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39EhPgFkqWUg9rGC9OH5_IARGDlbIN1f1wapjRtGLXBEKdNxrRvKp9WQUpPiuidstA-LjryTWS5N4xWz14kNPxlJOMrk4vk1m7GsGBeiGo8OjurMExDPGhAbuxyUf-YYlwX8X/s1600/IMG_0445%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj39EhPgFkqWUg9rGC9OH5_IARGDlbIN1f1wapjRtGLXBEKdNxrRvKp9WQUpPiuidstA-LjryTWS5N4xWz14kNPxlJOMrk4vk1m7GsGBeiGo8OjurMExDPGhAbuxyUf-YYlwX8X/s320/IMG_0445%5B1%5D.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>The mandatory quadrat-frame pose</i></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnEmB7xhQNctRZp_mZx-mf1YMlheOkZjmLT1bLkqqDQSAbIyKfLzB_vbYF2fnJH3pTin-ZWldjXCKeFxTRpH6ee_eqWo5lUDJ0WPwTvtebRLxbEiQB1BZY1oUzflWDXB6ZOSt/s1600/IMG_0442%5B1%5D.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivnEmB7xhQNctRZp_mZx-mf1YMlheOkZjmLT1bLkqqDQSAbIyKfLzB_vbYF2fnJH3pTin-ZWldjXCKeFxTRpH6ee_eqWo5lUDJ0WPwTvtebRLxbEiQB1BZY1oUzflWDXB6ZOSt/s320/IMG_0442%5B1%5D.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>Even Jimmy was happy to get out to do some GIS work!</i></div>
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As the tide was rather late, we didn't have much time to explore before it started to get dark. But we did find some rather cool animals, including the very aptly named conspicuous sea cucumber (<i>Opheodesoma spectabilis</i>).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpaPkkUYcuP8hUn2OZ53ZTK8n16JrOCmkcjkSV6EcstpOpI3GBehFkijCVKEU-9tAoqOdvx2-fKJYdOf0oWiJkDP8PiHohMCVW1J6Sd7SKsismzIhQ3Mqlul1lczxLdTcKK2A/s1600/IMG_3630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrpaPkkUYcuP8hUn2OZ53ZTK8n16JrOCmkcjkSV6EcstpOpI3GBehFkijCVKEU-9tAoqOdvx2-fKJYdOf0oWiJkDP8PiHohMCVW1J6Sd7SKsismzIhQ3Mqlul1lczxLdTcKK2A/s320/IMG_3630.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>This long snake-like creature is actually a sea cucumber - </i>Opheodesoma spectabilis</div>
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</i></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZH2Ucmru5TbkEjDSsh5qGwi6uJX8Z7PyY4jdpHw7sdjSi9K-0Oa7BOM95hRKhyYoMmdVtZRxjMF5df4rnMwH3n5lqEU_5HG7ZVHv0pjZ7unZ0FqeIO0Lp6Xm3Iup118NMI6R/s1600/IMG_3631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9ZH2Ucmru5TbkEjDSsh5qGwi6uJX8Z7PyY4jdpHw7sdjSi9K-0Oa7BOM95hRKhyYoMmdVtZRxjMF5df4rnMwH3n5lqEU_5HG7ZVHv0pjZ7unZ0FqeIO0Lp6Xm3Iup118NMI6R/s320/IMG_3631.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<i>Modified tube feet that it uses to feed</i> </div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">By the time the sun had set, we were on our way back to Marina South Pier after another successful monitoring trip. </span>Many thanks to all who came made this monitoring trip a great success!</div>
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Photo credits to Boon Seng for the photos and ID of the sea cucumber.</div>
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Also check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/johnson.ong.14/media_set?set=a.693915897287376.1073741946.100000069172841&type=1">Johnson's</a> pictures for this fieldtrip.</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16978852274097304614noreply@blogger.com0Semakau Island, Singapore1.2030056 103.766572199999931.2030056 103.76657219999993 1.2030056 103.76657219999993tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-29627852000562911352013-09-30T20:08:00.002+08:002013-09-30T20:09:06.160+08:00New email for submission of TeamSeagrass Quadrat PhotosThis is a reminder, for those of you who haven't been submitting quadrat photos and for those of you who haven't heard. We have a new address to which you should send all future Quadrat Photos from your monitoring.<br />
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This address is teamseagrass.quadratphotos [at] gmail.com<br />
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Please put the Monitoring Site and Date (day/month/year) in your subject heading, so it's easier for us to file.<br />
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As usual, the correct method of labeling your quadrat photo is: <br />
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[Site Code][Site No.][Transect No.]_[Meter Mark]_[Date:dd/mm/yy]<br />
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So for example, the 25m mark at Pulau Semakau, Site 2, Transect 3 on 24th<br />
Nov 2007 is labeled like so:<br />
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PS2T3_25m_241107.jpg<br />
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As far as possible, try to keep file sizes to around 2MB max at a resolution of between 200-300dpi so we can zoom in to look at the grasses when needed. You can keep the photo uncropped so we can zoom in to check the meter mark on the transect tape if need be.<br />
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This is also a timely reminder to SUBMIT your photos if you haven't already. We are accepting backlog photos from since the beginning of TeamSeagrass monitoring as long as you label with the the monitoring date. All late submissions welcome and culprits will be forgiven(ish). :) Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-47276056620568307022013-09-24T16:33:00.001+08:002014-01-01T12:20:43.924+08:00Chek Jawa (21 September 2013)TeamSeagrass was out and about at Chek Jawa for the first of our evening tides this year! It's been awhile since I blogged for any of our trips, so bear with me if this isn't the usual style of reporting.<br />
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The afternoon started off well enough, we got everyone to CJ in time for the outgoing low tide. We distributed the equipment and people into various groups and then realised that I had forgotten the pencils. Spectacular start to the day indeed. Fortunately for me, seagrassers are prepared a resourceful people, so out came the pens and pencils out of nooks and crevices hitherto long-forgotten. <br />
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<a name='more'></a>We walked out to the pontoon to make the descent on the ladder down to shore, and once we were on the shore, Jonathan and Sean gave the seagrass species ID briefing. Here at TeamSeagrass, we are invested in nurturing the young and the not-so-young (because we are totally not ageist) volunteers into super awesome seagrass knowledge dispensers. Sean and Jonathan did a great job with the briefing and we were off to monitor the sites.<br />
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Here is a view of the <i>C. rotundata</i> (we have christened it 'Ribbon Grass' because of it's fine, long leaves) meadow. It always amazes us how large this meadow has grown in the last five years. When we first started monitoring at CJ in 2007, it was suffering the aftereffects of a deluge of freshwater, and only <i>H. ovalis</i> (Spoon seagrass) was hardy enough to withstand the impact. Now, the meadow around the jetty is probably the largest <i>C. rotundata</i> meadow found in Singapore. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfktu_Ci901SbMLKkir1YmOcS8FFOLAnopll8WLttQa1dBjX6sLqkexoNwaT64L5POPBp4aMKAerQWfD9h4UPcGnyep3dNQRjne2ilnBAd7rQ3KSWpDsd1ZtIMSeEzgzOsUVz/s1600/photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfktu_Ci901SbMLKkir1YmOcS8FFOLAnopll8WLttQa1dBjX6sLqkexoNwaT64L5POPBp4aMKAerQWfD9h4UPcGnyep3dNQRjne2ilnBAd7rQ3KSWpDsd1ZtIMSeEzgzOsUVz/s1600/photo.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<i>C. rotundata</i> is pretty rare in Singapore because it occurs at only a
handful of sites, including Cyrene Reef and Tanah Merah. To lose any of
these sites has implications for the survivorship of this species in
Singapore. We still don't know what the level of clonality is for this species. Seagrasses can reproduce both asexually (by sending out shoots) or sexually (by producing fruits and seeds). Asexual reproduction can in some cases, be more efficient and sometimes an entire seagrass meadow can be composed of only a few genetic individuals! As yet, we do not have this information for our seagrass meadows and species, but it would certainly be an important area to study if we were to properly manage our seagrass resources. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAF6aA_uIkHuo698i7_NP23SvGuuLdbbEKepd8KPGE6cFe5RYyCbZWXogifCkufKicRyYKi4zH1nHmQTgJNX-2WloAez2ivdooSgmyTBr8rKEetmaPe0K5SpAh6q6iRNP-j7G/s1600/photo_1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvAF6aA_uIkHuo698i7_NP23SvGuuLdbbEKepd8KPGE6cFe5RYyCbZWXogifCkufKicRyYKi4zH1nHmQTgJNX-2WloAez2ivdooSgmyTBr8rKEetmaPe0K5SpAh6q6iRNP-j7G/s1600/photo_1.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Ok, I just totally nerded out. Back to the monitoring!<br />
I was put with the seagrassers at Site 1. Here's Jocelyne and gang using the percent cover standards sheets to estimate seagrass cover in their quadrat. The standards sheets helps us improve the accuracy of the data that we collect if we use it to calibrate what we see in our quadrat and what we record on our datasheets. This helps improve the quality of the data we collect to reflect what's happening in nature. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJiWnCsBVP_aVqVYNNTMGtQoNUO81TCHFQS3wiuo9jqdtoO2hdgaT3wcF36lu5cINZx5R5TAbY7ubfDannuA9YbzwPnpH-zdZJXO6m6swZCtOV-4Afuz-_5tD0ehxqbSD469S/s1600/photo_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdJiWnCsBVP_aVqVYNNTMGtQoNUO81TCHFQS3wiuo9jqdtoO2hdgaT3wcF36lu5cINZx5R5TAbY7ubfDannuA9YbzwPnpH-zdZJXO6m6swZCtOV-4Afuz-_5tD0ehxqbSD469S/s1600/photo_2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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See how much care and thought TeamSeagrass volunteers put into estimating seagrass cover and relative composition? Cheryl, Kenny and Ali are really concentrating on data collection and it brings a tear to my eye. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsF14Uc48Y1ytiT5iKN8_15B_cXuvHF4G2wt-HViqlG8Be4HHPfQ2x59dlRNGxWE1oR8clcpfXYS_JCeL5XqiHofFwOnKSozjIywJkgx77xfyXOG0yCLiEp3qa2cTQPbIvX5DT/s1600/photo_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsF14Uc48Y1ytiT5iKN8_15B_cXuvHF4G2wt-HViqlG8Be4HHPfQ2x59dlRNGxWE1oR8clcpfXYS_JCeL5XqiHofFwOnKSozjIywJkgx77xfyXOG0yCLiEp3qa2cTQPbIvX5DT/s1600/photo_4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And how much effort goes into measuring canopy height? Laudable indeed! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0-pahrq4Z7xzCB6GmndLciltEtng-kMQf-DZSGDHsPyYc7FYcju13Et2jbw9BinEIfojdXnQb2cIkPu2LI_LsVRElEI-F6FERnVs7sba2bJX9VnCqnLq66qA3xTvvrLpocGE/s1600/photo_6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM0-pahrq4Z7xzCB6GmndLciltEtng-kMQf-DZSGDHsPyYc7FYcju13Et2jbw9BinEIfojdXnQb2cIkPu2LI_LsVRElEI-F6FERnVs7sba2bJX9VnCqnLq66qA3xTvvrLpocGE/s1600/photo_6.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
After I made sure all the lines we properly laid (heh heh), I decided to test my photography skills. The sun was setting and it cast a beautiful glow on the evening's proceedings, unfortunately, my smartphone camera was not awesome enough to properly capture the moment. <br />
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But you know what they say, when all else fails, just slap on a filter - instant photographic awesomeness. There's a #teamseagrass hashtag, so if you wanna share your photos on social media, feel free to add it on. <br />
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So much better. Thanks to everyone who came out to monitor seagrass! See you guys soon!<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-74724474444068752662013-08-10T18:29:00.001+08:002014-01-01T12:19:32.186+08:00Cyrene Reef (10 August 2013)<span style="font-family: inherit;">TeamSeagrass celebrates another National Day on Cyrene Reef!</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFd44l02CAB08GviQ6N4oFEuvkqyPq9_UQw4EeIkS_3KidiF7YAsUAHISrY-dIKkG1nifGZo-DnpdOJ3yuqxpbrkQxbIltrKECp9jcn-fGPHOeiZlmvpyD_ClVmP6iKep74yy/s1600/P1010542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFd44l02CAB08GviQ6N4oFEuvkqyPq9_UQw4EeIkS_3KidiF7YAsUAHISrY-dIKkG1nifGZo-DnpdOJ3yuqxpbrkQxbIltrKECp9jcn-fGPHOeiZlmvpyD_ClVmP6iKep74yy/s400/P1010542.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">TeamSeagrass <3 Singapore!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And what a lovely, sunny day it was!</span><br />
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<a name='more'></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">But no time to dilly or dally. It's straight to work once we land! The equipment is quickly laid out and a very brief briefing is given before we set off to our respective sites.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmN3F2WVL356U30mRweMJX1odNTUc8pGvg37cDSHkbG6M4XrlIFRY2pNM3rUZzFrlYOKh5NxZlHyYGynpa_3lWPobocE5no2_iZ41s7ZoyZqWsRYPO8fwOezCk4PVux1h8725/s1600/image.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmN3F2WVL356U30mRweMJX1odNTUc8pGvg37cDSHkbG6M4XrlIFRY2pNM3rUZzFrlYOKh5NxZlHyYGynpa_3lWPobocE5no2_iZ41s7ZoyZqWsRYPO8fwOezCk4PVux1h8725/s320/image.jpeg" width="239" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1yldfZ9weCyD8-LT41IjvaH11_ZL1jgXFbQKx46cAQje7D1aBdRxVXI5VdRfg_4Zzhw95hpdkrF7sEGOQXMBbYVg-0dnIi9O5qPyRt8T-MVZ9zd42P5p6G7y2d_Fc2NomvxU/s1600/image_6.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1yldfZ9weCyD8-LT41IjvaH11_ZL1jgXFbQKx46cAQje7D1aBdRxVXI5VdRfg_4Zzhw95hpdkrF7sEGOQXMBbYVg-0dnIi9O5qPyRt8T-MVZ9zd42P5p6G7y2d_Fc2NomvxU/s320/image_6.jpeg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Over at Site 1 Transect 3, I noticed that the tape seagrasses (<i>Enhalus acoroides</i>) were cropped. This has been noted for some time now. The exact cause of this cropping hasn't been identified, but we made a similar observation at Pulau Semakau during our last monitoring. It will be interesting to revisit past data to see what crops up in terms of similarity between the two sites. Further analysis is needed before we can decide if the seagrasses are being impacted and what the proximate causes might be, which stresses the importance of continued monitoring and data collection by TeamSeagrass.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCwZUPuuTH1cuSBSvcUqufj6Qx5CRJwDSGgNSIqnqOpHzC9yT-vpRDVOMrJ3a_0y-YuJyLlKF_yuHHiLCb514W5IFdIwMHlSSsmDuFeTCBeq3eQZF0itnN7rpvg-f_ViY4twk/s1600/photo+(3).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCwZUPuuTH1cuSBSvcUqufj6Qx5CRJwDSGgNSIqnqOpHzC9yT-vpRDVOMrJ3a_0y-YuJyLlKF_yuHHiLCb514W5IFdIwMHlSSsmDuFeTCBeq3eQZF0itnN7rpvg-f_ViY4twk/s320/photo+(3).jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Discussing seagrass coverage at Site 1</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgq2-ZJ_qRJa9ZwcT1Xd8AcJxKjPo5i_076xKdvQyX30-178pHCp5_PzdrmyZZHlniSsqT75JmtFW2Uz_-UdmdSjiC5dwc-nUq44qVqLThPOidFzPpnm7qnMdxm1K9uMlpC3j/s1600/johnson_site2_layingtape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKgq2-ZJ_qRJa9ZwcT1Xd8AcJxKjPo5i_076xKdvQyX30-178pHCp5_PzdrmyZZHlniSsqT75JmtFW2Uz_-UdmdSjiC5dwc-nUq44qVqLThPOidFzPpnm7qnMdxm1K9uMlpC3j/s320/johnson_site2_layingtape.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Laying the tape at Site 2</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Although the seagrass was rather sparse along my transect, I encountered many animals going about their day. There were swimming anemones, hermit crabs, common sea stars, and a pipefish!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLgca_zY-l7BwRSiPtszTDlkR0lbnWkB_DY19AilZHVy5vxwQpq9aPDDlVKI-Os5rXhhYcmyZRkiPetu_bBGf9sKPYevhBDta3IbD29z8XiNFNi5Pk3SJYqr_w7mQAx76JIFdb/s1600/photo+(2).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLgca_zY-l7BwRSiPtszTDlkR0lbnWkB_DY19AilZHVy5vxwQpq9aPDDlVKI-Os5rXhhYcmyZRkiPetu_bBGf9sKPYevhBDta3IbD29z8XiNFNi5Pk3SJYqr_w7mQAx76JIFdb/s320/photo+(2).jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Using the calibration sheets to determine seagrass coverage while a common sea star (<i>Archaster typicus</i>) calmly goes about its day.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Soon enough, it was time to wrap up the monitoring session and make our way home. But not before snapping some photos of the knobbly sea<span style="line-height: 19px;"> stars (<i>Protoreaster nodosus</i>).</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIYc_TpLtf8mqXONIV7qZgw1k9gytST3j0rIUdNmTfoKM2gzJ8rIUEDbvTEGNrZeq36szPjuY0h_R67H6nwpjqYzqXAcGlVw8X0y0QqDEpyfImiTiRlIj_tKxSHRfoeXFiEWw/s1600/johnson_sgflag_stars.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIYc_TpLtf8mqXONIV7qZgw1k9gytST3j0rIUdNmTfoKM2gzJ8rIUEDbvTEGNrZeq36szPjuY0h_R67H6nwpjqYzqXAcGlVw8X0y0QqDEpyfImiTiRlIj_tKxSHRfoeXFiEWw/s320/johnson_sgflag_stars.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Johnson spots some knobbly sea stars celebrating National Day</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGzTzN206OCFavVT9EO0KPcK_sHPE66tfdrHuo6CxhnvNvYAfs0k_8tuYADOTROYLQgWNqo8jDzgzTxANM6AiR2E-U2sDTtMW4QmDPNQXOd7PgeAoTZwZqsSO47srQsfx0t_e/s1600/P1010553.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAGzTzN206OCFavVT9EO0KPcK_sHPE66tfdrHuo6CxhnvNvYAfs0k_8tuYADOTROYLQgWNqo8jDzgzTxANM6AiR2E-U2sDTtMW4QmDPNQXOd7PgeAoTZwZqsSO47srQsfx0t_e/s320/P1010553.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Siti stands in for the crescent moon</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The first group gets on the dinghy as the tide comes in. Uh-oh. Looks like the boatman is having some trouble setting off; must be 'cause the dinghy is rather heavily loaded. With a little help from the other team members, we soon send the dinghy on its way.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiud1cdmUaIZ0sr1Qz3GJOizHRJCNLgZSTul5iwgXQ7GM5QxsGwDYo_rhUSN58SjMIh7HkoHKGxurwIOq0v954MSdnC62avYdfxRrPfOSOT1tJNM8fV1ddCi9Q2musPEFETUC6r/s1600/P1010564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiud1cdmUaIZ0sr1Qz3GJOizHRJCNLgZSTul5iwgXQ7GM5QxsGwDYo_rhUSN58SjMIh7HkoHKGxurwIOq0v954MSdnC62avYdfxRrPfOSOT1tJNM8fV1ddCi9Q2musPEFETUC6r/s320/P1010564.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Siti shows us how it's done</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Everyone gets back on the mainland safe and sound thanks to Alex and his team. Hurray! Another successful monitoring session under our belts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After a quick breakfast, some team members head to a washing point at an undisclosed location. Here, the equipment is rinsed and hung up to dry, ready for the next monitoring session.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWT2H57wWuRYErcommlh4vosZZHQcuA4BYA5UPOzMp1TWa6eIZLbf3JQ-LMz1-8scg2ZO5KhkZR2iqkJygM3FqXCF2hbzj-9FGJ8NUF0O_Nib8k2-2vPA-muEVzFpYLWVVXMu/s1600/P1010567.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMWT2H57wWuRYErcommlh4vosZZHQcuA4BYA5UPOzMp1TWa6eIZLbf3JQ-LMz1-8scg2ZO5KhkZR2iqkJygM3FqXCF2hbzj-9FGJ8NUF0O_Nib8k2-2vPA-muEVzFpYLWVVXMu/s320/P1010567.JPG" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Washing the equipment</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Many thanks to the team that monitored today: Chay Hoon, Jerome, Jonathan, Johnson, Kok Sheng, Nor Aishah and Yin Xin. Special thanks to Ms Rachel Lim and Sam Lai from NParks as well as Siti the lead scientist.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Till the next trip!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Photo credits: Johnson Ong, Siti M. Yaakub, Rachel Lim and Nor Aishah</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Other posts about this trip</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/johnson.ong.14/media_set?set=a.650207608324872.1073741896.100000069172841&type=1">Johnson Ong</a> celebrates National Day with knobbly sea stars</span></li>
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NAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08093861463684769702noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-17328950801723722452013-07-28T18:13:00.002+08:002014-01-01T12:19:42.797+08:00Pulau Semakau (28 July 2013)Hello everyone! Team Seagrass is back again since the last training session on Chek Jawa last June... This time, we headed out to Pulau Semakau. Thank you to Johnson Ong, who made the effort to take all the photographs below. <br />
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Today's team consists of the old guard and new members! It's heartening to see that Team Seagrass is attracting more youths to participate in the monitoring and to explore our amazing shores. Here's a photo showing Siti giving a pre-trip briefing to find out everyone's previous monitoring experience.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLSl04OD2rOs7f_yMEvFeThhdJuicDozjNkmHDRZW8iXaKwGaGmSZTsSh-Svzs5BZwWYmZR_EYitPHahpNeq_dWlZkJPbGXkRfvAQev6iPMpEY9pnphaMuxEaY1Rxc_H0D0Nc/s1600/1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglLSl04OD2rOs7f_yMEvFeThhdJuicDozjNkmHDRZW8iXaKwGaGmSZTsSh-Svzs5BZwWYmZR_EYitPHahpNeq_dWlZkJPbGXkRfvAQev6iPMpEY9pnphaMuxEaY1Rxc_H0D0Nc/s320/1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Good morning Team Seagrass", says Siti</td></tr>
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<a name='more'></a>Upon arrival, we marched on (since there weren't anyone around to ferry us to the hut) in the early morning heat. Boy was it hot today!<br />
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Unlike Chek Jawa, we have 3 sites to monitor on Pulau Semakau - that means 9 transects! Thanks to the volunteers for taking the initiatives to sort out the equipment. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAql87PmjKIHzJkyjDtC86EtnAuNwrWTFZMo1NBh2inHq6LdiwCcOJzPjjDyFOXtvgGKpWAqhP6twXHJEczSiOAOqX4ZjU01qg63W6AlHAVwu8i3fk6B3JkF5g9KSWG4RrmeC/s1600/3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsAql87PmjKIHzJkyjDtC86EtnAuNwrWTFZMo1NBh2inHq6LdiwCcOJzPjjDyFOXtvgGKpWAqhP6twXHJEczSiOAOqX4ZjU01qg63W6AlHAVwu8i3fk6B3JkF5g9KSWG4RrmeC/s320/3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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After the usual pre-monitoring briefing of seagrass species, and how to fill in the datasheets correctly, everyone set off to their sites. It was still very HOT! Luckily Wei Ling reminded everyone to drink up! Sankar joked about starting a 'water parade' on the shore! (Water parade refers to drinking ALOT of water in the army lingo)<br />
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Johnson was paired up with two young ladies and below is a photograph of them at work. Yes! You probably have noticed that the tides are rather high today! On average, most of our water depths was ~20cm... It was a challenge as we had numerous fishes swimming around us, zooming away as we monitor...<br />
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How are the seagrasses doing on Pulau Semakau? Unfortunately not too good - as all the members have pointed out. The first thing we all noticed is the cropped up <i>Enhalus acoroides</i> (<a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/enhalus.htm">Tape seagrass</a>). Tape seagrass is the largest seagrass species in Singapore's seagrass meadows, usually with the highest canopy heights. Today, everyone noticed how short they were - as if being lawn over! :(<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtdQRLG3yUNFdc8zIjOuVMtQXzu54E2M-Mt04ywqyAK_7nsEv7bgK0VUCCewSuyJaP5U-EeE2lnGSlrMwvBGaDXoHwMPZC589wXo-GoHcixKlagTrfJgUvMNY62VvUHZU1I7Q/s1600/6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVtdQRLG3yUNFdc8zIjOuVMtQXzu54E2M-Mt04ywqyAK_7nsEv7bgK0VUCCewSuyJaP5U-EeE2lnGSlrMwvBGaDXoHwMPZC589wXo-GoHcixKlagTrfJgUvMNY62VvUHZU1I7Q/s320/6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Where are all the seagrass?? :(</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I asked Siti what could have happened, and she proposed a couple of reasons. 1) The seagrass meadow could be experiencing a higher light regime, resulting in overheating of the grass. The result is a stress response of losing the bulk of its canopy. 2) Sedimentation may also have a role in changing the physiology of the plant too. :( Let's hope that this is temporary and that they will recover to what it once used to be (see photo below). <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjiX7Y-0MWehsH4KnYAUXGx_UIyPEh4s1WBNFX945DMoi8TFqEBsGyaWOIq-3GjErGnYsAGb1jFGmQlQfCjm_vXhn3dOdEUXfvE5OSMm1_-2zkUc-S9QiReYZ4K7Y2OUfByjh/s1600/P1010062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="173" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOjiX7Y-0MWehsH4KnYAUXGx_UIyPEh4s1WBNFX945DMoi8TFqEBsGyaWOIq-3GjErGnYsAGb1jFGmQlQfCjm_vXhn3dOdEUXfvE5OSMm1_-2zkUc-S9QiReYZ4K7Y2OUfByjh/s320/P1010062.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pulau Semakau meadow - 19 Feb.2012 (Photograph by Neo Mei Lin).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Another successful trip and a BIG THANK YOU to all those on this trip who endured the intense heat and continued monitoring our seagrass: Johnson Ong, Choo Le Min, Quek Boon Seng, April Gwee, Cheryl Koh, Aristotle Lau, Sankar, Tok Yin Xin, Feng Yu Hui, Jin Yifeng, Jacyln Lim, Pearlynn Sim, Alisa Wee, May Chew, Kenny Ng, Samuel Tan, Lee Juin Bin, and Pin Chong.<br />
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Sorry for the inconvenience of walking back after the trip! We were apparently forgotten! :P <br />
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Special thanks to the NParks ladies - Rachel Lim, Lim Wei Ling, Samantha Lai and resident seagrass expert, Siti Yaakub
for coordinating this trip, ferrying the equipment, and taking care of the countless arrangements
to make this trip possible.<br />
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Posts by others of this trip:<br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/johnson.ong.14/media_set?set=a.643857262293240.1073741885.100000069172841&type=1">Johnson Ong</a> shares his experience on hot hot Semakau. </li>
</ul>
Neo Mei Lin (Dr.)http://www.blogger.com/profile/15707138402355497263noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-62532517757988710332013-07-15T20:55:00.002+08:002013-07-15T21:07:14.416+08:00TeamSeagrass at the Festival of Biodiversity 2013The President visited the Festival! Nor Aishah took the opportunity of her brief meeting with him to share about TeamSeagrass.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7weGbT-RG_SjxwXm-qOHR2Ec5GfCgXfvP83nNlgL2BmknVhpLeELaOIupPZUQOISOYC40BjYGk5sfZgxY8kkqOm3JFUBYLOT7C90SK4Ao8qbPSxmV1HGfudTW7cJFfZ4Vk-f/s1600/130713fests02083.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjI7weGbT-RG_SjxwXm-qOHR2Ec5GfCgXfvP83nNlgL2BmknVhpLeELaOIupPZUQOISOYC40BjYGk5sfZgxY8kkqOm3JFUBYLOT7C90SK4Ao8qbPSxmV1HGfudTW7cJFfZ4Vk-f/s400/130713fests02083.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Meanwhile, Pei Yan managed to get a smile out of him by showing him how the dugong leaves a feeding trail in our seagrass meadows.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdjQdsLXw6dg0hfYpVIsw_ywfJ0nLL8D6BDIqVv-2tvVwen7BqBrkbxNducW2eOITChS088SlrHxrAN8YBasiCJHR08QIDAeXLpxko73IlD3H0JDVc0ioqSw_n7mqVuq1eAtG/s1600/130713festp0576.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEdjQdsLXw6dg0hfYpVIsw_ywfJ0nLL8D6BDIqVv-2tvVwen7BqBrkbxNducW2eOITChS088SlrHxrAN8YBasiCJHR08QIDAeXLpxko73IlD3H0JDVc0ioqSw_n7mqVuq1eAtG/s400/130713festp0576.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
TeamSeagrass were also out in force to help reach out to families in the shopping centre.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>Johnson is great with the kids! Explaining marine life as they play the popular matching game! <br />
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Rachel and Nor Aishah shares about sea snakes. How many snakes are in
the bottle? Nor Aishah suggests that they find out by counting the
heads.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NDbkCntigej_1FxU0FLls_vJteGxI8GP-H78kzySIQJ1xJtBtibHrX_g8ixX6VdkwEKOvOjtKs7N5C_XtP0W0sg0vnff78v9VVJE5XLdBdkhl5WGdKCP8Q8AbKLbe0uvz0Tx/s1600/130713festp0633.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6NDbkCntigej_1FxU0FLls_vJteGxI8GP-H78kzySIQJ1xJtBtibHrX_g8ixX6VdkwEKOvOjtKs7N5C_XtP0W0sg0vnff78v9VVJE5XLdBdkhl5WGdKCP8Q8AbKLbe0uvz0Tx/s400/130713festp0633.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Many other TeamSeagrass members also turned up to help! Thanks to Boon Seng, Yin Xin, Jonathan, Yu Hui. I'm so sorry I didn't manage to take a photo of everyone.<br />
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Also check out photos by Johnson Ong <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.636452046367095.1073741874.100000069172841&type=1">Day 1</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.636996316312668.1073741877.100000069172841&type=1">Day 2</a><ul>
</ul>
More <a href="http://wildshores.blogspot.sg/2013/07/highlights-of-festival-of-biodiversity.html">highlights of the Festival</a> on Ria's wild shores of singapore blog.Ria Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-53798250755683009442013-07-01T21:02:00.001+08:002013-07-01T21:02:46.182+08:00The Diversity and Distribution of Seagrass in SingaporeWhat seagrass species can we find in Singapore? Where can they be found? These and other important seagrass issues have never been rigorously documented. Until now!<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMm-kixqf4kPX-Nm5VB4HY0rv7T4XiYvUCTigDIvwcm5W7QB9S4lZeSkBPUUNaglVZE3mFzSOEd18CDDfOnAT6DUuBv6V3LhpPWWCBqhLR_RDL0aNW9oUEPEQk2UsfYmbRqGw5EA/s1600/602283779_7218060937_o.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMm-kixqf4kPX-Nm5VB4HY0rv7T4XiYvUCTigDIvwcm5W7QB9S4lZeSkBPUUNaglVZE3mFzSOEd18CDDfOnAT6DUuBv6V3LhpPWWCBqhLR_RDL0aNW9oUEPEQk2UsfYmbRqGw5EA/s400/602283779_7218060937_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">TeamSeagrass monitoring the seagrasses at Chek Jawa<br />
just in front of the mangroves there.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Siti, Rachel and Wei Ling have outlined these in their latest paper published in <a href="http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/nis/bulletin2013.html">Nature in Singapore</a> of the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research. They thank the members of TeamSeagrass for all their assistance and untiring dedication to monitoring seagrass in Singapore!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>The authors of the paper explain: "Seagrasses were once common on Singapore's shores but, unlike their coral reef and mangrove counterparts, their diversity and extent have never been rigorously documented. This study quantifies the species richness and distribution of seagrass in Singapore waters through herbarium specimens and on-site surveys." <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W2y0qniEBn_Cz6ZIJg4OwLo3r7SZHvcFFmyTgBSo7wuESScDdwnGF-ahHIU7E-AgyWSCFpuDfmMqeXsd7z2hOLgvNn603XRqfNtJEJjW-reT-ETAu4lx9ApC7iRVIhJPVCdA0Q/s557/seagrass1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3W2y0qniEBn_Cz6ZIJg4OwLo3r7SZHvcFFmyTgBSo7wuESScDdwnGF-ahHIU7E-AgyWSCFpuDfmMqeXsd7z2hOLgvNn603XRqfNtJEJjW-reT-ETAu4lx9ApC7iRVIhJPVCdA0Q/s320/seagrass1.JPG" width="284" /></a></div>"We also use remote sensing to map in detail the three largest seagrass meadows in Singapore: Chek Jawa Wetlands, Pulau Semakau and Cyrene Reef. These maps represent essential baseline data for future conservation management."<br />
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Read their paper for all the details: Siti M. Yaakub, R. L. F. Lim, W. L. Lim & P. A. Todd, 2013. The diversity and distribution of seagrass in Singapore. <i>Nature in Singapore</i>, <b>6</b>: 105–111. [<a href="http://rmbr.nus.edu.sg/nis/bulletin2013/2013nis105-111.pdf">PDF</a>, 1.13 MB]<br />
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Ria Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-11181575066092357482013-06-16T17:18:00.000+08:002013-06-16T17:19:34.010+08:00TeamSeagrass Training Level 2 (16 Jun 2013)It's the last day of Seagrass-Watch training for a smaller group of TeamSeagrass! Today, we are going indepth for Level 2 training!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQwVJTLk2-2UE1t3l2P47KERO64-oeX__N1RNz3qDjJQEpmXmPjih6bG_xJWRRpS0Jw-6ph6lA2vCBci77BZQMUK9UPhyKeg6OEpaYhap8F6OgxUzvuH3KXOEZYabbvYtSwwgrQ/s1600/DSC00639m6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQwVJTLk2-2UE1t3l2P47KERO64-oeX__N1RNz3qDjJQEpmXmPjih6bG_xJWRRpS0Jw-6ph6lA2vCBci77BZQMUK9UPhyKeg6OEpaYhap8F6OgxUzvuH3KXOEZYabbvYtSwwgrQ/s400/DSC00639m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Here's our only group photo because we forgot to take one for all the other events!<br />
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<a name='more'></a>As always, Rudi in the background making sure everything is going well while Len leads the lectures.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1vO-ergcfQnZNq373VANQ9wihwPcIx_shyphenhyphenYiulnbVodwRBESyzKAu6oqcj8zgrV-5BAAJA7TUCv1p6URnQ2K6nEFSoYK8qIZLS3BdagHd18ugnxrv-Tjd7T7nn8C1f78oIjodA/s1600/130616tsg3phone7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1vO-ergcfQnZNq373VANQ9wihwPcIx_shyphenhyphenYiulnbVodwRBESyzKAu6oqcj8zgrV-5BAAJA7TUCv1p6URnQ2K6nEFSoYK8qIZLS3BdagHd18ugnxrv-Tjd7T7nn8C1f78oIjodA/s400/130616tsg3phone7.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We begin by working hard to make sure we get all our seagrass IDs right. As well as try our hand at seagrass pressing.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_OX762BIqwJiQmL56hfi33xhle4XCfhhFMS7-wYhtZ3dUxTNxljxt_aajX-t23sdiopN6MTLDFF24hfTl5MWdVeauGTu8e5kvZn9ulOG5xM7JXZJBma5A63VQCZvS7YzwHVJ0g/s1600/130616tsg3phone6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6_OX762BIqwJiQmL56hfi33xhle4XCfhhFMS7-wYhtZ3dUxTNxljxt_aajX-t23sdiopN6MTLDFF24hfTl5MWdVeauGTu8e5kvZn9ulOG5xM7JXZJBma5A63VQCZvS7YzwHVJ0g/s400/130616tsg3phone6.jpg" width="298" /></a></div>Each one of us has to explain seagrass ID to Len's satisfaction.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciUSl4LbrHECTNbtvYUXHFej_HlgghrRMpsY9TSdzFVOC_ujk7h7HHK6FSsdYJIL-aOH_5OGvJo-CtyG9BBb6vaostpm4vgpdmcgznq2bT4Ur3jE3nKMjbXRsOY1XLM9T3ATW5g/s1600/DSC00512m6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgciUSl4LbrHECTNbtvYUXHFej_HlgghrRMpsY9TSdzFVOC_ujk7h7HHK6FSsdYJIL-aOH_5OGvJo-CtyG9BBb6vaostpm4vgpdmcgznq2bT4Ur3jE3nKMjbXRsOY1XLM9T3ATW5g/s400/DSC00512m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>As we were doing seagrass pressing, some briskwalkers dropped by to see what we were up too. Yifeng and Johnson explained more about seagrasses and TeamSeagrass in dialect. Bravo!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQ6bsGlOglCoSfEsbTNafpF7ejyLSZxnJl9QmAasLStAYOIRHEHF-PW7ZUiKLIS1WlO3ss5j_A-rhn8PIcqqQOnjdY31nJK1EWgYaufel4AJaMQ8dAIdqs1fgXQhmmkhHjj71Og/s1600/DSC00517m6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuQ6bsGlOglCoSfEsbTNafpF7ejyLSZxnJl9QmAasLStAYOIRHEHF-PW7ZUiKLIS1WlO3ss5j_A-rhn8PIcqqQOnjdY31nJK1EWgYaufel4AJaMQ8dAIdqs1fgXQhmmkhHjj71Og/s400/DSC00517m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We took the opportunity to give the briskwalkers some seagrass bookmarks! They are very pleased indeed.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5_SVxnMn-NZtePuH024g3eRa2AtwxeSHdt4tbtTuLJ7j76uJgSlfWwdfbZeMvToidoNkwqFiTo3-4glZBrPWltul3GeSq1LCFku4KiUFvGUS5rETK1TIDQi6cTH757YwYZUVrQ/s1600/130616tsg3phone5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5_SVxnMn-NZtePuH024g3eRa2AtwxeSHdt4tbtTuLJ7j76uJgSlfWwdfbZeMvToidoNkwqFiTo3-4glZBrPWltul3GeSq1LCFku4KiUFvGUS5rETK1TIDQi6cTH757YwYZUVrQ/s400/130616tsg3phone5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Wah, Pei Yan's pressed specimen turns out very nice!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpZoQ1E8tuWhwU57zDNjdZI76uvRDCFWV1w362wwrCStqxoZc4VM1Z_FEbRHGoEcCvns7auzm-lcLTQ01NnLPBBclZWCFeTo-aTop_y8EWoy8IMJPCNoQSIccecUU11h82OidcQ/s1600/DSC00522m6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFpZoQ1E8tuWhwU57zDNjdZI76uvRDCFWV1w362wwrCStqxoZc4VM1Z_FEbRHGoEcCvns7auzm-lcLTQ01NnLPBBclZWCFeTo-aTop_y8EWoy8IMJPCNoQSIccecUU11h82OidcQ/s400/DSC00522m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We closely scrutinised datasheets and photos to point out errors and omissions. Thus realising the importance of doing our own datasheets correctly.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxlxQlCUMmf-LFsJJgiqCQYEa4eDrviHv7QhDV6dWGicosgABc3oGYdrCnExk08oj7hyJ5hbSrwJeFdd-C5aQ5UDk4irK4nrD5tSLsPDQ9g_ZL8Ozz9qJyMGX1NEjSvv0-mHYjw/s1600/DSC00618m6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdxlxQlCUMmf-LFsJJgiqCQYEa4eDrviHv7QhDV6dWGicosgABc3oGYdrCnExk08oj7hyJ5hbSrwJeFdd-C5aQ5UDk4irK4nrD5tSLsPDQ9g_ZL8Ozz9qJyMGX1NEjSvv0-mHYjw/s400/DSC00618m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We also had a go at data entry of our field monitoring yesterday. It was nice to see the statistics in the whole series of past monitoring. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRA-yfx1yI4wYKk93YPliMZhJSSUUp0U-zAsjwhGvB72qTkUsiz5oFCqctRgH6RUudDrHkKmVP3g469tBOMVvcv8kAq85GGqyn3yX6Y9w4QteLZiZ9sF2Y1OrabH1dFiUbx9IWg/s1600/DSC00630m6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVRA-yfx1yI4wYKk93YPliMZhJSSUUp0U-zAsjwhGvB72qTkUsiz5oFCqctRgH6RUudDrHkKmVP3g469tBOMVvcv8kAq85GGqyn3yX6Y9w4QteLZiZ9sF2Y1OrabH1dFiUbx9IWg/s400/DSC00630m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Pei Yan is a maths teacher, so Valerie and I defer to her excel spreadsheet skills in generating awesome charts of the data.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHKBzIb6iWnKJ4imhiwUpvXLQDZizgkaWfFpILEJNhcG6KUkOxRQ_T9JY4-BOwharupq0xndZ908o2JWDS45ani4i-3Wo19d6Y57-Y0QIahh63icHyzDqsQNfqvmD8lHUahP4XQ/s1600/130616tsg3phone1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFHKBzIb6iWnKJ4imhiwUpvXLQDZizgkaWfFpILEJNhcG6KUkOxRQ_T9JY4-BOwharupq0xndZ908o2JWDS45ani4i-3Wo19d6Y57-Y0QIahh63icHyzDqsQNfqvmD8lHUahP4XQ/s400/130616tsg3phone1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>All too soon the training session is at an end. As usual, the top scorer gets a prize and it is Neo Mei Lin, aka Giant Clam Girl. Bravo!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKFCIoPTPvmpI4bIKsnJuolzr_NNb4ut9upi7xptTYcd6mhLbBiZb2DIYMZC2ds749g25B6Xk3FFijRNIgeRbOw7-rSi2MFJ217bMskgEfy6rXSyQalMMKgqIZZMEG1q2ab8ayw/s1600/DSC00634m6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzKFCIoPTPvmpI4bIKsnJuolzr_NNb4ut9upi7xptTYcd6mhLbBiZb2DIYMZC2ds749g25B6Xk3FFijRNIgeRbOw7-rSi2MFJ217bMskgEfy6rXSyQalMMKgqIZZMEG1q2ab8ayw/s400/DSC00634m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Second runner up is Jonathan Tan, young only in age as he is among our more experienced Team members.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99rqJ2mJxj_PCCEek1_9RAaLp6aPJ8wSEcyRR0ZkDhbbLULWOUe3PuRpeZIKi0KnfDtwo1sGKRHv067YG0w9RHrlHfU2wBEeRps2twlC5sLlKcrRZCFhFpQoEdqNexpXAgh9KKw/s1600/DSC00635m6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg99rqJ2mJxj_PCCEek1_9RAaLp6aPJ8wSEcyRR0ZkDhbbLULWOUe3PuRpeZIKi0KnfDtwo1sGKRHv067YG0w9RHrlHfU2wBEeRps2twlC5sLlKcrRZCFhFpQoEdqNexpXAgh9KKw/s400/DSC00635m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>And third is Valerie Phang, who is doing seagrass work on Chek Jawa!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCCNax2gdHHCvNdqPjFmy0EYES-x7oN88QVTBRQuzcG6Cdyu5tDl7_sftzI5Allih9043J8AVc6wfHeWo2c5086jhLdIGv3Du4tICX2V8tqsQfVK45SC4oYrhRiJDHKMTJ09SXQ/s1600/DSC00636m6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgCCNax2gdHHCvNdqPjFmy0EYES-x7oN88QVTBRQuzcG6Cdyu5tDl7_sftzI5Allih9043J8AVc6wfHeWo2c5086jhLdIGv3Du4tICX2V8tqsQfVK45SC4oYrhRiJDHKMTJ09SXQ/s400/DSC00636m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>We are grateful that Len and Rudi spent time to teach us and help us improve our monitoring. As a token of appreciation, Nor Aishah presented them with a copy of Dr Chua Ee Kiam's latest book <a href="http://www.simplygreen.com.sg/making.html">"Wetlands in a City"</a>. This is so appropriate as Dr Chua also presented a book during TeamSeagrass' <a href="http://teamseagrass.blogspot.sg/2007/03/hot-seagrass-weekend.html">public launch six years ago</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29bVRCu2cfTlkyTZPZetBtAjNYgCyEvygy_TJnWu_O-o15l2J24npWeDxlearl_g-wR1zkLgPJsXx3P5NvyGhvbs2dtC4vgYWKRWoN1Ue058I6Baa2lzBoBmlZt-4ZJ4VOECeWw/s1600/DSC00637m6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi29bVRCu2cfTlkyTZPZetBtAjNYgCyEvygy_TJnWu_O-o15l2J24npWeDxlearl_g-wR1zkLgPJsXx3P5NvyGhvbs2dtC4vgYWKRWoN1Ue058I6Baa2lzBoBmlZt-4ZJ4VOECeWw/s400/DSC00637m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>TeamSeagrass events would not be possible without lots of work behind the scenes. There's always a lot of washing and other admin duties.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLdxQMRYxeOTQF6c4OiDZXxKSV1fx88S6Xp4wHJDDC9AQRRO5cHJsZaR28xOR8zZ63_c6b79BXI-fdYgNo-MCWbtDZZ9F0KQYttYutenpQQS0dsCH0EGvx0Ak-p7M5uDIvfeu8Q/s1600/130616tsg3phone8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjLdxQMRYxeOTQF6c4OiDZXxKSV1fx88S6Xp4wHJDDC9AQRRO5cHJsZaR28xOR8zZ63_c6b79BXI-fdYgNo-MCWbtDZZ9F0KQYttYutenpQQS0dsCH0EGvx0Ak-p7M5uDIvfeu8Q/s400/130616tsg3phone8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Rachel worked hard on the programme right until the last minute when she had to leave today for an overseas conference. Meanwhile, Nor Aishah, Wei Ling, Pearlynn and Melissa continue to make sure all goes well. Only having breakfast after all is set up.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0y6Ln9jC-hpgQWweehIhEthXRORmcxONI9IeFU1tUDI3WjRZWfcMQl5x1SZzqnFfbXB1Wlt14dOym07OIBQiZX3tfk_INRR7WvAy8ZTkXwyPpFaoiQDIrNJsFgWKn2IOJ6aL_Qg/s1600/DSC00486m6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0y6Ln9jC-hpgQWweehIhEthXRORmcxONI9IeFU1tUDI3WjRZWfcMQl5x1SZzqnFfbXB1Wlt14dOym07OIBQiZX3tfk_INRR7WvAy8ZTkXwyPpFaoiQDIrNJsFgWKn2IOJ6aL_Qg/s400/DSC00486m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Here's Pearlynn and Melissa once again, guarding the food from vagrant wildlife such as birds. Thank you ladies!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrC19O2T38Sqpye6gJCPl_Qvo5Jwp1qtGhHdxqgFGsxJ3OjRPLxPrIk3azIoqrZITncHzC36-mGhug_w-IOhEN5e4Y8GIBBTr0lz9a6lhx0m7z8tZgvAhcyL7-U0gf-f897bqRYA/s1600/DSC00590m6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrC19O2T38Sqpye6gJCPl_Qvo5Jwp1qtGhHdxqgFGsxJ3OjRPLxPrIk3azIoqrZITncHzC36-mGhug_w-IOhEN5e4Y8GIBBTr0lz9a6lhx0m7z8tZgvAhcyL7-U0gf-f897bqRYA/s400/DSC00590m6.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Thank you once again to Dr Len McKenzie and Rudi Yoshida of <a href="http://www.seagrasswatch.org/">Seagrass-Watch</a> for conducting the training. And to the Team members and guests for making time to attend the sessions. Hopefully, this will mean we can do more to cherish and protect our seagrass meadows!<br />
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Ria Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-2891460475630167352013-06-15T17:17:00.002+08:002013-06-15T17:31:15.437+08:00Chek Jawa field training (15 Jun 2013)It was a hot hot hazy day as the teams head out on the seagrass meadows of Chek Jawa.<br />
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A large contingent of TeamSeagrass are here not only for monitoring, but also field training with <a href="http://www.seagrasswatch.org/">Seagrass-Watch</a>.<br />
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<a name='more'></a>We had a warm piggie welcome at Chek Jawa by Young mama pig and her piglets!<br />
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We set up for training at House No. 1. Thankfully, with many hands, all the equipment is quickly sorted out.<br />
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Len McKenzie begins the session with a safety briefing. We are then soon sorted out into our groups and we're off for the seashore.<br />
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I did the far Site 2 and when we arrived, we did a quick refresh of the kinds of seagrasses we might find in this site. Boon Seng uses a T-shirt to make a really useful 'hat'.<br />
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It's fun to figure out seagrasses!<br />
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We then quickly set up for monitoring on Site 2.<br />
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Sadly, one of the transects on Site 2 has been 'eaten' up by the moving sand bar over the 6 years since we have monitoring on Chek Jawa. But zero is still data, so I did this rather boring transect. If the sand bar moves back to where it came from, hopefully the seagrasses will grow back and we will be there to record this!<br />
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Thanks to Johnson Ong, we get a glimpse of what happened at Site 1. Everyone is working hard!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMMZQuaVyrBhsKdWM0h2bVzZ80sGfzxHchHWhjUhnSp7yebh_6Phm-VJgpoti9spi-BC9iP5tmhj9jypeDXGOybfEPfrgeYYFOt3UP1FJRPuAq7Q2JNLzZFZRBBd2G4BZvcU7/s1600/johnson1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeMMZQuaVyrBhsKdWM0h2bVzZ80sGfzxHchHWhjUhnSp7yebh_6Phm-VJgpoti9spi-BC9iP5tmhj9jypeDXGOybfEPfrgeYYFOt3UP1FJRPuAq7Q2JNLzZFZRBBd2G4BZvcU7/s400/johnson1.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.622126337799666.1073741863.100000069172841&type=1">Johnson Ong</a>.</td></tr>
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Even when the tide came in and overwhelmed the last readings! Thanks to Jerome Pang for helping to take GPS readings of Site 1. As Pei Yan, Yifeng and I whacked in a missing stake at this site.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgzj6DQUC9s82xaDqCZE-RXtMjrk5psYdXBoa8_uH6rRTJ9r220GhfxQ8c8z3fxhY0ROf4isetbs3wo6J5Ix5jnKUAXoBG3R-pt-Vi-aROH0bnk6Dh7ylP9fX2ZFmd-l2A-UN/s1600/johnson2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEgzj6DQUC9s82xaDqCZE-RXtMjrk5psYdXBoa8_uH6rRTJ9r220GhfxQ8c8z3fxhY0ROf4isetbs3wo6J5Ix5jnKUAXoBG3R-pt-Vi-aROH0bnk6Dh7ylP9fX2ZFmd-l2A-UN/s400/johnson2.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.622126337799666.1073741863.100000069172841&type=1">Johnson Ong</a>.</td></tr>
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We really ended quite late today and had to walk back in high water.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudyleEBo3sX0PAJTsHx_alEbJNOr4_OulWEwd_smvt0hD1l0OhYHtmjDAHcwyjK5D6pRVZlSfqrS5ZMzPp6UYxwliVgsw7V-RFJ4YxQTyby-hYGqFwBwuIyLWK-H9fYpvIS9Q/s1600/johnson4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhudyleEBo3sX0PAJTsHx_alEbJNOr4_OulWEwd_smvt0hD1l0OhYHtmjDAHcwyjK5D6pRVZlSfqrS5ZMzPp6UYxwliVgsw7V-RFJ4YxQTyby-hYGqFwBwuIyLWK-H9fYpvIS9Q/s400/johnson4.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.622126337799666.1073741863.100000069172841&type=1">Johnson Ong</a>.</td></tr>
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Sadly, I noticed bleaching <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/plants/seagrass/ovalis.htm">Spoon seagrasses</a> in several areas on Chek Jawa. Seagrasses lose their chlorophyll and turn transparent when they are stressed. Seagrass monitoring will hopefully help us understand such events.<br />
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At the end of the monitoring, I was very grateful to have many hands help wash and sort out the large amount of equipment.<br />
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Len and Rudi shared a few words of encouragement at the end of the session. <br />
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Len will provide a more detailed assessment of our effort tomorrow, when Level 2 training continues.<br />
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It was great to have so many enthusiastic seagrass folks on this trip: Gladys Chua, Heng Pei Yan, Jin Yifeng, Johannes Liew, Neo Mei Lin, Johnson Ong, Valerie Phang, Quek Boon Seng, Jonathan Tan, Wee Meilin, Sean Yap, April Gwee, Cheryl Koh, Aristotle Lau, Josephine Lee, Liu Yihui, Rebecca Loh, Jerome Pang, Simon Pulford, Sankar, Tok Yi Xin, Alisa Wee.<br />
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It was nice that friends from NParks could join us for the field training: Cheo Pei Rong, Ibrahim Shamsul, Desmond Lee, Kelvin Loy, Nhung Nguyen, Abrie Won, <br />
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Special thanks to Rachel Lim, Lim Wei Ling and Nor Aishah Mohd Rashid for coordinating this trip and taking care of the countless arrangements to make the trip possible.<br />
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<b>Posts by others of this trip</b><br />
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.622126337799666.1073741863.100000069172841&type=1">Johnson Ong</a> shares lots of lively photos of the Team from start to finish.</li>
<li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151629285763119.1073741835.696593118&type=3">Jonathan Tan</a> shares photos of wildlife seen during our monitoring trip.<br />
</li>
<li><a href="http://wildshores.blogspot.com/2013/06/piggies-and-seagrasses-at-chek-jawa.html">Ria</a> with more about the people of Chek Jawa and Pulau Ubin</li>
</ul>
Ria Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36582187.post-86786874356253557722013-06-14T00:13:00.002+08:002013-06-17T08:20:21.802+08:00Video clip of talk on "Singapore’s Underwater Meadows" by Dr. Len McKenzie Thanks to <a href="http://sgbeachbum.blogspot.sg/">Andy Dinesh</a>, here's the video of the great introduction to seagrasses by Dr Len McKenzie of international <a href="http://www.seagrasswatch.org/">Seagrass-Watch.</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRFzjGCcMvy4oIjGa8P_B-IOV3sxVVYWI3JIxQycFY2xGGhxj3F62q0aEBM2i9nhDSnsQZYhb7AELbBVuPq7KmSgKhRHWvEfRlLbsQ2BrESlINrbNCp7Aer_SruTYSFIe7anmIw/s1600/DSC00267m6.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiRFzjGCcMvy4oIjGa8P_B-IOV3sxVVYWI3JIxQycFY2xGGhxj3F62q0aEBM2i9nhDSnsQZYhb7AELbBVuPq7KmSgKhRHWvEfRlLbsQ2BrESlINrbNCp7Aer_SruTYSFIe7anmIw/s400/DSC00267m6.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Why are seagrasses important? How does monitoring seagrass help protect marine ecosystems? And lots more!<br />
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<a name='more'></a><br />
<iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/68465000?color=4bd620" width="400" height="300" frameborder="0" webkitAllowFullScreen mozallowfullscreen allowFullScreen></iframe> <p><a href="http://vimeo.com/68465000">Singapore's underwater meadows - Len McKenzie</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/sgbeachbum">SgBeachBum</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p><br />
After the talk it was great to be able to introduce Len to some young students from <a href="http://www.ri.edu.sg/#/yr5to6">Raffles Institution </a>who are doing some work on Cyrene Reef under the able guidance of Tan Sijie. Bravo!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpUVLQWQxeQi3keXcqbWRgNTBhC9TzMvizw9LkDvjy0h7oqeXOINq8I6IRowQ9RUGj0hA0EjEdnTr5yGDZqBaFSHLEJopLMjIwxuEjnYNibaxR5yX-7IgUv4Y5oyPPHzSyaz-Gg/s1600/DSC00281m6.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpUVLQWQxeQi3keXcqbWRgNTBhC9TzMvizw9LkDvjy0h7oqeXOINq8I6IRowQ9RUGj0hA0EjEdnTr5yGDZqBaFSHLEJopLMjIwxuEjnYNibaxR5yX-7IgUv4Y5oyPPHzSyaz-Gg/s400/DSC00281m6.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Well after the talk, the core coordinating team sat down with Len and Rudi. It's a rare opportunity to discuss with the Seagrass Gurus on how TeamSeagrass can be improved. Although Siti is far far away in Europe finishing her seagrass studies, she joined us via Google Hangout! <br />
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<a href="https://twitter.com/VaranusSalvator">Ivan Kwan</a> also kindly consolidated the live-tweets during the talk by <a href="https://twitter.com/cubismwonder">Gladys Chua</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/wildsingapore">myself</a> into this storify.<br />
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More TeamSeagrass training ahead this weekend!<br />
<script src="//storify.com/VaranusSalvator/singapore-s-underwater-meadows.js"></script><noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/VaranusSalvator/singapore-s-underwater-meadows" target="_blank">View the story "Singapore's Underwater Meadows" on Storify</a>]</noscript>Ria Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09770926654830427210noreply@blogger.com0