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LIFE AND DEATH LIFE AND DEATH AT CHEK JAWAAT CHEK JAWA
A UROPS RESEARCH EXPERIENCEA UROPS RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
What isWhat is
U R O P sU R O P s
Undergraduate Research Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme in ScienceOpportunities Programme in Science
►doing an independent research project doing an independent research project ►work with Faculty staffwork with Faculty staff► foster mentoring relationshipsfoster mentoring relationships►work and gain knowledge in a specific work and gain knowledge in a specific
field of study field of study ►experience creative thinkingexperience creative thinking►acquire special communication and acquire special communication and
presentation skillspresentation skills
What motivated me to do What motivated me to do UROPsUROPs??
►curiositycuriosity►gain experiencegain experience►more free play to pursue topicsmore free play to pursue topics►opportunities to make mistakes and learnopportunities to make mistakes and learn►work with my lecturer mentors work with my lecturer mentors ► learn from their experience and knowledgelearn from their experience and knowledge
Have you been to Have you been to Chek JawaChek Jawa before? before?
Where isWhere is Chek JawaChek Jawa
Chek JawaChek Jawa (103°59'E, 1°24'N), is an intertidal (103°59'E, 1°24'N), is an intertidal flat located at the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin, a small flat located at the eastern tip of Pulau Ubin, a small island to the northeast of Singapore’s main islandisland to the northeast of Singapore’s main island
Chek Jawa
Johor
Mainland Singapore
Chek Jawa is lauded for its high Chek Jawa is lauded for its high biodiversitybiodiversity
Figure from
Ria Tan
Six distinct ecosystems
exist at Chek Jawa
and it is abundant
with locally rare fauna and flora
Coastal Hill ForestCoastal Hill Forest
MangrovesMangroves
Rocky ShoreRocky Shore
Photos: N. Sivasothi
Sandy EcosystemsSandy Ecosystems
Photos: Ria Tan
Seagrass LagoonSeagrass Lagoon
Coral Rubble AreaCoral Rubble Area
Photos: Ria Tan
While Team Seagrass arrived for While Team Seagrass arrived for a field orientation on 20th a field orientation on 20th
January 2007…January 2007…
Mass Mass DeathDeath occurredoccurred
on January 2007on January 2007
Soft bodied invertebrates affectedSoft bodied invertebrates affected
DyingDying Carpet Anemones Carpet Anemones
DyingDying Sponges Sponges
DyingDying sea stars and sea cucumbers sea stars and sea cucumbers
Asking Asking questionsquestions►What happened at Chek Jawa?What happened at Chek Jawa?►What caused the mass death?What caused the mass death?►Why were some animals more Why were some animals more
affected as compared to others?affected as compared to others?►Is this mass death a tragic event?Is this mass death a tragic event?►Will Chek Jawa recover? Will Chek Jawa recover? ►If yes, how?If yes, how?
Answering Answering questionsquestions through.. through..
UROPSUROPS
Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors
Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors
Finding my Finding my supervisorssupervisors1. Mr. N. Sivasothi 1. Mr. N. Sivasothi (Department of Biological Science, NUS)(Department of Biological Science, NUS)
2. Dr. Peter Todd 2. Dr. Peter Todd (Department of Biological Science, NUS)(Department of Biological Science, NUS) 3. Dr. Dan Rittschof 3. Dr. Dan Rittschof (Duke University)(Duke University)
Photo: Ria Tan
At the beginning…At the beginning…
►reading up various literaturesreading up various literatures ►compilation of anecdotal recordscompilation of anecdotal records►Discussions with my supervisors and expertsDiscussions with my supervisors and experts►Yet also left alone Yet also left alone Independence! Independence!
Resources from NUS LibrariesResources from NUS Libraries
Literature read upLiterature read up
At the beginning…At the beginning…
►reading up various literatures reading up various literatures ►compilation of anecdotal recordscompilation of anecdotal records►Discussions with my supervisors and expertsDiscussions with my supervisors and experts►Yet also left alone Yet also left alone Independence! Independence!
Some supervisors may have Some supervisors may have
funnyfunny requests requestshttp://cjproject.blogspot.comhttp://cjproject.blogspot.com
Conducting of field surveysConducting of field surveys
2.2. Transects surveys (once in 3 months)Transects surveys (once in 3 months)3.3. Monitoring of different groups of marine Monitoring of different groups of marine
animals (once in 2 months)animals (once in 2 months)
Sometimes we set off early…Sometimes we set off early…
…sometimes we go back late
Six transect linesSix transect linesT1
T2
T3
T4
T5
T6
T1
T5
T4
T3
T2
T6
Transect surveyingTransect surveying
Sometimes disasters do happen…Sometimes disasters do happen…
……af t e r a day’ s har d wor kaf t e r a day’ s har d wor k
Who do I Who do I workwork with? with?►My three supervisorsMy three supervisors►Experts from their various fieldsExperts from their various fields►Nature volunteers/friendsNature volunteers/friends
ExpertsExperts sought during the project sought during the project
►Prof Wong Poh PohProf Wong Poh Poh (NUS Geography Department)(NUS Geography Department)
►Prof Matthias RothProf Matthias Roth (NUS Geography Department)(NUS Geography Department)
►Dr Lim Han SheDr Lim Han She (NUS Geography Department)(NUS Geography Department)
►Dr Daphne FautinDr Daphne Fautin (University of Kansas)(University of Kansas)
►Dr David LaneDr David Lane (Universiti Brunei Darussalam) (Universiti Brunei Darussalam)
►Dr Tan Koh SiangDr Tan Koh Siang (Tropical Marine Science Institute)(Tropical Marine Science Institute)
►Siti Maryam YaakubSiti Maryam Yaakub (National Parks Board)(National Parks Board)
Carpet AnemonesCarpet Anemones((Stichodactyla haddoniStichodactyla haddoni) )
Photos: Ria Tan
•30 located and marked
•Shortest and longest diameter axis measured
•Tentacles counted
Sea anemone morphology is variable Sea anemone morphology is variable
NOTNOT easy to study easy to study
What I’ve learnt from field What I’ve learnt from field applications from Dr Daphne Fautin?applications from Dr Daphne Fautin?
► anemones from tide pools anemones from tide pools contract when exposed to contract when exposed to airair
► can detach and movecan detach and move► difficult to determine sizedifficult to determine size► density differs density differs ► incorrect to correlated size incorrect to correlated size
with agewith age
FriendsFriends
►From different backgroundsFrom different backgrounds►Make new friends!Make new friends!►Work towards a common goalWork towards a common goal►Doing their part for natureDoing their part for nature►Stirring interest in doing related studiesStirring interest in doing related studies
Grain size distribution analysis at Grain size distribution analysis at Chek Jawa Chek Jawa
Nearing Nearing submissionsubmission of report… of report…
►Data compilation for analysisData compilation for analysis►Drafting nonstop for THE reportDrafting nonstop for THE report►Hunt for more help from “good people”Hunt for more help from “good people”►Oral presentation drillOral presentation drill►Oral presentation Oral presentation examexam with two lecturer with two lecturer
examinersexaminers
ChallengesChallenges and frustrations and frustrations
►especially at the beginningespecially at the beginning► limitations in survey methologieslimitations in survey methologies►Organise and coordinate trips Organise and coordinate trips ►Difficulties to account for many other thingsDifficulties to account for many other things►There are also not-so-helpful peopleThere are also not-so-helpful people►Have to learn how to accept failuresHave to learn how to accept failures
What are my What are my future plansfuture plans after after UROPs?UROPs?
►Preparing to publish my findingsPreparing to publish my findings►Working on sea stars behaviourWorking on sea stars behaviour► teaching after I graduate from NUSteaching after I graduate from NUS►Sharing experiences with my students Sharing experiences with my students
My honours project on sand star My honours project on sand star behaviour and ecologybehaviour and ecology
Astropecten indicus
How UROPs has enhanced my How UROPs has enhanced my undergraduate experienceundergraduate experience??
►Understand the meaning of Understand the meaning of researchresearch►Start questioning, analysing and exploringStart questioning, analysing and exploring►More questions than answersMore questions than answers►Gain experiences and knowledgeGain experiences and knowledge►Walk out of comfort zone Walk out of comfort zone ►Wholesome student and learnerWholesome student and learner
LifeLife at Chek Jawa at Chek Jawa
Some interesting Some interesting experiencesexperiences
Celebrating Celebrating ChristmasChristmas at at Chek JawaChek Jawa
My firstMy first filmingfilming experienceexperience
Featured at The Straits TimeFeatured at The Straits Time
Featured at NUS Advertorial, The Featured at NUS Advertorial, The Straits TimeStraits Time
Many more Many more experiencesexperiences recorded here recorded here
cjproject.blogspot.comcjproject.blogspot.com
Thank you Thank you & best wishes& best wishes
