YSCN 0024 Ecology

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YSCN 0024 Ecology Biodiversity Field Course
Teachers Dr. Billy Hau Dr. Cynthia
Yau Demonstrators Angie Ng Hu Hongli Aggie
Li Technician Maria Lo
5-7 April 2007 Field Camp _at_ KARC
Pied Avocet
Department of Ecology Biodiversity, HKU
Science http//www.hku.hk/ecology/
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Camp rules

• Regulations government halls in HKU apply
• You are not allowed to leave the camp without my
  approval
• Billy Hau (PG1)
• Cynthia Yau (PG2)

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YSCN 0024 Ecology Biodiversity Field Course
Course assessments
Attendance 30 Test 40
Field reports 30

• 3. Additional information
• Technical information from textbook (Internet?)
• Enrich the field notes

• Picture/ drawings
• Accuracy
• Annotation

• 2. Field notes
• Site description
• Field observations
• Teachers\demonstrators information

• 4. Reflection/ opinion
• What have you learnt?
• Personal opinion about the habitat/ species

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5 reports for each day
Mangrove x 5 Rocky/sandy shore x 5 Shrubland
(Only the practical field sheet) Total 10
Submission deadline 30 April 2007 Collection Box,
2/F lift Lobby, Kadoorie Biological Sciences
Building
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YSCN 0024 Ecology Biodiversity Field Course
Introduction to Mangroves

• What are mangroves?
• Mangroves in Hong Kong
• Adaptations of Mangroves
• The Importance of Mangroves
• The flora and fauna of local mangroves

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1. What are mangroves?
A group of taxonomically unrelated woody plants
which are specialised in living in protected soft
shores!
gt 50 species true mangroves 60 species of
mangrove associates
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1. What are mangroves?
Global distribution of mangroves
25N
25S
Source Lee 2002
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1. What are mangroves?
MalaysiaMangrove forests
gt 25 m
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2. Mangroves in Hong Kong
Tam Wong 2000
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2. Mangroves in Hong Kong Deep Bay
3 m
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2. Mangroves in Hong Kong Deep Bay
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2. Mangroves in Hong Kong Sai Kung
gt 1 m
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3. Adaptations of Mangroves
The challenges to woody plants for living in
inter-tidal protected soft shores!!!

• Salinity stress (osmotic problem)
• Mobile substratum (anchorage problem)
• Fine soil sediments (low oxygen level)
• Desiccation stress (losing too much water)

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3. Adaptations of Mangroves - salinity
Salt glands
Salt crystals
Aegiceras corniculatum
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3. Adaptations of Mangroves - salinity
Kandelia obovata Salt excluders
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3. Adaptations of Mangroves - salinity
Leaf abscission storing salt in senescent leaves
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3. Adaptations of Mangroves - anchorage
Kandelia obovata Buttress roots
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3. Adaptations of Mangroves - anchorage
Cable roots
Stilt roots
Lee 2002
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3. Adaptations of Mangroves - oxygen
Avicennia marina - Pneumatophores (aerial roots)
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3. Adaptations of Mangroves - oxygen
Aegiceras/ Bruguiera - Knee roots
Lee 2002
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3. Adaptations of Mangroves - desiccation
Thick cuticle (Waxy) layer on leaf surfaces
reduce evaporation i.e. water loss
Lumnitzera racemosa
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3. Adaptations of Mangroves - reproduction
Droppers
Aegiceras corniculatum
Kandelia obovata
Bruguiera gymnorrhiza
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4. The Importance of Mangroves

• An ecosystem rich in biodiversity
• Nursery
• Aquaculture
• Coastal protection
• Waste water treatment
• Ecotourism

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4. The Importance of Mangroves
An ecosystem rich in biodiversity
Inner Deep Bay
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4. The Importance of Mangroves
Nursery for fishery species
Credit Mike Leven
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4. The Importance of Mangroves
Aquaculture Gei Wai Shrimp Farming
Source Tsim Lok, 2002
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4. The Importance of Mangroves
Coastal protection
Shenzhen
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4. The Importance of Mangroves
US Geological Survey Constructed wetland for
tertiary waste water treatment
Source http//www.pwrc.usgs.gov/resshow/perry/ter
tiary/Photo1.jpg
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4. The Importance of Mangroves - ecotourism
Kinabatangan River Sanctuary, Malaysia
Proboscis Monkey
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves

• Plants
• True mangroves
• Mangrove associates
• Animals
• In-fauna
• Surface dwellers (on the mud and/or trees

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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
True mangrove Kandelia obovata
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
True mangrove Avicennia marina
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
True mangrove Aegiceras corniculatum
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
True mangrove Bruguiera gymnorrhiza
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
True mangrove Acanthus ilicifolius
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
True mangrove Lumnitzera racemosa
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
True mangrove Excoecaria agallocha
White latex secreted from wounds
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
Mangrove associates Pandanus tectorius
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
Mangrove associates Hibiscus tiliaceus
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
Mangrove associates Thespesia populnea
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
Mangrove associates Cerbera manghas
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
In-faunaexamples
Large mangrove clam
Mudshrimp
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5. The flora and fauna of local mangroves
Surface dwellersexamples
Mudskipper
Buddhist Crab
Rock Oyster
Littoraria melanostoma
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References Lee, S.Y. 2002. Forest in the Water.
Friends of the Country Parks and Cosmos Books
Ltd Hong Kong. Tsim, S.T. and lock, F.N.Y. 2002.
Knowing Ramsar Wetland. Friends of the Country
Parks and Cosmos Books Ltd Hong Kong. Tam,
N.F.Y. and Wong, Y.S. 2000. Hong Kong Mangroves.
City University of Hong Kong Press Hong Kong.
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• What do you have to do?
• Field observations (using the field guide)
• - substrate characteristics
• - height and spread of mangrove
• - general environment
• - mangrove species and locations on the shore
• - study mangrove adaptations
• - look for the fauna in mangrove
• - how do these animals adapt to live in
  mangrove?
• 2. Attempt to complete the Mangrove Practical
  sheet

Questions