Channe's+group

**This page is created by Channe, Xiao Wei, Su Jean & Calista. (P5-Excellent)**

 * The photos were taken on our trip to Sungei Buloh Nature Reserve.**

__**TASK 1**__
__** Description: **__ __**Flowers & Fruits:**__
 * Name:** Nipis Kulit
 * Scientific Name:** //Memecylon edule//
 * A coastal shrub
 * Can reach 4-12m high in height.
 * The dark purple/deep blue flowers are arranged in a cluster of many flowers.
 * This flower has petals that are seated in a cup-shaped calyx. (Look closely)
 * The fruit is pink and turns dark purple to blackish when ripe.


 * Name:** Sea Holly
 * Scientific name**: //Acanthus ebracteatus//
 * Family:** //Acanthaceae//
 * Description:**
 * Have spiky and tooth-edged leaves
 * These leaves resemble those of hollies on christmas trees (hence their name)
 * A shrubby herb
 * Can grow to 1.5 m tall
 * Outline of leaves are usually oblong (with or without spines)
 * Leaves can excrete salt crystals on the upper surfaces
 * Flowers are white
 * Medical Properties:**
 * Seeds: Ingredient used in a decoction drunk for cough remedy
 * Crushed Seeds: Used as a poultice on boils
 * Two or three seeds may be given to children to expel parasitic intestinal worms
 * Roots: Part of a decoction drunk as a remedy for Shingles


 * Name:** Commonly known as the "Blind Your eyes" tree
 * Scientific Name:** //Excoecaria agallocha//
 * Family:** //Euphorbiaceae//
 * Description:**
 * Leaves produce white sap
 * This white sap may blister the skin
 * Sap may also cause you to go blind upon contact with the sap and eyes.
 * Sap emerges from the leaf when pressure is applied to it.
 * Medical properties:**
 * Latex is used to treat ulcers
 * Oil from seeds is applied to scabies
 * Other Uses:**
 * Latex is used to poison fish
 * Wood is used for firewood, carpentry and charcoal


 * Name:** Tree-climbing Crabs
 * Scientific Name:** //Episesarma sp.//
 * Description:**
 * They seek shelter from high tide that flooods the ground by climbing up trees. (Hence their name)
 * They are smaller than the crabs found at the beach
 * They feed on fallen mangrove leaves, which is a good thing as mangrove leaves take a long time to decompose, thus saving the cleaners the effort from cleaning then up


 * Name:** Knee Root
 * Description:**
 * These roots come from certain mangrove plants
 * They aeriate above the ground, like breathing roots
 * They are bent, like knees (Hence their name)

**Scientific Name:** // Periophthalmus barbarus **or** Periopthalmus koelreuteri //
 * What is this?** The 'thing' in the middle of the picture is a mudskipper.
 * Description:**
 * They are amphibians
 * Are quite active out of water -- Feeding and interacting with one another (eg. to defend their territories)
 * Cannot stay underwater or out of the water for long periods of time


 * Name:** Bamboo
 * Scientific Name:** //Bambuseae//
 * Description:**
 * Bamboos are the largest members of the grass family
 * Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants in the world
 * There are more than 1000 species of bamboo
 * They look tough, but the leaves, stems and shoots of the bamboo are actually soft!
 * The stem of the bamboo is hollow.

**THREATS OF THE ECOSYSTEM IN SINGAPORE**
1) Deforestation 2) Pollution
 * Many companies are cutting down trees to make space for new buildings and factories.
 * People waste paper, which are indirectly made out of trees.
 * Wood is needed to make furniture and sometimes, houses.
 * There are many types of pollution in Singapore, mainly air pollution, land pollution and water pollution.
 * Air pollution: People pollute the air with the smoke and harmful chemicals that are produced by factories, smokers and practically any burning substance!
 * Water pollution: People often throw their rubbish into the water ways and factories are producing harmful toxins into the water. All these would make the waterways muddy and dirty, killing the fishes and water plants in that waterway.
 * Land pollution: People need land for farming, buildings and houses, so they would use any extra space they have. That piece of land, originally occupied by the wildlife, gets polluted by the crops and dust from construction work, chasing away animals and killing plants.

**SOLUTIONS TO THESE THREATS**
1) Deforestation 2) Pollution
 * Use the 3 Rs, Reduce, Reuse & Recycle
 * Build more trees on roadsides
 * Build more parks with a lot of greenery
 * Take better care of the plants so that more people would appreciate it
 * Try to reclaim land instead of using forested areas for buildings
 * Stop throwing litter into the waterways
 * Try not to smoke (That would also save your lungs)
 * Factories can produce their goods according to how much people would need and buy so as to cut down on their wastage, and thus cutting down on air pollution **//and//** water pollution **//and//** land pollution! (In other words, factories are the main pollutors of the ecosystem)