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The Biodiversity Group in the National University
of Singapore was set up in 1998 under the auspices of the Raffles
Museum of Biodiversity Research. Currently, it consists of some
ten academic staff and numerous postgraduate and undergraduate
students.
The Research focus may be organised into three
main sections:
- Aquatic
diversity - which consists of research mainly on freshwater
fish and decapod crustaceans, aquatic bugs and beetles.
- Marine diversity and
ecology - corals, mangroves, marine fungi, plankton,
polychaetes, decapod crustaceans, fishes, coastal zone management.
-
Terrestrial diversity and ecology - which consists of
research mainly on angiosperms, mosses and ferns, fungi, birds
and insects
RMBR researchers have carried out, and are currently
engaged in numerous surveys, expeditions and collaborative work
on biodiversity and ecology in the Asia-Pacific region. Academic
links have been established with scientists from some 25 regional
and international universities, museums and research institutes.
RMBR staff and students have published over 250 scientific papers
between 1993 and 1998. This has greatly enhanced the quantity,
quality and international importance of the Museum's reference
collection.
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1. Documentation of the various biodiversity
components in Singapore and the surrounding region.
2. Elucidation of speciation and evolutionary
events for selected groups of organisms.
3. Raise the level of pure and applied research
in biodiversity-related aspects among local, regional and international
biologists.
4. Establishment of a regional database for biodiversity
matters.
5. Formulation and marketing of environmental
guidelines and skills regarding use of the above knowledge for
applied purposes.
1. Taxonomy of various groups of marine organisms
of Singapore.
2. Diversity and ecological studies of reefs
and mangroves to determine management regimes and conservation
of key habitats for commerce and recreation.
3. Taxonomy of the plants of Singapore for a
floral compendium for the island.
4. Diversity and ecological studies of rainforest
arthropods to investigate ecological processes generating the
observed diversity and assemblage structure, and use of arthropod
assemblages as tools for environmental assessment and monitoring.
5. Diversity and ecology of birds, bees, butterflies,
bats and primates to elucidate the effects of forest loss and
degradation, with implications for rainforest conservation.
6. Regional and worldwide systematic studies
of various groups of plants and animals (mainly bryophytes, insects,
crustaceans and fishes) to clarify their identities and genetic
diversity of their populations, identify those useful as environmental
markers and produce guides for education and conservation purposes.
7. Biogeography of Southeast Asia, and evolutionary
history of selected groups of organisms, in particular, cryptograms,
fish and decapods.
8. Derivation of various techniques and tools
to utilise biodiversity in implementing environmental impact assessments
(EIAs) and natural habitat management.
9. Diversity and ecology of terrestrial, airborne
and aquatic fungi.
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