Challenge 06: Increase community resilience to ocean hazards

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://repository.unesco.gov.ph/handle/123456789/25

Ocean Decade

Challenge 06:
Increase community resilience to ocean hazards

Enhance multi-hazard early warning services for all geophysical, ecological, biological, weather, climate and anthropogenic related ocean and coastal hazards, and mainstream community preparedness and resilience.

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Impacts of harmful algae on seafarming in the Asia-Pacific areas
Corrales, Rhodora A.; Maclean, Jay L. (Springer, 1995-04)
Seafarming to produce human food has recently intensified, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. Disastrous impacts of harmful phytoplankton blooms, however, have been experienced during the past 20 years. In extreme cases, these render shellfish and finfish toxic or cause massive fish and shrimp kills. Problems from marine algae in the region include paralytic shellfish poisoning, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning, ciguatera, tetrodotoxin poisoning, fish kills and tainting of fish and shellfish. An analysis of 72 incidents since 1934 showed that 57% were fish and shrimp kills; almost all the remainder were PSP events. By mid-1994 there had been 3164 recorded cases of human poisoning and 148 reported deaths from these events in Asia-Pacific. Economic losses may exceed one million US dollars per event, while monitoring costs may be up to $50000 annually for each affected area. Research needs, management strategies and international cooperation are discussed. National action plan considerations include shellfish sanitation programs, public awareness and education, coastal engineering and classification of waters to protect public health.
A synthesis and review of historical eruptions at Taal Volcano, Southern Luzon, Philippines
Delos Reyes, Perla J.; Bornas, Ma. Antonia V.; Dominey-Howes, Dale; Pidlaoan, Abigail C.; Magill, Christina R.; Solidum, Renato Jr. U. (Elsevier BV, 2018-02)
The Philippines is an area of persistent volcanism, being located in one of the most tectonically active regions in the world. Taal Volcano in Southern Luzon is the second most frequently erupting volcano of the 24 active volcanoes in the Philippines. A comprehensive and critical review of published and unpublished references describing the 33 known historical eruptions of Taal may provide answers to knowledge gaps on past eruptive behavior, processes, and products that could be utilized for hazard and risk assessment of future eruptions. Data on the prehistoric eruptions and evolution of Taal Caldera and subsequent deposits are limited. Only four caldera-forming events were identified based on four mapped ignimbrite deposits. From oldest to youngest, these are the silicic Alitagtag (ALI) and Caloocan (CAL) Pumice Flow deposits, the dacitic Sambong Ignimbrite (SAM), and the basaltic-andesitic Taal Scoria Flow, renamed Scoria Pyroclastic Flow (SFL). Except for SFL with 14C dating yielding 5380 ± 70 to 6830 ± 80 ky, there are no age constraints or estimates of extent for the three older deposits. A comprehensive review of the historical eruptions of Taal Volcano is the central element of this paper and includes all eruptions from AD1572 (the first known historic event) to AD1977. Eruption styles and the interplay between processes and products for each eruption are reinterpreted based on the narrative descriptions from all available accounts. A change of classification of eruption styles and eruptive products is undertaken for some events. At least nine reported eruptions were deemed uncertain including the AD1605-AD1611 event (more likely seismic swarms), the AD1634, AD1635, and AD1645 (may simply be solfataric or hydrothermal activity) events, and the AD1790, AD1825, AD1842, AD1873 and AD1903 events that were listed in recent published and unpublished documents but do not provide any details to describe and confirm the eruptions except for listing a default VEI of 2. Pyroclastic density currents brought devastating impacts to the communities around Taal during the AD1749, AD1754, AD1911 and AD1965 eruptions and remain the biggest threat in the case of renewed volcanic activity. Significant implications for aviation are implied by the narrative of tephra fall dispersal towards Manila, the central gateway of international aviation operation in the Philippines, during the AD1754 eruptions. The dispersal of tephra in the event of an explosive eruption at Taal towards Metro Manila would have catastrophic effects to transport, utilities and business activity, potentially generating enormous economic losses. Hazards from earthquake events associated with future volcanic activity may also have localized impacts. Occurrences of liquefaction phenomena as a consequence of severe ground shaking are interpreted during the AD1749, AD1754, and AD1911 eruptions. More work needs to be done to develop a comprehensive understanding of the hazards and risks associated with an explosive eruption at Taal Volcano, especially related to the older Quaternary caldera-forming eruptions that produced large-volume pyroclastic deposits that are extensively distributed and exposed. We acknowledge that there may be additional prehistoric eruptions where the eruptive products have not been preserved, recognized or reported. Events that cannot be verified or do not have sufficient details to confirm the eruption, have been downgraded to “uncertain”. Eruptions that are confirmed with identified dispersal and emplacement of tephra fall and other eruptive deposits, as interpreted from narrated records, could provide crucial information that may be utilized in hazard assessment.
Taxonomy and toxin production of Gambierdiscus carpenteri (Dinophyceae) in a tropical marine ecosystem: The first record from the Philippines
Vacarizas, Joshua; Benico, Garry; Austero, Nero; Azanza, Rhodora (Elsevier, 2018-12)
Morphological and phylogenetic analysis showed that the Gambierdiscus isolate from Bolinao, Philippines belongs to the species of G. carpenteri. It was morphologically more similar to the Merimbula strain than the subtropical Florida Keys strain. Growth and toxin production were also investigated at varying levels of temperature, salinity, and irradiance. Gambierdiscus are known to grow favorably in a low light environment. However, this study showed high growth rates of G. carpenteri even at high irradiance levels. Generally, cells produced more toxins at lower treatment levels. Highest cellular toxin content recorded was 7.48 ± 0.49 pg Pbtx eq/cell at culture conditions of 25 °C, 100 μmol photons m−2 s−1, and salinity of 26. Growth rate and toxin production data suggest that cells produced more toxins during the slowest growth at certain range of treatments. This information gives insight into how changes in environmental conditions may affect toxin production and growth of G. carpenteri.
Asterocladon ednae sp. nov. (Asterocladales, Phaeophyceae) from the Philippines
Sasagawa, 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.
Ground deformation analysis caused by post-2013 earthquake in Bohol, Philippines
Bauzon, Ma. Divina Angela I.; Reyes, Rosalie B.; Blanco, Ariel C.; Siringan, Fernando P. (Springer Science and Business Media LLC, 2022-08-16)
After the 2013 Mw 7.2 earthquake that occurred in Bohol, the shoreline specifically in Loon and Maribojoc was observed to shift seaward due to ground uplift. This study analyzes the post-earthquake shoreline movement, specifically a 12 km coastal strip in Loon and Maribojoc, and ground deformation of the West Bohol area through Sentinel-1 image processing techniques. From October 2014 to April 2018, the DSAS linear regression shoreline rates were − 4.36 m/yr in Loon and − 1.69 m/yr in Maribojoc, indicative of a landward movement of 91.4% and 88.8% of shoreline transects in Loon and Maribojoc, respectively. PSInSAR revealed varying rates of VLM in the study area from October 2014 to December 2018 such that Loon and Maribojoc exhibit a subsidence rate of − 2 to − 8 mm/yr. The correlation between the shoreline retreat and the land subsidence in the study area is 87%, indicating a possible elastic rebound after the earthquake. The portion of Tagbilaran City on its northern side exhibits land subsidence of − 2 to − 6 mm/yr while its southern side exhibits land uplift of 0–2 mm/yr. The relative sea level fall from TGSL measurements indicates an uplift in the location of the tide gauge in Tagbilaran City.
Estimation of the vertical phytoplankton distribution in the Philippine Sea: Influence of turbulence following passage of typhoons
Cordero-Bailey, Kristina S.A.; Almo, Aldwin T.; David, Laura T.; Yñiguez, Aletta T. (Elsevier, 2022-11)
The subsurface chlorophyll-a maximum (SCM) is a phenomenon that contributes significantly to the total primary production of the open ocean but it is not observable from remote sensing, thus primary production based on satellite information is highly underestimated. In a highly dynamic region such as the Philippine Sea, turbulence caused by tropical storms may exert significant impact on the SCM feature. In this study, we attempt to estimate the vertical phytoplankton profile in the Philippine Sea from remote sensing images by applying a generic quantitative approach. Generalized Additive Models (GAM) followed by Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) were used create predictive equations between response variables (Chl-a profile parameters) and predictor variables (RS parameters). GAM was able to predict integrated Chl-a biomass using photosynthetic active radiation (PAR), wind speed and wind stress, the depth of the Chl-a peak using surface Chl-a, wind speed and wind stress, and the baseline Chl-a concentration using sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity and PAR. GLM found wind stress and wind speed as significant predictors for integrated Chl-a biomass, while surface Chl-a, wind speed and wind stress were significant predictors for depth of the Chl-a peak. When the predictive equations were applied to 2020 monthly satellite images, they were seen to adequately estimate the offshore spatial distribution of the two Chl-a parameters. Increased turbulence due to high wind speed and wind stress during passage of tropical storms was seen to result in shallowing of the SCM and subsequent increase in Chl-a within the water column. These equations could be refined if long-term observational data was available. The capacity to estimate vertical distribution of primary productivity in the Philippines provides a means to better understand fisheries productivity and biogeochemical cycling in the region.
Survival and growth of coral recruits in varying group sizes
Ligson, Charlon A.; Cabaitan, Patrick C.; Harrison, Peter L. (Elsevier, 2022-11)
Coral larvae usually settle as solitary individuals but sometimes also in aggregations, especially when settlement sites are limited. Fusion of coral individuals can consist of different group sizes with varying numbers of adjacent coral spat. However, little is known about the performance of coral individuals in different group sizes, especially during the early post-settlement phase, where high mortality usually occurs. Here, we investigated the performance of Acropora verweyi juveniles in varying group sizes of fused coral spat. Specifically, we examined the survival and growth rate of coral individuals, with four group size levels: solitary spat, 2, 3–5, 6–9, and 10–28-spat group size, over 21 weeks post-settlement. The highest survival was detected in the 6–9 spat group size followed by the 3–5 and 10–28 group sizes, with lower survival in the 2-spat group size and solitary spat. Overall, 7.4% of the 338 coral individuals reared in ex-situ hatchery conditions survived up to the last monitoring at 21 weeks. At 15 weeks post-settlement, the mean surface areas of solitary and 2-spat group sizes were five- to eight-fold smaller than in larger fused coral individuals. However, there were no significant differences between the percent growth changes among the coral group sizes. The present study suggests that fused coral spat of larger group sizes can immediately gain size, but not necessarily have higher growth rates within the first 15 weeks post-settlement. Results also revealed that fusions of at least six A. verweyi spat had higher survival than small fused individuals and solitary spat, at least in the first few months after settlement. The advantage of such fusions, especially in larger group sizes, may offer an enhanced survival for coral spat during the critical period of early post-settlement. This outcome provides potential advantages for coral restoration using sexual production of larvae.
We are grateful to all the staff and research assistants at the Bolinao Marine Laboratory, especially to D. dela Cruz, E. Gomez, R. Adolfo, K. Adolfo, and M. Ponce for logistical support. We also thank K. Cameron for comments on an earlier version of this manuscript. This study was funded by an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) grants FIS/2014/063 and FIS/2019/123 to PLH. We thank C. Barlow and A. Fleming from ACIAR for their project support.
Local tide and geoid corrections significantly improve coastal retracked Jason sea surface heights in the Philippines
Flores, Paul Caesar; Reyes, Rosalie; Amedo-Repollo, Charina Lyn; Rediang, Abegail; Alfante, Rey Mark; Bauzon, Ma. Divina Angela; Pasaje, Nikki; Bringas, Dennis (Science and Technology Information Institute, 2022-11-08)
Retracking algorithms increase the accuracy of coastal sea surface height (SSH) measurements. However, it is still important to validate these retracking estimates with tide gauge (SSHtg) observations. We downloaded the freely available Jason altimeter SSH processed using the XTRACK-ALES algorithm, then detided the SSH using different tide models. The first model is the default tidal correction based on Finite Element Solution 2014 (SSHfes), and the second model is the T_Tide harmonic analysis of the nearest tide gauge (SSHaltimeter). SSHfes showed a very poor correlation (< 0.31) and very high root mean square error (RMSE, > 29 cm). In contrast, SSHaltimeter generally showed a very high correlation (> 0.91) and low RMSE (< 17.4 cm). A further quality check based on the average and standard deviation of the difference between the SSH readings (SSHfes – SSHtg and SSHaltimeter – SSHtg) also showed the superior performance of SSHaltimeter,which scored < 9.3 and < 16.5 cm, respectively; compared to SSHfes, which scored < 9.3 cm and > 27 cm for the same parameters. The poor performance from the SSHfes likely comes from the complex bathymetry and coastal geomorphology of the country, which is not accounted for in the FES. The Philippines generally has a narrow shelf, and the FES tide corrections may be related to deep-water tides rather than the shallow-water tides observed from tide gauges. Despite the high correlation and agreement between the SSHaltimeter and SSHtg, the rate of sea level rise from the SSHaltimeter in some sites is more than twice the rate from SSHtg, which indicates the possible influence of the vertical land movement.
This study was supported by grants to R.B. Reyes by the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development through the Coastal Sea Level Rise Philippines Project. We also thank the anonymous reviewers for their feedback on how to improve the manuscript.
Multiple severe storms revealed by coral boulders at Pasuquin, northwestern Luzon, Philippines
Gong, Shou-Yeh; Liu, Sze-Chieh; Siringan, Fernando P.; Gallentes, Adonis; Lin, Han-Wei; Shen, Chuan-Chou (Elsevier, 2022-11-15)
Over 30 meter-sized coral boulders are scattered 45–140 m away from the edge and above high tide on a Holocene reef flat at Pasuquin, northwestern Luzon, Philippines. The boulders are overturned or tilted as indicated by the framework fossil corals in them, but have the same lithology as those along the reef edge and thus were likely broken off from there. The dimensions of boulders larger than 3 m were calculated from 3D models constructed by photogrammetry. Their volumes range from 10 to 53 m3. Assuming 2.1 g/cm3 for wet density, weights of boulders would range from 21 to 110 metric tons. Boulders of such size and weight can't be moved by normal waves, and thus must have been dislodged by extreme wave events (EWEs). Small and well-preserved corals found on the surface of seven boulders were collected for 230Th dating to reconstruct the timing of displacement. The ages of corals are 1781.6 ± 1.9, 1903.4 ± 2.7, 1945.8 ± 1.2, 1956.9 ± 1.2, 1956.75 ± 0.99, 1978.1 ± 1.5 and 2002.78 ± 0.88 CE, respectively. These ages are considered to constrain the timing of boulder displacement from the reef edge. We propose that typhoon-induced EWEs were responsible for the displacement of these boulders at Pasuquin.
Total synthesis and bioactivity evaluation of hydrophobic microcionamide‐inspired peptides
Inocentes, Carl Rogel V.; Salvador‐Reyes, Lilibeth A.; Villaraza, Aaron Joseph L. (Wiley, 2023-01)
In this report, we describe the facile synthesis of four microcionamide-inspired peptides where the atypical 2-phenylethylenamine (2-PEA) functional group in the marine natural product, microcionamide A, was replaced with a similarly-aromatic but more easily incorporated tryptophan (Trp) residue. Compounds 1–4 were synthesized using a standard Fmoc-based solid-phase synthesis strategy followed by iodine-mediated on-resin cyclization for disulfide-bridged compounds 1–3. Compound 1 showed antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 9.1 μM and 15 μM, respectively. The inactivity of alanine analogs 2–4 against these pathogens suggests that the N-terminal Val, the cyclic scaffold, the contiguous Ile residues, and consequently, the hydrophobicity of compound 1 are essential for antibacterial activity. Compound 1 also favorably exhibited minimal cytotoxicity against normal mammalian cell lines. In summary, we have synthesized an analog of microcionamide A where replacement of the 2-PEA moiety with a Trp residue retained the antibacterial activity and with favorably low cytotoxicity.
Co-occurrence of a marine heatwave and a reported tomato jellyfish (Crambione mastigophora Maas, 1903) bloom in March 2020 at El Nido, Palawan, Philippines
Quilestino-Olario, Raven; Concolis, Brenna Mei M.; Atup, Dale Patrick D.; Cortes, Aiza; Yñiguez, Aletta T.; Edullantes, Brisneve (The Plankton Society of Japan/The Japanese Association of Benthology, 2023-05-31)
Globally, observations on marine species during marine heatwaves (MHWs) help outline the scope of the MHW’s possible biological effects. In line with this effort, this paper presents a 2020 MHW that coincided with a reported ‘tomato jellyfish’ (Crambione mastigophora Maas, 1903) bloom on 23 March 2020 in the Corong-Corong Bay of Palawan, Philippines. Detecting a moderate MHW from 21 March to 04 April 2020, the analysis of sea surface temperatures revealed that most areas surrounding the bloom site attained their peak positive anomalies on the same day as the reported bloom. Certain physical mechanisms present in the first quarter of 2020 may have played a role in the occurrence of both events: the presence of cyclonic eddies and parallel monsoonal winds alongshore can induce upwelling which promotes biological productivity in surface waters, while the observed weakening of winds have been associated with anomalous warming of the sea surface. Further studies are still highly recommended to determine the exact causes of the jellyfish bloom and what conditions make it more likely to happen during MHWs. However, if the C. mastigophora is hypothetically able to continually bloom amidst warming temperatures, the increasing trend of MHW frequency and intensity in the West Philippine Sea (where the reported bloom site is situated) may consequently yield more future co-occurrences. This paper aims to hopefully contribute to the existing knowledge of possible biological impacts associated with extreme marine events, especially in the Philippine context where both jellyfish blooms and MHWs are understudied.
The authors would like to express sincere gratitude to the anonymous reviewers whose comments and suggestions helped improve and clarify this manuscript. The authors would also like to thank Mr. Alimar Amor for his permission on the still photos in Figs 1c and 1d from his recorded jellyfish bloom video on 23 March 2020. This paper is also made through the funding of DOST̶ Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, and Emerging Technology Research and Development under the Survey of Heatwaves in the Philippine Seas project (DOST Project No. 9615).
Effects of monsoons and storms on the structuring and diversity of picoeukaryotic microbial communities in a tropical coastal environment
De La Cruz, Maria Anna Michaela; Hingpit, Brian William; Guillou, Laure; Onda, Deo Florence L. (Elsevier, 2023-06)
Picoeukaryotes are key components in marine ecosystems that play crucial roles in food webs and biogeochemical cycles. Despite their significance, many aspects of their community ecology and diversity remain understudied. Here, we investigated the taxonomic and functional diversity of picoeukaryotic communities in response to monsoonal patterns and weather disturbances brought about by storms, characterizing tropical coastal regions. To do this, water samples were collected almost weekly or bi-weekly at a single location in a tropical coastal environment covering the late northeast (NE) and southwest (SW) monsoons. We then performed high-throughput amplicon sequencing of the V4 region of the 18S rRNA gene to generate taxonomic profiles of the communities across time. Clustering based on environmental parameters grouped our samples into months associated with NE monsoon, SW monsoon, and stormy SW monsoon, demonstrating seasonality influenced by monsoons and storms, typically observed in tropical coastal waters. In comparison, clustering based on abundance only grouped the samples into NE and SW monsoon, with most communities during storm period joining the NE monsoon samples. These samples exhibited greater diversity, with smaller taxa such as Syndiniales, Prymnesiophyceae, Picozoa, Cercozoa, Stramenopiles, and Chlorophytes being the most abundant groups present. In contrast, SW monsoon samples have lower diversity but have become generally dominated by large-celled taxa, mostly diatoms. Multivariate and correlation analyses both revealed nitrate as the strongest environmental driver of the picoeukaryotic community structuring. Meanwhile, network analysis grouped the taxa into three modules, more consistent with the clustering based on environmental parameters, implying that although storms may not significantly change the community composition, they may however influence the dominating taxa. Each module was composed of a unique set of co-occurring taxa, highlighting high turnover of picoeukaryotic communities between each season. In addition, our results showed that SW monsoon-associated module had higher interconnectivity than other modules, suggesting that the interactions during this period may be less species-specific, thus, more adaptable than during NE monsoon. However, we observed that extreme fluctuations caused by storms could have possibly allowed for selection of dominant taxa. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing of representative samples from each monsoon period also revealed that differently abundant functional genes, particularly genes associated to nitrogen metabolism, might have also helped in adaptation to the changing nutrient conditions. Our observations provide new insights on the potential trajectory of microbial communities under environmental stresses, which are important in understanding the implications of emerging threats such as coastal eutrophication and climate change.
Shallow structures, interactions, and recurrent vertical motions of active faults in Lingayen Gulf, Philippines
Flores, Paul Caesar M.; Siringan, Fernando P.; Mateo, Zenon Richard P.; Marfito, Bryan J.; Sarmiento, Keanu Jershon S.; Abigania, Maria Isabel T.; Daag, Arturo S.; Maac-Aguilar, Yolanda (Elsevier, 2023-06-01)
The surface trace of the East Zambales Fault (EZF) and its associated faults in the Lingayen Gulf have been previously mapped but no other characteristics were reported. This study utilized seismic reflection, multi-beam bathymetry, and side scan sonar to characterize the offshore EZF in terms of magnitudes of vertical displacement. Sequence stratigraphy and radiocarbon dates provided age constraints on the recurrence interval within the Holocene. The EZF extends for ∼ 57 km into the gulf, follows a north-northwest trend, and bounds the karstic terrane (west) and fluvio-deltaic deposits (east). Sinistral motion is indicated by: 1) normal and reverse drag geometries, 2) reversal in the sense of throw with depth, 3) flower structure, and 4) right-stepping and the uplift of a pressure ridge named Pudoc Bathymetric High. The Central Lingayen Gulf Fault (CLGF), to the east of EZF, follows the same trend. The Lingayen Gulf Transverse Fault (LGTF), oriented east–west, forms a flower structure with the CLGF. The EZF, CLGF, and LGTF combined form the Lingayen Gulf Fault System, which divides the gulf into five fault blocks where uplift and subsidence locally occurred. A paleo-delta at −60 m yielded an age of 6.8 kyBP, indicating it was formed during the first Holocene highstand. With natural compaction considered, fault-associated subsidence of 46–53 m may have occurred. The average Holocene vertical displacement is 2.1–2.2 m, which translates to a recurrence interval of 320–270 years for the fault system. The faults can likely generate earthquakes with magnitudes 7.5 (EZF), 6.7 (CLGF), and 6.6 (LGTF).
This work was supported by grants to F. P. Siringan by the Department of Science and Technology – Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development through the Mapping of Active Offshore Faults for Resilient Coasts Project; and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Biodiversity Management Bureau through the Coral Reef Visualization and Assessment - Deep Coral Mapping Project. We are thankful to Deo Carlo Llamas for the meaningful discussions about the current knowledge of the East Zambales Fault. We also thank the anonymous reviewers who provided significant insights for the improvement of this manuscript.
Characteristics of marine heatwaves in the Philippines
Edullantes, Brisneve; Concolis, Brenna Mei M.; Quilestino-Olario, Raven; Atup, Dale Patrick D.; Cortes, Aiza; Yñiguez, Aletta T. (Elsevier, 2023-09)
Marine Heatwaves (MHWs) are prolonged, discrete, and anomalously warm events, which have recently gained global attention due to their far-reaching effects and reported impacts. Although intensive studies have been carried out at global and regional scales, these events remained understudied in the Philippines – a country with high marine biodiversity. The Philippines is highly vulnerable to the impacts of these extreme events as it lies in the western boundary of the Pacific that is considered as a hotspot for MHWs. The present study used multi-year climatic sea surface temperature (SST) record to detect MHWs in the Philippines. The detected events were then characterized using the standardized metrics. Linear trend analysis was conducted to determine the magnitude and direction of the change of the MHW metrics over time. Decadal trend revealed that MHWs in the Philippines significantly increased from seven MHWs in the 1980s to 37 MHWs in the last decade. Moreover, increased duration was remarkable in 2020 with 276 MHW days. MHW frequency and duration were increasing at a rate almost twice as its neighboring waters. Intensities did not significantly increase with time, but the highest SST anomaly is associated with El Niño Southern Oscillation. Furthermore, the eastern and western region of the Philippines is vulnerable to MHWs, but hotspots are mostly confined in the West Philippine Sea and western tropical Pacific. An in-depth investigation of the drivers of MHWs is recommended to understand the physical mechanisms of the development of these extreme thermal events in the Philippine seas. The findings have significant implications for coastal marine resource management, highlighting the need for adaptive management strategies and increased monitoring and research efforts to mitigate the impacts of MHWs on marine ecosystems and local economies in the Philippines.
Genomics and metabolomics-based assessment of the biosynthetic potential of the sponge-associated microorganism Streptomyces cacaoi strain R2A-843A from the Philippines
Malto, Zabrina Bernice L.; Reyes, Joeriggo M.; Lo, Bernard Isaiah; Davis, Kevin Bossie S.; Concepcion, Gisela; Salvador-Reyes, Lilibeth A. (Philippine-American Academy of Science and Engineering, 2023-10-20)
The biosynthetic machinery of the sponge-associated Streptomyces cacaoi strain R2A-843A was assessed using a combined genomics and metabolomics approach. Whole genome sequencing and molecular networking showed the high biosynthetic potential of this actinomycete. A significant proportion of the genome is dedicated to secondary metabolite production, with biosynthetic gene clusters for nonribosomal peptides, polyketides, and terpenes being the most represented. Seven cyclic pentapeptides, including a putative new analogue, and a glycosylated lanthipeptide were identified using HRMS and untargeted MS/MS analysis. To validate our genome and metabolome analysis, we undertook a mass spectrometry-guided purification and confirmed the production of the known peptides BE-18257A (1) and BE-18257B (2). The production of 1 and 2 and the growth of the microorganism were monitored for eight days. Compound 2 was produced at a higher concentration, starting at 48 h post-incubation. Both compounds were noncytotoxic against colorectal and breast cancer cell lines.
The authors acknowledge funding support from the Department of Science and Technology - Philippine Council for Health Research and Development through the Discovery and Development of Health Products - Marine Component Program. Genome sequencing was made possible through the CHEDPCARI IHITM63 Project. We thank Ms. Shalice R. SusanaGuevarra for conducting the bioactivity assay. This work was done under the supervision of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources under Gratuitous Permit No. FBP-0035-10. This is MSI Contribution No. 501.
Natural and anthropogenic climate variability sgnals in a 237-year-long coral record from the Philippines
Inoue, Mayuri; Fukushima, A.; Chihara, M.; Genda, A.; Ikehara, Minoru; Okai, T.; Kawahata, Hodaka; Siringan, F. P.; Suzuki, Atsushi (American Geophysical Union, 2023-11-29)
Both proxy and model studies conducted to understand anthropogenic warming have revealed historical variations in sea-surface temperature (SST) since the industrial revolution. However, because of discrepancies between observations and models in the late nineteenth century, the timing and degree of anthropogenic warming remain unclear. In this study, we reconstructed a 237-year-long record of SST and salinity using a coral core collected from Bicol, southern Luzon, Philippines, which is located at the northern edge of the western Pacific warm pool. The SST record showed volcanic cooling after several volcanic eruptions, including the 1815 Tambora eruption, but the pattern of change differed. Decadal SST variations at Bicol are connected to Pacific Decadal Variability (PDV). Therefore, it is suggested that the PDV conditions at the time of the eruption may have influenced marine conditions, such as the degree and duration of cooling and/or salinity, after the eruptions. Although there were discrepancies in SST variations among the modeled, observed, and proxy SST data from the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries, SST data from the late twentieth century showed globally coherent anthropogenic warming, especially after 1976. In particular, summer SST in the northwestern Pacific has become more sensitive to anthropogenic forcing since 1976.
Seaweed as a resilient food solution after a nuclear war
Jehn, Florian Ulrich; Dingal, Farrah Jasmine; Mill, Aron; Harrison, Cheryl; Ilin, Ekaterina; Roleda, Michael Y.; James, Scott C.; Denkenberger, David (American Geophysical Union, 2024-01-09)
Abrupt sunlight reduction scenarios such as a nuclear winter caused by the burning of cities in a nuclear war, an asteroid/comet impact or an eruption of a large volcano inject large amounts of particles in the atmosphere, which limit sunlight. This could decimate agriculture as it is practiced today. We therefore need resilient food sources for such an event. One promising candidate is seaweed, as it can grow quickly in a wide range of environmental conditions. To explore the feasibility of seaweed after nuclear war, we simulate the growth of seaweed on a global scale using an empirical model based on Gracilaria tikvahiae forced by nuclear winter climate simulations. We assess how quickly global seaweed production could be scaled to provide a significant fraction of global food demand. We find seaweed can be grown in tropical oceans, even after nuclear war. The simulated growth is high enough to allow a scale up to an equivalent of 45% of the global human food demand (spread among food, animal feed, and biofuels) in around 9–14 months, while only using a small fraction of the global ocean area. The main limiting factor being the speed at which new seaweed farms can be built. The results also show that the growth of seaweed increases with the severity of the nuclear war, as more nutrients become available due to increased vertical mixing. This means that seaweed has the potential to be a viable resilient food source for abrupt sunlight reduction scenarios.
Fisheries Administrative Order No. 254-2: Series of 2024. Amending Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) 254-1 providing for the regulation and implementing guidelines on group handline fishing operations in the high seas of the WCPFC convention area.
(Department of Agriculture, 2024-04-03)
Complex patterns of genetic structure in the sea cucumber Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabra from the Philippines: implications for aquaculture and fishery management
Lal, Monal M.; Macahig, Deo A. S.; Juinio-Meñez, Marie A.; Altamirano, Jon P.; Noran-Baylon, Roselyn; de la Torre-de la Cruz, Margarita; Villamor, Janine L.; Gacura, Jonh Rey L.; Uy, Wilfredo H.; Mira-Honghong, Hanzel; Southgate, Paul C.; Ravago-Gotanco, Rachel (Frontiers Media SA, 2024-06-04)
The sandfish Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabra, is a high-value tropical sea cucumber harvested from wild stocks for over four centuries in multi-species fisheries across its Indo-Pacific distribution, for the global bêche-de-mer (BDM) trade. Within Southeast Asia, the Philippines is an important centre of the BDM trade, however overharvesting and largely open fishery management have resulted in declining catch volumes. Sandfish mariculture has been developed to supplement BDM supply and assist restocking efforts; however, it is heavily reliant on wild populations for broodstock supply. Consequently, to inform fishery, mariculture, germplasm and translocation management policies for both wild and captive resources, a high-resolution genomic audit of 16 wild sandfish populations was conducted, employing a proven genotyping-by-sequencing approach for this species (DArTseq). Genomic data (8,266 selectively-neutral and 117 putatively-adaptive SNPs) were used to assess fine-scale genetic structure, diversity, relatedness, population connectivity and local adaptation at both broad (biogeographic region) and local (within-biogeographic region) scales. An independent hydrodynamic particle dispersal model was also used to assess population connectivity. The overall pattern of population differentiation at the country level for H. scabra in the Philippines is complex, with nine genetic stocks and respective management units delineated across 5 biogeographic regions: (1) Celebes Sea, (2) North and (3) South Philippine Seas, (4) South China and Internal Seas and (5) Sulu Sea. Genetic connectivity is highest within proximate marine biogeographic regions (mean Fst=0.016), with greater separation evident between geographically distant sites (Fst range=0.041–0.045). Signatures of local adaptation were detected among six biogeographic regions, with genetic bottlenecks at 5 sites, particularly within historically heavily-exploited locations in the western and central Philippines. Genetic structure is influenced by geographic distance, larval dispersal capacity, species-specific larval development and settlement attributes, variable ocean current-mediated gene flow, source and sink location geography and habitat heterogeneity across the archipelago. Data reported here will inform accurate and sustainable fishery regulation, conservation of genetic diversity, direct broodstock sourcing for mariculture and guide restocking interventions across the Philippines.