tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26390608137406150362024-03-05T06:19:50.871-08:00CLOSED | NaturallYoursThis blog is now currently inactive (no active posting), as of 12 Jun 2013. Thank you. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.comBlogger105125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-75251961952782676532013-06-11T10:12:00.002-07:002013-06-15T03:56:35.574-07:00Closure of a blog<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hi everyone, I am closing this blog officially (i.e. I won't be posting here anymore). I've had lots of draft posts I wanted to post in the past two years but perhaps with no courage to post them and also the lack of time to curate the blog posts properly. But it's alright, I'm moving on. Hope you've enjoyed the blog posts here though! They were sure a little 'childish' but it was the time that moulded my beliefs and interests in nature. Thanks to Ms Wang who asked me to start this blog to post about the intertidal trips I went for! [just a self note: it is interesting to see how so many things have changed and progressed, though] Because of this, I also feel more than ever, that I need to start on a clean slate...<br />
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Thus, with a closure, comes a new 'beginning' -- a collaboration between my fellow course mates and I -- we have a blog called "Never Wild Enough" (<a href="http://neverwildenough.blogspot.com/">http://neverwildenough.blogspot.com/</a>). Do visit, if you like.<br />
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This is blog is officially closed.<br />
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Thank you and signing off,</div>
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Eunice<br />
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<i>Memorable labels</i></div>
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Semakau (<a href="http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/search/label/Semakau">http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/search/label/Semakau</a>)</div>
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Birds (<a href="http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/search/label/Birds">http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/search/label/Birds</a>)</div>
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Chek Jawa (<a href="http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/search/label/Chek%20Jawa">http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/search/label/Chek%20Jawa</a>)</div>
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Raffles LH (<a href="http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/search/label/Satumu%20%28R.%20Lighthouse%29">http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/search/label/Satumu%20%28R.%20Lighthouse%29</a>)</div>
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Bottle Tree Park (<a href="http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/2012/05/85-blue-bottle-park.html">http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/2012/05/85-blue-bottle-park.html</a>)</div>
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Insects at BTNR (<a href="http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/2011/12/84-insects-btnr.html">http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/2011/12/84-insects-btnr.html</a>)</div>
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Caterpillar that fell from the tree - Atlas moth caterpillar (<a href="http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/2010/11/77-caterpillar-that-fell-from-tree.html">http://naturallyours.blogspot.sg/2010/11/77-caterpillar-that-fell-from-tree.html</a>)</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-85559695950491594012012-10-22T17:26:00.002-07:002012-10-22T17:27:12.255-07:00Quote of the Day #05 <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Research that is random and aimless is unlikely to be very productive. In the age of naturalists, it was productive to collect specimens and observe animals in the wild because little or nothing was known. But today, any random observation is likely to be already known. Thus a key to success is to focus on a problem.</blockquote>
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From "Becoming a Successful Scientist Strategic Thinking for Scientific Discovery", by Craig Loehle
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-80810357053607278752012-10-15T12:54:00.002-07:002012-10-15T12:54:43.813-07:00Description of a niche<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A beautiful, comical description of a niche:</div>
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“And Nuh is the letter I use to spell Nutches</div>
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Who live in small caves, known as Nitches, for hutches</div>
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These Nutches have trouble, the biggest of which is</div>
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The fact there are many more Nutches than Nitches</div>
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Each Nutch in a Nitch knows that some other Nutch</div>
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Would like to move into his Nitch very much</div>
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So each Nutch in a Nitch has to watch that small Nitch</div>
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Or Nutches who haven’t got Nitches will snitch”</div>
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- On Beyond Zebra, Dr Seuss, taken from EEB321 Community Ecology notes</div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-83803537523134578022012-05-12T02:16:00.000-07:002012-06-11T10:38:32.650-07:00#85, Bottle Tree ParkFinally have time to blog a little! <br />
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Awhile back, I had the awesome opportunity of visiting Blue Bottle Park at Sembawang, which was organized by David! It was really something different, and I didn't feel like I was in Singapore, at all. It's a good getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life. <br />
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So I guess the point of this post is just to showcase the place itself: may the photos speak for themselves. <br />
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The park has its origins with <a href="http://www.bottletree.com.sg/?page_id=23" target="_blank">five people</a>, who were inspired to reconnect people to nature and had (I might add, rather <i>crazy</i>) interest in horticulture. The impetus drove the bunch of them to buy some plants from Australia, including the "Bottle Tree", which the park gets its name from. It's a massive tree that grows one-metre in width (of its trunk) within two years, and later till two metres in the next 40 plus years. <br />
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So the journey started with getting off at Khatib MRT, and walking through a park connector. Incidentally, there was a palm plant flowering [1], which had bees visiting it. It was a blue-sky morning [2]. <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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f3hBhaCRtsc/T64oLft_w6I/AAAAAAAAKsI/bRqmyi4iu4s/s1600/IMG_0991.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f3hBhaCRtsc/T64oLft_w6I/AAAAAAAAKsI/bRqmyi4iu4s/s400/IMG_0991.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[1] Some palms which were flowering, attracting <i>Apis</i> bees. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e27bKkF33lQ/T64oJUhK9fI/AAAAAAAAKsA/UoRRNyueJ0E/s1600/IMG_0974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="409" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e27bKkF33lQ/T64oJUhK9fI/AAAAAAAAKsA/UoRRNyueJ0E/s640/IMG_0974.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[2] HDB blocks that had pretty tree paintings on them</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/AVvXsEjaKFqArPNU09zOHQ4uv617vc6qLWgICdYXJrUBdNUrH-m1NuQ5duqi1RqMJV7HeiVc9gIMBJvgdlUC_sRA6Y6F-H7L41C3jhLPl_Ylm7JcF2YanBuJ5SPSq_SumGMZRaHYpTu4PPBSvcA/s1600/IMG_1002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaKFqArPNU09zOHQ4uv617vc6qLWgICdYXJrUBdNUrH-m1NuQ5duqi1RqMJV7HeiVc9gIMBJvgdlUC_sRA6Y6F-H7L41C3jhLPl_Ylm7JcF2YanBuJ5SPSq_SumGMZRaHYpTu4PPBSvcA/s400/IMG_1002.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[3] Tree paintings on the HDB at Nee Soon</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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C2QnGt3tqRA/T64oPtSSFGI/AAAAAAAAKsY/dCXYfRpYh0Q/s1600/IMG_1005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C2QnGt3tqRA/T64oPtSSFGI/AAAAAAAAKsY/dCXYfRpYh0Q/s400/IMG_1005.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[4] Walking through the park connector. It was rather sunny but enjoyable. Since it was only about 8am, the heat was was bearable. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4RnqKa8hqTk/T64oRkfmT5I/AAAAAAAAKsg/QVmNorG50DI/s1600/IMG_1025.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4RnqKa8hqTk/T64oRkfmT5I/AAAAAAAAKsg/QVmNorG50DI/s400/IMG_1025.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[5] Walking through a gated road that leads to Bottle Tree Park, I encountered this! Looks like a example of secondary forest stratification! Later during the day, a guy from the ground-up initiative (GUI) at the Bottle Tree Park mentioned that there were mature secondary forests around the area, which were previously rubber plantations. </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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VXib3HDP3b8/T64oTL34aAI/AAAAAAAAKso/ALEn-4JHCP8/s1600/IMG_1042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VXib3HDP3b8/T64oTL34aAI/AAAAAAAAKso/ALEn-4JHCP8/s320/IMG_1042.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[6] Also, epiphytes (like this Bird Nest's Fern and the mosses) hinge on these trunks!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YqkQ3Vn_4kY/T64oUoLMtNI/AAAAAAAAKsw/sZwwqn4fY4M/s1600/IMG_1062.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="386" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YqkQ3Vn_4kY/T64oUoLMtNI/AAAAAAAAKsw/sZwwqn4fY4M/s640/IMG_1062.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[7] Finally reaching the exteriors of Bottle Tree Park, after a walk down a "quiet" lane. </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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qfBnOrogO-M/T64oV6RjT3I/AAAAAAAAKs4/QL73URW8Jd8/s1600/IMG_1073.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qfBnOrogO-M/T64oV6RjT3I/AAAAAAAAKs4/QL73URW8Jd8/s400/IMG_1073.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">[8] Passing by the <span class="hasCaption"><a href="http://www.natureloveyou.sg/Claoxylon%20indicum/Main.html" target="_blank"><i>Claoxylon indicum</i></a>, which was flowering and full of Blue Bottle Flies! They're probably pollinators of the plant. The plant is also known as the Nappy Plant. </span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-msQgJR3xikk/T64oc3rc6bI/AAAAAAAAKtQ/2mp6vqFFlB8/s1600/IMG_1116.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-msQgJR3xikk/T64oc3rc6bI/AAAAAAAAKtQ/2mp6vqFFlB8/s400/IMG_1116.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eTklTx9FyZc/T64oZsHpBlI/AAAAAAAAKtI/jnGL7erfS40/s1600/IMG_1105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eTklTx9FyZc/T64oZsHpBlI/AAAAAAAAKtI/jnGL7erfS40/s320/IMG_1105.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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Anyway, I'll let the photographs do more of the talking! So we just roamed around the area, looking for insects. Found quite a lot of ants around! No photographs of them though. <br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xHi8wkEp8w0/T64ohuoj-AI/AAAAAAAAKto/tN90Yi5Z7Zw/s1600/IMG_1141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xHi8wkEp8w0/T64ohuoj-AI/AAAAAAAAKto/tN90Yi5Z7Zw/s640/IMG_1141.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m2_7D-fUuz0/T64of37-OvI/AAAAAAAAKtg/l65ME-Ok4Bo/s1600/IMG_1137.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m2_7D-fUuz0/T64of37-OvI/AAAAAAAAKtg/l65ME-Ok4Bo/s320/IMG_1137.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mangosteen plant</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I7X1pCdhu0c/T64ojFkTWJI/AAAAAAAAKtw/b4qk4Zyh--8/s1600/IMG_1182.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-I7X1pCdhu0c/T64ojFkTWJI/AAAAAAAAKtw/b4qk4Zyh--8/s640/IMG_1182.jpg" width="428" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bottle Tree (<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachychiton" title="Brachychiton">Brachychiton</a></i> sp.) Disclaimer: Wiki doesn't provide much more information about the tree though!</td></tr>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wm1PW33wRLE/T64omRt1BwI/AAAAAAAAKuA/d0y058rnJFc/s1600/IMG_1207.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pe3dRqS2tgA/T64ooWC0lII/AAAAAAAAKuI/xoKENAp1VTg/s1600/IMG_1219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pe3dRqS2tgA/T64ooWC0lII/AAAAAAAAKuI/xoKENAp1VTg/s640/IMG_1219.jpg" width="425" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lotus pond as well, there's a restaurant overlooking it. Yes, it's an MRT track that you see in the background. Very conveniently near an MRT station!</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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-etRI5pbpcOU/T64orE3C9rI/AAAAAAAAKuQ/fjaXZ3fFuRA/s1600/IMG_1223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="258" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-etRI5pbpcOU/T64orE3C9rI/AAAAAAAAKuQ/fjaXZ3fFuRA/s400/IMG_1223.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There was even a man riding a rickshaw!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-85ufh5hnr4c/T64oudUhGgI/AAAAAAAAKug/rf1cfAWqva8/s1600/IMG_1234.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-85ufh5hnr4c/T64oudUhGgI/AAAAAAAAKug/rf1cfAWqva8/s640/IMG_1234.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Visiting the flower garden, with butterflies fluttering about, (: If I'm not wrong, people are allowed to volunteer to do gardening at this particular part of the Bottle Tree Park. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LtHV0d80K44/T64ov6c8W4I/AAAAAAAAKuo/zWoHUkGQ5mk/s1600/IMG_1245.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LtHV0d80K44/T64ov6c8W4I/AAAAAAAAKuo/zWoHUkGQ5mk/s640/IMG_1245.jpg" width="424" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A shed adjacent to where organically grown vegetables were sold. Nearby, there was a Durian Tree with lots of durian fruits! :D</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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rCqoeg84JLQ/T64oshpFGGI/AAAAAAAAKuY/rFAvi36bbDs/s1600/IMG_1233.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="414" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rCqoeg84JLQ/T64oshpFGGI/AAAAAAAAKuY/rFAvi36bbDs/s640/IMG_1233.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An area for fishing :) </td></tr>
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<br />It was really quite a great time out, just walking around in the sun. There's a <a href="http://www.groundupinitiative.org/" target="_blank">Ground-up initiative</a>, at the place where people can learn about recycling & an eco-friendly way of living, which is really quite interesting. They even have a fly larvae to help decompose food waste! </div>
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And have you heard, <a href="http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_786522.html" target="_blank">Bottle Tree Park's lease has expired</a> and is likely to be re-acquired by the government. It's sad to see a place like this go, since it is a relaxing getaway from the city. Wonder what BTP's fate would be, ultimately. I'm just sitting on the fence. </div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-21346892126240542392011-12-11T22:07:00.000-08:002011-12-11T22:07:47.033-08:00#84, Insects @ BTNRMade a short night trip to BTNR, here are some photos taken. Insects really do seem to be more active at night in general, there was a whole hive of activity going on, the ants were all foraging, lots of leaf litter amphipods hopping about. Even the blattodeas and orthopterans were out to feed. <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="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_E8921rl-mE/TuWX-co6bwI/AAAAAAAAKWA/Njbtq5m1mn0/s1600/IMG_8395.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_E8921rl-mE/TuWX-co6bwI/AAAAAAAAKWA/Njbtq5m1mn0/s320/IMG_8395.jpg" width="271" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr Snail. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lIw9vQ5j9WU/TuWX_m_vOfI/AAAAAAAAKWI/2ECvwOVoYrM/s1600/IMG_8416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lIw9vQ5j9WU/TuWX_m_vOfI/AAAAAAAAKWI/2ECvwOVoYrM/s320/IMG_8416.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Tiger Beetle <i>Cicindela arulenta</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z0M-jlKx1PM/TuWYBx1ZSAI/AAAAAAAAKWQ/yESCvTA8A84/s1600/IMG_8420.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-z0M-jlKx1PM/TuWYBx1ZSAI/AAAAAAAAKWQ/yESCvTA8A84/s320/IMG_8420.jpg" width="274" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Milipede (Class Diplopoda)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y7RcKbShddg/TuWYDGF5wsI/AAAAAAAAKWY/tgFO3yKd1bs/s1600/IMG_8428.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y7RcKbShddg/TuWYDGF5wsI/AAAAAAAAKWY/tgFO3yKd1bs/s320/IMG_8428.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Scorpion-like spider (<i>Arachnura </i>sp.) which actually mimicks the shape of a leaf. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6P_SQhiPiiQ/TuWYECTEFSI/AAAAAAAAKWg/FghHc6YNmvI/s1600/IMG_8464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="156" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6P_SQhiPiiQ/TuWYECTEFSI/AAAAAAAAKWg/FghHc6YNmvI/s320/IMG_8464.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slug. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YIyAlcWr5Is/TuWYGEeL3rI/AAAAAAAAKWo/ZczaNDiFqbM/s1600/IMG_8475.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="246" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YIyAlcWr5Is/TuWYGEeL3rI/AAAAAAAAKWo/ZczaNDiFqbM/s320/IMG_8475.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Darkling Beetle.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<h2>
<span class="mw-headline" id="Characteristics"></span></h2>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
This family of beetles may be identified by a combination of features, including :<br />
<ul>
<li>An 11-segmented antenna which may be <a class="extiw" href="http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/filiform" title="wiktionary:filiform">filiform</a>, <a class="new" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Moniliform&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Moniliform (page does not exist)">moniliform</a>, or weakly clubbed.</li>
<li>First abdominal <a class="mw-redirect" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sternite" title="Sternite">sternite</a> entire and not divided by the hind coxae. (need to look at the underside) </li>
<li>Eyes notched by a frontal ridge. (look @ head)</li>
<li><a class="new" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tarsus_%28insect%29&action=edit&redlink=1" title="Tarsus (insect) (page does not exist)">Tarsi</a> have four segments in the<b> hind pair </b>and 5 in the <b>fore and mid legs</b> (5-5-4.) The tarsal claws are simple (no extra hairs). </li>
</ul>
</blockquote>
~Adapted from Wikipedia @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darkling_beetle
<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="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oFHqWKX40yc/TuWYIJfTJGI/AAAAAAAAKWw/3Xejywibm4g/s1600/IMG_8478.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oFHqWKX40yc/TuWYIJfTJGI/AAAAAAAAKWw/3Xejywibm4g/s320/IMG_8478.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flower Chafer beetle</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aVm21DOhF7E/TuWX8DWMthI/AAAAAAAAKV4/shkRdVsgbTo/s1600/IMG_8391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="215" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aVm21DOhF7E/TuWX8DWMthI/AAAAAAAAKV4/shkRdVsgbTo/s400/IMG_8391.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Katydid</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XvFJ5nDp9OI/TuWYJmN2KoI/AAAAAAAAKW4/_CX9OSZXsrE/s1600/IMG_8420x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="288" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XvFJ5nDp9OI/TuWYJmN2KoI/AAAAAAAAKW4/_CX9OSZXsrE/s400/IMG_8420x.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ornate Cockroach</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
With thanks to Zestin who was talking about all the ID throughout the trips :P Haha. Thank you!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-1413249600859911702011-12-11T21:51:00.000-08:002011-12-11T21:52:20.317-08:00#83, Follow-ups in researchIt seems like many reports in research conclude and end with "further studies must be done to have more conclusive data". It seems like there is no one to follow up with these studies. Most of them are just left off as it is, and there is no continuity. I'm just wondering if Professors should take the onus upon them to see if other students would 'continue' the project that the preceding student has done, because once the project is just 'left-off' like that, there is no information building.<br />
<br />
It seems also that research is something that people take up (because the idea sounds extremely exciting and fun), and then give up after the first project, after realizing it is not all that glamorous as it is made out. Research is a long process - preparation, data collection, testing hypothesis, analysing data AND one does not always get results. One has to constantly stimulate his/her brains to come out with ideas when met with a roadblock. It's by no means repetitive work.<br />
<br />
I don't know.. just my two cents and.. I hope that I don't give up after my first project (on the ants at BTNR and CCNR). I must admit, it was difficult!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-80258602902514386402011-12-10T08:51:00.000-08:002013-06-11T10:01:44.558-07:00#82, Toddycats Engage Today!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Today the RMBR Toddycats trooped down to Geylang East Library for a session of sharing about the mammals and birds (otters, wild boars, jungle fowl, greater mousedeer, sunbears, civet cats etc.)<br />
<br />
<br />
Will blog another day but photos will do the talking for now. <br />
<br />
<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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6qDyWcL6jJ0/TuOOUYMMIuI/AAAAAAAAKVU/OUG0c8ousMs/s1600/2011-12-10+09.35.29.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6qDyWcL6jJ0/TuOOUYMMIuI/AAAAAAAAKVU/OUG0c8ousMs/s320/2011-12-10+09.35.29.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skull display, showing the mammals and reptiles (higher organisms); trying to contrast between homodonts and heterodonts.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nZ-fXtWNj9k/TuOOWal_D6I/AAAAAAAAKVc/ytLkPR8b5AE/s1600/2011-12-10+09.44.36.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nZ-fXtWNj9k/TuOOWal_D6I/AAAAAAAAKVc/ytLkPR8b5AE/s320/2011-12-10+09.44.36.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Precious dino bone (part of the vertebrae, if you are interested to know), from a specimen that was found 50cm away from 'Twinky', one of the three <i>Diplodocus</i> sauropods<i> </i>to be displayed at the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum in 2014. </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jqroNveHPhI/TuOOYcW66QI/AAAAAAAAKVk/fasQpq8S3hE/s1600/2011-12-10+10.21.23.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jqroNveHPhI/TuOOYcW66QI/AAAAAAAAKVk/fasQpq8S3hE/s320/2011-12-10+10.21.23.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snake skeleton, most intriguingly prepared by Oi Yee (one of the very experienced guides, and previously a staff at the RMBR) back in the 1960s; she went through lots of chemical procedures on the snake, from dissecting, staining, fixing the stain, adding right preservatives (glycol or something of that sort) at different times all at the right precision. She even made the plastic box herself! Wonderful stuff. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tM5tt3yst54/TuOObeSxPeI/AAAAAAAAKVs/6NhFNaRZpOM/s1600/2011-12-10+11.06.26.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tM5tt3yst54/TuOObeSxPeI/AAAAAAAAKVs/6NhFNaRZpOM/s320/2011-12-10+11.06.26.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jocelin sharing her thoughts about the fish bones with a little inquisitve boy.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-26477262336750804602011-11-29T20:58:00.001-08:002011-11-29T20:59:33.397-08:00Quote of the Day #04‘If all mankind were to disappear, the world would regenerate back to the rich state of equilibrium that existed ten thousand years ago. If insects were to vanish, the environment would collapse into chaos’.
—E. O. Wilson (1985)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-86690747140342487342011-11-25T05:14:00.001-08:002011-11-25T05:21:04.469-08:00Quote of the Day #03Ants make up a very clever super-organism. No doubt about that.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<br />
"Marauders are even more organized when they harvest grasses, one of their pastimes in the Singapore Botanic Gardens. When a raid passes a fruiting grass plant, only minor workers and small medias can climb up the slim stalk. The first minors gnaw the attached seeds ineffectually, but productivity skyrockets when a media (ant) arrives. The ants now set up a little assembly line, in which the media extracts one seed after another and then appears to hand it to a minor to haul away. What is really happening, however, is that the minor who is too weak to pull a seed free from the stalk on her own, snatches the seed from the media before the larger ant can depart with it. The media dutifully plucks another seed, which another minor grabs. With minor workers so numerous, a media seldom has an opportunity to exit with her find."</blockquote>
<br />
Marauder ants are ants that belong to the genus Pheidolegeton (photos at http://www.myrmecos.net/myrmicinae/pheidologeton.html). <br />
<br />
Source:<br />
Moffet, Mark W., 2010. <i>University of California Press</i>. <b>Adventures Among Ants: A Global Safari with a Cast of Trillions</b>.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-34500268865398932622011-11-15T22:30:00.001-08:002011-11-25T05:11:30.368-08:00Quote of the Day #01<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Genetic variation is the raw material for evolutionary
change (Frankel & Soulé, 1981). Genetic
variation allows populations to evolve in response to
environmental change, whether that be new/changed
diseases, parasites, predators and competitors, or
greenhouse warming, ozone layer depletions, or
other results of pollution, Pre-existing genetic variation
is critical for short-term evolutionary change
(Ayala, 1965; R. Frankham, E. Lowe, M. E.
Montgomery, L. M. Woodworth, & D. A. Briscoe,
unpublished data) as the waiting times for new
favourable mutations are high unless population
sizes are very large. The IUCN (World Conservation
Union) has recognized genetic diversity as one of
three levels of biological diversity requiring conservation
(McNeely et a!., 1990).</blockquote>
<br />
The Genetical Society of Great Britain, Heredity, 78, 311—327.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-65171693437877179152011-11-15T21:57:00.001-08:002011-11-25T05:12:11.910-08:00Quote of the Day #02<blockquote class="tr_bq">
It is most likely that warming will increase biomass production in various ecosystems (Rustad et al. 2001). However, projections of ecosystemperformance are difficult mainly because of uncertainties in the future distribution of water. The projected speed of climate change can exceed the dispersal capacities of many plant species. Even if long-term adjustments can be expected, on the time scale of decades and perhaps even centuries, regional losses of biodiversity are likely to occur. Furthermore, rapid shifts towards novel site conditions at a given sitemay not be followed by the organisms. Extreme climatic events can cause the local breakdown of populations (Breshears et al. 2005). This could result in declining ecosystem functionality (Royer et al. 2011). Consequences for ecosystem services are therefore to be expected.</blockquote>
<br />
From Carl Beierkuhnlein, Daniel Thiel, Anke Jentsch, Evelin Willner3and Juergen Kreyling. <br />
<b>Ecotypes of European grass species respond differently to warming and extreme drought.</b><br />
2011 The Authors. Journal of Ecology 2011 British Ecological Society, Journal of Ecology, 99, 703–713Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-49996659345232429362011-11-14T20:50:00.001-08:002011-11-14T20:50:26.830-08:00Ants<object data="http://www.uctv.tv/player/player_uctv_bug.swf" height="348" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.uctv.tv/player/player_uctv_bug.swf" />
<param name="quality" value="high" />
<param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" />
<param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" />
<param name="flashvars" value="previewImage=http://www.uctv.tv/images/programs/15367.jpg&overLink=http://www.uctv.tv/search-details.aspx?showID=15367&overLinkTarget=_blank&movie=rtmp://webcast.ucsd.edu/vod/mp4:15367&videosize=0&buffer=1&volume=50&repeat=false&smoothing=true" />
</object>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-87847194926879283972011-04-15T07:10:00.000-07:002011-04-15T07:14:02.224-07:00#81, A short update! <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="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pVNFwlkHpCg/TahRIJS8MKI/AAAAAAAAKMs/yiJQTKfYE9E/s1600/Whipsnakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="386" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pVNFwlkHpCg/TahRIJS8MKI/AAAAAAAAKMs/yiJQTKfYE9E/s400/Whipsnakes.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo comparison between two similar-looking snakes seen in 2011! (: The Big-eyed Whipsnake (top) and the Oriental Whipsnake (bottom). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>Hello everybody, I'm extremely sorry for the lack of posts due to school. Don't worry though, I have been nature-hopping quite actively :D! <br />
<br />
On another note, I might be migrating out of this address, will see how! So till then... after the exams I hopefully will post more actively :)Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-53545080241303050572010-12-11T07:46:00.000-08:002010-12-11T07:46:06.378-08:00#80, Fallen treesIt seems like the rain has taken a toll on the trees at Ulu Pandan Canal. In a short span of 1 week whr I've not visit the canal, about 4 trees have fallen/ major branches broken off. I was quite shocked. One of the trees was really really the huge... And it was actually flowering at the time it fell. :( Imagine all the seedlings lost.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-31940394055984366622010-11-21T03:21:00.000-08:002010-12-06T19:36:43.984-08:00#79, Titan Arum bloomed at the SBGTitan Arum bloomed at the Sinapore Botanical Gardens (our lecturer Prof Benito told us via email). Can't wait to check it out after the exam.<br />
*Pardon the wrong information on 21 Nov/ it actually only bloomed early December.<br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>What's the big deal about it?</strong> It's actually the biggest inflorescence in the world, bred successfully in captivity for the first time in SBG. It's at the entrance of SBG.<br />
<br />
A video about it <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHaWu2rcP94">here</a> by David Attenborough.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
And another video by the super cool bird: lyrebird- you should so watch it! But it's a bit disturbing for birds to make such humanly-human sounds. It just shows how the place (where the video is shot) is probably quite urbanized. The chain-saw sound is especially disturbing...<br />
<br />
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/VjE0Kdfos4Y?fs=1&hl=en_US"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VjE0Kdfos4Y?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object><br />
<br />
<br />
& a sad article on the coral bleaching that is getting from 'bad to worse' http://www.nature.com/news/2010/101119/full/news.2010.621.htmlAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-29771527721699719592010-11-16T18:53:00.000-08:002010-11-16T21:04:05.376-08:00#78, Ecological niche of 'stray' cats? (the Cat & the Rat)Perhaps the ecological niche of cats have been changed very drastically from what I witnessed at the NUS Science Canteen :O<br /><br />To quote <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat#cite_note-pmid18083843-163">Wikipedia</a> (I know quoting it is not the best thing to do HAHA, but still it can be a good source of general information) but anyways:<br /><br /><br /><blockquote><p>Even well-fed domestic cats <strong>may hunt and kill, mainly catching small mammals, but also birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish and invertebrates</strong>.[128][161] Hunting by domestic cats may be contributing to the decline in the numbers of birds in urban areas, although the importance of this effect remains controversial.[162] In the wild, the introduction of feral cats during human settlement can threaten native species with extinction.[157] In many cases controlling or eliminating the populations of non-native cats can produce a rapid recovery in native animals.[163] However, the ecological role of introduced cats can be more complicated: for example, <strong>cats can control the numbers of rats</strong>, which also prey on birds' eggs and young, so in some cases eliminating a cat population can<br />actually accelerate the decline of an endangered bird species in the presence of a mesopredator, controlled by cats.[164] </p></blockquote>But the cat at the canteen today simply did not catch the rat- in fact, it thought of it more as a toy or something, chasing it around the canteen. It was more like curiosity rather than it actually 'hunting'. Perhaps you could say that the cat was not very hungry but I doubt it had eaten much, since it's the term break & probably no one came to feed it. The cat continued to follow the rat. In the end, the cat did not catch the rat and watched it scurry away.<br /><br />Maybe cats no longer actually catch rats/insects/etc, or hardly ever. Haha does this discount them as 'useful pets'? Hehe... Perhaps this is also due to human intervention; the cats no longer 'hunt' because they're fed by cat-lovers???<br /><br />Just an assumption and food for thought! ^^"Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-82353058476150257762010-11-09T21:02:00.000-08:002010-11-12T07:50:37.591-08:00#77, Caterpillar that fell from the treeToday along the canal, this poor caterpillar was found on the ground with a branch attached to its feet; I guess it fell from a tree high up because there were only tall trees nearby. Its innards were smashed out I think, so you can see the greenish stuff, its <a href="http://everything2.com/title/Haemolymph">hemolymph</a>. Believe it is the caterpillar of the <a href="http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/inverts/atlas_moth.htm">Atlas Moth,</a> one of the larger moths found in Singapore (and the Southeast Asian region).<br /><br />It was actually 'passing motion/ excreting' as well... Not sure why. But it was really sad.<br /><br />One of the host plants of the Atlas moth caterpillar is the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muntingia">Singapore cherry</a>. Think it is found at the canal also.<br /><br /><br /><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TNonuNcxFKI/AAAAAAAAKF8/jcZ4eNUBc_8/s1600/IMG_0194.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537782366643229858" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TNonuNcxFKI/AAAAAAAAKF8/jcZ4eNUBc_8/s400/IMG_0194.jpg" /></a> Greenish innards that already are smashed out. There were greenish looking pellets found in the haemolymph Not sure what it is... </p><p><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TNont0NzDqI/AAAAAAAAKF0/amzeteiaArU/s1600/IMG_0187.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537782359869558434" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TNont0NzDqI/AAAAAAAAKF0/amzeteiaArU/s400/IMG_0187.jpg" /></a> It was about 6-8 cm in length, 2cm in width.<br /><br /></p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TNontjPZHTI/AAAAAAAAKFs/QO4hfmtWyMM/s1600/IMG_0182.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537782355312844082" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TNontjPZHTI/AAAAAAAAKFs/QO4hfmtWyMM/s400/IMG_0182.jpg" /></a> And it was actually still alive...<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TNontMM_ZMI/AAAAAAAAKFk/44OUi2jO-oo/s1600/IMG_0180.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537782349128754370" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TNontMM_ZMI/AAAAAAAAKFk/44OUi2jO-oo/s400/IMG_0180.jpg" /></a> The characteristic fleshy spines of the caterpillar.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TNons4osvAI/AAAAAAAAKFc/rjM2gsVtvfs/s1600/IMG_0178.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5537782343876262914" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TNons4osvAI/AAAAAAAAKFc/rjM2gsVtvfs/s400/IMG_0178.jpg" /></a> </div><div>Let's just hope it will survive, it is really quite a pity if it dies like that since it seems rather mature... do catepillars have regenerative powers? </div><div></div><div>After some observation, I put it back. </div><div> </div><div></div><div>[Edit] Today I sawwwww a <a href="http://www.ecologyasia.com/verts/mammals/house-shrew.htm">house shrew</a> dead at the canal, plus weird birds with a tail swooping down to the canal waters... [/Edit]<br /></div><div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-29849130414804435142010-11-02T19:07:00.000-07:002010-11-04T04:57:25.002-07:00#76, Notebook scraps: Sightings @ Ulu Pandan CanalAgain, today as I was walking down the canal, there were quite many birds around, chirping happily (or so I'd like to believe). It was a nice cool (but sunny) walk because it was just 9am, but everything around was so beautiful because the sun illuminated them nicely (dang I should have brought my camera).<br /><br />Anyway, there were quite a lot of birds I couldn't ID though I saw the male/female Olive-backed Sunbird, egrets & even green parakeets and the lone purple heron that stood on the metal railings at the canal.<br /><br />Then midway, I saw this pretty snake (too bad I didn't bring my camera down, I should have); I'm really really not sure of the species but it was about 1/2 - 3/4 of a metre, and iridiscent with a purple base colour; it was quite a fat snake too, so I doubt it can pass off as a whip snake. I guess it was 'sun-tanning' after a cold night. Oh well.... ):<br /><br />[Edit] I wonder if it is the <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/snakes/purpureomaculatus.htm">shore pit viper</a> though it's highly unlikely because the snake I saw didn't have such a defined triangular head and furthermore, it was rather glossy than matte. I really have a foggy memory of it now, sob! [/Edit]Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-20563578780100982332010-10-24T01:41:00.000-07:002010-10-26T04:33:13.144-07:00#75, Semakau overnight trip<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 267px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5531530125534889458" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TMPxV4ThBfI/AAAAAAAAKFM/RUXOktLztOA/s400/IMG_5089.JPG" /><br /><br />This trip was quite different as we got to do the fish/mangrove/insect survey. We collected samples during thse surveys.<br /><br />The surveys were interesting!! :)<br /><br />For the fish one, was assigned to do the <a href="http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-the-most-humane-way-to-euthanize-a-fish.htm">Clove Oil</a> method of euthanizing and retrieving fish, others were doing seining (with a net) & this time, the casting of net was not used. Anyway, the clove oil can actually 'knock out' a fish, probably due to some active ingredient inside the oil. A small amount of oil (actually it's a 30% clove oil, 70% ethanol mix) is dropped into tidal pools during low tide so that these fishes found in the tidal pools will be knocked out and we can pick them out. Mainly, there were gobies, filefish... However, they also found a rabbitfish, squid and others on the second day. Won't go so much into the preservation stuff too.<br /><br />Anyway, we had to evacuate fast from the intertidal area on the first day because there was thunder and lightning... The place seemed to be affected by algal blooms as well, which was present in another part of the intertidal area (during the last trip).<br /><br />For the insect survey, we used a net; waving it in figures-of-eight, we were able to catch insects in the net; insects of varieties: dragonflies - the red one, yellow one, blue one, bee-mimicking one (odonata), butterflies & moths - common grass yellow & its relatives (lepidoptera), bugs (hemiptera), grasshoppers & katydids (orthoptera), ants (hymenoptera), spiders (arachnida) - the crab spiders, long-legged spiders, lynx spider, and we got some caterpillars, wasps, milipedes as well. Surprising how many insects you can find in a small area. After awhile, everything looked kinda the same but the insects are probably different species... Haha. No wonder not many people actually study insects. Presevation was carried out too...<br /><br />There was BBQ which had pretty yummy food too...<br /><br />Alright sleepyyyyyyyyy now. Goodbye!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-10069505225740411842010-10-09T09:42:00.000-07:002010-10-10T08:00:20.345-07:00#74, Semakau Hunting SeekingYup. Today we did the intertidal survey at a new area - the hunting-seeking trip today was pretty tough because of the terrain; soft sand, rocky rubble, lotsa algal cover. But there were many interesting things seen through the trip. Felt that it was impossible to look for the the animals effectively because there was so much algae growing too, in addition to the coral rubble that was stacked upon each other... Because of that, the animals were able to hide quickly so quickly! I thought I saw a pebble crab but was not in time to get a good look at it and take a photo.<br /><br />There were many hermit crabs, hairy crabs, common rock crabs, anemones, snails and worms. These seemed to be the few things appearing commonly during the survey.<br /><br />Saw an octopus and pygmy squids during the survey as well. Some of the others spotted brittle stars on the way back too. Towards the reef area, we saw butterfly fish and what looks like a <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/fish/batrachoididae/batrachoididae.htm">toadfish</a>.<br /><br />On our way back, we saw a couple of <a href="http://www.naturia.per.sg/buloh/verts/water_snake.htm">dog-faced water snake</a> (<em>Cerberus rynchops</em>), which is very mildly venomous. Just to side track, I went for a practical at the zoo recently, and our T.A. mentioned how (venomous) snakes usually try to conserve as much as venom as possible because it's precious to them because they rely on it to kill their prey. So they only bite to defend themselves, injecting not too much venom.<br /><br />Towards the end of the survey, we also saw the <a href="http://www.wildsingapore.com/wildfacts/vertebrates/snakes/laticauda.htm">Yellow-lipped Sea Krait</a> (<em>Laticauda colubrina</em>)<em> </em>which caused quite alot of excitement! This snake's venom can actually kill but typically, this snake is rather docile, and do not attack humans often. The snake we saw was probably hunting and minding its own business haha.<br /><br /><p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLE05H5KCFI/AAAAAAAAKEQ/X-5EfsNs8As/s1600/IMG_0031+algael+overgrowth.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526256373736278098" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLE05H5KCFI/AAAAAAAAKEQ/X-5EfsNs8As/s400/IMG_0031+algael+overgrowth.jpg" /></a> <em>As you can see, there's algal growth. This particular species of (macro?)algae covered almost the whole portion of the intertidal area we surveyed.</em><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCb4vR5ziI/AAAAAAAAKB0/7kyed0YXlOo/s1600/IMG_0032.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526088141850136098" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCb4vR5ziI/AAAAAAAAKB0/7kyed0YXlOo/s400/IMG_0032.jpg" /></a><em>We started off the survey... R. was 'surveying' the ground ahead of us. As you can see, he was already knee deep because of the soft substratum. </em><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCb4ThMqjI/AAAAAAAAKBs/AI-Xi7twiGA/s1600/IMG_0029.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526088134398093874" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCb4ThMqjI/AAAAAAAAKBs/AI-Xi7twiGA/s400/IMG_0029.jpg" /></a><em> The area that we were doing the survey at was nearby the replanted mangroves.<br /></em><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCb6iPIh8I/AAAAAAAAKCM/gq0ChmRLrkk/s1600/IMG_0039+mangrove+propagule.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526088172708595650" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCb6iPIh8I/AAAAAAAAKCM/gq0ChmRLrkk/s400/IMG_0039+mangrove+propagule.jpg" /></a><em>A mangrove propagule I think.</em><br /></p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCb5_ag4bI/AAAAAAAAKCE/wKjJYvB67oA/s1600/IMG_0035+anemone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526088163361087922" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCb5_ag4bI/AAAAAAAAKCE/wKjJYvB67oA/s400/IMG_0035+anemone.jpg" /></a><em> An unidentified anemone. It was greenish and had bands towards the end of the tentacle.</em><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCb5ZpcWxI/AAAAAAAAKB8/pb4pvZGBWFo/s1600/IMG_0034+hermit+crab.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526088153223158546" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCb5ZpcWxI/AAAAAAAAKB8/pb4pvZGBWFo/s400/IMG_0034+hermit+crab.jpg" /></a><em>A hermit crab at the intertidal area.</em><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdnAGOJtI/AAAAAAAAKEA/9PwB0EfoCUI/s1600/IMG_0041.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526090036150150866" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdnAGOJtI/AAAAAAAAKEA/9PwB0EfoCUI/s400/IMG_0041.jpg" /></a><em>Alsoo, this was the snail commonly found at the intertidal area.</em> </div><div><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdmuRV5YI/AAAAAAAAKD4/Ph8GIT5Jxag/s1600/IMG_0042.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526090031364957570" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdmuRV5YI/AAAAAAAAKD4/Ph8GIT5Jxag/s400/IMG_0042.jpg" /></a> <em>An unidentified worm at the rubble area.</em><br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdl6n-chI/AAAAAAAAKDo/gUDWEaa90n8/s1600/IMG_0049.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526090017501245970" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdl6n-chI/AAAAAAAAKDo/gUDWEaa90n8/s400/IMG_0049.jpg" /></a><em>A second unidentified worm at the rocky rubble.</em> </div><div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdJ-2R8GI/AAAAAAAAKDg/pdaGIwZ51jo/s1600/IMG_0051.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526089537598648418" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdJ-2R8GI/AAAAAAAAKDg/pdaGIwZ51jo/s400/IMG_0051.jpg" /></a><em> An interesting anemone with alternating white & green bands.</em></div><div><div><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3r8XoNEYteOtQ7nwIf9qyEgdXYSKTgKfH-r7jblpDgK5BUaGgCzljgzKego2K4AoO6iIE-4k7SEOmaBFS_9Of3stVfWQIKPSGJFrGySMFC8FmXJP9ERbfbuJjs3wQblYtvCrYtQneP8/s1600/IMG_0053+common+rock+crab.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526089514914291650" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY3r8XoNEYteOtQ7nwIf9qyEgdXYSKTgKfH-r7jblpDgK5BUaGgCzljgzKego2K4AoO6iIE-4k7SEOmaBFS_9Of3stVfWQIKPSGJFrGySMFC8FmXJP9ERbfbuJjs3wQblYtvCrYtQneP8/s400/IMG_0053+common+rock+crab.jpg" /></a><em>The underside of the Common Rock Crab- it has very characteristic spooner-claws. Later in the survey, we found a bigger one that had already lost it spooner claws. </em><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdH3xazEI/AAAAAAAAKDI/wd8NVCr4fNg/s1600/IMG_0059+bristle+worm.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526089501339470914" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdH3xazEI/AAAAAAAAKDI/wd8NVCr4fNg/s400/IMG_0059+bristle+worm.jpg" /></a><em> A bristle worm.</em><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdHQvkURI/AAAAAAAAKDA/1LrByYX-YY8/s1600/IMG_0061.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526089490862723346" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCdHQvkURI/AAAAAAAAKDA/1LrByYX-YY8/s400/IMG_0061.jpg" /></a> A colony of zoanthids. There were many many colonies at the area where we found this one.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCczi9lOwI/AAAAAAAAKC4/YKhByezgDA0/s1600/IMG_0062+branched+tentacle+anemone.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526089152155958018" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCczi9lOwI/AAAAAAAAKC4/YKhByezgDA0/s400/IMG_0062+branched+tentacle+anemone.jpg" /></a> <em>Branched-tentacle anemone.</em><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCczYEN5EI/AAAAAAAAKCw/w0v4PASoX_8/s1600/IMG_0063+sandfish+sea+cucumber.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526089149230998594" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCczYEN5EI/AAAAAAAAKCw/w0v4PASoX_8/s400/IMG_0063+sandfish+sea+cucumber.jpg" /></a><em>A huge sea cucumber.</em><br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCcyKCQjVI/AAAAAAAAKCo/RFjQyq88sFA/s1600/IMG_0064+window+pane+shell.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526089128284818770" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCcyKCQjVI/AAAAAAAAKCo/RFjQyq88sFA/s400/IMG_0064+window+pane+shell.jpg" /></a> <em>Window pane shell.</em><br /><br /><div></div><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCcxNB-JnI/AAAAAAAAKCY/zf7Y4WXdsHo/s1600/IMG_0069.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5526089111909049970" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TLCcxNB-JnI/AAAAAAAAKCY/zf7Y4WXdsHo/s400/IMG_0069.jpg" /></a> To end the post, this was where everyone spotted the Sea Krait! Haha, it's a happy picture to end off the survey.</div><div><br /><br /></div><div></div><div>R.I.P. to my handphone and camera though, because I literally fell into the water with all my swanky digital gadgets (Im starting to trust technology less and less. ><). Haha. Will learn my lesson to put my handphone in a zip lock bag. My next point-and-shoot camera will be a waterproof one too HAHA. </div><div></div><div>Last but not least, thanks to R. who coordinated the trip. </div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-20566404488370415692010-10-06T04:18:00.000-07:002010-10-06T04:56:08.454-07:00#73, Notebook scraps: Ulu Pandan Canal<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxi4inYAdI/AAAAAAAAKBQ/EvwVgH3JDMQ/s1600/28072010473.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524899566380909010" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxi4inYAdI/AAAAAAAAKBQ/EvwVgH3JDMQ/s400/28072010473.jpg" /></a> Interesting photograph of how the grass were covered for a period of 3 days and they lost some of their chlorophyll.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />***<br /><br /><br /><div>Alrighties, I haven't done a proper post in a long long time; partially because there was no break in between working and school life! ): Sadly. The advent of Facebook has made everything so simple (like uploading a photograph from my handphone directly up on Facebook); it's made me lazy to blogpost too (<em>haha but since I've deactivated my Facebook account</em>...)<br /></div><div>Yup so today I went jogging. Before jogging, it was nice to see the usual birds around, the pink-necked pigeon, the collared kingfisher, yellow-vented bulbuls, black-naped oriole around. In particular, there were quite many pink-necked pigeon, because the palm tree was fruiting. Surprisingly, the floor was littered with seeds as well.<br /><br /><strong>Observation 1:</strong> Pigeons are quite scary actually (despite its docile looks)! Both a pink-necked pigeon and myna was on a infructescence of fruits but when the myna came closer to the pigeon, the pigeon actually showed some aggression to it.<br /><strong>Observation 2:</strong> Pigeons can eat alot, and really fast. The pigeons were literally gobbling down the palm fruits. *nom nom nom*<br /><strong>Observation 3:</strong> Pigeons can hang upside down to eat! It's actually quite a cute sight.<br /><br />I was trying to look out for algae/bryophytes but failed to do so. I can't identify them properly still. (putting biodiversity knowledge into use)<br /><br />Haha oky that aside, here are some photos I accumulated... taken with my handphone!<br /><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxb07EslHI/AAAAAAAAKBE/lKKJP21fvUg/s1600/09082010520.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524891807645471858" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxb07EslHI/AAAAAAAAKBE/lKKJP21fvUg/s400/09082010520.jpg" /></a>A dead bee. I have a knack for spotting dead things.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxb0qY3NUI/AAAAAAAAKA8/_-vkJQbiQ6k/s1600/28092010631.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524891803166651714" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxb0qY3NUI/AAAAAAAAKA8/_-vkJQbiQ6k/s400/28092010631.jpg" /></a> Here's a spider, the web-weaving kind.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxb0N4M3JI/AAAAAAAAKA0/YJMAwQEO72c/s1600/08092010573.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524891795513466002" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxb0N4M3JI/AAAAAAAAKA0/YJMAwQEO72c/s400/08092010573.jpg" /></a> I suppose this is one of the hunting spiders! (<a href="http://habitatnews.nus.edu.sg/guidebooks/spiders/text/a-spiders.htm">spider link</a>)<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxb0CVlDbI/AAAAAAAAKAs/M19B89o3WUM/s1600/13082010527.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524891792415460786" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxb0CVlDbI/AAAAAAAAKAs/M19B89o3WUM/s400/13082010527.jpg" /></a><br />One of the interesting insects I saw a while back. I think it's a caterpillar? I don't know!! </div><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div>And then recently I spotted a dead emerald dove. </div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxbambbiyI/AAAAAAAAKAk/SVYRFT3uIlI/s1600/03102010641.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524891355427080994" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxbambbiyI/AAAAAAAAKAk/SVYRFT3uIlI/s400/03102010641.jpg" /></a><br /><div>How our local cats have lost the will to eat fresh meat- haha! (a lady always feeds them with cat feed) Sorry or maybe they don't even eat birds in the first place. I dont know.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxbZ2EE5jI/AAAAAAAAKAU/4Dz0vTAgQ2o/s1600/03102010642.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524891342444226098" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxbZ2EE5jI/AAAAAAAAKAU/4Dz0vTAgQ2o/s400/03102010642.jpg" /></a> RIP.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxbZU3PJQI/AAAAAAAAKAM/gmTPDCqayW0/s1600/03102010640.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524891333532001538" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxbZU3PJQI/AAAAAAAAKAM/gmTPDCqayW0/s400/03102010640.jpg" /></a> </div></div></div></div></div></div><br /><p>RIP!</p><p></p><br /><br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxjUJymwtI/AAAAAAAAKBY/ITtmSrhKSrs/s1600/06102010651.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5524900040753464018" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TKxjUJymwtI/AAAAAAAAKBY/ITtmSrhKSrs/s400/06102010651.jpg" /></a>In a few days, it was reduced to this.... Such is the power of our friendly decomposers, carnivorous insects etc.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-27518966433155738312010-09-25T08:25:00.000-07:002010-09-25T08:29:15.049-07:00#72, Catching fishiesLast Wednesday, a lecturer (according to NUS site haha), Tan Heok Hui taught us more about how we can catch fishes! He showed us various types of nets, seine nets, throw nets, normal fish tank aquarium nets. It was pretty interesting. Got tries at throwing the 10-foot and 12-foot cast net (aka throw net), heavy stuff!Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-4567864826446465342010-08-28T05:20:00.000-07:002010-09-08T01:10:08.261-07:00#71, Shrimp Workshop<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TIc8Jd3NUzI/AAAAAAAAJ_U/QJcE6esRM0Y/s1600/spider.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 306px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5514442402071139122" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TIc8Jd3NUzI/AAAAAAAAJ_U/QJcE6esRM0Y/s400/spider.jpg" /></a>A digital doodle I did! Hopefully I'll be able to draw more in days to come.<br /><br />Anyway back to the shrimp post:<br /><br /><div>It was a shrimpy day with Dr Sammy De Grave, from the Oxford Museum of Natural History! The informative session splitted up into 2 components. First and second parts were information about the shrimps, and the last part was about how we should collect them (applicable for Proj Semakau). </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>Though it was quite impossible for me (perhaps for others it's possible) to pick up the identification of shrimps, I think I learnt a thing or two. :~) Ok, so I missed the first 20 minutes of the talk because I had to rush from somewhr else before the talk... so yep first twenty minutes = nil information about our little friends!</div><br /><div></div><div>Ok haha such irrelevant information.<br /></div><div>Actually, according to Dr Sammy, prawns and shrimps are almost too similar so they just use the terms quite interchangeably... but they are not the same and they do have distinctive features.</div><br /><div></div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkDIG5Os6I/AAAAAAAAJ_A/R44FVq6H6Z0/s1600/IMG_0104.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510439056889000866" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkDIG5Os6I/AAAAAAAAJ_A/R44FVq6H6Z0/s400/IMG_0104.jpg" /></a> Here's a shrimp that doesnt "jump" but crawls when it is about to be caught.</div><div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkDH4DrO0I/AAAAAAAAJ-4/0OmOgKCYx80/s1600/IMG_0101.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510439052906281794" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkDH4DrO0I/AAAAAAAAJ-4/0OmOgKCYx80/s400/IMG_0101.jpg" /></a> Shrimps for exhibit.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkDHcADgBI/AAAAAAAAJ-w/1uzU0sSnKq8/s1600/IMG_0100.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510439045374902290" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkDHcADgBI/AAAAAAAAJ-w/1uzU0sSnKq8/s400/IMG_0100.jpg" /></a> Skeleton shrimp.<br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkDGwvCanI/AAAAAAAAJ-o/Vk6kmBnslz4/s1600/IMG_0099.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510439033760803442" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkDGwvCanI/AAAAAAAAJ-o/Vk6kmBnslz4/s400/IMG_0099.jpg" /></a> Shrimp under the microscope, same as below :)<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkDGsE10BI/AAAAAAAAJ-g/mcIdMzfmiVo/s1600/IMG_0097.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510439032510074898" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkDGsE10BI/AAAAAAAAJ-g/mcIdMzfmiVo/s400/IMG_0097.jpg" /></a> The long saw-like structure is the rostrum of the shrimp.<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkCxPdk4uI/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/EcwAtgb1Oug/s1600/IMG_0112.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510438664051942114" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkCxPdk4uI/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/EcwAtgb1Oug/s400/IMG_0112.jpg" /></a>This is a snapping shrimp, the one that makes the "tucktuck" sound at Semakau. Interesting to note that there's a cavity in its claw, such that when the two claws snap, the action produces an air bubble which bursts and makes the sound. The shrimp belongs to the Alpheidae family, which is the second largest shrimp family, its the shrimp family that Dr. Sammy specializes in. </div><div><br />Ghost shrimp, below. The shrimps exhibited were caught from Semakau the day before. <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkCwYBTocI/AAAAAAAAJ-Q/PD0-EYFPvrU/s1600/IMG_0111.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510438649169420738" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkCwYBTocI/AAAAAAAAJ-Q/PD0-EYFPvrU/s400/IMG_0111.jpg" /></a> </div><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkCv9HJTWI/AAAAAAAAJ-I/GM_pCoB15nM/s1600/IMG_0110.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510438641946152290" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkCv9HJTWI/AAAAAAAAJ-I/GM_pCoB15nM/s400/IMG_0110.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkCve3qUMI/AAAAAAAAJ-A/TNcloubkD3Y/s1600/IMG_0109.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510438633828143298" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkCve3qUMI/AAAAAAAAJ-A/TNcloubkD3Y/s400/IMG_0109.jpg" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkCu7anCGI/AAAAAAAAJ94/3GNW7PTDN1M/s1600/IMG_0107.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5510438624311052386" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/THkCu7anCGI/AAAAAAAAJ94/3GNW7PTDN1M/s400/IMG_0107.jpg" /></a> </div><div>Collection methods include sucking the animals out of the substratum (sand, mud etc.), looking under rubbles, rocks, seagrass, on other organisms. HAHA, its so hard to identify shrimps. Here's a link that I'm trying to read now... <a href="http://www.chucksaddiction.com/shrimpanatomy.html">http://www.chucksaddiction.com/shrimpanatomy.html</a></div></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-12666560916551157592010-08-01T09:38:00.000-07:002010-10-09T09:56:46.986-07:00#70, Hunter-seeking @ Semakau on 31st July/ LIT on 14 AugOops this post is really really backdated, at least for the 31st July hunter-seeking. It's where we scout around an area of about 20 metres wide and perhaps about 100 metres long, looking for little sea creatures that can be found along the way, and record it down when we see them. We don't usually include corals/ algae/ seagrass in this survey. Anyway, it's not an easy task sometimes because some of the organisms can be quite hard to identify!<br /><br /><br />Yeah anyway was paired up with a lady from HSBC. It was her first time doing this survey. This post shall be very pictorial and brief.<br /><br />We spotted a horseshoe crab.<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWnwwBotrI/AAAAAAAAJ70/NrQGB1axBhU/s1600/horseshoe_crab.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500486975870252722" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWnwwBotrI/AAAAAAAAJ70/NrQGB1axBhU/s400/horseshoe_crab.jpg" /></a><br />A snail shell...<br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4OiRDeUpXlconvZ1vqmPI4vchS4TP6uRQrxkVl3NAZ6IXTsHZkDlgNxcySLOYBDceRwVWBWxe4xg1Libu95-pqYz688RlbmGAs8lWeNT4_dImPg_lI3bi2vbpIyfx54MtrsD4nqHVv0/s1600/hermit_crabshell.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 294px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500486970689666018" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ4OiRDeUpXlconvZ1vqmPI4vchS4TP6uRQrxkVl3NAZ6IXTsHZkDlgNxcySLOYBDceRwVWBWxe4xg1Libu95-pqYz688RlbmGAs8lWeNT4_dImPg_lI3bi2vbpIyfx54MtrsD4nqHVv0/s400/hermit_crabshell.jpg" /></a><br /><br />which turned out to be a hermit crab living in it.<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWnvy832ZI/AAAAAAAAJ7k/yNpr3-1YROE/s1600/hermit_crab2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500486959475710354" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWnvy832ZI/AAAAAAAAJ7k/yNpr3-1YROE/s400/hermit_crab2.jpg" /></a><br />and so we captured it, because the hermit crabs at Semakau were not identified to the species level yet.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWnvrzztgI/AAAAAAAAJ7c/hBwKD8iDiT8/s1600/hermit_crab.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500486957558642178" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWnvrzztgI/AAAAAAAAJ7c/hBwKD8iDiT8/s400/hermit_crab.jpg" /></a><br />Here's another shot of it.</div><div><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWnvIUKPMI/AAAAAAAAJ7U/49dT-D79ACM/s1600/hairy_crab.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500486948030659778" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWnvIUKPMI/AAAAAAAAJ7U/49dT-D79ACM/s400/hairy_crab.jpg" /></a> Here's a hairy crab. Blended into the environment.</div><div><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWl44KkCfI/AAAAAAAAJ7E/RAyrthiKBbU/s1600/small_unknown_crab.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500484916470876658" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWl44KkCfI/AAAAAAAAJ7E/RAyrthiKBbU/s400/small_unknown_crab.jpg" /></a><br />An unidentified crab juvenile, we didn't capture it anyway cos it was juvenile and it would probably be hard to ID?<br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWl4WUKY3I/AAAAAAAAJ68/55Jn_VCGglk/s1600/sentinel_crab1.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500484907384333170" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWl4WUKY3I/AAAAAAAAJ68/55Jn_VCGglk/s400/sentinel_crab1.jpg" /></a>Sentinel Crab. </div><div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWl4MzqirI/AAAAAAAAJ60/tldoyvI2TGQ/s1600/sea_hare.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500484904832109234" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWl4MzqirI/AAAAAAAAJ60/tldoyvI2TGQ/s400/sea_hare.jpg" /></a><br />Probably a Sea hare.<br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWl3u1Hg6I/AAAAAAAAJ6s/yCYQOQ3TvLw/s1600/knobbly_seastar2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500484896785138594" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWl3u1Hg6I/AAAAAAAAJ6s/yCYQOQ3TvLw/s400/knobbly_seastar2.jpg" /></a><br />Knobbly!</div><div><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWl1UzMHEI/AAAAAAAAJ6k/q4s_kDlAXAU/s1600/knobbly_seastar.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500484855437990978" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWl1UzMHEI/AAAAAAAAJ6k/q4s_kDlAXAU/s400/knobbly_seastar.jpg" /></a><br />Yet another knobbly!<br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWkKl5hTdI/AAAAAAAAJ6Y/RPxySWegONU/s1600/windowpane_shel.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500483021781945810" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWkKl5hTdI/AAAAAAAAJ6Y/RPxySWegONU/s400/windowpane_shel.jpg" /></a>Fan shell. </div><div><br /></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWkKSyeACI/AAAAAAAAJ6Q/-HnBKdk70Qo/s1600/thin_unknown_worm.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500483016652095522" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWkKSyeACI/AAAAAAAAJ6Q/-HnBKdk70Qo/s400/thin_unknown_worm.jpg" /></a>Un-IDed worm which we didnt capture. </div><div><br /></div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWkJzU_-pI/AAAAAAAAJ6I/BQ4-V0nT-tU/s1600/snail%3B2.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500483008206994066" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWkJzU_-pI/AAAAAAAAJ6I/BQ4-V0nT-tU/s400/snail%3B2.jpg" /></a>Snail... I cant rmbr which ID we put it as alrdy. T_T My snail ID is seriously just horrible. </div><div><br /></div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWkJd0c8FI/AAAAAAAAJ6A/UdENS_YeKqU/s1600/snail%3B.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500483002433335378" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWkJd0c8FI/AAAAAAAAJ6A/UdENS_YeKqU/s400/snail%3B.jpg" /></a>Another weird shell which we took back in bottles... Not sure if ID. Had thought initially it was cowrie but it isn't. </div><div><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWkI3kNboI/AAAAAAAAJ54/5t69GwRR5Uw/s1600/snail.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500482992164662914" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_3if2HX90j_M/TFWkI3kNboI/AAAAAAAAJ54/5t69GwRR5Uw/s400/snail.jpg" /></a> And other snails.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><br />Anyway, the next Semakau trip was 14th Aug. That one was something new I tried: the LIT (line intercept transect). It's pretty cool. Like you lay the transect tape thirty metres from the start point to the end point, and so if any algae/coral/seagrass 'comes in the way', you record it down. Motile animals too, in 1 metre of the line. It was also one of my partner's first time doing it as well... so we both just tried our best. Haha.</div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div><br /><strong>Mainly</strong> we found for algae: sargassum, <em>Hypnae</em>, mermaid's fan <em>(Padina</em>), TuRb (can only remember code name lol) and some others I cant remember and for the corals it was really hard to identify. Need to brush up on identification for corals, definitely. Seagrass was mainly <em>Halophila ovalis, Enhalus acoroides. </em></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2639060813740615036.post-23176635570104418282010-06-16T22:59:00.000-07:002010-06-16T23:02:09.135-07:00#69, Pitcher PlantsGuess what I saw at Bukit Timah Hill today? :)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0enIQP7yOZw753QbeYyb3W15Hf43OrRS_oDCQ-xtgeqlTZ680mG61165wAnd09bS5Sy_u5tY9NLmE8ntuK0TWEN16Ct74fRrN2He60DZ5rQKtbVoz2p7G92sBs1zbgzBVLU1p0BpObo/s1600/17062010373.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483617522266453410" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii0enIQP7yOZw753QbeYyb3W15Hf43OrRS_oDCQ-xtgeqlTZ680mG61165wAnd09bS5Sy_u5tY9NLmE8ntuK0TWEN16Ct74fRrN2He60DZ5rQKtbVoz2p7G92sBs1zbgzBVLU1p0BpObo/s400/17062010373.jpg" /></a> Really cutee one that has hair-like protrusions.<br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuqCV-gtesQv98-elakH-s88ZpdvPxG4CFCA__q52NeyoqV6B0B6DsIk_XXZiu6GAWCDZ0Gwyr3jsbojRLnOjMccGHYHYSoPn_oIiUbItVsNSCoQS64iJ-9DqOIMUNZYyUYPbxzMWKI8/s1600/17062010374.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5483617378323415826" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZuqCV-gtesQv98-elakH-s88ZpdvPxG4CFCA__q52NeyoqV6B0B6DsIk_XXZiu6GAWCDZ0Gwyr3jsbojRLnOjMccGHYHYSoPn_oIiUbItVsNSCoQS64iJ-9DqOIMUNZYyUYPbxzMWKI8/s400/17062010374.jpg" /></a> Capturing the sky in their water "pouches".<br /></div><div><br /><br />These plants here thrive in poor nutrient soil, because of their ability to digest insects that fall into the pitcher. However, if the soil is nutrient rich, these plants get out-competed fast.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15249259584303273092noreply@blogger.com0