Population study of freshwater prawns Macrobrachium Malayanum and Macrobrachium Sundaicum in Nee Soon Swamp Forest, Singapore

• Main Author: Nur Raudhah Othman
• Other Authors: Cai, Yixiong
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2017
• Subjects: DRNTU::Science
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/71490
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The Nee Soon Swamp Forest (NSSF) represents the only freshwater swamp forest left in Singapore. Despite being only 5km2 in size, it consists of an extensive diversity of aquatic fauna. Freshwater prawns play an important ecological role in many tropical streams. Hence, their abundance and distribution in the NSSF is crucial. An 8-week period (January 2017 to March 2017) survey was conducted in the NSSF using traps to study the population of freshwater prawns in the area. The results showed the presence of two species. Macrobrachium malayanum and Macrobrachium sundaicum. Habitat characterisation done showed that pH strongly affects the presence or absence of M. sundaicum. It also showed that M. malayanum has a widespread distribution in the NSSF. Comparison with a previous study showed a declining rate in the distribution of M. sundaicum in the NSSF. Hence, the aim of this study is to update the status of freshwater prawns in the NSSF and to better understand the factors influencing biodiversity of freshwater prawns.