One of the main challenges in the world today is ensuring that we have enough clean water and benefits from aquatic ecosystems for people, while also preserving the biodiversity and ecosystem processes that keep them sustainable. The urban wetland ecosystems in Macao represent a distinctive ecological niche within the rapidly growing city. These ecosystems, often overshadowed by the city’s built environment, serve as important reservoirs of biodiversity, which face escalating anthropogenic pressures such as habitat degradation and water pollution. This project will focus on exploring and conserving the rich biodiversity present in urban wetland ecosystems of Macao, as water habitats play a crucial role in supporting and sustaining biodiversity. With an emphasis on water stewardship, it aims to assess the unique and undocumented biodiversity found within these urban wetland habitats. Through this project, surveys and assessments of the plant and animal species, and microorganisms, inhabiting these urban wetlands, will be conducted with the use of cutting-edge environmental DNA (eDNA) technology. This innovative approach will enable the detection and analysis of genetic material of organisms present on Macao’s urban wetlands and will provide valuable insights into the species composition and ecological dynamics of this environment. Even small amounts of eDNA present in the environment can be captured and analyzed, enabling the detection of rare or elusive species that might go unnoticed through traditional sampling methods. Moreover, the factors that influence this biodiversity in urban wetlands, such as pollution, habitat degradation and climate change, will also be explored. By understanding these factors, effective strategies for the conservation and restoration of urban wetlands can be developed, ensuring the preservation of their biodiversity and the provision of the associated ecosystem services.
Furthermore, the project will emphasise the importance of public engagement and education. We will organise workshops, training sessions, and awareness campaigns (exhibitions, etc.) to raise awareness among the local community about the importance of water to maintaining biodiversity in the city. As with the previous Drop by Drop project, we will collaborate with the Sands China team, local residents, schools, and organisations to raise awareness about the importance of urban wetland biodiversity and the role of water stewardship in their protection. Through these workshops, citizen science initiatives, and outreach programmes, we will empower the community to contribute to the monitoring and conservation efforts of urban wetland biodiversity.