Once upon a time on earth

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This blog is owned by :

Name: Jane Teh :D

Class: 3R2

This is my homework for Elective Geography and my teachers for Elective Geography are Miss Lee and Mr Quek.For our Secondary 3 syllables,we will be studying chapters 3,4,5,6 and 7 :

-Types of Natural Vegetation

-Forests as a resource

-Case Study: Deforestation in Kalimantan,Indonesia

-Rivers

-Coasts

Some of the chapters sounded familiar to me and turned out I had learnt them in Secondary 2.I think what we're learning now is a more in-depth and detailed version than those we learnt in Secondary 2.
View my reflections in my blog entries. :D

date/time Saturday, March 12, 2011,10:47 PM

date/time 10:34 PM

Newspaper Article; UN calls for rice production boost in Asia

Mr Quek gave out a newspaper article for us to reflect on.Its about ''UN calls for rice production boost in Asia''.

This article is about UN wanting Asian nations to help small farmers to grow more rice so that food shortages can be prevented in the face of expanding populations.

For me,I think that this action is very important as in the coming of expanding populations,the lack of rice could lead to food price crisis (like what the article said) and poverty in Asia as 90 percent of the world's rice is grown in Asia.'Helping small scale farmers to grow more food to enhance food security' is very important as this could increase the supply of rice and prevent food price crisis in the future.For example,prices have already risen sharply in the local markets,some even reaching record high levels in China and Indonesia.This shows that the situation requires the growing of more rice.Thus,I agree with UN about helping small farmers to grow more rice.

The article is short but it holds useful information.

date/time 10:13 PM

Post on Australian Aborigines

I got my Elective Geography results back and I wasn't satisfied.I could have gotten higher but due to a careless mistake of mine,I loss 4 marks (I was supposed to contrast and compare A and B one after another but I seperated A and B into seperate paragraphs).
I promised myself I won't ever make that kind of mistake again.The last lesson was spent on going through answers for the test paper. However,Mr Quek wanted us to post about Autralian Aborigines so I shall do some basic research about it.

Australian Aborigines are those people regarded as indigenous to the Australian continent

Most scholars date the arrival of humans in Australia at 40,000 to 50,000 years ago, with a possible range of up to 125,000 years ago.[2] The earliest human remains found to date are that of Mungo Man which have been dated at about 40,000 years old. It is generally believed that Aboriginal people are the descendants of a single migration into the continent, although a minority propose that there were three waves of migration.[17] Aboriginal people seem to have lived a long time in the same environment as the now extinct Australian megafauna.[18]

Aboriginal people mainly lived as hunter-gatherers. They hunted and foraged for food from the land. Aboriginal society was relatively mobile, or semi-nomadic, moving due to the changing food availability found across different areas as seasons changed. The mode of life and material cultures varied greatly from region to region. The greatest population density was to be found in the southern and eastern regions of the continent, the River Murray valley in particular.

It has been estimated that at the time of first European contact, the absolute minimum pre-1788 population was 315,000, while recent archaeological finds suggest that a population of 750,000 could have been sustained.[6] The population was split into 250 individual nations, many of which were in alliance with one another, and within each nation there existed several clans, from as little as 5 or 6 to as many as 30 or 40. Each nation had its own language and a few had several. Thus over 250 languages existed, around 200 of which are now extinct or on the verge of extinction.

Indigenous groups in Australia are increasingly well organized and successful. They have in recent years made some impressive gains in land claims, but the process of claiming land rights and the legal framework in which it operates still strongly favors the state and creates unnecessary hurdles for Indigenous Peoples. Most original Indigenous land has not been restored yet.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indigenous_Australians

date/time Thursday, March 3, 2011,6:04 AM

chapter 1: types of natural vegetation; reflection 7

This is the official 7th post.I hope my results for Elective Geography is good.Today,we started on a new topic-Forests as a resource.I shall research on web for some information before summarising the contents of today's lesson.

Forests for recreation:
Recreational acitivities offered by forests include camping, fishing, hiking, sight-seeing, boating, cycling and bird watching. All offer positive health benefits to participants, but can also provide great benefit, including financial reward, to local communities as well as forest authorities.

With increasing urbanisation, the demand for outdoor recreational facilities rises, and therefore forested lands near metropolitan areas must be effectively managed.

Forests and water:
The bulk of the Earth's rainfall is received by mountains. Not surprising then that mountain forests influence the quantity and quality of this precious resource. For example, forests are usually the best cover for safeguarding water quality from sediments and chemicals.

Some evidence suggests that cloud forests and older natural forests can increase net water flow. Montane cloud forests are special kinds of forests that scrape out moisture from the clouds or fog. Having relatively low water use, these forests add to the water supply of a catchment.

Economic value of watersheds:
Forest catchment areas can accrue significant economic value. In some circumstances, it is possible to collect user fees from stakeholders (individuals as well as companies) who benefit from drinking water in order to help pay for catchment protection benefits provided by the protected area management.

Protecting the land:
Forests can also help prevent erosion, provide better control of rain runoff and snowmelt, reducing the problem of flooding.

Summary of the contents taught in today's lesson:
Mainly,we were taught about the benefits and uses of having forested areas.I can't really conclude the whole lesson or else I will just be typing the whole notes out.So for today,I shall include some pictures for view.

Pictures of forests:

The forests are so beautiful.Its good to see wild animals living in their natural habitat.I hope forests can be conserved.

http://wwf.panda.org/about_our_earth/about_forests/importance/other_uses/Its about uses of forests.
I think this page is really useful and interesting.

http://thundafunda.com/1600x1200-wallpaper/hq-animals-picures-bobcats-siberian-tigers-chimpanzee-zebras-more-animals-pictures/This page includes many beautiful pictures of animals (wild life) in their natural habitat.

date/time Friday, February 25, 2011,4:44 AM

chapter 1: types of natural vegetation; reflection 6

This is the sixth reflection :D .
During this week's lesson,we learnt about Coniferous forests.I discovered it was a lot different from the Tropical,Tropical Monsoon and Mangrove forests.Tropical,Tropical Monsoon and Mangrove forests have structures of 5 layers,3 layers and 3 layers respectively.However,Coniferous forests do not have any distinct layers.They are jgenerally uniform in height at around 20m.

Coniferous forests are not dense.Most leaves of trees in Coniferous forests are evergreen and have needle-like leaves.The trees bear cones and have thick barks and flexible branches so that snow can slide off them easily and prevent the branches from breaking.They also have shallow roots.

Tid-bits given during class:

-Precipitation>Rain,Hail or Snow.
-Convectional rainfall is usually associated with a thunderstorm and it can be intensified over urban streets.
-Cones => protect the seeds and pollen from the harsh winter.

Interesting fact about Coniferous forests:
Coniferous supplies the bulk of the world's commercial softwood timber,which is used to make paper.

Pictures:

Pandas clinging on trees in the Coniferous forests.So cute!! :D

I found this website about Animal Welfare Institute.You can find information about animals living in the wild on this website.I think it is really interesting.
http://awionline.org/

date/time 4:19 AM

chapter 1: types of natural vegetation; reflection 5

This blog post is supposed to be last week's.I didn't come for the lesson as I went for the SYF Rehearsal for my CCA,Chinese Orchestra.I didn't know what was taught but the answer key for my homework was given :D.I heard from my friend that not much was taught during the lesson,most of the time was spent going through answers in the workbook.I hope I didn't miss much!

Since I didn't attend the lesson,I think I will just do some basic researches on Coniferous forests since they are up next for our lessons.

Temperate coniferous forest is a terrestrial biome found in temperate regions of the world with warm summers and cool winters and adequate rainfall to sustain a forest. In most temperate coniferous forests, evergreen conifers predominate, while some are a mix of conifers and broadleaf evergreen trees and/or broadleaf deciduous trees. Temperate evergreen forests are common in the coastal areas of regions that have mild winters and heavy rainfall, or inland in drier climates or mountain areas. Many species of trees inhabit these forests including cedar, cypress, douglas-fir, fir, juniper, kauri, pine, podocarpus, spruce, redwood and yew. The understory also contains a wide variety of herbaceous and shrub species.

A Pine forest is an example of a temperate coniferous forestStructurally, these forests are rather simple, generally consisting of two layers: an overstory and understory. Some forests may support an intermediate layer of shrubs. Pine forests support an herbaceous understory that is generally dominated by grasses and herbaceous perennials, and are often subject to ecologically important wildfires.

Pictures which I find interesting and beautiful:

From this pictures,I can see that the trees of Coniferous forests are of equal height.

http://www.google.com.sg/images?hl=en&biw=1276&bih=522&q=coniferous+forests&wrapid=tlif129863702679811&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&sa=X&ei=46BnTa6dAcKJrAfnwITbCg&ved=0CEUQsAQ

date/time Wednesday, February 9, 2011,2:37 AM

Chapter 1: Types of natural vegetation;reflection 4

Today,Mr Quek showed us a presentation and video on Mangrove swamps.For me,I would rather dislike the idea of venturing into a mangrove as it will mean bugs and heat.However,in the video,I discovered that mangroves were not all about bugs and heat.Instead,it looks a beautiful and relaxing place for one to be close to nature.

Mr Quek introduced us this 2 websites for us to visit and learn more about mangroves:
http://mangrove.nus.edu.sg
http://www.wildsingapore.com/wild-facts/plants/mangroves/mangroves.htm

An article was also given out.This article talks about people thinking mangroves ugly due to common fears and unappreciation.Someone -who thought mangroves ugly and was afraid of a snake dropping of his head- finally managed to gather up the courage to visit the mangrove with his family.Instead of find it ugly and dangerous,he actually it was beautiful.
Personally,I think it will be better for people to pay a visit to mangroves before deciding they dislike or think mangroves are ugly.It takes an attentive eye to spot the beauty of the forest.The beauty of the mangrove swamps are bits and pieces that form the mangrove swamps.For example,the little animals and plants there.We see them in their natural home.

The word 'mangrove' is used to refer to both the plants as well as the entire community of plants. According to Tomlinson, mangroves may be defined as tropical trees that grow only in the intertidal and adjacent communities.

Mangrove trees grow where no tree has grown before. They are able to survive inundation by salt water twice a day, and in 'soil' which is soft, unstable and poor in oxygen (anaerobic). They also have to deal with rivers carrying silt during the wet season, as well as violent storms that hit the coasts.

Mangroves at the Chek Jawa Boardwalk, Aug 09

Personally,I have been to a mangrove-Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve.However,that was a long time ago.Thus,I shall research information about it instead.I remembered seeing a monitor lizard which I mistook to be a stone.

Mangroves exist in the transient world of land and sea having to endure the relentless rhythm of the tides. Life at land’s end is harsh, yet many have triumphed over the adverse environment with each inhabitant playing a role in making the ecosystem a viable and dynamic one.

Seedlings fall on unstable mud and soon, there is a forest of mangroves. A walk along the boardwalk leads you through this "sea of trees" and into a whole new world.

The ability of mangroves to grow in anaerobic, high salinity, waterlogged mud of the intertidal realm is something to be revered.

The Rhizophora sp. has roots that branch from trunks like stilts. This helps to prop up the tree in the soft mud so that it will not topple with the ebbing and rising tide.

Mangrove flowers are intricately designed and some are colourful. Pollinators of these flowers include birds, moths, bats and wind.

Some seeds germinate on the parent plant before they detach and fall to the mudflats to begin life on their own. Through this adaptation, the seedlings are able to take root immediately in favourable conditions, thus increasing their chances of survival.

The Xylocarpus granatum is a tree that could reach to a height of 15 meters tall. The tree has a peeling, smooth bark, have white flowers and large pendulous woody fruit. Once ripe, the fruit will burst open to reveal several pyramid-shaped seeds, which are dispersed by water. The hardy wood is use for boat-building & furniture; bark for tanning and medicinally against dysentery, and roots and seeds in medicinal preparations.

The Avicennia alba is the most common Avicennia species found in the reserve. All Avicennia species have the ability to excrete excess salt from their leaves through special salt glands found in the leaf surface. The term alba and the common name in Malay Api Api Puteh refers to whitish under leaf surface.

The pencil-like roots of the Avicennia sp or pneumatophores branched upwards from the main horizontal roots that grow below the soil. These roots allow the absorption of atmospheric oxygen through specialized root cells known as lenticels.

This adaptation is important, as the mud that the mangrove trees grow is extremely low in oxygen.

The Nypa fruticans or Nipah as it is commonly known, have pollen fossils found in deposits dating back to 70 million years ago! Leaflets are used to make roof thatching (ataps), house partitions, hats, umbrellas, baskets and mats. The young leaflets are dried and used as cigarette wrappers and leaf stalks are burn as fuel. Sugar, wine (toddy) and vinegar can be obtained by processing the sweet sap tapped from severed flowering stalks. Atap- chee, a sweetmeat, is made from young seeds, and served in a local desert call ice-kacang.

Hibiscus tiliaceus is commonly known as Sea Hibiscus and can grow up to 13 meters tall. It have heart-shaped leaf. The bright yellow flower with maroon eye opens in the morning and fades dull pink soon after falling in the same evening. The seeds are enclosed within a star-shaped calyx cup. The tree has many uses and that includes stem cuttings as fences, wood for boat building and firewood, fibers from the bark as strings and roots, leaves and shoots are medicinal.

Thats all for the post today.I will try to post more next time.