The
ecologyEcology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the interactions of these organisms with their environment....
of Hong KongHong Kong , officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a highly autonomous territory of the People's Republic of China, facing Guangdong to the north and the South China Sea to the east, west and south...
is mostly affected by the results of climatic changes. Hong Kong's
climateClimate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and numerous other meteorological elements in a given region over long periods of time...
is seasonal due to alternating wind direction between winter and summer.
Hong Kong has been geologically stable for millions of years. Flora and fauna in Hong Kong are altered by climatic change,
sea levelMean sea level is the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation.- Measurement :...
alternation and human impact.
Climate
Hong Kong's climate is subtropical but half the year is
temperateIn geography, temperate or tepid latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. The changes in these regions between summer and winter are generally mild, rather than extreme hot or cold. But in continental areas, such as central North America the variations between summer...
. The territory is situated South of the
tropic of CancerThe Tropic of Cancer, or the Northern tropic, is one of five major degree measures or major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. It is the northmost latitude at which the sun can appear directly overhead at noon...
which is equal to
HawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states, and is the only state made up entirely of islands. It is located on an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of Australia. The state was admitted to the Union on August...
in
latitudeLatitude, usually denoted by the Greek letter phi gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the equator. Lines of Latitude are the imaginary horizontal lines shown running east-to-west on maps that run either north or south of the equator...
. In winter, strong and cold wind generates from the North to Hong Kong; in summer, the wind reverses in direction and brings the warm and humid air from the South. This climate would support a
tropical rainforestA tropical rainforest is an ecosystem usually found around the equator. They are common in Asia, Australia, Africa, South America, Central America, Mexico and on many of the Pacific Islands...
.
Land
The total land area of Hong Kong is 1,076 square kilometers, but about 75% of it is open countryside, which contains more than 2600 species of
vascular plantVascular plants are those plants that have lignified tissues for conducting water, minerals, and photosynthetic products through the plant. Vascular plants include the ferns, clubmosses, flowering plants, conifers and other gymnosperms...
s, about 450 species of
birdBirds are winged, bipedal, endothermic , vertebrate animals that lay eggs. There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most numerous tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Birds range in size from the Bee Hummingbird to the ...
s, about 200 species of
butterfliesA butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. Like all Lepidoptera, butterflies are notable for their unusual life cycle with a larval caterpillar stage, an inactive pupal stage, and a spectacular metamorphosis into a familiar and colourful winged adult form. Most species are day-flying so...
, about 100 species of
dragonfliesA dragonfly is a type of insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera. It is characterized by large multifaceted eyes, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and an elongated body...
, 40 species of mammals, 80 species of reptiles and more than 20 species of amphibians, including some species endemic to the territory.
Species richness in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is considered rich in number of species. The number of species of birds in Hong Kong is one third of that in China while the number of butterflies species is also one sixth of the total butterfly species in China according to surveys reported.
Mangroves
MangroveMangroves are trees and shrubs that grow in saline coastal habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes N and S. The saline conditions tolerated by various species range from brackish water, through pure seawater , to water of over twice the salinity of ocean seawater,...
s are habitats of enclosed intertidal mud flats with wave action greatly reduced, located near sources of fresh water. Popular mangrove habitats in Hong Kong are located along
Deep BayDeep Bay is a bay off the northwest coast of Lau Fau Shan, Hong Kong. It is surrounded to the north by Shenzhen proper and west by the peninsula of Nantau, China. It is also known as Hau Hoi Wan in Hong Kong, and Shenzhen Bay in China....
, such as
Pak NaiPak Nai is an area in Yuen Long District, New Territories, in the northwestern part of Hong Kong. It is subdivided into Sheung Pak Nai and Ha Pak Nai ....
and Tsim Bei Tsui, where salinity is very low under the influence of fresh water from the
Pearl RiverThe Pearl River or less commonly, the "Guangdong River" , is China's third longest river , and second largest by volume . Located in the south, it flows into the South China Sea between Hong Kong and Macau...
, and along some mud flats where salinity is lowered by surrounding streams, such as
Three Fathoms CoveThree Fathoms Cove or Kei Ling Ha Hoi is a cove in Tai Po District, Hong Kong. It is surrounded by Shap Sze Heung , Kei Ling Ha , Yung Shue O , Wong Tei Tung and Sam Chung . Most of its east shore constitutes part of the Sai Kung West Country Park.The cove's north is connected to Tolo Harbour and...
and Ting Kok. Trees living in this habitat are called mangrove trees.
The following are the sites of Mangroves in Hong Kong:
- Hoi Ha
Hoi Ha is a place on the innermost shore of Hoi Ha Wan, Hong Kong. It is at the north of Pak Sha O in the Sai Kung Peninsula.-Hoi Ha Archaeological Site:...
- Lung Kwu Tan
- Butterfly Beach
Butterfly Beach may refer to;* Butterfly Beach, a beach near the city of Santa Barbara, California in Montecito, California* Butterfly Beach, a beach in Hong Kong ...
- Silverstrand Beach
Silverstrand Beach , located in Clear Water Bay Peninsula, is one of the famous beaches in Sai Kung, Hong Kong. Managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, a wide range of facilities are available, including carparking facilities, refreshment kiosks, barbecue pits, changing rooms,...
- Deep Water Bay
Deep Water Bay is a bay on the southern shore of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. The bay is surrounded by Shouson Hill, Brick Hill, Middle Island and Violet Hill. Beneath the hill of Violet Hill is a beach, Deep Water Bay Beach...
- Middle Bay
Middle Bay is a small bay in Southern District, Hong Kong Island, between Repulse Bay and South Bay. The beach is popular with gay beachgoers....
- South Bay
- Stanley
Stanley is a town and a tourist attraction in Hong Kong. It is a peninsula on the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island. It is east of Repulse Bay and west of Shek O, adjacent to Chung Hom Kok...
- Turtle Cove
- Tai Tam
Tai Tam or Tytam is an area in Southern District on Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, China. Tai Tam means a big pool in the Chinese language which illustrates a triangular bay, namely Tai Tam Bay between Stanley Peninsula, D'Aguilar Peak and Tai Tam Tuk...
Rocky Shores
The tidal range of Hong Kong is about 2.5 meters and the distribution of species is situated into this area must be tolerant of both conditions that the shores are covered with sea water during high tide and the shores are exposed to the air directly during low tide, for hours or days. Species which have adapted to these different conditions are described as specialized to successfully exploit narrow vertical zones on the rocky shore.
The species inhabiting Hong Kong rocky shores varies in accordance with the exposure to the wave action from the sea. The sessile filter feeding organisms inhabit the wave exposed shores. They are able to attach on the rock surface and remove food particles in the turbulent water while the mobile herbivores and carnivores inhabit in the sheltered shores. The varieties of the organisms also different from seasons, especially in Hong Kong where oceanic currents change with season: very few erect foliose macro-algae are found in summer because they may suffer from the burning heat; a lot of foliose algae are found on the shores in winter.
The following are the sites of Rocky Shores in Hong Kong:
- Luk Keng
Luk Keng may refer to:*Luk Keng, an area in North District, Hong Kong, containing several villages, including:**Luk Keng Chan Uk**Luk Keng Lam Uk**Luk Keng Wong Uk*Luk Keng Village: A village in Yam O, Lantau Island, Hong Kong...
- Kei Ling Ha Lo Wai
- Cape D'Aguilar Marine Reserve
Cape D'Aguilar Marine Reserve, designated in July 1996, is the only Marine Reserve in Hong Kong. It is located at the far south east corner of Hong Kong Island and extends to around 20 hectares of rocky coastline...
Streams
There are two kinds of freshwater habitats: lentic water, such as lakes, ponds, ditches, and lotic water, such as rivers, streams. Streams are an example of a lotic habitat Hong Kong.
There are three main factors to differentiate the habitats in Hong Kong: variability of current, amount of
detritusDetritus is a biological term used to describe dead or waste organic material.Detritus may also refer to:* Detritus , a geological term used to describe the particles of rock produced by weathering...
and variable oxygen content. These factors contribute to make the animals adapted in different ways. They have to attach themselves to the surfaces, become predominantly detritus feeders and have a mechanism for obtaining maximum oxygen supply.
The followings are the sites of Streams in Hong Kong:
- Wa Mei Shan
- Lam Tsuen River
The Lam Tsuen River is a river in Tai Po District, Hong Kong. It collects water from the Ng Tung Chai Water Fall on the hill Sze Fong Shan and joins other branches in the Lam Tsuen Valley...
General
In 1989, the Hong Kong government realised that Hong Kong was in danger of becoming a vast, densely populated city. Due to the growth of the economy and business sectors, the water, waste and
air pollutionAir pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural environment, into the atmosphere....
cause an adverse effect on the balance of ecology in Hong Kong.
Factories, farms and restaurants in the
New TerritoriesNew Territories is one of the three main regions of Hong Kong, alongside Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon peninsula. Historically, it is the region described in The Convention for the Extension of Hong Kong Territory...
dump large amounts of sewage and even untreated waste into the streams and the sea. It makes the New Territories' streams be 'no better than open sewers'. This severe damage is irreversible and the creatures in the sea are the direct victims of the capitalized city’s effort.
The
pink dolphinThe Chinese White Dolphin , also called Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin, is a species of the Humpback dolphin and is one of eighty cetacean species. The adult dolphin is usually white or grey in colour. The population along the Chinese coast is unique in that they exhibit a pink-coloured skin...
is one of the victims. Under threat from chemical pollution, increased sea traffic and the destruction of much of the natural shoreline for
land reclamationThis article is about Land reclamation in Hong Kong.Land is in short supply in Hong Kong and land reclamation has been conducted there since the mid-19th century.-Projects:...
, the number of pink dolphins has dramatically declined as the city continues to develop.
The nature reserve and birds in Mai Po Marsh are the other victims. They are threatened by the pig sewage flooding as well as the increased pollution from
ShenzhenShenzhen is a city of sub-provincial administrative status in southern China's Guangdong province, situated immediately north of Hong Kong...
. Yet according to
World Wide Fund for NatureThe World Wide Fund for Nature is an international non-governmental organization working on issues regarding the conservation, research and restoration of the environment, formerly named the World Wildlife Fund, which remains its official name in the United States and Canada...
Hong Kong the number of the endangered black-faced spoonbills wintering in Mai Po has risen from roughly 35 in the late 1980s to 152 after 10 years. About 400 are spotted after 2000. Estimates on how many of these birds remain in the wild vary from 2,000 to 1,000.
The
oysterThe word oyster is used as a common name for a number of distinct groups of bivalve molluscs which live in marine or brackish habitats. The valves are highly calcified....
farms have been throttled by a mixture of pollution and competition from cheaper oyster cultivation across the border in China.
Air pollution
Air pollution is another serious problem. Smoke-belching factories, ceaseless construction and large numbers of diesel vehicles have made for dangerous levels of particulate matter and
nitrogen dioxideNitrogen dioxide is the chemical compound with the formula . It exists as a radical in nature. One of several nitrogen oxides, is an intermediate in the industrial synthesis of nitric acid, millions of tons of which are produced each year. This reddish-brown toxic gas has a characteristic sharp,...
. Not only the flora and fauna are affected but also humans. Cases of
asthmaAsthma is a predisposition to chronic inflammation of the lungs in which the airways are reversibly narrowed. Asthma affects 7% of the population of the United States, and 300 million worldwide...
and bronchial infections have soared in recent years, and doctors place the blame squarely on poor air quality.
Thermal pollution
According to a
Baptist UniversityHong Kong Baptist University is a publicly-funded tertiary institution with a Christian education heritage. Founded in 1956 by the Baptist Convention of Hong Kong with the support of American Baptists, HKBU is the second-oldest institution of higher learning in Hong Kong...
study, daily average minimum temperatures have increased by 0.02 degrees (celsius) annually between 1965 and 2003, due to the "concrete jungle" which traps heat during the daytime and releases it at night. Average daily maximum temperatures have fallen by 0.014 degrees each year, as air pollution is blocking solar radiation. Resulting increased night time ambient temperatures incite families to use domestic air-conditioning, which further compounds the problem.
Research has shown that the ambient air-temperature in urban areas can be some 5°C higher than non built-up areas. The
Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityThe Hong Kong Polytechnic University specialises in professional education in Hong Kong. The University’s teaching units are grouped under six faculties and two schools; the Faculty of Applied Science and Textiles, Faculty of Business, Faculty of Construction and Land Use, Faculty of Engineering,...
commissioned
NASAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an agency of the United States government, responsible for the nation's public space program. NASA was established by the National Aeronautics and Space Act on July 29, 1958, replacing its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for...
to take a high-resolution thermal image of urban Hong Kong by satellite at 22:40 on 4 August 2007, which showed at least a 4 degree difference between the coolest areas and the "urban heat islands". The variations are attributable to greater absorbency of man-made materials, and building density which restrict air-flow. The urban heat island had expanded into
Hung HomHung Hom is an area of Kowloon, in Hong Kong, administratively part of the Kowloon City District, with a portion west of the railway in the Yau Tsim Mong District. It is located nearby to Tsim Sha Tsui. The north part of the area is mainly for residential purposes and is mixed with some industrial...
since January, when the first image was taken.
"Wall effect"
There has been increasing concern since 2006 over the "wall effect" caused by uniform high-rise developments which adversely impact air circulation. Due to the density of Hong Kong's population and the
economies of scaleEconomies of scale, in microeconomics, are the cost advantages that a business obtains due to expansion. They are factors that cause a producer’s average cost per unit to fall as scale is increased. Economies of scale is a long run concept and refers to reductions in unit cost as the size of a...
of mass developments, there is the tendency of new private
tower blockA Tower block, Apartment tower, or Apartment block, Block of flats, is a multi-unit high-rise Apartment building. In some areas they may be referred to as "MDU" standing for "Multi Dwelling Unit". Apartment blocks have technical and economic advantages in areas with high population density...
developments with 10 to over 100 towers, ranging from 30-to-70-storeys high. Developers of
housing estateA housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
s are financially motivated to maximise the view, at the expense of the free-flow of air. Huge wall-like estates along the waterfront are often constructed.
In-fill developments will tend to done by smaller developers with less capital. These will be smaller in scale, and less prone to the wall effect.
EnvironmentalEnvironmentalism is a broad philosophy and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the state of the environment...
group
Green Sense expressed concern that their survey on 155 housing estates found 104 have a 'wall-like' design. It cited estates in
Tai Kok TsuiTai Kok Tsui is an area west of Mong Kok in Kowloon, Hong Kong. The mixed land use of industrial and residential is present in the old area. The Cosmopolitan Dock and oil depots were previously located there...
and
Tseung Kwan OTseung Kwan O is a bay in Sai Kung District, New Territories, Hong Kong. In the northern tip of the bay lies the Tseung Kwan O Village....
as the "best examples". In May 2007, citing concern over developments in
West KowloonWest Kowloon is a part of Kowloon, Hong Kong situated within the Yau Tsim Mong District. It is bounded by Canton Road to the east, Victoria Harbour to the west and the south, and Jordan Road to the north. Further to the north, the area extends to Tai Kok Tsui to the west of the West Kowloon...
, and near
Tai WaiTai Wai is an area in the New Territories of Hong Kong. It is located between Sha Tin New Town and the Lion Rock. Its geographical coordinates are 22° 23' 0" North, 114° 11' 0" East. It is the largest part of the Sha Tin District.- History :...
Yuen LongYuen Long is an area and town located in the northwest of Hong Kong, on the Yuen Long Plain. To its west lie Hung Shui Kiu and Ha Tsuen, to the south Shap Pat Heung and Tai Tong, to the east Au Tau and Kam Tin, and to the north Nam Sang Wai.-Name:The Cantonese name Yuen Long 元朗 in present-day...
railway stations, some legislators called for a law to stop developers from constructing tall buildings which adversely affect air flow in densely populated areas, but the bid failed. In 2007, residents of Tai Kok Tsui, increasingly aware of the problem, have been lobbying against further proliferation of such high-rises in their area which threaten the last air corridor.
Illegal Hunting of species by mainland Chinese
With increasing affluence of mainland Chinese, some of them become affable to some luxury flora and fauna, like
Podocarpus macrophyllusPodocarpus macrophyllus is a conifer in the genus Podocarpus, family Podocarpaceae. It is the northernmost species of the genus, native to southern Japan and southern China...
(羅漢松; Cantonese: lo hon chung) and
Cuora trifasciataCuora trifasciata is a species of turtle endemic to southern China, known in English as the Golden Coin Turtle or Three-striped/-banded/-lined Box Turtle....
(金錢龜; Cantonese: kam chin kwai).
With ever increasing hunting on some luxury species, they're becoming increasingly rare in South China and hunters turns their heads to the last habitat in the area: Hong Kong.
Introduction of non-indigenous species
Most of the introduced species do little harm to the ecology of Hong Kong.
However, some species are invasive and cause massive damage to the ecology and/or economy of Hong Kong.
For example, the Pinewood Nematode from North America and Pine-needle Scale Insect from Taiwan, which together virtually eliminated the native
Pinus massoniana in the 1970s and 80s.
See also
- Geography of Hong Kong
The geography of Hong Kong primarily consists of three main territories: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, and the New Territories. The geography of Hong Kong is varied and is home to various physical geographical features....
- Hong Kong Country Parks & Special Areas
- Environment of mainland China
One of the serious negative consequences of the People's Republic of China's rapid industrial development has been increased pollution, smog, and degradation of natural resources. Much solid waste is not properly disposed of. Water pollution is a source of health problems across the country, and...
- Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge
The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is a proposed series of bridges and tunnels that would connect the west side of Hong Kong to Macau and the mainland Chinese city of Zhuhai, which are situated on the west side of the Pearl River Delta. The proposed 29 kilometre bridge is expected to cost US...
- List of protected species in Hong Kong
- Species first discovered in Hong Kong
This list contains species first discovered in Hong Kong, with the endemic species asterisked.-Plants:*Bauhinia *Crapnell's Camellia*Grantham's Camellia...
- List of mammals in Hong Kong
- List of birds of Hong Kong
- Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society
The Hong Kong Dolphin Conservation Society is a non-governmental organization that is dedicated to the conservation of whales, and dolphins and porpoises in Hong Kong...
External links
Gallery