SSA2215 Biophysical Environment of Singapore

Module Description
The module will focus on the functions of the biophysical environment of the city state of Singapore. The topics include geology, soils, river systems, water supply, natural reserves, green areas, land reclamation and coastal environments. The environmental problems that arise from the development of a large tropical city within a limited area, and the possible solutions for such problems will be examined. The module does not require an extensive science or mathematics background.

Lecture Topics
- Terrestrial Environment: Origin of rocks and minerals, plate tectonics and the rock cycle 
- Terrestrial Environment: Geological evolution of Singapore 
- Terrestrial Environment: Singapore topography 
- Terrestrial Environment: Singapore soils, slope modifications and soil erosion 
- Terrestrial Environment: Singapore climate and weather 
- Marine environment: Singapore tides, sea level and climate changes: past, present and future 
- Transitional Environment: Singapore coasts & beaches . 
- Singapore Inter-tidal Environment: Mangrove 
- Singapore Sub-tidal Environment: Sea grass and coral reef habitat  
- Terrestrial Environment: Singapore forests, parks, green areas and the Garden City 
- Terrestrial Environment: Streams, rivers, swamps and lakes 
- Singapore natural resources: sun, sea, sand and land; landfill, rock and water; alternative power: wind, waves, solar, geothermal 

Tutorial Topics
- Rocks and minerals of Singapore 
- Maps of Singapore II: geology, topography, soil, built environment/landfill changes (past and present), vegetation (past and present)
- Self-paced fieldwork on Kent Ridge Campus: rocks, slopes, soils, vegetation of Kent Ridge
- Singapore land use change and urbanization  

Workload
One two-hours lecture
Lectures were taught by Dr Grahame Oliver and Dr Daniel Friess. They take turns to teach the lectures. Dr Oliver is the funny one. Dr Daniel is the handsome one that makes the girls go ahh and wah. 

4 - 5 1 hour practical
My tutorials were taught by the lecturers. We learned to identify minerals in the rocks, and look at Singapore maps. We also walked around NUS to complete some tasks for one of the tutorial.

Textbook is compulsory.

Lectures were not webcasted.

Assessment
4 10% CA (Total 40%) 
Mid-semester test (10 %)
Finals (50 %)

The mid term is 30 mins at end of lecture 7, consisting of multi choice and fill in the blanks types of questions. It is closed book.

The CA tests are given at the end of the tutorials.

Personal
I didn't bother to study this module so results were not so good. I didn't expect this module to be so memory intensive. If I wanted to memorise hard facts and regurgitate them, I wouldn't be in statistics.

Extra notes to readers: I have lecture notes and tutorials. Download them from my Dropbox.