Challenge 07: Expand the Global Ocean Observing System
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.unesco.gov.ph/handle/123456789/28
Ocean Decade
Challenge 07:
Expand the Global Ocean Observing System
Ensure a sustainable and sustained ocean observing system across all ocean basins that delivers accessible, timely and actionable data and information to all users.
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- Thecal tabulation, body scale morphology and phylogeny of Heterocapsa philippinensis sp. nov. (Peridiniales, Dinophyceae) from the PhilippinesBenico, Garry; Lum, Wai Mun; Takahashi, Kazuya; Yñiguez, Aletta T.; Iwataki, Mitsunori (Elsevier, 2021-08)The thecal tabulation and body scale structure of the marine armoured dinoflagellate Heterocapsa, isolated from Philippines, were examined using LM, SEM and TEM, and its phylogenetic position was inferred from ITS and LSU rDNA sequences. Cells were ovoid and the plate tabulation (Po, cp, X, 5′, 3a, 7′′, 6c, 5s, 5′′′, 2′′′′) was consistent with most Heterocapsa species. The second anterior intercalary plate (2a) had a circular pattern with a thick marginal border free of pores. The nucleus was longitudinally elongated and curved, and located at the dorsal side of the cell. Discoid lobes of brownish chloroplast were peripherally distributed, and a pyrenoid was positioned at the centre. The triradiate body scales, measuring 250–300 nm in diameter, consisted of a roundish basal plate with six radiating ridges, nine peripheral uprights/spines, and three radiating spines. These components were identical to those of H. pseudotriquetra and H. steinii, except for the roundish outline of basal plate. Molecular phylogeny showed that the species clustered with H. pseudotriquetra and H. steinii. This species was differentiated from all other Heterocapsa species in the sausage-shaped nucleus and circular pattern on the 2a plate. This study proposed a novel species Heterocapsa philippinensis sp. nov. for the isolate.
- Nitrite regeneration in the oligotrophic Atlantic OceanClark, Darren R.; Rees, Andrew P.; Ferrera, Charissa M.; Al-Moosawi, Lisa; Somerfield, Paul J.; Harris, Carolyn; Quartly, Graham D.; Goult, Stephen; Tarran, Glen; Lessin, Gennadi (Copernicus GmbH, 2022-03-07)The recycling of scarce nutrient resources in the sunlit open ocean is crucial to ecosystem function. Nitrification directs ammonium (NH4+) derived from organic matter decomposition towards the regeneration of nitrate (NO3-), an important resource for photosynthetic primary producers. However, the technical challenge of making nitrification rate measurements in oligotrophic conditions combined with the remote nature of these environments means that data availability, and the understanding that provides, is limited. This study reports nitrite (NO2-) regeneration rate (RNO2 – the first product of nitrification derived from NH4+ oxidation) over a 13 000 km transect within the photic zone of the Atlantic Ocean. These measurements, at relatively high resolution (order 300 km), permit the examination of interactions between RNO2 and environmental conditions that may warrant explicit development in model descriptions. At all locations we report measurable RNO2 with significant variability between and within Atlantic provinces. Statistical analysis indicated significant correlative structure between RNO2 and ecosystem variables, explaining ∼65 % of the data variability. Differences between sampling depths were of the same magnitude as or greater than horizontally resolved differences, identifying distinct biogeochemical niches between depth horizons. The best overall match between RNO2 and environmental variables combined chlorophyll-a concentration, light-phase duration, and silicate concentration (representing a short-term tracer of water column physical instability). On this basis we hypothesize that RNO2 is related to the short-term autotrophic production and heterotrophic decomposition of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), which regenerates NH4+ and supports NH4+ oxidation. However, this did not explain the observation that RNO2 in the deep euphotic zone was significantly greater in the Southern Hemisphere compared to the Northern Hemisphere. We present the complimentary hypothesis that observations reflect the difference in DON concentration supplied by lateral transport into the gyre interior from the Atlantic's eastern boundary upwelling ecosystems.We thank the crew of the AMT19 cruise. MSLA data were obtained and analysed through the NERC Earth Observation Data Acquisition and Analysis Service (NEODAAS), and further data were provided by the European Space Agency's Sea Level CCI. This is contribution number 320 of the AMT program supported by UKRI through the National Capability Long-term Single Centre Science Programme, Climate Linked Atlantic Sector Science program and further from the Natural Environment Research Council funded Microbial Carbon Pump project. We would like to thank Dennis Hansell and two anonymous reviewers for constructive and insightful comments.
- Manzaea minuta gen. & comb. nov. (Scytosiphonaceae, Phaeophyceae) from the tropical Northwestern Pacific OceanSantiañez, Wilfred John E.; Kogame, Kazuhiro (Philippine Journal of Systematic Biology, 2022-07-11)Recent molecular-assisted taxonomic studies on the brown algal genus Hydroclathrus has resulted in discoveries of new taxa in the family Scytosiphonaceae, both at the genus and species level. However, phylogenetic studies on Hydroclathrus based on wide geographical sampling also suggested that the genus is not monophyletic. That is, one of the recently described species Hydroclathrus minutus is consistently segregated from the Hydroclathrus main clade. We propose here to segregate H. minutus from the brown algal genus Hydroclathrus and establish the new monotypic genus Manzaea (i.e., Manzaea minuta gen. & comb. nov.) based on information on molecular phylogenetics and morpho-anatomy. Morphologically, M. minuta is similar to Hydroclathrus and Tronoella in having clathrate (net-like) and spreading thalli but is differentiated from the latter two genera in having membranous thalli that are sometimes interadhesive resulting in portions of the thallus forming amorphous clumps. Additionally, Manzaea is distinguished from both clathrate genera in having thick-walled medullary cells and short closely arranged quadriseriate plurangia. Phylogenetic analyses (Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference) based on single (plastidial psaA and rbcL genes) and concatenated (cox3 + psaA + rbcL) genes showed that M. minuta is consistently segregated from the highly supported clade of Hydroclathrus species and often clustering with Tronoella and/or Rosenvingea. Our proposal further increases the diversity of monotypic genera in the Scytosiphonaceae and underscores the need to conduct further studies on tropical seaweed biodiversity.WJES thanks Dr. Gavino C. Trono, Jr. and Dr. Edna T. Ganzon-Fortes for the inspiration and encouragement to conduct seaweed biodiversity and systematics research. WJES is funded by the University of the Philippines through the Balik PhD Program of the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (OVPAA-BPhD-2018-05), the University of the Philippines Diliman through the In-house research grant of the Marine Science Institute, and the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) of the Government of Japan under the Monbukagakusho Scholarship Grant. WJES also acknowledges the support of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) of the Government of the Philippines through the DOST Balik Scientist Program.
- Genetic connectivity and diversity between tropical and subtropical populations of the tropical horned sea star Protoreaster nodosus in the northwest PacificNakajima, Yuichi; Yasuda, Nina; Matsuki, Yu; Arriesgado, Dan M.; Fortes, Miguel D.; Uy, Wilfredo H.; Campos, Wilfredo L.; Nadaoka, Kazuo; Lian, Chunlan (Springer, 2024-06-01)Seagrass beds are ecologically and economically important coastal ecosystems, and seagrass-associated organisms are a key part of their biodiversity. Marine organisms that reproduce through broadcast spawning are likely to have less genetic differentiation among populations than those that use other modes of reproduction, but this has not been well studied. Here, we investigated the genetic diversity, genetic differentiation, and migration patterns of the seagrass-associated sea star Protoreaster nodosus across 12 sites spanning approximately 2500 km from the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan, to the Philippines. We genotyped 405 individuals by using seven microsatellite loci and analyzed allelic richness and expected heterozygosity as indices of genetic diversity. Of these two indices, only expected heterozygosity decreased slightly with increasing latitude. These results suggest that genetic diversity has not clearly decreased, even in the isolated Ryukyu Archipelago populations. Geographic distance was significantly correlated with genetic differentiation (pairwise FST: − 0.005 to 0.049). However, populations in the Ryukyu Archipelago and the Philippines showed relatively low genetic structuring and the pairwise genetic differentiation between these regions was often non-significant. Analysis of historical migration rates showed bidirectional north–south migration, which appears to be influenced by the Kuroshio Current and its countercurrents.We thank members of the project ‘Coastal Ecosystem Conservation and Adaptive Management under Local and Global Environmental Impacts in the Philippines’ (CECAM project: https://sites.google.com/view/cecam-project).
- Fisheries Administrative Order No. 266: Series of 2020. Rules and regulations on the implementations of Vessel Monitoring Measures (VMM) and Electronic Reporting System (ERS) for commercial Philippine flagged fishing vessels amending FAO 260 Series of 2018.(Department of Agriculture, 2020-10-12)The objectives of this Order include: a. To enhance monitoring of fishing operations for fisheries management through the implementation of vessel monitoring measures. b. To enhance law enforcement to regulate the capture fisheries sector towards achieving long term resource sustainability. c. To implement vessel monitoring measures to track fishing behavior for scientific research and data. d. To establish a system that will facilitate law enforcement and aid in case building and prosecution of fisheries law violations. e. To gather data on fishing effort and catch data by means of an electronic reporting system which will serve as basis for fisheries management measures. f. To aid in the seafood traceability and catch documentary requirements of the government. g. To ensure safety for fishers thru a tracking device that would monitor the vessels' location during accidents and disasters. h. To implement policies embodied in Republic Act 8550, as amended by RA 10654 and its implementing rules and regulations, relating to the vessel monitoring requirements of fishing vessels. The Text consists of 26 Sections divided into 5 Chapters: General Provisions; lmpJementation of Vessel Monitoring Measures; Operational Requirements for Vessel Monitoring Measures; Penalties; Miscellaneous Provisions. All commercial catcher fishing vessels operating in Philippine waters and all fishing vessels in distant waters shall not engage in fishing activity without the vessel monitoring measures as established in FAO 260 and herein. The VMS shall apply to all licensed Philippine flagged commercial fishing vessels authorized by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to operate in the high seas and those fishing vessels with access rights to fish in other countries' exclusive economic zones. All catcher vessels 30 GT and above operating either in the high seas or with access rights to fish in other coastal states and/or fishing in the Philippine EEZ shall have an installed Electronic Reporting System which can connect to the VMS transceiver to send fishery information to BFAR. For all other vessels, a combination of onboard and port ERS systems shall be implemented to electronically capture and report catch information. As a prerequisite for registration or license renewal, all commercial fishing vessels must secure a certification confirming that: a. An accredited ALC has been installed and verified as fully operational by the Department of Agriculture- Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR). b. The ALC unit deployed has been accredited and certified as meeting the minimum standards set by the DA-BFAR. The Order further make provisions for: the main center for monitoring and gathering data for the purpose of this Order; data access; vessel monitoring measures in marine protected areas; minimum data requirements; accreditation of data systems and service provider; frequency of reporting: offences and penalties; etc.
- Spatial variation in the benthic community structure of a coral reef system in the central Philippines: Highlighting hard coral, octocoral, and sponge assemblagesLalas, Jue Alef A.; Manzano, Geminne G.; Desabelle, Lee Arraby B.; Baria-Rodriguez, Maria Vanessa (Elsevier, 2023-07)Coral reefs are complex habitats that contain very high biodiversity and provide different ecosystem services. In the Coral Triangle, however, various major benthic components are still understudied. This can limit our understanding of coral reef community dynamics, especially in the presence of a changing climate coupled with local disturbances (e.g., decreased water quality). This study describes the benthic community structure of an ecologically and economically important coral reef system in the central Philippines through characterizing the assemblages of three major components (hard corals, octocorals, and sponges) among sites and stations with varying environmental conditions (i.e., exposure to monsoons, water quality levels). Results reveal significant variations in the mean percentage covers of hard corals, octocorals, and sponges at the site and station levels (ANOVA, p < 0.05), with hard corals dominating in Site 1, which is more exposed to the southwest monsoon, and Site 3, which is an embayed and unexposed site with low water quality, while soft corals dominated in Site 2, which is more exposed to the northeast monsoon. Multivariate analyses also revealed significant variations in the benthic community structure at different spatial scales (ANOSIM, p < 0.05). Interestingly, even stations within a site had significant variations in community structure, with different taxa being dominant. This study highlights the importance of conducting more detailed analyses of understudied taxa (i.e., octocorals and sponges) during coral reef surveys to improve our understanding of coral reef community dynamics that is very important for management.
- Fisheries Administrative Order No. 270: Series of 2023. Rules and regulations on the operations of the Philippine flagged fishing vessels operating in distant waters (beyond national jurisdiction).(Department of Agriculture, 2023-01-27)This Administrative Order provides for the conditions on the registry of the fishing vessels further to Republic Act No. 8550 and the requirements for the implementation of flag state responsibilities to not engaging vessels in IUU fishing. The Order requires update of fishing vessel listing that are operating in the High Seas area by BFAR and compliance with the vessel marking and specification requirements of the RFMO. This Order applies to all Philippine- flagged fishing vessels engaged in distant water fishing regardless of type. The text consists of 27 Articles divided into 5 Chapters as follow: General Provisions (I); Measures for High Seas (II); Measures for Vessels Operating in Waters of Other Coastal States (III); Prohibited Acts and Penalties (IV); Miscellaneous Provisions (V). The text has one Appendix on list of acronyms.
- Fisheries Administrative Order No. 269: Series of 2023. Rules and regulations on tuna purse seine/ring net operations in the pacific seaboard of the Philippines exclusive economic zone (EEZ).(Department of Agriculture, 2023-01-27)This Administrative Order covers Philippine registered purse seine and ringnet catcher fishing vessels of more than thirty (30) Gross Tons (GT) targeting tuna with valid Commercial Fishing Vessel License (CFVL) and their corresponding support vessels operating within the Pacific Seaboard of the Philippine EEZ and listed in the WCPFC Records of Fishing Vessels. The Order provides on fishing days limit, qualification to access fishing in Philippine Pacific EEZ, vessel monitoring measures, vessel listing, catch logsheet, use of fish aggregating device and access right. The text consists of 18 Articles.
- Asterocladon ednae sp. nov. (Asterocladales, Phaeophyceae) from the PhilippinesSasagawa, Eriko; Santiañez, Wilfred John E.; Kogame, Kazuhiro (Wiley, 2022-06-21)Members of the brown algal order Asterocladales are characterized by stellate arrangement of its chloroplasts, in which a stellate configuration has a protruding central pyrenoid complex. The order is represented by the genus Asterocladon, which consists of only three species so far. Similar to other small and filamentous seaweeds, studies on Asterocladon remain scant and their diversity poorly understood. To fill this gap, we conducted molecular-assisted taxonomic studies on Asterocladon based on seven culture isolates collected from Okinawa Prefecture, Japan and Cebu, the Philippines. One culture isolate from the Philippines was revealed to be a new species of Asterocladon based on morpho-anatomical and molecular analyses using rbcL and psaA genes and is described here as Asterocladon ednae. The other isolates were attributed to A. rhodochortonoides. A. ednae was most closely related to A. rhodochortonoides in morphology and molecular phylogeny but was distinguished from the latter by its elongately ellipsoid plurilocular sporangia. This is the first report of the genus and species A. ednae in the Philippines, further increasing the diversity of seaweeds in the country.
- Transcriptome-derived SNP markers for population assignment of sandfish, Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabraOrdoñez, June F.; Ravago-Gotanco, Rachel (Elsevier, 2024-01-30)The sandfish, Holothuria scabra is a commercially important fishery and aquaculture species contributing to the high-value sea cucumber industry. Overexploited across many areas throughout its distributional range, natural populations are considered in decline. Accurate genetic assignment to population of origin is becoming increasingly important for genetics-based marine fisheries management and monitoring, especially for species experiencing depletion of natural stocks and decline in fisheries productivity due to overfishing and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing. Initiatives for genetics-based applications on economically important seafood such as H. scabra have been limited by the lack of comprehensive genome or transcriptome resources. The present study developed and evaluated the use of gene-associated single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers to assign sandfish to three locations in the Philippines, in the proximity of existing and emerging hatchery production centers. In silico SNP discovery pipeline using pooled RNA-Seq libraries and medium-throughput genotyping approach generated a dataset comprising 115 individuals genotyped at 88 SNPs. Population assignment using machine-learning analysis and Bayesian approach revealed that the 88 transcriptome-derived SNPs allowed the assignment of sandfish individuals to population of origin, with an overall assignment accuracy of >80%. The novel SNPs developed could find their utility in facilitating the development of geographic traceability tools applicable in the context of sandfish aquaculture, fisheries management and conservation.