Assessing the potential of MacRitchie Reservoir for recording environmental changes and volcanic ash fall in Singapore

• Main Author: Leow, Si Lei
• Other Authors: Caroline Bouvet De La Maisonneuve
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2021
• Subjects: Science::Geology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/149309
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The effects of global environmental changes can now be observed in our daily lives and there is an urgent need to understand past environments and processes which brought about these changes. Palaeolimnological studies were conducted on a core retrieved from MacRitchie Reservoir, the oldest reservoir in Singapore, to assess its potential of recording environmental changes and volcanic ash fall. An age-depth model of constant sedimentation rate of 0.29 cm/yr is developed for MCR18-02B based on standard AMS 14C dating. Results from X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis, magnetic susceptibility scan and particle size analysis presented possible local environmental changes, such as changes in sediment composition, fluctuations in pedogenic input and oxygenation alterations to the reservoir. Cryptotephra analysis indicated the preservation of Young Toba Tuff cryptotephra from 12 to 14 cm, which correlates to AD 1970 to 1977. Pollen analysis of the top part of the core suggests that MacRitchie Reservoir has the potential to preserve both local regional records and is an ideal location for further palynological studies.