The ecology of Hong Kong is mostly affected by the results of climatic changes. Hong Kong's climate is seasonal due to alternating wind direction between winter and summer. Chinese people in Hong Kong have adopted many western folkways, but a substantial number of them still adhere to traditional Chinese traditions on various aspects of social living; for instance family solidarity, “courtesy and face” in interpersonal relationship. ... The History of Hong Kong began as a coastal island geographically located in southern China. ... Other Hong Kong topics Culture - Economy Education - Geography - History Hong Kong Portal Politics of Hong Kong takes place in a framework of a political system dominated by the Peoples Republic of China, an own legislature, the Chief Executive as the head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party... Ernst Haeckel coined the term oekologie in 1866. ...

Hong Kong has been geologically stable for millions of years. Flora and fauna in Hong Kong are altered by climatic change, sea level alternation and human impact. For considerations of sea level change, in particular rise associated with possible global warming, see sea level rise. ...

Climate

Main article: Climate of Hong Kong Other Hong Kong topics Culture - Economy Education - History - Politics Hong Kong Portal The climate of Hong Kong is a monsoon-influenced humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cwa), just short of being a tropical wet-and-dry climate. ...

Hong Kong's climate is subtropical but half the year is temperate. The territory is situated South of the tropic of Cancer which is equal to Hawaii in latitude. 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 rainforest. Subtropical (or semitropical) areas are those adjacent to the tropics, usually roughly defined as the ranges 23. ... In geography, temperate latitudes of the globe lie between the tropics and the polar circles. ... World map showing the Tropic of Cancer The Tropic of Cancer, or Northern tropic, is one of the five major circles of latitude that mark maps of the Earth. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi, , gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the equator. ... Image:River in the Amazon rainstorest. ...

The map shows the latitude of Hong Kong compared to the major cities in the rest of China and the Asia Pacific area. It can be seen that the latitude of Hong Kong is the same as that of Hawaii (on the right side of the map).

Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Latitude, usually denoted symbolically by the Greek letter phi, , gives the location of a place on Earth north or south of the equator. ... Map showing general definition of Asia-Pacific The term Asia Pacific or Asia-Pacific, sometimes abbreviated as APAC, generally applies to the littoral East Asia and South East Asia states that are near the Pacific Ocean, plus the states in the ocean itself (Oceania). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

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 plants, about 450 species of birds, about 200 species of butterflies, about 100 species of dragonflies, 40 species of mammals, 80 species of reptiles and more than 20 species of amphibians, including some species endemic to the territory. Divisions Non-seed-bearing plants Equisetophyta Lycopodiophyta Psilotophyta Pteridophyta Superdivision Spermatophyta Pinophyta Cycadophyta Ginkgophyta Gnetophyta Magnoliophyta The vascular plants are plants in the Kingdom Plantae (also called Viridiplantae) that have specialized tissues for conducting water. ... “Aves” redirects here. ... Superfamilies and families Superfamily Hedyloidea: Hedylidae Superfamily Hesperioidea: Hesperiidae Superfamily Papilionoidea: Papilionidae Pieridae Nymphalidae Lycaenidae Riodinidae A butterfly is an insect of the order Lepidoptera. ... Families Aeshnidae Austropetaliidae Cordulegastridae Corduliidae Gomphidae Libellulidae Macromiidae Neopetaliidae Petaluridae A dragonfly is any insect belonging to the order Odonata, the suborder Epiprocta or, in the strict sense, the infraorder Anisoptera. ... Orders Subclass Monotremata Monotremata Subclass Marsupialia Didelphimorphia Paucituberculata Microbiotheria Dasyuromorphia Peramelemorphia Notoryctemorphia Diprotodontia Subclass Placentalia Xenarthra Dermoptera Desmostylia Scandentia Primates Rodentia Lagomorpha Insectivora Chiroptera Pholidota Carnivora Perissodactyla Artiodactyla Cetacea Afrosoricida Macroscelidea Tubulidentata Hyracoidea Proboscidea Sirenia The mammals are the class of vertebrate animals primarily characterized by the presence of mammary... Orders  Crocodilia - Crocodilians scary crocodiles. ... For other uses, see Amphibian (disambiguation). ... This list contains species endemic or once thought to be endemic to Hong Kong, and species first discovered in 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. ^[1]

Examples of Ecosystem in Hong Kong

Mangroves

Mangroves 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 Bay, such as Pak Nai and Tsim Bei Tsui, where salinity is very low under the influence of fresh water from the Pearl River, and along some mud flats where salinity is lowered by surrounding streams, such as Three Fathoms Cove and Ting Kok. Trees living in this habitat are called mangrove trees. Above and below water view at the edge of the mangal. ... Deep Bay Deep Bay (also known as Hau Hoi Wan) (后海灣) is a bay off the northwest coast of Lau Fau Shan, Yuen Long, Hong Kong. ... Pearl River in Guangzhou Pearl River at night, Guangzhou The Zhu Jiang, (珠江 Pinyin: Zhū Jiāng), or Pearl River, is Chinas third longest river (2,200 km, after the Yangtze River and the Yellow River), and second largest by volume (after the Yangtze). ... Three Fathoms Cove or Kei Ling Ha Hoi (Chinese: 企嶺下海) is a cove surrounded by Tse Ha, Sai Kang (Kei Ling Ha), Yung Shu Au and Sam Chung in Hong Kong. ...

The following are the sites of Rocky Shores in Hong Kong:

• Hoi Ha
• Lung Kwu Tan
• Butterfly Beach
• Silverstrand Beach
• Deep Water Bay
• Middle Bay
• South Bay
• Stanley
• Turtle Cove
• Tai Tam

Hoi Ha (海下) is a place on the innermost shore of Hoi Ha Wan, Hong Kong. ... Hong Kong has a long coastline which is full of twists and turns with many bays and beaches. ... Hong Kong has a long coastline which is full of twists and turns with many bays and beaches. ... Deep Water Bay Beach Deep Water Bay (深水灣) is a bay on the southern shore of Hong Kong Island in Hong Kong. ... Middle Bay is a small bay in Southern District, Hong Kong Island, between Repulse Bay and South Bay. ... Stanley Peninsula Stanley is a town and a tourist attraction in Hong Kong, China. ... Turtle Cove and its secluded beach (seen from a helicopter). ... Tai Tam can refer to: Tai Tam Reservoirs Tai Tam Road This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists pages that might otherwise share the same title. ...

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
• Kei Ling Ha Lo Wai
• Cape D'Aguilar Marine Reserve

Kei Ling Ha Lo Wai (企嶺下老圍) is a village in Sai Kung district, in the New Territories of Hong Kong. ... Cape DAguilar Marine Reserve, designated in July 1996, is the only Marine Reserve in Hong Kong. ...

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 detritus 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. Detritus may refer to: In geology, detritus is the name for loose fragments of rock that have been worn away by erosion. ...

The followings are the sites of Streams in Hong Kong:

• Wa Mei Shan
• Lam Tsuen River

You can find a Wishing Tree in Lam Chuen. ...

Sandy Shores

The following are the site of Sandy Shores in Hong Kong:

• Starfish Bay

Problems

Pollution Problems

General

In 1989, the Hong Kong government suddenly realised that Hong Kong was in danger of becoming a vast, densely populated city. Due to the uncontrollable business and economic growth, the water, waste and air pollution cause an adverse effect on the balance of ecology in Hong Kong. Air pollution is a chemical, physical (e. ...

As the business expands, new infrastructure and construction will be established. Demolitions to make room for this will need to be conducted. Enormous amount of trash and solid waste are brought to the new landfills. It causes serious land and air pollution from the landfills.

Factories, farms and restaurants in the New Territories dump out large amounts of sewage and even untreated waste into the streams and the sea. It makes the New Territories' streams are '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. A major road, Kwong Fuk Road in Tai Po, a town in the New Territories. ...

The pink dolphin is one of the victims. Under the threat from chemical pollution, increased sea traffic and the destruction of much of the natural shoreline for land reclamation, the number of pink dolphins has dramatically declined as the city continues to develop. Trinomial name Sousa chinensis chinensis (Osbeck, 1765) Chinese White Dolphin range (blue area) The Chinese White Dolphin (Sousa chinensis chinensis; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), also called Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin, is a species of the Humpback dolphin and is one of eighty cetacean species. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

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 Shenzhen. The bird sanctuaries in the wetlands around Mai Po are forced to leave due to the government’s plan to build huge residential housing estates in the New Territories. And the environment around Mai Po is changing – it is no longer a perfect haven for the birds. Mai Po Marshes is a nature reserve located near Yuen Long in Hong Kong. ... Shenzhen is a sub-provincial city of Guangdong province in southern China, located at the border with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. ...

The oyster farms have been throttled by a mixture of pollution and competition from cheaper oyster cultivation across the border in China. Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron Crassostrea gigas, Marennes-Oléron, opened The name oyster is used for a number of different groups of mollusks which grow for the most part in marine or brackish water. ...

Air pollution

Main article: Air pollution in Hong Kong

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 dioxide. Not only the flora and fauna are affected but also humans. Cases of asthma and bronchial infections have soared in recent years, and doctors place the blame squarely on poor air quality. Air pollution is considered serious problem in Hong Kong. ... [1] R-phrases , S-phrases , , , , , Supplementary data page Structure and properties n, εr, etc. ...

Thermal pollution

The density of Hong Kong's population, the pervasive use of air-conditioning devices and the increasing tendency of constructing high-rise housing estates which maximise the view at the expense of the free-flow of air by the so-called "wall effect"^[2]. A housing estate is a medium-to-low density residential area, usually part of a suburb of a town or city in a developed country. ...

Research has shown that the ambient air-temperature in urban areas can be some 5 degrees centigrade higher than non built-up areas^{[citation needed]}.

Threats to flora and fauna

Destruction of habitat

• Encroachment of the green belt
• Effect of the Building Waste Levy

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 macrophyllus (羅漢松; Cantonese: lo hon chung) and Cuora trifasciata (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. Binomial name Podocarpus macrophyllus (Thunb. ... Binomial name Cuora trifasciata Bell, 1825 Cuora trifasciata is a species of turtle native to south-east Asia, known in English as the Golden Coin Turtle or Three-striped/banded/lined Box Turtle. ...

Introduction of non-indiginous 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.^[3]

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.^[4] Binomial name Pinus massoniana Lamb. ...

See also

• Geography of Hong Kong
• Hong Kong Country Parks & Special Areas
• Environment of mainland China
• Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge
• List of protected species in Hong Kong
• List of species native to Hong Kong

Other Hong Kong topics Culture - Economy Education - History - Politics Hong Kong Portal The Geography of Hong Kong primarily consists of three main territories: Hong Kong Island, Kowloon Peninsula, and the New Territories. ... Although Hong Kong is regarded as one of the worlds great cities, out of the total 1,092 km² of land, about three-quarters is countryside. ... Beijing air on a day after rain and a sunny but polluted day One of the serious negative consequences of the Peoples Republic of Chinas rapid industrial development has been increased pollution and degradation of natural resources. ... Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge in relation to Lantau Island The Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge (港珠澳大橋) is a giant proposed bridge that would connect the west side of Hong Kong with Macau and the neighbouring city of Zhuhai, situated on the west side of the Pearl River Delta, and part... List of protected species in Hong Kong. ... This list contains species endemic or once thought to be endemic to Hong Kong, and species first discovered in the territory. ...

References

1. ^ Ecology of Hong Kong,Hong Kong Nature.net
2. ^ Yung, Chester. "`Asia's walled city' leaves - residents longing for air", The Standard, December 21, 2006. Retrieved on 2007-03-21. 
3. ^ Richard Corlett.Hong Kong's Bad Biodiversity
4. ^ Porcupine! 23 - Hong Kong's Bad Biodviersity!

2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (81st in leap years). ...

External links

• The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in Hong Kong
• Environmental Protection Department
• HKNature.net
• HK-Ecosite
• Waterfalls in Hong Kong
• Hong Kong - how to breathe easier