1. Definition: Ecology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the distribution and abundance of organisms and their interactions with their environment. The environment of an organism includes all external factors, including abiotic ones such as climate and geology, and biotic factors, including members of the same species and other species that share a habitat. The islands bound south of Singapore: 1.Sentosa 2.Pulau Senngat 3.Pulau Tekukor 4.Pulau Sakijang Bendera 5.Pulau Brani 6.Pulau Suber Laut 7.Pulau Sebarok 8.Pulau Semakau 9.Pulau Bukom 10.Pulau Busing 11.Pulau Hantu 12.Pulau Pawai 13.Pulau Sudong 14.Pulau Sakra 15.St. John Island 16.Kusu Island 17.Lazarus 18.Sisters Island Lazarus Island Sentosa Top tourist attraction in Singapore visited by 5 million people a year. Air quality will be greatly reduced due to: 1.Removal of forests for land space 2.Increased movement of vehicles into Sentosa 3.Increased production of dust due to construction of IR Waste generation which may lead to pollution of the environment and water due to: 1.Solid waste and construction debris 2.Increased waste like litter and human waste due to increased human population 3.Inappropriate disposal of waste 4.Surface runoff Measures that can be put in place to reduce the adverse effect brought to the environment and the ecosystem due to building of the IR: Incorporating larger patches of forests into the IR, which will not only improve the air quality, but also provide a great scenery Physical measures like retaining rock barriers or creation of drainage containment area where run-off can be channelled and held Careful treatment of waste to prevent land pollution or water pollution Saving energy by using energy efficient devices like energy-saving lamps or using alternative energy like solar energy to prevent massive production of carbon dioxide to the environment due to burning of fossil fuels. Providing transport into the IR and restricting amount of traffic entering, so that less land space will be required to house the vehicles and more forests and coral reefs can be preserved. Setting aside an area near the shore to preserve the rare corals present, like the sand dollar that is listed as vulnerable in the Singapore Red Data Book Pulau Busing It is heavily industrialised, being home to oil and chemical storage facilities, at least one marine offshore terminal, and a fuel oil refinery. Indian Gadgil Western Group has a presence on the island in the form of a US$130 million oil refinery that processes one million tonnes of oil annually. On January 1997, a major oil spill from a tanker at the Busing Terminal brought pollution to the island's waters, necessitating a clean-up operation by the Ministry of Environment and the Nature Society of Singapore. Feeding and roosting ground for migratory shore birds, the oil spill severely affected the ecology on the island, especially the migratory shore birds and marine sea life. The heavy industries on Pulau Busing produces large amounts of carbon dioxide and photochemical smog, polluting the air and causing global warming. Oil spills and inappropriate discharge of factory waste into the sea causes water pollution and threatens the marine life and migratory shore birds around the area. Measures: Growing more trees near the coasts to prevent soil erosion and also help to purify the air Building treatment plants to process factory waste before disposing of them. Frequent water testing to ensure that factories do not discharge harmful chemicals or waste into the sea. Using alternative energy sources like solar energy to reduce the burning of fossil fuels to generate energy, so as to prevent massive production of carbon dioxide. Waste (industrial and domestic) are being dumped into this island. It offers 63 million cubic meters for dumping of waste. Pulau Semakau was constructed initially as a site to dump rubbish due to land constraints in Singapore and the air pollution that it causes when the wastes are burnt. Pulau Sekamau Silt screens were used to protect corals during the reclamation works. The landfill is lined with an impermeable membrane. Clay and any leachate produced are processed at a leachate treatment plant. The centre carries out regular water testing to ensure that the impermeable liners do their job in sealing off leakage. Biodiversity: crabs conus shell (Venomous) mudskippers mangrove trees Pollution on Pulau Semakau is almost non-existant as there are organisms thriving in that habitat. Sources: http://infopedia.nl.sg/articles/SIP_1438_2009-02-06.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecology http://www.slideshare.net/micamonkey/environmental-impact-assessment-of-sentosa-integrated-resort http://www.wildsingapore.com/places/cityreefs2a.htm http://wildfilms.blogspot.com/2007/04/sentosas-original-underwater-world.html http://toddycats.wordpress.com/2005/07/20/setting-up-the-toddycats-touch-pool-for-the-pulau-semakau-launch/