Conservation recommendations for Nee Soon 
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Table 1. Achievements in Phase 2 of the Nee Soon hydrology and biodiversity project. 
# 
1 
Aims 
Achievements 
Establish the status of 1. 
Nee Soon freshwater 
swamp forest in terms 
of vegetation hydrology 
and aquatic biodiversity 
Literature Review of freshwater swamp forest literature and 
research on the Nee Soon freshwater swamp forest updated (Tan et 
al., 2013; Clews et al., 2018); new results derived from this project 
presented on vegetation (Chong et al., 2018), fauna (Cai et al., 
2016, 2018; Li et al., 2016; Ho et al., 2018; Lim et al., 2018) and 
cryogenics (Kutty et al., 2018). 
Assessment of geomorphology in relation to catchment 
hydrological function (Nguyen et al., 2018). 
Consolidation and documentation of all spatial data into a geo¬ 
database (Davison et al., 2018; Sun et al., 2018). 
2 
Identify periodic flux 1. 
in hydrology and key 
components of the 2 
aquatic biodiversity 
Assessment of variation on intra- and inter-annual hydrographs 
(project reports). 
Stream hydrological regimes examined as well as faunal responses 
to hydrology (project reports and Ho et al., 2018). 
3 
Develop more refined 
models that can confirm 
current conditions 
(water balance, nutrient 
balance, acid flux, 
faunal distribution) and 
then test-trial various 
management scenarios 
1. Developed an integrated eco-hydrological model using Mike-SHE 
(Sun et al., 2018); 
2. Simulated and assessed twelve future scenarios (Sun et al., 2018). 
3. Developed conceptual models of erosion and elemental 
redistribution in the catchment as related to hydrological and 
geomorphological processes (project reports; Sun et al., 2018) 
4. Elucidated faunal response models (project reports and Ho et al., 
2018). 
4 
Identify and assess 
root causes of impacts, 
potential issues that may 
threaten the hydrological 
and ecological integrity 
of the swamp, and 
management elements 
to be addressed 
1. Investigated, using numerical model, effects of rainfall and 
reservoir operating levels on the spatial distribution of surface and 
ground-water. 
2. Impacts of climate change. 
3. Investigated the responses of seedlings of six tree species common 
in Nee Soon freshwater swamp forest to changes in soil and 
hydrology and tree coring for measurements (Neo et al., 2017). 
4. Investigated spatio-temporal variation in faunal communities 
in association with physicochemical and hydrological data to 
identify key issues likely to affect in-stream fauna, Management 
recommendations to monitor and maintain the ecological integrity 
of the forest stream faunal communities. 
5. A synthesis of long-term (historic) and more recent/current 
environmental impacts on the Nee Soon freshwater swamp forest 
catchment. 
