Earth Observatory of Singapore

30/07/2026

Insect populations are responding rapidly to environmental change, but observed increases or declines do not always tell the full story. Climate change, land-use change, and pollution all influence insect populations, while biological mechanisms and even the way insects are detected can shape the patterns researchers observe.

A new paper proposes an integrative framework that links environmental drivers, biological mechanisms, detection, causal inference, and forecasting. By bringing these components together, the framework aims to better attribute insect population change to its underlying causes and improve predictions of future responses.

This approach could strengthen biodiversity forecasting and support more proactive conservation in a rapidly changing world.

Learn more: https://earthobservatory.sg/news/blog/understanding-and-forecasting-insect-population-change

29/07/2026

The sand used to build cities, roads and other infrastructure are being removed from many rivers faster than nature can replace it.

A global review led by Associate Professor Edward Park from and the National Institute of Education examined 411 peer-reviewed studies. It found that, where reliable measurements exist, annual sand and gravel extraction often exceeds the natural sediment supply by several times.

Excessive extraction can deepen riverbeds, weaken riverbanks and lower groundwater levels. It can also damage infrastructure, river habitats and the livelihoods of communities that depend on rivers and deltas.

“Our review shows that governments can better manage this by treating sand mining as a river-basin issue, using satellite monitoring, field surveys and sediment-budget analysis to decide where extraction can take place, how much can be removed, and which areas should be protected,” said Assoc Prof Park.

Read more: https://earthobservatory.sg/news/news/river-sand-mining-outstrips-nature-s-supply-study

Photo: NTU

27/07/2026

is destabilising the Delta more severely than previously understood.

A new study led by Research Fellow Sonu Kumar found that sand extraction accounts for around 25–30% of riverbed erosion and 16–30% of salinity increases across the delta. It can also extend saltwater intrusion by up to 1.5 kilometres further inland, threatening freshwater resources, agriculture and ecosystems.

Published in Science Advances, the research used real-world data from 131 active mining zones and a counterfactual model to isolate the effects of sand mining from other environmental pressures.

Read more: https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/news-events/news/detail/sand-mining-is-destabilising-the-mekong-delta-far-more-than-previously-understood--nie--ntu-singapore-study-finds

Photo credit: Professor Edward Park

24/07/2026

A study involving researchers from and the Asian School of the Environment has found evidence for a weak layer in the Earth’s mantle beneath the Sumatran backarc.

Using up to 20 years of GPS observations across Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand, the team tracked how the ground continued to move after the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake and other earthquakes in the region. Their modelling revealed that the mantle beneath the Sumatran backarc deforms more easily than the global upper mantle average, helping to explain why ground motion can persist for years or even decades and be detected more than 600 kilometres from earthquake ruptures.

The findings also suggest that post-earthquake land movement, including subsidence in faraway places, should be considered when studying future relative sea-level change along tectonically active coastlines.

Learn more: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-026-03561-5

20/07/2026

Marine are increasing across Southeast Asia.

An study analysed marine heatwave characteristics across the region from 1982 to 2023. The researchers found that marine heatwave frequency increased by 108%, while duration increased by 63%, during 2003–2023 compared with 1982–2002.

The study also shows that extreme ocean warming does not always stay at the surface. Across much of the region, surface-intensified warming extended to around 25 m. In parts of the South China Sea and tropical western Pacific Ocean, subsurface-intensified marine heatwaves peaked at around 56 m and 131 m, respectively.

By revealing when, where, and how these extreme warming events occur, this research could help improve our understanding of marine heatwaves and the risks they may pose to marine ecosystems and coastal communities in a warming climate.

The research was conducted through a collaboration between EOS, NTU Asian School of the Environment, and City University of Hong Kong. The authors are Venkatasai Gulakaram, Dhrubajyoti Samanta, Kyle Morgan, and Benjamin Horton.

Read more: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2025JC023614

14/07/2026

Large don't just shake the ground for a few minutes. They can trigger land sinking for years afterwards.

An study found that the 9.2-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra in 2004 caused land in Singapore to sink gradually in the years that followed.

The research analysed up to 20 years of satellite data and found sustained land sinking across Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand following major Sumatran earthquakes, up to several millimetres a year, driven by a slow-flowing layer of mantle rock beneath the region.

“When massive earthquakes strike, they do not just shake the ground for a few minutes,” said EOS Research Fellow Grace Ng, the study’s lead author. “They set off a slow adjustment deep within the Earth that can continue for years.”

A study reveals that large earthquakes in Asia can cause land in Singapore to sink, impacting sea-level rise calculations and coastal planning. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

14/07/2026

🌏🫨 Massive can trigger long-term land sinking and affect 🌊 regional relative sea-level projections in Southeast Asia, found an international study led by earth scientists from Earth Observatory of Singapore and NTU Asian School of the Environment. If this post-earthquake ground movement is not factored into modelling, risks in low-lying areas could be underestimated.

Published in Nature Portfolio's journal Communications Earth & Environment, the study discovered that a weak layer of hot rock in the upper mantle beneath the Sumatran backarc – the region behind Sumatra's chain of volcanoes – slowly deforms after major earthquakes. This causes the ground above to keep shifting and sinking for decades, even in places more than 600km from the earthquake epicentre.

The findings could help 🔎 improve future sea-level projections and support better coastal planning and flood risk assessments across Southeast Asia. https://ntu.sg/Earthquakes-Sea-levelProjectionsStudy

NTU College of Science

13/07/2026

Following a lightning-strike incident in Singapore, scientist and NTU Asian School of the Environment Associate Professor Wang Xianfeng told CNA that lightning is a regular hazard in Singapore, with thunderstorms occurring about every other day.

He explained that warm, moist air, heat and humidity can make thunderstorms more likely, while climate patterns such as El Niño may also influence thunderstorm activity. Over time, climate change could increase lightning activity in some areas.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-L2WLrueGs

08/07/2026

A slowdown in an Atlantic Ocean current could alter monsoon rainfall patterns in parts of Asia. Senior Research Fellow Dr Dhrubajyoti Samanta spoke to ABC Asia about why changes in monsoon rainfall matter for agriculture and food systems across the region.

“If the monsoon becomes weaker, delayed, or more erratic, farmers face less reliable water and harder planning,” he said.

An ocean system 15,000km away from Asia is slowing down and could even collapse in coming decades with devastating effects on Asia's monsoons.

07/07/2026

The ocean can experience heatwaves, too.

Marine heatwaves occur when ocean temperatures stay unusually warm for days, weeks, or even months. During El Niño, warmer-than-usual waters in the central to eastern tropical Pacific Ocean and changes in winds and ocean circulation can redistribute heat across the oceans, increasing the likelihood and intensity of marine heatwave conditions in some regions.

These periods of extreme ocean warming can affect marine and coastal ecosystems, including coral reefs, fisheries, and other ocean life. research helps us better understand how marine heatwaves develop, why they persist, and what their impacts may be in a warming climate.