MALAYSIA’s biodiversity ecosystem is increasingly vulnerable to climate extremes, from El Nino-driven droughts to La Nina floods.
Conservationist Dr Serina Rahman warned these intense temperature fluctuations were already having disastrous effects on the environment, particularly causing widespread coral bleaching.
“Seagrass is more resilient, but even then we can see them affected by intense heat,’’ she said when contacted.
Serina, who is also National University of Singapore’s lecturer in South-East Asian Studies, said forests without rain become parched and catch fire more easily.
She also discouraged cutting of remaining forest patches and draining of peat swamps in the name of development.
“Peat forest fires are hard to put out. Extreme heat followed by heavy rainfall, can also shock the ecosystem,’’ she said,
Serina said sudden, heavy rainfall could lead to flooding, fallen debris and overflowing of rivers.
Prolonged droughts could cause water shortage, increase the risk of forest fires as well as diminish food resources for wildlife such as elephants, tigers, Malayan sun bears and tapirs, she added.
“These conditions will force the animals to encroach into human settlements in search of food and water resources.
“Wildlife that cannot find waterholes will not survive,” adding that forests deprived of regular rainfall would not be able to bear fruit or support indigenous communities.
Erratic climate shifts, she said, disrupted traditional monsoon cycles, leaving farmers to contend with longer and highly unpredictable drought seasons.
“Farmers cannot plan to harvest or plant as they use to without enough water.”
Serina said the unpredictable weather was equally detrimental to fishermen, as rising water temperatures alter marine life behaviour.
This could disrupt migration patterns and interfere with fish reproduction cycles, she added.
“Fishermen are putting their personal safety at risk.
“When they leave the jetty, it is scorching hot, and then sudden storms hit, which can flip their boats,” said Serina.
She added that as key providers of national food security, farmers and fishermen were on the frontlines of climate change.
However, she said as members of the vulnerable B40 group, they had the fewest resources to adapt when water sources dry out and livelihoods collapse.
