- 1Earth Observatory of Singapore, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (yuting004@e.ntu.edu.sg)
- 2Asian School of the Environment, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Singapore is a highly urbanized country, where much of its natural coastline has been modified to protect against erosion and rising sea levels. While coastal developments play a crucial role to safeguard against sea level changes, they can significantly affect the coastal dynamics and ecological health of the coastal environments. To assess and monitor the impact of urbanization and environmental changes on these coastal systems, foraminifera serve as valuable environmental indicators. Here, we collected 20 surface sediment samples over a year period from five study sites of Singapore and Johor Straits to characterise the foraminiferal assemblages and sediment composition of different coastal environments (e.g., highly engineered coastlines, sandy beach). Foraminiferal assemblages show strong relationship with sediment type and organic content. In the Johor Strait, where sediments are predominantly muddy with higher organic content, there is a low diversity assemblage dominated by agglutinated taxa (e.g., Ammobaculites sp.). Conversely in the Singapore Strait, where sediments are generally coarser with lower organic content, there is a high diversity assemblage dominated by calcareous taxa (e.g., Elphidium sp.). This study presents important baseline data to understand the coastal dynamics and for environmental monitoring in Singapore, and therefore, help provide a framework for interpreting past coastal and climatic changes and inform coastal management decisions in the face of urbanization and warming climate.
How to cite: Yan, Y. T., Chua, S., Nugraha, A., Lai, I., Siek, K., Horton, B., and Switzer, A.: Linking foraminiferal distribution to coastal dynamics in Singapore, EGU General Assembly 2025, Vienna, Austria, 27 Apr–2 May 2025, EGU25-14574, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu25-14574, 2025.