2. INTRODUCTION
This is our first project of Elements of Natural and
Built Environment a.k.a ENBE.
The main purpose of this project is to let us to
explore and know our nature before going for built
environment as we know that an area before
construction is one part of the nature.
As we known that basic is very important, before
understanding the built environment, we learn
about how it was before first.
3. SITE VISIT : 15 – 16 APRIL, RIVERSTONE ECO
RESORT.
The first part of our project starts by going for a site visit in
Riverstone Eco Resort. It was a very natural place that allows
us to expose to the nature.
There’s only electricity during 7pm-12am, no air-
conditioner, water heater as well as internet.
The place is surrounded by forest, river and lake and our task
here is to search and choose a place with measurement of
10m x 10m to do our researches for our project.
This site visit allows us to see and to feel the nature by
ourselves instead of doing research all from the internet or
books.
Well, it was surely a interesting and exciting experience for us
who lives in city with all the technological equipments.
4. THE SITE VISIT :
With the site visit brief that our
lecturers, Ms. Norma and Ms. Delliya
prepared for us, we are able to check
whether we bring all the things needed
and get well prepared before going to
the site .
5. We gathered in Taylor’s University at 7am and departed
at 8:30am. The journey was by bus and we reached at
around 10am.
Everyone did during
the journey to the site
is having enough rest
before starting the
project ! :
Arrived in the
resort.
6. The Riverstone Eco Resort !!!
After a short brief from
Ms. D, we went to
explore around the
resort search for a place
for our site .
7. Our dorm.
Well it was quite dirty because the
pillows and bed sheets were full of
dust but after they changed them it
we are satisfied with it.
8. SITE SELECTING.
We went around the resort and finally we had chosen the stream as
our site.
Why? This is because we loved the environment here at the first
point, then we discovered there’s a quite variety of species that we
could research on here.
The place we selected is where the water flows at a slower
speed which allows us to do our research easier and safe.
9. IN OUR SITE : THE STREAM.
It was a very enjoyful experience researching at the stream as the
air condition here was quite humid and the mangrove trees
acting as natural umbrellas which blocks most of the sunlight.
The water was cold and clear that u could see under the sands
beneath easily. The rocks that shows its head out of the water
were natural chairs for us.
With the fresh air with a lil bit salty smell, we felt relieved and so
refreshing that made our mind extraordinary concentrating.
The sounds from the nature such as bird chirping, water flowing and
leaves swirling in the wind made a soft music without any vocals.
The land which is in dark brown and the sands in the water which is
light brown makes us curious on what mades them different. The
bamboo with thin and straight stem and the mangrove tree with
thick trunks with rough textures on it makes a bright difference in
their appearance although they both were plants.
10. In our site, I’ve tried the taste of the riverwater too, it taste like
normal mineral water to me but it was fresh compared to
normal ones.
Besides, I’ve tasted the sands in the water too ! Well it tastes a
bit salty.
The texture of the rock is rough except the area which grew
moss, has a slippery texture.
12. OUR FINDINGS : PLANTS
Roots of mangrove tree
Moss
Algae
Rhodes GrassFungus
13. OUR FINDINGS : ANIMAL / INSECT
Water Strider ( it
was very sensitive
and moving very
fast so I couldn’t
capture a clear
photo of it :c )
Some kind of prawn
with fur that we found .Mealy
bug.
Leech ( we
couldn’t capture
the one we saw
in our site but
we captured the
one that bite one
of our course
mate.
14. RESEARCH: WATER STRIDER ( GERRIDAE )
Sorry this is the
clearest picture that I
captured it :c
This is a spider like insect which lives on
the surface of water. They generally inhabit
in freshwater area with calm water flow.
They mostly lives in groups. When the
surrounding environment is unflavored to
them, they will fly to another area by using
the small wings they had.
Why did I choose this Insect to research on :
Well the first time I saw this insect then I was caught by it. I’m pretty
curious what it was actually. It looks like a spider but it did not behave
like a spider. Besides, It lives on water which is the main thing that I
want to know bout : how it stay on water all the time?
Well this is the main reason that brings me to the research on it .
15. Body of the Strider :
How they look in close.
Antennae
Middle Legs :
Use for paddling.
Hind leg :
Act as brake
and for
steering.
Front legs :
To catch prey.
Thorax
Abdomen
Head
Sketched by myself.
16. DIET OF WATER STRIDER
1. The front legs of water strider acts as sensors to
feel the vibration of water.
2. When an insect fall onto the water surface and
then struggling, the water strider will be attracted
by the vibration produced by the ripples in the
water.
3. They go to the prey and grab onto the prey and
then puncture its body with its claws.
4. Lastly they suck out the sustenance in a method
called suction feeding.
17. PREDATORS :
As a insect living on the surface of river, water
striders are hunted upon largely by birds, frogs and
fishes but they are not the main food source for
them.
Water strider’s front leg only able to detect vibrations
from the surface on water where made them unable
to detect movements in the water and on the air.
This made them unable to escape from getting
hunted by these animals.
18. MATING BEHAVIOR
Sex recognization of water strider is determined by the ripple
frequency produced by the male strider. The male strider
predominantly produces 3 kind of communication frequency
signal which is 25 Hz as a repel signal, 10 Hz as a threat
signal, and 3 Hz as a courtship signal
When a male strider approaches another strider, it will first
produce a repel signal, if the another strider doesn’t reply with
signal, then it knows that it’s a female strider and changes into
a courtship signal.
Then, the female strider will lower its abdomen and allow the
male strider to mount and mate.
19. LIFE CYCLE ( MAIN THEME OF INFOGRAPHIC
)
Egg Stage
Instar Stage
( 5 times )Adult Stage
Approximately 60-
70days
Larval Stage.
Takes around
10-15days until
instar stage.
The development stages is highly correlated to the
surrounding temperature where the egg was.
Each
instar
stage
takes
around 7-
10days.
20. Water striders are insects that 'skate' around on the surface of
water. The life cycle of water striders begins when an adult
female lays eggs, generally on rocks or aquatic vegetation.
When the eggs hatch, they enter into a nymph stage in which
they look much like an adult but only smaller. The final stage
of a water strider is when they are capable of reproducing
after entering their adult phase. Some other insects that share
a similar life cycle as that of water striders include box elder
bugs and grasshoppers.
21. RESEARCH : RHODES GRASS
We had a smaller bunch of rhodes grass in our site but it was
not clear to be seen, so I decided to use the picture of a big
bunch of rhodes grass near our site.
22. RHODES GRASS :
Why did I choose to rhodes grass to research
on?
This is because rhodes grass is a very common plant
that we can see it everywhere but we don’t really
know what does it called and what it is.
So, I decided to research on it.
23. INFO’S : RHODES GRASS
Has a scientific name of Chloris gayana Kunth.
An erect almost hairless, stoloniferous or tufted, summer
growing perennial grass 0.5 to 1.2 m tall.
Stems: Smooth and shiny; creeping stems 4 - 5mm
diameter, and upright stems 2 - 4mm diameter.
Leaves: Leaf blades are hairless except at the base
near the stem and usually of the order of 30 - 40cm long
and 3 - 5mm wide, tapering to a point.
Seedhead: Mostly a single (sometimes double) circle
of radiating light, greenish brown (ripening to darker
brown) branches 4 - 15cm long.
Seeds: Light and fluffy, 3.5 mm long, each bearing a
long or short awn; 4 million or 7 - 10 million
seeds/kg. Seeds contain a small dark brown grain, with
2 million caryopses/kg.
24. LIFE CYCLE : RHODES GRASS
Rhodes grass is a tropical grass, growing over the
frost-free months and flowering in summer and
autumn. It can grow prolifically following summer
rains.
It can be perennial or occasionally annual.
Seed germinates 1-7 days after planting or in
Spring and it grows rapidly over summer.
Stolons may form in the first and subsequent
summers to spread the plant.
In our country Malaysia which has a tropical rainforest
climate, it can grow free without stopping due to the lack of
other unflavored seasons such as spring, autumn and
winter where Malaysia is summer all the time.
25. HABITAT
They prefers open sunny situations, open
woodlands, grasslands, river and lake margins, seasonally
waterlogged areas.
SOIL
Prefers red earths and loams but grows on a wide
range of soils from clays through to sands.
TEXTURE
Smooth surface on the leaves.
The side of leave blade is quite sharp that could cut a
wound on hand.
Rough surface on the root and stolon stem.
26. ROOTS :
It has fibrous roots.
Well developed deep root system.
Roots to 4.7 m deep but few roots extend beyond
2.4 m.
Due to its high survivability it is one of the pioneer
species that changes the quality of the soil until it
become more favorable to other species of plants.
27. 16 ARPIL 1PM
Before leaving the resort, we took a group photo of all
of us !
28. REFLECTIONS :
At first what I was thinking before going to the site was just enjoy
and have fun! But after reaching the site, checked-in our dorm
and saw the dirtiness and the daily things we used to have is
missing, but then when i think rationally, it was right, I came for
learning not enjoying life ! Then I stopped complaining about the
dorm.
In our site, I found that how clear a river was, how peaceful an
natural habitat could be. I started thinking why are we destroying
our nature? It was the best gift for us ! Unfortunately we humans
kept doing things to ruin it ! I realised that I should do more to
help our nature, at least not causing anymore pollutions to our
nature !
The creatures in the ecosystem is all linked to each other, a change
in one of the population could make a big change to all other
population related to it ! Example, an great increase in amount of
mealy bug might cause the many of the mangrove trees in the
area died because that mealy bug is the pest of it! So, we should
conserve our ecosystem to prevent the extinction of wildlife to
maintain the balance of ecosystem .
29. INFOGRAPHIC POSTER
After the researches, we combined all our findings
and made it into an infographic poster with a theme
of Life Cycle.
