Natural Environment and Ecosystem

AY2021G21D- “Creature Comforts”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Jin Ziqi (FOE), Joseph Koh Boon Sin (SDE), Ma Xudong (FOE), Zhang Han Xiang (FOE)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Wong Kah Wei

Almost half of existing secondary forests will become new developments over the next 10-15 years (CNA, 2020). The loss of habitat forces wildlife into urban areas, leading to human-wildlife interaction. With RVRC being located beside Kent Ridge forest, there is higher likelihood of human-wildlife encounters. In order to educate and build confidence in RVRC residents as first responders in wildlife encounters, we aim to provide accessibility to information required in handling human-wildlife interactions. QR codes were pasted on residents’ doors. If residents encounter animals in their rooms, they could easily scan the code to obtain instructions on safe handling of wildlife. Survey results indicated an increase in respondents’ confidence in animal encounters from 43.1% to 77.8%. 75% of residents were more likely to respond correctly in human-wildlife interaction scenarios. To continue educating future residents, we plan to collaborate with RV Forestore Interest Group and the Office of Housing Services.

AY2021G14A- “Trailmix”

miguel333 Abstracts, AY 2020/21, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Mannfred Tan Ian Hian (FASS), Audrey Lim Hui Ping (FASS), Ren Weilin (SOC), Ng Zi Xuan (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Nature Deficit Disorder has been on the rise given Singapore’s fully urbanised population. While visiting nature trails, youths do not have much learning experience and are thus less engaged with nature, which reveals a growing disconnection between youths and nature. Our group intends to bridge this disconnection through our mobile application, Trailmix.

Trailmix, targets a segment of Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve (SBWR). To test the effectiveness of Trailmix, we designed a pre-post-survey to evaluate the 4 components of connectedness to nature: knowledge, interest, importance, and attitude towards nature at SBWR. Participants first did a self- exploration trail and took the pre-test survey afterwards. Participants then went on either a Trailmix guided trail (experimental) or with an actual tour guide (control). Comparisons between the pre-post survey scores revealed that Trailmix was effective at enhancing the nature trail experience, with comparable results to an actual tour guide.

AY1920G17B- “Eco-Web”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2019/20, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Kay Yeung (FOS), Lee Jue Rui (FASS), Lim Yuan Zheng (FOS), Seah Tzu Yu, Brandon (FOE), Wang Ri Zhao (SDE)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Florence Ng

97% of local primary school students surveyed (n=60) lack knowledge about ecosystem resilience. Understanding ecosystem resilience is essential because a collapse of ecosystems will cause humans to lose access to natural resources. Cultivating awareness of ecosystem resilience early can nurture students to adopt more sustainable lifestyles. Games are a more engaging form of learning as compared to structured teaching. Hence, we hope to use a card game to teach primary school students ecosystem resilience. We designed a 1-hour session with 15 students consisting of i) a pre- and post-survey; ii) a focus group; and iii) our “Eco-Web” game. From our pre-and post-surveys, there is a five times increase in correct answers for the question asking for the definition of ecosystem resilience. This suggests that students have successfully learned the concept of ecosystem resilience. Hence, “Eco-Web” is useful in teaching primary school students the concept of ecosystem resilience.

AY1920G16C- “A Compelling Method to Increase Recycling Awareness and Remind People of Proper Recycling Techniques Among RVRC Residents”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2019/20, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Marcus Lee Eugene (SOC),  Raeanne Yong Rui Xuan (FASS), Jessica Charisse Ganadhi (FOS),  Xiao TianLe (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Ms. Sadaf Ansari

The overall domestic recycling rate in Singapore is 20% (MEWR, 2018), and only 60% households recycle their trash on a regular basis (NEA, 2019). Our survey found that recycling participation in RVRC residents (n=50) is 30% – less than half of the national recycling rate, and that inconvenience and lack of recycling knowledge are the primary causes. Furthermore, during a spot check, we found 4 of 9 recycling bins contaminated. Our project aimed to tackle these interconnected problems by testing a specially designed compartmentalised bin, with visual aids to allow easy sorting of trash. Our bin re-design was based on the residents’ survey feedback. The re-designed bins were provided to 12 randomly selected residents, and their use was tracked over three weeks to collect data on recycling. Our findings indicate a significant increase in the rate of recycling and a decrease in rate of contamination among participants, showing the effectiveness of the newly designed bin.

AY1920G13A- “Reconnecting with the Wild”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2019/20, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Dex Eng Jun Hao (FOS), Felix Ng Jun Heng (FOS), Ow Si Ngar Destinee (BIZ), Teo Jia Wei (SOC), Vinod s/o Jaya Kumar (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Despite an abundance of green spaces locally, there is a growing disconnect between youths and Mother Nature. To enhance their attitudes towards nature and wildlife, it is critical to educate youths with knowledge that will pique their interest and appreciation for the environment. This objective was achieved by directly immersing youths amidst Nature with the implementation of experiential learning. Our group designed a birdwatching tour comprising of pre- and post-tour surveys, a digital e-book containing unique features of birds and plants, and a Kahoot quiz. After the tour, Instagram and YouTube were utilised to sustain participants’ interest. Data analysis of our survey results have shown a general improvement in comfort, attitudes and knowledge level for the participants post-tour. Therefore, by conducting a guided tour which placed emphasis on experiential learning and through supplementation with social media platforms, our project achieved success in increasing participants’ interest for nature and wildlife.

AY1920G12B- “RBeeRC: Habitat Enhancement for Bees through Bee Hotels”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2019/20, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Chu Yan Xun (SOC), Jerryl Chong Junjie (SOC), Lee Zhe Rong Jerome (FASS), Nguyen Nhu Cuong (SDE), Olivia Ma Jing Ting (SOC)

Academic Advisor: Mr. N. Sivasothi

Urbanisation causes decline in suitable bee habitats, threatening the bee population essential to our ecosystem. Our objective is to improve the quality of bee habitats within NUS by implementing artificial nesting sites. Field surveys were carried out around NUS, where we observed and noted the bee species around the area. This is followed by the construction of artificial nesting sites using bamboo sticks and drilled-out wooden planks. Weekly checks were conducted on these bee “hotels” for the presence of bee activity. 12 bees in 3 families found through observation only, some bees might not have been spotted. Currently, no bees have been observed to use our bee “hotels”. Possible reasons include bad weather, lack of time and other animals such as spiders nesting in the bee hotels. Still, through our survey, we can conclude that urban structures are regularly used by Singapore’s solitary bees as nest sites.

AY1920G11C- “Wash To Recycle!”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2019/20, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Liew Zi Ruo Nicole (FASS), Lim Jia Yi (SOC), Ong Sze Yi (FOS), Siar Wei Ming (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Florence Ng

Although Singapore has a relatively high recycling rate, most of this plastic waste does not end up being recycled due to contamination. Bad recycling practices will end up piling plastics in landfills, which will soon run out of space. It was found that the majority of RVRC students cited inconvenience as the reason why they do not wash their plastic bottles. Our project objective was to build a prototype that helps to wash plastic bottles efficiently. We have designed and constructed a prototype that includes a rinser that washes plastic bottles within seconds. Using our prototype, 96.8% of RVRC survey respondents found it more convenient to wash their plastic bottles and increase in 50.6% of the respondents who are willing always to wash their plastic bottles before recycling. Hence, proper equipment that enhances convenience proved effective in encouraging people to recycle correctly, reducing the amount of recyclables being disposed of as wastes due to contamination.

AY1920G09A- “Recycloponics”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2019/20, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Danesh Dabu (BIZ), Kavindu Chathurajeewa Senaviratne (FOE), Yao Leyang (FOS), Rishabh Sharma (BIZ)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Florence Ng

The study lamps are not fully sustainable for the environment. The electrical energy used by Ridge View Residential College (RVRC) prides itself on its natural beauty and emphasis on sustainability. However, stakeholders considered the barren slope at Block-E as unaesthetic and unutilized (dead-space). Furthermore, there was a lack of biodiversity in the area. Hydroponics provided a good solution for the uncultivable land. Growing plants would increase biodiversity and improve the dead-space of the slope concurrently. Our team designed and installed a NFT hydroponics system, where we successfully sprouted two varieties of lettuce. We evaluated the system through a focus group. Participants were agreeable that the project met the objectives spelt out, and that they would like to see more such systems around RVRC. Not only did biodiversity at the slope increase by growing lettuces, insects such as bees were also drawn to the plants. Our system proved to be unique way to improve biodiversity, while simultaneously tackling the issue of dead-space in RVRC.

AY1920G08B- “Creature Teachers”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2019/20, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Chng RongTing Eugene (FASS), Fu Jiahua (FOE),  Huang Zhi Wen (FOE), Shaun Loh (SOC), Tay Pei Shyan Geraldene (FOS)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Human-wildlife encounters do occur in RVRC due to our proximity to the secondary forest. Residents are largely unaware of measures to take when encountering wildlife in distress. Our project employed an engaging video platform to education residents on proper procedures to take when encountering such wildlife, allowing for the easy proliferation of information throughout RVRC. It aims to inculcate the mindset of ensuring the well-being of animals, instead of treating them as pests to be exterminated. We also designed a refresher workshop that would reinforce Resident Assistants (RAs) and Senior Retention Program (SRP) students with the knowledge on responding to such encounters. We found that a majority of our respondents learnt response measures and gained an appreciation for wildlife from the video and workshop. Thus, the combination of the video platform and refresher workshop to key personnel was effective in equipping residents with proper wildlife encounter measures.

AY1920G03A- “small things, BIG IMPACT”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2019/20, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Ifen Seelen (SDE), Meghan Rahul Khasnis (FOE), Tan Bing Chieh (FOS), Xu Caiyi (SOC), Zhuang Xunheng (FASS)

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Microplastics (small plastic pieces less than 5mm) is a significant source of marine pollution. Brandon et al (2020) estimated that there is now 8.3 million pieces of microplastics per cubic meter of ocean water. Chemical additives of microplastics can release toxins which can harm marine life. They also cause bioaccumulation of toxins in humans, and can lead to health problems such as infertility and cancer. The Small Things Big Impact project aims to mitigate the environmental and human impacts of microplastic by raising awareness on the prevalence and impacts of microplastic and encouraging youths to consider environmentally friendly alternatives to facial washes containing microbeads. Through a series of workshops and social media campaign, the team managed to engage at least 60 youths in understanding this and to consider more sustainable facial product options.

AY1819G52- “Illumination”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2018/19, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Kim Seok Kyu, Kwek Jing Yi, Lin Hou-Chun, Liu Zimu, Vegi Manas

Academic Advisor: Dr. Florence Ng

Singapore is currently facing 100% light pollution (Robert, 2016). Excessive artificial light at night leads to light pollution which endangers biodiversity by distorting animals’ night habits like reproduction and migration (Hölker, Wolter, Perkin, & Tockner, 2010). Previous research done by G.Eisenbeis and Hanel (2009) covered how the type of light source and the spectrum of light would affect the insects’ behaviour towards artificial light sources but there is little research done on the effects of how light orientation will affect the insects’ behaviour.  The objective of our group is to replace RVRC lights to a more insect-friendly light. We will be investigating the objective by experimenting the combination of colour of light and orientation of light source that will have the least impact on insects. The aim of the project is to test the different light colours- white, blue and amber and the different orientation of light source upwards, downwards and downwards (cone shape). The prototype will trap the insects that are attracted to the light bulb and the number of insects trapped will be counted. Lesser number of insects trapped will indicate that the combination is less harmful. From our experiments, we have found that the light orientation of downwards (cone shape) and white colour light has the least number of insects trapped on the sticky tapes. Therefore, we can conclude that the combination of downwards (cone shape) and white light is the least harmful to the insects.

Keywords: Ecosystems, Insects, Light pollution

AY1819G12 – “Tackling meso-plastics on Singapore’s shores”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2018/19, Food, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Aeron Sim Shih Win, Chan Wan Ting, Karnati Sai Abhishek, Liu Yanru, Ong Tiong Ho Sean

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Coastal cleanups are a highly effective way to remove marine debris and they play an important role in protecting our marine ecosystem. Meso-plastics (debris ranging from 5mm – 25mm) are of particular concern as they are readily ingested by marine life, travel and accumulate up the food chain, and eventually end up in humans. Furthermore, it breaks down into microplastic (<5mm ) with time which has more detrimental impacts. Hence, it is important that this group of marine debris is removed effectively. However, the act of removing meso-sized trash is an inconvenient and labour intensive process. It is also often not cleared by contractors nor collected by cleanup volunteers. Thus, our group aims to explore the use of tools for coastal cleanup participants and organizations to increase the effectiveness of removing meso-plastics which would otherwise be a labour intensive process. To test this out, we used a basket to pick meso-plastics during coastal cleanup sessions. Our prototype basket effectively helped us collect 800 pieces of meso-plastics within a fixed area and time frame of 20 minutes as compared to 150 pieces of meso-plastics collected by the traditional hand-picking method under the same conditions. The results show that our prototype works and the utilization of our tools greatly eases the process of removing marine debris. As a result, we hope to make our prototype part of the preparation package for all coastal cleanup organizations in Singapore to make the removal of meso-plastics more effective.

Keywords: Biodiversity; Marine life; Waste management; Coastal cleanup;

AY1819G09 – “Enhancing wildlife co-existence in campus”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2018/19, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Clarissa Laurent Yee Qi Xuan, Desmond Lim Zong Wei, Phua Jun Yuan Ryan, Sherman Dang Xi Heng, Tan Zhi Wen Ivan

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Many human-wildlife interactions in Singapore usually shows public ignorance in proper behavior and action when encountering wildlife. This conflict exemplifies a deeper problem of a lack of proper environmental education: people meet animals with improper behavior because of a lack of awareness of what they are, and how to deal with them.

At Ridge View Residential College (RVRC), which is located near a secondary forest, opportunities for human-wildlife conflict abound, making this problem more pertinent. Hence, our project aims to ​elevate the awareness of RVRC residents on what to do when an animal enters their living space​ and establish a college-wide ​Standard Operating Procedure for this.

Our initial survey findings highlighted that more than 75% of the respondents were not aware of how to safely manage an encounter with an animal visitor in their living area. Over 90% of respondents also indicated that they were interested in learning about the biodiversity in Kent Ridge and the protocols they should observe in these situations. Thus, we recommend providing an Animal Response Toolkit (ART) for RVRC, as the foundation for a new standard operating procedure. We propose holding workshops in conjunction with the ART, to better educate them on this knowledge. The workshops will be held in partnership with Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES). 2 such workshops had been conducted with promising outcomes.

Keywords: Ecosystems; Human-wildlife conflict; Workshops; Biodiversity; Natural Heritage; Built environment

AY1718G17.3 – “Measuring the differences in perceptions of wild and manicured green spaces”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Lim Zi Xuan, Ong Jun Jet, Ryan Lee Wei Jie, Shermaine Neo Xuan Min, Tan Jing Hong, Joshua

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Green spaces are varied, ranging from manicured gardens in urban towns to untouched primary forests. More importantly, wild greenery in unprotected areas are planned to be removed to make space for developments, destroying habitats and endangering many species of wildlife. Comparing between different perceptions of wild and manicured spaces, the lack of objection to such plans might be because wild greenery and its importance is not well appreciated. Hence, the project aims to raise the level of appreciation using a walking tour conducted around NUS. The appreciation level generally increased by 10% and carries potential as part of a curriculum.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, Green spaces, Human Nature Conflict

AY1718G14.2 – “Reducing visitorship in Bukit Timah Nature Reserve”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Awe Wan Qi, Valencia, Chen Shuqing, Chen Sinuo, Peh Hao Lun

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Consistently high visitorship to Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (BTNR) is more than the capacity it allows. This proved to disrupt the wildlife and erode pathways at BTNR. Hence, our project aims to reduce visitorship among all demographics. However, it might be difficult to implement our project. Using data from research papers and visit history from NParks, we adjusted the visitor quota depending on the time and the day. Analysing our survey results, 54% of those surveyed were open to the idea of a quota on visitors. Our results offer a viable option for the consideration the management of BTNR.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems., Human Nature Conflict, Habits Survey, Green spaces

AY1718G14.1 – “Mitigating the Anthropological Impact on Bukit Timah Nature Reserve through increasing accessibility to hiking support sticks”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Brittney Foo Joy-anne, Marcus Ong Wei Ming, Ng Min Yu, Sin Qiwen, Clement, Tan Yuxuan

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Using tree branches as hiking support endangers users and the environment. Sharestix aims to provide an alternative for tree vandals to rent our hiking sticks instead of using branches from trees as hiking support. In order to test its feasibility, we rented hiking sticks for free during 2 weekends at BTNR and gathered their opinions. All 20 users resoundingly agreed that visitors will be discouraged from vandalism with the implementation of Sharestix and it had improved their climbing experience. While we cannot completely prevent vandals, the convenience of our stick sharing system can serve as a disincentive for vandalism.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, Human Nature Conflict, Green Spaces, Hiking

AY1718G13.1 – “Is it hot here or is it just me? Relationship between microclimate of different manicured areas and user thermal comfort in Singapore Botanic Gardens”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Mobility and Air Quality, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Chong Sui Jeen, Dora Tay Hui Xuan, Ng Zhi Yuan, Tay Chun Jiang, Yoo Sungjoon

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin
Industry Advisor: NParks

Despite losing almost 90% of the original vegetation, about 50% of Singapore today is still vegetated. This in part is due to Singapore’s efforts in promoting manicured parks. Manicured areas serve ecosystem functions such as lowering surrounding temperatures and also provide recreational facilities for park users. Our project examined how manicured areas in Singapore Botanic Gardens (SBG) affect human thermal comfort. We examined how relative humidity and air temperatures of two manicured areas that are 1. elevated, 2. close to water bodies, compare to a control that is an open manicured area with minimal shading. Our data came from datalogger installed at the three areas. We also conducted survey on thermal comfort of park users at the same sites and analyzed the correlations between the data with the user comfort data. Our results help to determine key factors influencing microclimate within the urban park and direct in future planting designs.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, urban park microclimate, human thermal comfort, temperature and humdity datalogger, elevated walkway

AY1718G11.3 – “Measuring human Nature relationship in campus”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Chan Fong Yung Judith, Chan Guan Hao, Daniel Chan Chong Weng, Michael Tang, Sanika Anil Khurana

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

With increasing wildlife encounters due to rapid urbanisation, our project aims to increase awareness on the wildlife in campus so as to reduce human-wildlife conflicts. A ground survey was conducted to learn whether residents have seen or know the names of the animals around them. Our findings showed an appalling lack of awareness for them. Our campaign solution was to personify these animals, create infographics and engage RVRC residents with the iSpy Challenge. Our campaign showed a marked increase in awareness level, testifying the efficacy of integrative and personable strategies in bridging the gap between humans and wildlife.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, Human Nature Conflict, Infographics, Education

AY1718G10.2 – “Green spaces as potential carbon sinks: Investigating the relationship between vegetation and soil carbon”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Hoe Feng Guang, Ivan, Ivan Teo Si Jian, Nehemiah Lui En Sheng-li, Ng Kai Lin, Felicia, Seah Sze Hao

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin
Industry Advisor: UCI

Soil is one of the biggest terrestrial carbon sinks in the world. Knowledge on factors that contribute to the success of soil carbon storage has far reaching benefits for the environment in terms of mitigating the imbalance of atmospheric CO2. Our project seeks to contribute data to this emerging field by studying the relationships between the varying types of vegetation and the differences in levels of soil carbon beneath these vegetation.  Soils are sampled from various green spaces on campus, and analysed for total organic carbon and total inorganic carbon levels. Through the findings of our project, we hope to recommend the types of urban vegetation that are more efficient in sequestrating soil carbon to urban developers and planners, thereby maximizing the carbon storing potential of future green spaces in cities.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, carbon sequestration, soil organic and inorganic carbon, vegetation types, urban design

AY1718G07.3 – “Knowing Green, before Going Green”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Blythe Neo, Natasha Hoong Cheng Yi, Pan Yongjing, Vishvak Manikandan Vairalingam, Zhang Jiawei

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Singapore is well known as a Garden City because of our intensive urban greening efforts. Green spaces in Singapore range from manicured parks such as Singapore Botanic Gardens, to nature reserves such as Bukit Timah Nature Reserve. Each of these green spaces serve different functions, often with the users in mind. Often neglected is the ecosystem functions of these green spaces, which include mitigating urban heat island effect, storing carbon, regulating hydrologic processes and improving air quality. Unfortunately, the ecosystem functions of these green spaces might not be understood and hence under-valued by the public. Using Bukit Timah Nature Reserve and Botanic Garden as specific examples of natural and manicured landscapes respectively, this project seeks determine the public’s perception towards these green spaces, and their awareness of the different ecosystem functions provided by the two examples. Our findings reveal the public’s misconception on ecological functions and highlight the need to educate them on this.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, ecosystem services, green landscape, rainforests, Singapore Botanic Gardens

 

AY1718G05.3 – “Educating NUS students on the proper behaviour when encountering wildlife”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Chua Shu Yu, Joreen, Chung Zhi Li, Denzel, Jeffery Koh Wei Heng, Lim Guek Hoon, Yu Bi Feng

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Educating NUS students on the proper behaviour when encountering wildlife on the NUS campus through a workshop. The goal of the workshop is to increase students’ knowledge and raise awareness on the importance of three groups of wildlife (snakes, insects, birds) through interactive and engaging activities. Approximately 60% of the participants who attended the workshop learnt more about interactions with wildlife on campus. It is thus recommended to implement the workshop as part of the RVRC Programme, and possibly other residential colleges, to allow students to instil correct behaviours and responses when interacting with wildlife.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, Education, Human Nature Conflict, Workshops

AY1718G04.3 –“Determining the distance and foliage required for effective buffers between forests and urban areas”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Benn Tay Guobin, Leong Siew Leng, Li Jingrou, Sin Melia, Yip Seng Yeun

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Urban development tends to come at a high cost to the natural ecosystems, often resulting in loss of forests, biodiversity and ecosystem functions. One example of this is the disruption of the environment due to anthropogenic sound pollution. In this project, we determine the extent noise pollution is mitigated by surrounding vegetation and determine a suitable buffer distance between natural and man-made environments. Using Rifle Range Road as the experiment site, the noise level is measured at different distances from the main road into the surrounding forest, at different levels of forest densities. Comparing the findings to existing literature on the acceptable noise levels for wildlife, the project will attempt to determine a minimum buffer distance for sparse, medium, and dense vegetation, such that the anthropogenic impact on the surrounding ecosystem is minimized.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, urban landscape, urban forest, vegetation buffer, sound pollution

AY1718G04.1 – “Living and Working closer to nature: Investigating the amount of foliage/greenery needed in ecocentric landscape designs to achieve optimum light conditions for wildlife protection”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Chan De Quan, Deanna Kho Li Ting, Fong Yew Peng, Lim Jin Ming, Jeremy Denzel, Xie Rong

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Urban development has contributed to a loss of forests, biodiversity and ecosystem functions. In Singapore, green spaces form half of the vegetation cover, whilst secondary forests form the other half. Researchers highlighted potential socio-cultural, socio-political and biodiversity impacts from the loss of secondary forests and how Integration of it into future landscape designs might reconcile development and forest conservation. Natural foliage is barely integrated in ecocentric landscape design. We shall investigate the amount of foliage/greenery needed to achieve optimum light conditions for wildlife protection. Previous study calculated that optimal night lighting level experienced by wildlife ranges from around 1×10^-4 on a moonless starry night, to 0.1-0.3 lux around full moon. However, in Singapore, light intensity of shopping malls is 10-20 lux. Results collected could be used to help landscape designers integrate secondary forests into future designs to protect nocturnal wildlife.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, urban forest, fauna and flora diversity, night lighting, light pollution

AY1718G02.3 – “Measuring psychological benefits of green spaces”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Foo Zhi Jie, Joseline Erika, Ng Joo Yong Emmalene, Seah Wei Quan, Wu Puyue

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

Singapore is a highly urbanised country with 100% of her population living in urban areas. Despite this, there is still about 47% green coverage and primary forest and wetlands gazetted as nature reserves. We have a rich assemblage of flora and fauna, with still new discoveries made; more than 480 new species of plants and animals have been discovered in Singapore over the last five years (Lin 2017)!  This greenery was no accident. Besides its aesthetics and ecological benefits, green spaces have been touted to improve the psychological well-being of its users (Muscara and Saegert 2007). Yet green spaces are not uniform, they range from untouched primary forests to manicured parks and gardens found in urban towns. This project aims to measure how undergraduate college residents perceive green spaces around them and the extent to which the students are comfortable with ‘wild greenery’ as opposed to ‘manicured greenery’.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, Human Nature conflict, Education, Green spaces

AY1718G02.2 – “Save Our Skies”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Cheryl Leow Hwei Hwei, Jiang Yixing, Kevin Sun, Toh Jia Yue, Toh Xin Le

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay
Industry Advisor: Sodexo

Urban spaces play a significant role in causing injuries and death to wild birds. The proliferation of highly reflective glass facades and extensive light pollution all contribute towards resident and migratory bird casualties worldwide.  Singapore, a highly urbanised metropolis, is located beneath the East Asia-Australasia Flyway, a major migratory route for over 3 billion birds. The impact of the city on the survivability of wild birds poses a significant threat to its populations. Understanding and mitigating the sources of urban bird mortalities is thus a critical component of maintaining urban sustainability. Save Our Skies is a citizen science programme designed to help with data collection on the issue of bird and building collision. The programme hopes to ultimately produce a robust set of data on the state of bird/building collision in Singapore, thus providing convincing arguments and useful observations in the push for bird-safe building design regulations.

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, Bird collision, Sustainable urban building, Education

AY1718G02.1 – “Identifying sources of marine debris”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2017/18, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Evangelyn Ng Ling Ying, Karan Haresh Mirpuri, Kumaraesh Haridas, Ong Yan Lun, Su Yunfan Eva

Academic Advisor: Mr. Lim Cheng Puay

This project aims determine the sources of marine litter in Singapore’s shores. In this study, by surveying a sample of Pasir Ris Beach, located on the east coast of Singapore, we were able to identify various origins of marine debris from January to March. Our data suggests land-based sources, such as convenience stores and supermarkets, as the main origins of the marine debris found along this stretch of the beach. This projects marks one of the first steps into a new method of tackling marine debris throughout Singapore’s shores

Keywords: Natural Environment & Ecosystems, ICCS, Marine debris, Shoreline surveys

AY1617G20C – “Harvesting Rain Shower”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2016/17, Natural Environment and Ecosystem, Water

Cheah Cayyin (FASS), Hsien Li Wen Cheryl (FoE),  Ng Hao Yuan (FoE), Wong Ching Pou Paul (FASS), Wu Diyuan (FoS)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin
Industry Advisor: Ms. Karen Ho Lye Ying (UCI, NUS)

Our project focuses on rain harvesting due to the increasingly scarce water supply and rising water prices. Singapore’s water treatment process is also high in cost and energy. Rainwater harvesting and direct usage can thus help to conserve potable water and reduce the cost for treating potable water. Although the Singapore government has lifted the ban on rainwater collection, rain harvesting is still uncommon locally, the Changi Airport being one of the few examples. Our group believe that there is potential in rain harvesting and wish to implement it in RVRC, to test the feasibility of the system in reducing water use in a small-scale setting. We also aim to educate and demonstrate to the wider RVRC community that rainwater harvesting is a viable method to supplement the existing water supply. This will be done through improving and customizing the current rainwater collection methods for specific usage. For our project, we positioned the water harvesting system at Block C and will use the water collected to water the RVRC edible garden. We will also be measuring the amount of rainwater collected using a water meter in order to quantify water inputs and outputs. To prevent debris and mosquito breeding, we installed mosquito nets at all the openings of our tank. We also plan to put up infographics and posters about our system around the college compounds in hopes of drawing attention to the rain harvesting system from the RVRC student population. Our setup will serve as a first prototype for subsequent rain harvesting systems in RVRC.

Keywords: water conservation, Natural Environment and Ecosystem, rainwater harvest, watering, water tank

 

AY1617G16C –“Creating an affordable and sustainable vertical farming system for households”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2016/17, Food, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Huang Jianyang (FoS), Lian Wen Wei Alexander (FASS), Nguyen Dam Gia Bao (FoE), Tan Wei Qi Waverly (FASS), Tan Wei Tao (FoS)

Academic Advisor: Prof. Adekunle Adeyeye

Food security has been a long-standing issue in Singapore. With a dearth of local produce, Singapore is inevitably dependent on a large volume of imported fresh food. With no certain solution in sight, our group has decided to tackle the root cause of the problem – a lack of local produce. The scarcity and high lease-price of land in Singapore is undoubtedly a key reason that local farms are unable to expand their farms and increase productivity. Considering the issue of land scarcity, our idea is to promote farming in residential backyards with the use of an affordable and sustainable vertical farming system that is also easily constructed. With guidance from our industry advisor, we aim to create a prototype vertical farming system that is constructed out of recyclables and low-cost material. The prototype is designed to be suitable for mass production, making it accessible to all households. Inspired by IKEA, we will also design an instruction manual to aid buyers of our product in setting up their own vertical farming system. The main intent of these strategies is to make the product affordable, bringing our goal of having every Singaporean household to farm in their own backyard a step closer to reality.

Keywords: Natural Environment and Ecosystem, Food, Urban farming, Food Security, Vertical Farming

AY1617G08B – “Tracing the source of marine debris at the eastern coast of Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR)”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2016/17, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Cephas Lim En Rong (FoE), Chin Zhao Wei (FoE), Keong Ken Wei Nick (FASS), Koh Tian Kai (FASS), Tan Yikai (SoC)

Academic Advisor: Dr. Chua Siew Chin

Due to its non-point source and trans-boundary nature, marine trash has been an unabating issue for Singapore’s coastlines despite many years of coastal cleanups. Their impacts on natural ecosystems such as mangroves go beyond mere unsightliness, to potentially damaging young mangrove saplings. Using Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve (SBWR) as a case study, our project seeks to understand the flow of marine trash in Singapore. Specifically, we aim to trace the sources of marine debris found at the eastern mangrove coast of SBWR through the following:

  1. Take photos of the marine debris at the eastern mangrove coast.
  2. In a non-bias manner, collect all trash in a designated area and categorize them as “local”, “foreign” and “cannot be determined”

Our preliminary expedition suggests that a majority of the debris at SBWR belongs to Malaysia. Thus on top of more field work, we will also consider how distinct types of debris (e.g. glass bottles, food packaging) are carried to the eastern coast due to current movements (longshore drift, tide levels, monsoon wind direction).

Keywords: Natural Environment and Ecosystem, mangroves, marine trash, waste, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve

AY1516G21 –“Human-macaque conflict in Singapore: catalysing effectiveness in management methods”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2015/16, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Ananthanarayanan Sankar (FoS/SCI1), Chio Qi Jun (FoS/SCI1), Chua Soon Kiat Jonathan (FASS/ARS1), Chua Teck Lim (FoE/CHE1), Tan Shao Yun (MDP/CEG1)

Academic Advisor: Adekunle Adeyeye | Student Fellow: Kerk Jun Gang

Proper management of human-wildlife interactions is vital for sustainable development. This is especially true in Singapore, a small country with limited land space. The most well-known cases of negative human-wildlife interaction in Singapore are human-macaque altercations. Residents around nature reserves experience occasional home invasions by Long-Tailed Macaques (Macaca fascicularis) seeking food. Agencies such as ACRES and NParks responded with various outreach efforts, while AVA engages in culling. Culling in particular is an unfeasible and unsustainable long-term solution as macaques are important seed dispersers. The other measures, such as public awareness campaigns and monkey-proof bin installations are a much more sustainable means of addressing this issue. However, the effectiveness of these efforts has not been fully evaluated. In this project, we studied three of these measures and reviewed each of them. From our findings, we identified several issues present in these current implementations and proposed various methods to improve these efforts.

Keywords: Natural Environment and Ecosystem, Wildlife management, Human-wildlife conflict, Outreach, Urban Ecology

AY1516G15 – “Repurposing surface run-off around NUS using Bioswales?”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2015/16, Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Natural Environment and Ecosystem

Chin Jun Tian (FoE/CHE1), Khoo Chong Wee (FASS/ARS1), Leong Jia Qi Elsa (FoE/CHE1), Tran Thuy Linh (FoS/PMC1)

Academic Advisor: Sadaf Ansari | Student Fellow: Nicholas Tan

Due to Singapore’s tropical climate, heavy rainfalls occur frequently resulting in flash floods. The implementation of Bioswales would slow down surface runoff to the drainage systems, hence reducing flash floods. Bioswales are suitable for NUS due to its undulating contour. They also contribute to the campus’ green space through functional and aesthetic means considering the campus’ proximity to Kent Ridge and Bukit Timah nature reserves. We aim to produce guidelines for building Bioswales with details such as the structural design, composition of the soil and the types of plants used. We also propose a retention tank to utilize the stored water for irrigation.  Our guidelines will be based on the studies of existing Bioswales in NUS. We would also identify other potential locations such as the area near LT11 at FASS. We envision Office of Facilities Management to build new Bioswales in NUS with our guidelines.

Keywords: Built Environment and Green Infrastructure, Bioswales, Water Filtration, Urban greenspaces

AY1516G13 – “Can awareness promote a demand for sustainable aquaculture in Singapore?”

rvrnjy Abstracts, AY 2015/16, Culture and Lifestyle Trends, Natural Environment and Ecosystem, Responsible Consumption

Ang Wei Xuan (FASS/ARS1), Benjamin Leow Wei Onn (FASS/ARS1), Deborah Teo Hwee Ching (FoS/SCI1), Kashish Sunil Sawalani (FoE/BIE1)

Academic Advisor: Sadaf Ansari & Sergio Jofre | Student Fellow: Nicholas Tan

Due to increased fish consumption, practices of aquaculture have to be altered sustainably to feed this demand. We aim to investigate the likelihood of adopting sustainable practices of aquaculture and responses of consumers and fish merchants on shifting coastal fish farming to more sustainable means.Research was conducted on current approaches to aquaculture and concluded that change was needed on a national level. To ascertain consumer awareness we conducted surveys to deduce whether average Singaporeans would be open to supporting sustainable methods given that a premium or change in diet may be needed. We surveyed a total of 152 individuals across NUS and public. Results indicated that >70% of people surveyed (18-50) were unaware of current unsustainable practices and are keen to adopt sustainable means. We can conclude that it is likely for Singaporeans to embrace sustainable means of aquaculture, thus we should push towards generating awareness among Singaporeans.

Keywords: Culture and Lifestyle Trends, Responsible Consumption, Natural Environment and Ecosystem, Sustainable Diet, Aquaculture, Sustainable diet

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