29 Sep (Tue): Talk on "Climate Change and Marine Biodiversity – Lessons from a Small Red Dot"

September 28, 2009

A talk by Prof. Peter Ng, as part of the 60th anniversary celebrations of the Department of Biological Sciences, the National University of Singapore.

The biodiversity implications of climate change events are very grave and a whole suite of catastrophes have been predicted; from massive changes in ecosystems, die-offs of whole communities and mass extinctions of many plants and animals. This comes at a time when mankind is only beginning to realise that Earth’s biodiversity is not just more substantial than we have presumed, but far greater than anything we could have imagined. As scientists rush to discover and document new species and ecosystems, they find the ‘rug being pulled from under them’ due to man’s relentless changes to the environment! Nevertheless, the stark reality of the matter is that biodiversity and natural history will survive regardless of how humans mess up the planet. As the systems we know collapse and species die, new ones will replace them eventually – nature has a resilience that mankind always underestimates. The unpleasant question we need to ask instead is this: ‘Can humankind, as know it, survive climate change and how?’

More details about Prof. Peter Ng and the talk.

Light refreshments will be served after the talk.

Admission is free but registration is required. More details on the Department of Biological Sciences website.

Time: 6.30-8pm
Venue: LT 31, Blk S16, National University of Singapore location map
Website and contact: http://www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/60anniversary/public_lectures.html

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