Connect_2024 Summer

Doing Well by Doing Good

A Field Trip to Xiaoliuqiu: How French High School Students Investigated the Ecological Issues of Taiwan’s Unique Coral Island

By Ms Anne Dewees, FS Coordinator for Education to Sustainability

In November 2023, two High School classes of the French Section went on a school outing to Xiaoliuqiu, Taiwan’s only coral island, located Southwest of the main island. This trip was initiated by their Biology teachers, in order to inquire into the situation of the local ecosystems, and to understand better how coral reefs live and evolve. Theory and practice were intertwined, with on-site classes deliv ered by a professional oceanographer, followed by observation above and underwater, with snorkeling equipment rented at lo cal shops. One focus was the study of the different butterflyfish species present in the waters around Xiaoliuqiu. Students first trained outside the water to be able to sketch fishes efficient ly, and were then ready to draw them under water with some specialist materials. The aim of this activity was to take a census of the different species with the objective that, over the years, this participative approach of science will contribute to getting a clear view of the state of the fish population around the island. The same method was applied to corals, with the first sad state ment that most corals are almost dead around the island, due to warming waters (a global factor) and uncontrolled tourism (a local one).

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