Back

Plant Systematics Lab (website under maintenance)

CSC Volunteer Programme

Nature Reserve Parks, Gardens and Streetscapes

Hugh TAN Tiang Wah (Associate Professor) Contact Information: Dept of Biological Sciences National University of Singapore 14 Science Drive 4 Singapore 117543 Tel: 65162717 Fax: 67792486 email: hughtan@nus.edu.sg or dbsttw@nus.edu.sg

PhD NUS, BSc Hons Sing. BSc Sing

Research Areas:

Conservation Biology, Restoration Ecology, Plant Systematics

The main focus of research in this laboratory is biological conservation, and in particular, that of the vascular plants of Singapore and Southeast Asia. Research pertains to a four-pronged approach to conservation such as conservation biology studies into the theoretical and practical aspects, restoration ecology for implementation and conservation, education to garner public support and for their education and biodiversity surveys and impact assessment studies as service to governmental agencies and for conservation on a larger scale.

Current Projects:

• An analysis of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore including native, naturalised, escaped and cultivated species
• An analysis of the biodiversity of the mangrove forest of Southeast Asia
• Monitoring mangrove biodiversity via satellite imagery remote sensing
• Population genetics of tropical lowland rainforest tree species in forest fragments
• Use of native plant species from local provenance for landscaping gardens, streetscapes and urban forest sites
• A biodiversity survey of Singapore's reservoirs
• Monitoring of the impacts on biodiversity at the Punggol and Serangoon River estuaries during development of reservoirs

Selected Publications

1. Tan, H.T.W., L.M. Chou, D.C.J. Yeo and P.K.L. Ng. 2007. The Natural Heritage of Singapore. 2nd Edition. Prentice Hall/Pearson South Asia Pte Ltd, Singapore. 271 pp.

2. Pandit, M.K., H.T.W. Tan and M.S. Bishi. 2006. Polyploidy in invasive plant species of Singapore. Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 151: 395-403

3. Tan, H.T.W. 2006. Nature Reserve Parks, Gardens and Streetscapes: Today Singapore, Tomorrow the World. 10 pp. http://www.dbs.nus.edu.sg/staff/details/NRPGardens_Streetscapes.pdf

4. Teo, D.H.L., H.T.W. Tan, R.T. Corlett, C.M. Wong and S.K.Y. Lum. 2003. Continental rain forest fragments in Singapore resist invasion by exotic plants. Journal of Biogeography 30: 305-310

5. Tan, H.T.W. and K.S. Chua. 2003. Growing at Your Doorstep: 35 Native Plants of Singapore. Times Publishing, Singapore. 99 pp.

6. Tan, H.T.W. and T. Morgany. 2001. A Guide to Growing the Native Plants of Singapore. Singapore Science Centre. 160 pp.

7. Turner, I.M., K.S. Chua, J.S.Y. Ong, B.C. Soong and H.T.W. Tan. 1996. A century of plant species loss from an isolated fragment of lowland tropical rain forest. Conservation Biology 10: 1229-1244

8. Tan, H.T.W. (editor). 1995. A Guide to the Threatened Plants of Singapore . Singapore Science Centre, Singapore. 158 pp.

9. Turner, I.M., H.T.W. Tan, Y.C. Wee, Ali Ibrahim, P.T. Chew and R.T. Corlett. 1994. A study of plant species extinction in Singapore: lessons for the conservation of tropical biodiversity. Conservation Biology 8: 705-712.