Potential impacts of El Niño events on Singapore's Wildlife

With climate change increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, El Niño events may have growing impacts on Singapore’s wildlife.

CNA article "More mosquitoes, less birdsong: Increasingly extreme El Ninos may favour pests while other animals swelter"

In a recent article by Channel News Asia, TEE Lab's Associate Professor Eleanor Slade spoke about the potential impacts of climate change and El Niño events on Singapore's ecosystems and insect communities.

Citing the portfolio effect, Eleanor stressed the importance of maintaining robust and diverse ecosystems. The portfolio effect draws a parallel between financial investments and biodiversity: although having a diversity of investments or species may appear redundant, this diversity provides a buffer against environmental or economic change. When conditions deteriorate and some investments lose value or some species decline, others may be less affected and continue to contribute to the overall functioning of the portfolio or ecosystem.

Thus, maintaining diversity—even when it appears to exceed what is strictly necessary—can help ensure that ecosystems remain functional and resilient in the face of environmental change.

Read the full article here: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/el-nino-mosquito-bird-pest-wildlife-6330001