Essay – The Changing Landscape

THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE

The tropical rainforest is identified as a signature of regional landscape. The plant signatures are powerful aspects of the landscape’s vocabulary, enabling plants to make reference to a significant place and to introduce feelings associated with it. Although in Singapore, many location-names are associated with plants, the locations have left no signs of these specific plants, and the names have become insignificant. The extensive built-up environment in Singapore has adversely affected the continuing survival of native wildlife and plants; many have become endangered or extinct. Under the government’s green policies, Singapore has been reconstructed as a garden city. The messy natural landscape—the rainforest—has been replaced by a man-made landscape.

DEFORESTATION

The tropical rainforest contains a very large number of species—insects, birds and mammals which are particularly abundant. A small area of a few square kilometers is likely to have hundreds of species of trees. Balsa, teak and other ornamental woods are from the tropical forest. The rapidly decreasing tropical forest is due to its commercial value, agricultural activities and urban development. Deforestation has caused changes in regional climate and hydrology, and threatens enormous numbers of native species with extinction.

DESTRUCTION

Mangrove-swamp ecosystems occupy coastal areas near the equator and are special nursery sites for many small animals. Mangrove trees also trap sediment, thus preventing many kinds of pollutants from reaching the ocean. The large amount of nutrients deposited by rivers which run into them makes them one of the most productive ecosystems.

EXTINCTION

Human activities have an impact on ecosystems. Native vegetation has been destroyed by land use, hunting and the harvesting of particular species, all of which are major factors which have led to the decline or extinction of native plants and animals.

TRANSFORMATION

Urban and agriculture ecosystems are particularly prone to invasion of exotics plants and animals, when the invasive species that become dominants that cause a massive damage to the native plants and animals communities. The impact includes their ecological distinctiveness and their potentials for competitive displacement, disease transmission, and genetic swamping.