15-month study to monitor impact of oil spill on intertidal biodiversity

Researchers in Singapore will embark on a 15-month plan to monitor the impact of the June 14 oil spill on biodiversity in intertidal areas.

- Ariel Yu

The national plan was announced by Minister for National Development Desmond Lee at a marine science workshop held at the National University of Singapore (NUS) on Oct 8.

As part of the monitoring effort, researchers will collect sediment samples from the intertidal zone in coastal areas affected by the oil spill, said Dr Tan Koh Siang, a principal research fellow at NUS Tropical Marine Science Institute (TMSI).

Dr Tan is part of the research team responsible for the post-oil spill monitoring effort, which will also include scientists from the National Parks Board (NParks), TMSI, St John's Island National Marine Laboratory and the National Institute of Education.

The researchers will monitor affected sites, including East Coast Park, Labrador Nature Reserve and Sentosa, as well as beaches that were not directly affected by the oil spill, including the eastern beaches at Changi Beach Park and Coney Island Park, NParks added.

By retrieving sediment samples from areas affected and unaffected by the oil spill, researchers will be able to tease out the impact of the toxic slick on the tiny organisms in the sediment, such as crustaceans, worms and molluscs.

Dr Tan explained that the oil spill could smother organisms and kill them, as harmful chemicals from the oil may be released at high concentrations. At lower concentrations, these chemicals may affect their physiology - referring to how living organisms function.

"These (organisms) have not really been looked at, so we are interested to see what effects the oil has on these communities that are not visually obvious," Dr Tan said.