The reproductive biology of Lutjanus vitta from the West Sulu Sea, Philippines was investigated b... more The reproductive biology of Lutjanus vitta from the West Sulu Sea, Philippines was investigated by monthly sampling from October 2012 to December 2013. The reproductive activity was assessed to: characterize the sex ratio, determine the spawning period, estimate length and age at maturity (L 50, A 50) and determine the batch fecundity (BF). The overall sex ratio differed significantly (p < 0.05) among size classes and months with male and female dominance, respectively. As expected for tropical fish, spawning occurred year-round with two main spawning periods (April and October). The highest gonado-somatic index (GSI) values were recorded with two peaks for females in April (2.53%) and October (2.48%), which correspond to the two main spawning periods and one peak for males in April (1.55%). Males reached the length and age at sexual maturity (L 50 = 22.8 cm, A 50 = 2.19 yrs.) and females (L 50 = 21.3 cm, A 50 = 1.76 yrs) indicating that sexual maturation differed by age and size across sexes. Fecundity increased exponentially with fish length and weight demonstrating a non-linear relationship between fecundity and fish size.
The black coral Antipathes cf. griggi was reported for the first time outside the Hawaiian Archip... more The black coral Antipathes cf. griggi was reported for the first time outside the Hawaiian Archipelago. This short report provides details and short description of the newly recorded species in Mactan Island, Philippines.
Marine microbes encounter a myriad of biotic and abiotic factors that can impact fitness by limit... more Marine microbes encounter a myriad of biotic and abiotic factors that can impact fitness by limiting their range and capacity to move between habitats. This is especially true for environmentally transmitted bacteria that cycle between their hosts and the surrounding habitat. As geologic history, biogeography, and other factors such as water temperature, salinity, and physical barriers can inhibit bacterial movement to novel environments, we chose to examine the genetic architecture of Euprymna alba-trossae (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) and their Vibrio fischeri symbionts in the Philippine archipelago using a combined phylogeographic approach. Eleven separate sites in the Philippine islands were examined using haplotype estimates that were examined via nested clade analysis to determine the relationship between E. albatrossae and V. fischeri populations and their geographic location. Identical analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) were used to estimate variation within and between populations for host and symbiont genetic data. Host animals demonstrated a significant amount of variation within island groups, while symbiont variation was found within individual populations. Nested clade phylogenetic analysis revealed that hosts and symbi-onts may have colonized this area at different times, with a sudden change in habitat. Additionally, host data indicate restricted gene flow, whereas symbionts show range expansion, followed by periodic restriction to genetic flow. These differences between host and symbiont networks indicate that factors "outside the squid" influence distribution of Philippine V. fischeri. Our results shed light on how geography and changing environmental factors can impact marine symbiotic associations at both local and global scales.
The study was conducted to determine the species composition, diversity, distribution and abundan... more The study was conducted to determine the species composition, diversity, distribution and abundance of seaweeds and seagrass sinside and outside marine sanctuaries of Apid, Mahaba and Digyo Islands in Leyte, Philippines. Quantitatively, the data were collected using the transect-quadrat method. Three 50-100 m transects were laid perpendicular to the shoreline in each of the sampling sites. A total of 58 species of macroflora were recorded, of which51 species were seaweeds and 7 species were seagrasses. Seaweeds were dominated by chlorophytes (green algae) and rhodophytes (red algae) with 20 and 19 species, respectively. Macroflora inside marine sanctuaries were less diverse than outside marine sanctuaries based on Shannon diversity index. Generally, results also had shown that the status (abundance) of seagrass-seaweed inside the marine sanctuaries were in poor condition with a mean cover of 6.8% while outside marine sanctuaries had fair condition with a mean cover of 14.7%. The findings of the study concluded that the species diversity (seaweeds; P=0.02 and seagrass; P=0.001) and abundance (P=0.04) of macroflora between marine sanctuaries differed significantly. However, further t-test results revealed that there were no significant difference observed of its status when compared outside the marine sanctuaries. The poor status was attributed to the reef structure and substrate types of the sampling sites. The structure of the reefs from relatively wider and shallow reefs provide colonization of seaweeds and seagrasses compared to narrow reefs due to steep bottom topography. Substrate types vary from sandy, coral rubbles to coralline rocks providing habitat for diverse macroflora.
The age, growth and mortality parameters of brown stripe snapper Lutjanus vitta (Quoy and Gaimard... more The age, growth and mortality parameters of brown stripe snapper Lutjanus vitta (Quoy and Gaimard 1824) from west Sulu Sea were investigated. Brown stripe snappers were sampled from small-scale bottom set longline landings from October 2012 until December 2013. The oldest recorded male was 11.71 years and female was 10.71 years, and measured 33.5 and 26.5 cm, respectively. Examination of sectioned otolith margins (n= 490) indicated annuli deposition in December and January which was closely related to the lowest water temperature in Sulu Sea. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters (male L∞ = 32.5 cm, K= 0.34 year-1, t0 = -1.68 year; female L∞= 27.1 cm, K = 0.53 year-1, t0 = -1.30 year) differed significantly between sexes (ARSS F= 6.33, d.f. =22, p< 0.05). The estimated total mortality rates were, 0.53 year-1 (male) and 0.50 year-1 (female). Linear relations between otolith weight and age implies continuous growth proportional to age and otolith weight and therefore, otolith weight may be used as proxy to predict age in future stock assessment.
The Philippine archipelago, located in the northern apex of the Coral Triangle, is known for its ... more The Philippine archipelago, located in the northern apex of the Coral Triangle, is known for its high diversity and endemism, both caused by a complex physical setting modelled by the long tectonic history of the archipelago and by the more recent Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations. In order to assess the influences of the complex Philippines geography on benthic marine species, we conducted phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses on 71 specimens (out 112 originally collected) of ten species of Pinnidae, sequencing two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers. Our results suggest that the Philippines is a diversity hotspot for pinnids, with all sampling sites hosting three or more species, but with marked differences in species composition in each site, indicating that most pinnids have a patchy distribution. Our data also suggest that most species exhibit high levels of genetic connectivity even over large geographical distances. As previouly suggested, our data also support the idea that the nominal taxon Pinna atropurpurea includes at least 2 cryptic species in the Philippines.
The presence of seawater bugs in the coastal area is an indicator of good water quality and stabl... more The presence of seawater bugs in the coastal area is an indicator of good water quality and stable mangrove habitat. As energy source of other organisms, their role in the food chain (Chen et al., 2005) makes them important in the marine ecosystem. This study was conducted in order to know the species occurrence, abundance and distribution and their relationships with the physicochemical parameters such as light, humidity, temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate that would affect their population to fluctuate or change. In the sampling sites, a quadrat sampling method was used for collections and gathering of data. Results indicated that 824 adult bugs composed of 4 Families, 8 Genera and 13 Species were found. The species were Halobates calyptus, Halobates hayanus, Halobates proavus, Pseudohalobates inobonto and Stenobates sangihi of the Family Gerridae; Haloveloides femoralis, Halovelia esakii, Halovelia malaya, Halovelia bergrothii, Xenobates sp. 1 and Xenobates sp. 2 of the Family Veliidae; Hermatobates marcheii of the Family Hermatobatidae and Corallocoris marksae of the Family Omaniidae. The most abundant was H. femoralis and the species were not associated each other and showed clumped pattern of distribution. Pearson's r-correlation coefficient showed that the effect of light, temperature, dissolved oxygen and phosphate level had a strong relationship with the abundance and distribution of bugs. This means that the higher the relative humidity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and phosphate concentration the higher was the number of bugs. The lower the pH, salinity, nitrate and nitrite the higher the number of seawater bugs. However, the mangrove forest in Badian is still stable.
Developing life–supporting marine ecosystems along with the Asia–Pacific coasts – a synthesis of physical and biological data for the science–based management and socio–ecological policy making, 2016
Developing life–supporting marine ecosystems along with the Asia–Pacific coasts – a synthesis of physical and biological data for the science–based management and socio–ecological policy making, 2016
Developing life–supporting marine ecosystems along with the Asia–Pacific coasts – a synthesis of physical and biological data for the science–based management and socio–ecological policy making, 2016
The response of Acanthaster planci or crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) to intracoelomic injection ... more The response of Acanthaster planci or crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) to intracoelomic injection of hypersaline solutions was investigated to establish its potential application as A. planci population control especially during an outbreak. Adult A. planci when inverted had a normal righting response time (in seconds) of 163 ± 1 (mean ± SE; N ＝ 298). Injection of concentrated salt solutions led to negative effects on adult A. planci. The spines bent down, body collapsed and the starfish became comatose and died after 24-hours. The higher the salt concentration, the higher is the % comatose individuals. In addition, comatose specimens failed to recover with time. Mortality was highest at the highest treatment concentration with LC 90 of 285.3 and LC 99 of 383.2 ppt. The effects of time, salt concentration and its interaction(salt concentration x time) were significant (p ＝ 0.00). Theionic and osmotic disruption of the coelomic fluid canseriously affect physiological functions of the organismincluding neuromuscular activity. Thus, in the control of A. planci, concentrated salt solution can be used as a cheaper alternative to dry acid, acetic acid or m ammoniumhydroxide, all of which are expensive, may not be locally available and not environment friendly
BIMP-EAGA Journal for Sustainable Tourism Development, 2015
Panglao Island is one of the tourist destinations in the Philippines due to its white sand beache... more Panglao Island is one of the tourist destinations in the Philippines due to its white sand beaches, spectacular coral formations, beautiful reef fishes and crystal clear waters. Tourist arrival in 2012 noticeably decreased according to the dive shop operators and hotel and restaurant operators. Coral reefs damaged due to human and natural factors. Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) implemented the Filipinnovation on Coral Reef Restoration Program in collaboration with the University of San Carlos (USC), Cebu City and Bohol Island State University (BISU), Candijay Campus to manage the Pilot Technology Demonstration on Coral Reef Restoration in Panglao, Bohol. The ultimate goal of the project was to restore the degraded coral reefs through innovative means while maintaining partnerships between the local government units and private sectors which directly benefiting the coral ecosystems. The project team members were able to complete the deployment of 40 coral nursery units (CNUs) underwater in the month of September 2012. About 20,000 coral fragments were planted directly to the substrate using two techniques: 1) underwater epoxy as coral adhesive; and 2) nail and cable tie method. Tagged coral samples, it was found that the survivability of the transplanted coral was at 80% but decreased significantly with the presence of corallivores such as crown-of-thorns seastars, Acanthaster plancii and the snail that feeds on corals, Drupella cornus. Data gathered from the CNUs, it was ascertained that Acropora nobilis was a fast growing acroporid species capable of growing at .37 cm in three weeks or at 5.76 cm/ year, with all else assumed being linear. The project invites and encourages dive shop operators, hotel and restaurant owners, local government units and non-government organization's officials in Bohol province to sustain the project.
Journal of Science, Engineering and Technology, 2015
Acanthaster planci commonly known as crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) is a natural predator of her... more Acanthaster planci commonly known as crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) is a natural predator of hermatypic corals, and it controls fast growing corals like species of Acropora. However, when the density of COTS on a reef reaches such levels that corals are being consumed faster than they can grow-termed as 'outbreak"-then that is the time to engage in controlling COTS population in order to protect and conserve coral communities where fishing and tourism industry like in the Philippines depends on it. The goal of COTS population control techniques is to regulate COTS population outbreak in developing country like the Philippines using environment-friendly, cheap and safe methods. The process of COTS Population control techniques and management strategies includes: 1) baseline information or assessment of COTS population and distribution including spawning season, 2) coordination, and 3) planning with the different stakeholders including the local government units and business sectors, and 4) implementation of COTS population control techniques using cheap concentrated salt solution using improvised COTS gun that is easy to make and install. The total cost for the first operation is PhP 3492.00 or PhP 2.03/starfish, and this will reduce into PhP 1,160.00 PhP 1.2/starfish in the next operation. This is cheaper than bounty system of PhP 5.00-10.00/starfish in Caohagan Island and Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte and SCUBA Diving using dry acid with Veldspar Spot Gun of about PhP 10,050.00 0r PhP 41.00/starfish for the equipment and dry acid.
Journal of Science, Engineering and Technology, 2014
The phototactic behavior of COTS to steady and flashing LED light spectra such as blue (473nm), y... more The phototactic behavior of COTS to steady and flashing LED light spectra such as blue (473nm), yellow (595nm), red (625nm) and white was observed/ monitored using infrared closed circuit television (CCTV) camera. Steady LED light spectra had a significant effect on the locomotion rate of COTS (ANOVA; p<0.05) and there was no significant effect using flashing LED light spectra (ANOVA; p>0.05). COTS can be considered to be positively phototactic to steady blue spectrum (473 nm) with mean locomotion rate of 30.35 cm/min and negatively phototactic to steady white light with mean locomotion rate of 28.44 cm/min. Blue and white LED can act as photo stimulant either as attractant or repellent to crown-of-thorns starfish.
The distribution and population density of Acanthaster planci (crown-of-thorns-starfish or COTS) i... more The distribution and population density of Acanthaster planci (crown-of-thorns-starfish or COTS) in Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte, Central Philippines was assessed on July August,2012 using belt transects of 50-80 quadrats (5 x 5 m). Four sites were considered. Mean COTS density varied significantly among sampling sites, ranging from 0.4-5.2 starfishes/25 m2 corresponding to 160-2,080 starfishes/ha, an indication of an outbreak. On the other hand, the mean body size of A. planci ranged from 13.7 32.4 cm, varied significantly among sampling sites and possibly belonging to different cohorts of COTS population within SogodBay. This suggests that outbreak could be due to progressive accumulation of COTS from multiple cohorts. At Adrian Reef Marine Sanctuary in Limasawa, COTS distributions were aggregated (Morisita’s Index of Dispersion = 2.6) and was significantly larger (32.4 cm) than the other sites. We believe that the aggregation at Adrian Reef Marine Sanctuary is a form of foraging behavior at this time of the year and not a preparation for mass spawning
Data from plankton surveys typically contain many zeroes. Pomacentrid larvae collected from the r... more Data from plankton surveys typically contain many zeroes. Pomacentrid larvae collected from the reef of Cabilao Island, Bohol, Philippines was typical of such data wherein 294 out of 354 tows had 0 larval counts. This data is traditionally analyzed using the Poisson distribution in linear model. However, the Poisson model predicted far less zeroes and more missing pomacentrids than what is observed. To account for this kind of data, this paper examined other statistical distributions that can account for the extra zeroes and the missing fishes; these are negative binomial, zero-inflated poisson, zero-inflated negative binomial, zero-altered poisson and zero-altered negative binomial. We fitted these distributions and Poisson with location and moon phase as covariates to identify which of the model is suited for the data. The best model was selected based on having the lowest Akaike`s Information Criteria (AIC) score. The AIC result showed that the zero-altered negative binomial distribution (ZANB) with moon phase as covariate was suitable for the current data. The ZANB model showed that zeroes contribute a significant effect on abundance estimate; higher number of zeroes accounted for the significantly lower fishes observed in the first quarter than in the last quarter but not on the other moon phases. Excluding the zeroes, this difference is not statistically significant. Moreover, the ZANB model also was able to predict the actual number of zero and non-zero fishes better than the Poisson model, thus the tale of the missing fishes is explained by the inappropriateness of Poisson to fit data with many zeroes.
Over 12 and 14 months, the sexual maturity and reproductive cycle of nailon clam Paphia textilis ... more Over 12 and 14 months, the sexual maturity and reproductive cycle of nailon clam Paphia textilis (Gmelin 1791) was studied respectively. P. textilis were collected off the waters of Sillon and Jilantagaan Islands, Bantayan, Cebu, Philippines by hookah diving at 10 to 14 m deep. Sediments samples were collected to determine the type of substrate the nailon clam prefers. Water temperature and salinity were monitored monthly. To determine gonad development, a total of 2,501 nailon clams were examined. Morphological analysis revealed that nailon clams did not exhibit external sexual dimorphism. All samples within the size range of 40 to 76 mm were sexually mature. All stages of gonad development showed that sexually mature nailon clams can possibly spawn over a year with peaks in May, August and December. Gonad Index (GI) determines the gametogenic activities of the individual clams. High GI values ranging from 2.1 to 2.85 were obtained in all months excluding the months of June and September with GI values of 1.7 and 1.88 respectively. Condition Index (CI) determines the meat quality and the most reliable means of monitoring the changes in the reproductive activity. CI values from 5,414.44 to 7,895.11 revealed a reasonably good to very good meat quality. Poor and lean meats were observed with 3,925.17 and 4,390.55 CI values respectively. Water temperature and salinity had no significant effect on the gonad cycle. There were no wide fluctuations in water temperature and salinity between rainy and dry seasons. Paphia textilis prefers to embed in a very fine sandy substrate.
The reproductive biology of Lutjanus vitta from the West Sulu Sea, Philippines was investigated b... more The reproductive biology of Lutjanus vitta from the West Sulu Sea, Philippines was investigated by monthly sampling from October 2012 to December 2013. The reproductive activity was assessed to: characterize the sex ratio, determine the spawning period, estimate length and age at maturity (L 50, A 50) and determine the batch fecundity (BF). The overall sex ratio differed significantly (p < 0.05) among size classes and months with male and female dominance, respectively. As expected for tropical fish, spawning occurred year-round with two main spawning periods (April and October). The highest gonado-somatic index (GSI) values were recorded with two peaks for females in April (2.53%) and October (2.48%), which correspond to the two main spawning periods and one peak for males in April (1.55%). Males reached the length and age at sexual maturity (L 50 = 22.8 cm, A 50 = 2.19 yrs.) and females (L 50 = 21.3 cm, A 50 = 1.76 yrs) indicating that sexual maturation differed by age and size across sexes. Fecundity increased exponentially with fish length and weight demonstrating a non-linear relationship between fecundity and fish size.
The black coral Antipathes cf. griggi was reported for the first time outside the Hawaiian Archip... more The black coral Antipathes cf. griggi was reported for the first time outside the Hawaiian Archipelago. This short report provides details and short description of the newly recorded species in Mactan Island, Philippines.
Marine microbes encounter a myriad of biotic and abiotic factors that can impact fitness by limit... more Marine microbes encounter a myriad of biotic and abiotic factors that can impact fitness by limiting their range and capacity to move between habitats. This is especially true for environmentally transmitted bacteria that cycle between their hosts and the surrounding habitat. As geologic history, biogeography, and other factors such as water temperature, salinity, and physical barriers can inhibit bacterial movement to novel environments, we chose to examine the genetic architecture of Euprymna alba-trossae (Mollusca: Cephalopoda) and their Vibrio fischeri symbionts in the Philippine archipelago using a combined phylogeographic approach. Eleven separate sites in the Philippine islands were examined using haplotype estimates that were examined via nested clade analysis to determine the relationship between E. albatrossae and V. fischeri populations and their geographic location. Identical analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) were used to estimate variation within and between populations for host and symbiont genetic data. Host animals demonstrated a significant amount of variation within island groups, while symbiont variation was found within individual populations. Nested clade phylogenetic analysis revealed that hosts and symbi-onts may have colonized this area at different times, with a sudden change in habitat. Additionally, host data indicate restricted gene flow, whereas symbionts show range expansion, followed by periodic restriction to genetic flow. These differences between host and symbiont networks indicate that factors "outside the squid" influence distribution of Philippine V. fischeri. Our results shed light on how geography and changing environmental factors can impact marine symbiotic associations at both local and global scales.
The study was conducted to determine the species composition, diversity, distribution and abundan... more The study was conducted to determine the species composition, diversity, distribution and abundance of seaweeds and seagrass sinside and outside marine sanctuaries of Apid, Mahaba and Digyo Islands in Leyte, Philippines. Quantitatively, the data were collected using the transect-quadrat method. Three 50-100 m transects were laid perpendicular to the shoreline in each of the sampling sites. A total of 58 species of macroflora were recorded, of which51 species were seaweeds and 7 species were seagrasses. Seaweeds were dominated by chlorophytes (green algae) and rhodophytes (red algae) with 20 and 19 species, respectively. Macroflora inside marine sanctuaries were less diverse than outside marine sanctuaries based on Shannon diversity index. Generally, results also had shown that the status (abundance) of seagrass-seaweed inside the marine sanctuaries were in poor condition with a mean cover of 6.8% while outside marine sanctuaries had fair condition with a mean cover of 14.7%. The findings of the study concluded that the species diversity (seaweeds; P=0.02 and seagrass; P=0.001) and abundance (P=0.04) of macroflora between marine sanctuaries differed significantly. However, further t-test results revealed that there were no significant difference observed of its status when compared outside the marine sanctuaries. The poor status was attributed to the reef structure and substrate types of the sampling sites. The structure of the reefs from relatively wider and shallow reefs provide colonization of seaweeds and seagrasses compared to narrow reefs due to steep bottom topography. Substrate types vary from sandy, coral rubbles to coralline rocks providing habitat for diverse macroflora.
The age, growth and mortality parameters of brown stripe snapper Lutjanus vitta (Quoy and Gaimard... more The age, growth and mortality parameters of brown stripe snapper Lutjanus vitta (Quoy and Gaimard 1824) from west Sulu Sea were investigated. Brown stripe snappers were sampled from small-scale bottom set longline landings from October 2012 until December 2013. The oldest recorded male was 11.71 years and female was 10.71 years, and measured 33.5 and 26.5 cm, respectively. Examination of sectioned otolith margins (n= 490) indicated annuli deposition in December and January which was closely related to the lowest water temperature in Sulu Sea. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters (male L∞ = 32.5 cm, K= 0.34 year-1, t0 = -1.68 year; female L∞= 27.1 cm, K = 0.53 year-1, t0 = -1.30 year) differed significantly between sexes (ARSS F= 6.33, d.f. =22, p< 0.05). The estimated total mortality rates were, 0.53 year-1 (male) and 0.50 year-1 (female). Linear relations between otolith weight and age implies continuous growth proportional to age and otolith weight and therefore, otolith weight may be used as proxy to predict age in future stock assessment.
The Philippine archipelago, located in the northern apex of the Coral Triangle, is known for its ... more The Philippine archipelago, located in the northern apex of the Coral Triangle, is known for its high diversity and endemism, both caused by a complex physical setting modelled by the long tectonic history of the archipelago and by the more recent Pleistocene sea-level fluctuations. In order to assess the influences of the complex Philippines geography on benthic marine species, we conducted phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses on 71 specimens (out 112 originally collected) of ten species of Pinnidae, sequencing two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers. Our results suggest that the Philippines is a diversity hotspot for pinnids, with all sampling sites hosting three or more species, but with marked differences in species composition in each site, indicating that most pinnids have a patchy distribution. Our data also suggest that most species exhibit high levels of genetic connectivity even over large geographical distances. As previouly suggested, our data also support the idea that the nominal taxon Pinna atropurpurea includes at least 2 cryptic species in the Philippines.
The presence of seawater bugs in the coastal area is an indicator of good water quality and stabl... more The presence of seawater bugs in the coastal area is an indicator of good water quality and stable mangrove habitat. As energy source of other organisms, their role in the food chain (Chen et al., 2005) makes them important in the marine ecosystem. This study was conducted in order to know the species occurrence, abundance and distribution and their relationships with the physicochemical parameters such as light, humidity, temperature, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, nitrite, nitrate and phosphate that would affect their population to fluctuate or change. In the sampling sites, a quadrat sampling method was used for collections and gathering of data. Results indicated that 824 adult bugs composed of 4 Families, 8 Genera and 13 Species were found. The species were Halobates calyptus, Halobates hayanus, Halobates proavus, Pseudohalobates inobonto and Stenobates sangihi of the Family Gerridae; Haloveloides femoralis, Halovelia esakii, Halovelia malaya, Halovelia bergrothii, Xenobates sp. 1 and Xenobates sp. 2 of the Family Veliidae; Hermatobates marcheii of the Family Hermatobatidae and Corallocoris marksae of the Family Omaniidae. The most abundant was H. femoralis and the species were not associated each other and showed clumped pattern of distribution. Pearson's r-correlation coefficient showed that the effect of light, temperature, dissolved oxygen and phosphate level had a strong relationship with the abundance and distribution of bugs. This means that the higher the relative humidity, temperature, dissolved oxygen and phosphate concentration the higher was the number of bugs. The lower the pH, salinity, nitrate and nitrite the higher the number of seawater bugs. However, the mangrove forest in Badian is still stable.
Developing life–supporting marine ecosystems along with the Asia–Pacific coasts – a synthesis of physical and biological data for the science–based management and socio–ecological policy making, 2016
Developing life–supporting marine ecosystems along with the Asia–Pacific coasts – a synthesis of physical and biological data for the science–based management and socio–ecological policy making, 2016
Developing life–supporting marine ecosystems along with the Asia–Pacific coasts – a synthesis of physical and biological data for the science–based management and socio–ecological policy making, 2016
The response of Acanthaster planci or crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) to intracoelomic injection ... more The response of Acanthaster planci or crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) to intracoelomic injection of hypersaline solutions was investigated to establish its potential application as A. planci population control especially during an outbreak. Adult A. planci when inverted had a normal righting response time (in seconds) of 163 ± 1 (mean ± SE; N ＝ 298). Injection of concentrated salt solutions led to negative effects on adult A. planci. The spines bent down, body collapsed and the starfish became comatose and died after 24-hours. The higher the salt concentration, the higher is the % comatose individuals. In addition, comatose specimens failed to recover with time. Mortality was highest at the highest treatment concentration with LC 90 of 285.3 and LC 99 of 383.2 ppt. The effects of time, salt concentration and its interaction(salt concentration x time) were significant (p ＝ 0.00). Theionic and osmotic disruption of the coelomic fluid canseriously affect physiological functions of the organismincluding neuromuscular activity. Thus, in the control of A. planci, concentrated salt solution can be used as a cheaper alternative to dry acid, acetic acid or m ammoniumhydroxide, all of which are expensive, may not be locally available and not environment friendly
BIMP-EAGA Journal for Sustainable Tourism Development, 2015
Panglao Island is one of the tourist destinations in the Philippines due to its white sand beache... more Panglao Island is one of the tourist destinations in the Philippines due to its white sand beaches, spectacular coral formations, beautiful reef fishes and crystal clear waters. Tourist arrival in 2012 noticeably decreased according to the dive shop operators and hotel and restaurant operators. Coral reefs damaged due to human and natural factors. Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) implemented the Filipinnovation on Coral Reef Restoration Program in collaboration with the University of San Carlos (USC), Cebu City and Bohol Island State University (BISU), Candijay Campus to manage the Pilot Technology Demonstration on Coral Reef Restoration in Panglao, Bohol. The ultimate goal of the project was to restore the degraded coral reefs through innovative means while maintaining partnerships between the local government units and private sectors which directly benefiting the coral ecosystems. The project team members were able to complete the deployment of 40 coral nursery units (CNUs) underwater in the month of September 2012. About 20,000 coral fragments were planted directly to the substrate using two techniques: 1) underwater epoxy as coral adhesive; and 2) nail and cable tie method. Tagged coral samples, it was found that the survivability of the transplanted coral was at 80% but decreased significantly with the presence of corallivores such as crown-of-thorns seastars, Acanthaster plancii and the snail that feeds on corals, Drupella cornus. Data gathered from the CNUs, it was ascertained that Acropora nobilis was a fast growing acroporid species capable of growing at .37 cm in three weeks or at 5.76 cm/ year, with all else assumed being linear. The project invites and encourages dive shop operators, hotel and restaurant owners, local government units and non-government organization's officials in Bohol province to sustain the project.
Journal of Science, Engineering and Technology, 2015
Acanthaster planci commonly known as crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) is a natural predator of her... more Acanthaster planci commonly known as crown-of-thorns starfish (COTS) is a natural predator of hermatypic corals, and it controls fast growing corals like species of Acropora. However, when the density of COTS on a reef reaches such levels that corals are being consumed faster than they can grow-termed as 'outbreak"-then that is the time to engage in controlling COTS population in order to protect and conserve coral communities where fishing and tourism industry like in the Philippines depends on it. The goal of COTS population control techniques is to regulate COTS population outbreak in developing country like the Philippines using environment-friendly, cheap and safe methods. The process of COTS Population control techniques and management strategies includes: 1) baseline information or assessment of COTS population and distribution including spawning season, 2) coordination, and 3) planning with the different stakeholders including the local government units and business sectors, and 4) implementation of COTS population control techniques using cheap concentrated salt solution using improvised COTS gun that is easy to make and install. The total cost for the first operation is PhP 3492.00 or PhP 2.03/starfish, and this will reduce into PhP 1,160.00 PhP 1.2/starfish in the next operation. This is cheaper than bounty system of PhP 5.00-10.00/starfish in Caohagan Island and Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte and SCUBA Diving using dry acid with Veldspar Spot Gun of about PhP 10,050.00 0r PhP 41.00/starfish for the equipment and dry acid.
Journal of Science, Engineering and Technology, 2014
The phototactic behavior of COTS to steady and flashing LED light spectra such as blue (473nm), y... more The phototactic behavior of COTS to steady and flashing LED light spectra such as blue (473nm), yellow (595nm), red (625nm) and white was observed/ monitored using infrared closed circuit television (CCTV) camera. Steady LED light spectra had a significant effect on the locomotion rate of COTS (ANOVA; p<0.05) and there was no significant effect using flashing LED light spectra (ANOVA; p>0.05). COTS can be considered to be positively phototactic to steady blue spectrum (473 nm) with mean locomotion rate of 30.35 cm/min and negatively phototactic to steady white light with mean locomotion rate of 28.44 cm/min. Blue and white LED can act as photo stimulant either as attractant or repellent to crown-of-thorns starfish.
The distribution and population density of Acanthaster planci (crown-of-thorns-starfish or COTS) i... more The distribution and population density of Acanthaster planci (crown-of-thorns-starfish or COTS) in Sogod Bay, Southern Leyte, Central Philippines was assessed on July August,2012 using belt transects of 50-80 quadrats (5 x 5 m). Four sites were considered. Mean COTS density varied significantly among sampling sites, ranging from 0.4-5.2 starfishes/25 m2 corresponding to 160-2,080 starfishes/ha, an indication of an outbreak. On the other hand, the mean body size of A. planci ranged from 13.7 32.4 cm, varied significantly among sampling sites and possibly belonging to different cohorts of COTS population within SogodBay. This suggests that outbreak could be due to progressive accumulation of COTS from multiple cohorts. At Adrian Reef Marine Sanctuary in Limasawa, COTS distributions were aggregated (Morisita’s Index of Dispersion = 2.6) and was significantly larger (32.4 cm) than the other sites. We believe that the aggregation at Adrian Reef Marine Sanctuary is a form of foraging behavior at this time of the year and not a preparation for mass spawning
Data from plankton surveys typically contain many zeroes. Pomacentrid larvae collected from the r... more Data from plankton surveys typically contain many zeroes. Pomacentrid larvae collected from the reef of Cabilao Island, Bohol, Philippines was typical of such data wherein 294 out of 354 tows had 0 larval counts. This data is traditionally analyzed using the Poisson distribution in linear model. However, the Poisson model predicted far less zeroes and more missing pomacentrids than what is observed. To account for this kind of data, this paper examined other statistical distributions that can account for the extra zeroes and the missing fishes; these are negative binomial, zero-inflated poisson, zero-inflated negative binomial, zero-altered poisson and zero-altered negative binomial. We fitted these distributions and Poisson with location and moon phase as covariates to identify which of the model is suited for the data. The best model was selected based on having the lowest Akaike`s Information Criteria (AIC) score. The AIC result showed that the zero-altered negative binomial distribution (ZANB) with moon phase as covariate was suitable for the current data. The ZANB model showed that zeroes contribute a significant effect on abundance estimate; higher number of zeroes accounted for the significantly lower fishes observed in the first quarter than in the last quarter but not on the other moon phases. Excluding the zeroes, this difference is not statistically significant. Moreover, the ZANB model also was able to predict the actual number of zero and non-zero fishes better than the Poisson model, thus the tale of the missing fishes is explained by the inappropriateness of Poisson to fit data with many zeroes.
Over 12 and 14 months, the sexual maturity and reproductive cycle of nailon clam Paphia textilis ... more Over 12 and 14 months, the sexual maturity and reproductive cycle of nailon clam Paphia textilis (Gmelin 1791) was studied respectively. P. textilis were collected off the waters of Sillon and Jilantagaan Islands, Bantayan, Cebu, Philippines by hookah diving at 10 to 14 m deep. Sediments samples were collected to determine the type of substrate the nailon clam prefers. Water temperature and salinity were monitored monthly. To determine gonad development, a total of 2,501 nailon clams were examined. Morphological analysis revealed that nailon clams did not exhibit external sexual dimorphism. All samples within the size range of 40 to 76 mm were sexually mature. All stages of gonad development showed that sexually mature nailon clams can possibly spawn over a year with peaks in May, August and December. Gonad Index (GI) determines the gametogenic activities of the individual clams. High GI values ranging from 2.1 to 2.85 were obtained in all months excluding the months of June and September with GI values of 1.7 and 1.88 respectively. Condition Index (CI) determines the meat quality and the most reliable means of monitoring the changes in the reproductive activity. CI values from 5,414.44 to 7,895.11 revealed a reasonably good to very good meat quality. Poor and lean meats were observed with 3,925.17 and 4,390.55 CI values respectively. Water temperature and salinity had no significant effect on the gonad cycle. There were no wide fluctuations in water temperature and salinity between rainy and dry seasons. Paphia textilis prefers to embed in a very fine sandy substrate.
Little serious questioning has been given the forces of development propelling the industrializat... more Little serious questioning has been given the forces of development propelling the industrialization of Metro Cebu and the urban transition talcing place with the rise of a middle class. crowded shopping malls and congested city streets. The voices of concern for the marginalized and the environment are hardly audible over the noisy exhilaration of a burgeoning economy. In this context, the present publication is notable in that it documents the inex"tricable relationship between livelihood and environment in a Cebuano islar.d community abutting this development. All differences asid�. this microcosm may be an apt parable for the dynamics of development of the whole. Livelihood and the Environment: Inextricable Issues in O/ango Island, which was commissioned by the Barefoot Media Initiative, Cebu, Inc., is 'notable in several ways. It is a collaborative effort of the media (Philippine News and Features) and the academe (the Marine Biology Section of the University of San Carlos)-at once, the fruit of investigative journalism and scientific description and analysis. In particular. it gathers the insights of researchers and development workers who have studied-and for significant periods of time lived on-the barren, overpopulated island of Olango. It blends the easy description of the fisher folkways with the accurate, scientific denotation of living forms and local technologies. Perhaps most revealing aspects of the inextricable bond between livelihood and the environment are the • unsettling cases sketched in these pages. They include the aborted funding by the United States Agency for Development of a two-lane causeway and a well-intentioned, but bungled attempt to construct a desalinization plant from a congresswoman's Countryside Development Fund. Unsettling, too, are the detailed descriptions of the use of cyanide in the. aquarium fish industry and the cruel consequences of the fishermen's own practices (dynamite fishing and "hookah" diving). There is the juxtaposition of the establishment of the Olango Wildlife Sanctuary, the belated efforts of government and the contentious pressure to establish expansive tourist resort hotels on Olango Island's perimeter. And, finally, in the recommendations concluding the work, the authors do not abandon the understanding of the complexity of the situation of the island community. While these recommendations are at once realistic and practical, they alas require more than a token of commitment from the government and the Olango islanders themselves.
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