National Committee on Marine Sciences (NCMS)
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- MPA-FishMApp – a citizen science app that simplifies monitoring of coral reef fish density and biomass in marine protected areasAbesamis, Rene; Balingit, Rodel; de Castro, Romulo; Aguila, Raphael Nelo; Cabiguin, Maryjune; Villagracia, Julius; Susmeña, Marynoll; Montemar, Mario Neil; Yocor, Antonio (National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, 2022-12)Monitoring changes in fish density and biomass inside marine protected areas (MPAs) through fish visual census (FVC) can determine if MPAs are achieving their goal of promoting fish population recovery. Simplified FVC methods have been developed for citizen scientists to enable them to monitor fish populations in MPAs. However, MPA monitoring programs led by local stakeholders remain rare and difficult to sustain due to technical barriers related to FVC data management. Here, we describe and evaluate a novel online app called MPA-FishMApp, which we developed to help stakeholders of MPAs that protect coral reefs in the Philippines efficiently store, analyze, and visualize FVC data. MPA-FishMApp is coupled to a simplified FVC method wherein the observer records only 21 reef fish species groups during surveys. The app provides a simple data entry interface, cloud storage, and algorithms to estimate fish density and biomass. Spatial and temporal trends in fish density and biomass can be instantaneously visualized in the app based on relative importance to fisheries. Field testing suggested that the MPA-FishMApp methodology (simplified FVC and app) is sensitive enough to detect qualitative patterns showing differences in density and biomass that may develop between MPAs and fished sites, especially in fishes that are highly important to fisheries. However, users must have sufficient training and experience in simplified FVC to produce reliable data. MPA-FishMApp may help reverse the lack of monitoring in MPAs across the Philippines and offers an accessible, transparent, and auditable venue for collaboration between citizen scientists and professional scientists.
- C30 — A simple, rapid, scientifically valid, and low-cost method for citizen-scientists to monitor coral reefsLicuanan, Wilfredo Y.; Mordeno, Princess Zyrlyn B.; Go, Marco V. (Elsevier, 2021-09)The extent and speed of recent changes in reef coral abundances due to ocean warming and human impacts require more widespread capability to map and measure these changes, especially in countries like the Philippines. We present “C30”, a simple, rapid, scientifically valid, and low-cost method for skin divers or freedivers to take random photo-quadrat images within predefined stations on the upper reef slope. C30 yields coral cover data similar to those collected using the more intensive C5 method and can be as powerful in detecting small differences in reef cover. Less time is also needed for training personnel and sampling. However, more photo-quadrat images, better cameras, and closer collaboration with local scientists are required if higher precision data and estimates of coral diversity are needed from C30. C30 is a valuable tool for participatory, community-based citizen science monitoring of coral reefs.We thank the Department of Science and TechnologyPhilippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (QMSR-MRRD-COR-0-1209 and PCAARRD-GIA 4478), and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Coral Reef Visualization and Assessment, The Philippines Project for funding some of the fieldwork. The initial research on citizen-science monitoring was undertaken with funding from Oscar M. Lopez Center for Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management Foundation, Inc., The Philippines (Grant number OMLC RG 2017-18). We also thank the DLSU Innovation and Technology Office for the patent application for the C30 monopod in the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines. The comments and suggestions of the reviewers are acknowledged and are very much appreciated. WY Licuanan is the holder of the Br H Alfred Shields FSC Professorial Chair in Biology and Br Cresentius Richard Duerr FSC Professorial Chair in Biochemistry.
- Insights into the environmental conditions contributing to variability in the larval recruitment of the tropical sardine Sardinella lemuruPata, Patrick R.; Yñiguez, Aletta T.; Deauna, Josephine Dianne L.; De Guzman, Asuncion B.; Jimenez, Cesaria R.; Rosario, Roselle T. Borja-Del; Villanoy, Cesar L. (Elsevier, 2021-07)The small pelagic fishery in the southern Philippines is one of the largest contributors to fisheries production in the country, and is dominated by the Bali sardine Sardinella lemuru. This species is a year-round spawner that has its peak spawning period during the northeast monsoon (NEM) months of November to February. However, there is still limited information on the conditions that affect this species’ survival during its early life history stages. Here, we attempt to discern the importance of temperature, prey density and advection on sardine larvae. The larvae were represented as passive particles that were released in known spawning grounds to simulate dispersal. The conditions the larvae experienced, namely, temperature and estimated prey density based on satellite chlorophyll-a values were recorded at each time step until the estimated recruitment age of 60 days. The temporal and spatial averaged conditions of recruited sardines showed that sardines spawned during the NEM months experienced higher chlorophyll-a, lower (more optimal) sea surface temperature, albeit higher advective loss, than sardines spawned during other months. Comparisons between years showed that during higher reported catch years, sardine larvae experienced lower temperatures and higher retention nearshore. Our results emphasize that sardine stock management efforts need to recognize the contribution of the temporally variable sardine environment to patterns in sardine recruitment and consequently in catches.The authors would like to thank Dr. Wilfredo Campos, Luke Felix, Dr. Rio Naguit, Denmark Recamara, and the Research for Sardines Volunteer Program (RSVP) volunteers for sharing sardine fisheries data; Arjay Cayetano for helping start the model used; and Iris Salud Bollozos for useful insights on larval ecology. This study was fully funded by the Department of Science and Technology–Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOSTPCAARRD) under the program, “Development of robust tools for managing sardine fisheries in the Philippines: Zamboanga Upwelling Bohol Sea System Program.” The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- In Silico supported nontarget analysis of contaminants of emerging concern: Increasing confidence in unknown identification in wastewater and surface watersAngeles, Luisa F.; Halwatura, Lahiruni M.; Antle, Jonathan P.; Simpson, Scott; Jaraula, Caroline M.B.; Aga, Diana S. (American Chemical Society, 2021-08-01)Nontarget analysis using liquid chromatography–high resolution mass spectrometry (LC–HRMS) is a valuable approach in characterizing for contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) in the environment. In this study, wastewater and surface water samples from three locations in Manila, Philippines were analyzed for CECs using a nontarget analysis approach with an LC-Orbitrap. A previously optimized semiautomated workflow was used for data processing with Compound Discoverer. A total of 157 compounds were identified, with 21 confirmed with reference standards, 83 confirmed with evidence from a mass spectral library (mzCloud), and 53 tentatively identified using in silico fragmentation (MetFrag). These compounds include pharmaceuticals such as antibiotics, antifungal, and antihypertensive compounds, human metabolites, natural products, pesticides, and industrial chemicals. Compounds confirmed with reference standards include antibiotics ciprofloxacin, clarithromycin, acetyl-sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim (2 to 19 ng/L), and antifungal compounds carbendazim and climbazole (3–47 ng/L). The pesticides diethyltoluamide (DEET) and diuron were also detected (37 ng/L). The utility of a preliminary multivariable linear regression quality structure-retention relationship (QSRR) model based on quantum chemical molecular descriptors is demonstrated. This study demonstrates the importance of using tools and software that are helpful for annotating HRMS data and reporting detections according to a standardized classification system. The detection of several CECs in wastewater and surface water samples show the importance of performing nontarget analysis in determining occurrence of CECs in the environment.We acknowledge support from the National Science Foundation PIRE-HEARD award number 1545756 and USAID PEER subaward number 2000009924. S.S. thanks the National Science Foundation (Award #1904825) for support of this research, and the Donors of the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (PRF-58954-UNI5). We also thank Shyrill Mae Mariano from the Marine Science Institute in the University of the Philippines − Diliman who helped with the sample collection and Rebecca Dickman from University at Buffalo for her help on technical work.
- Characterization of Alexandrium tamutum (Dinophyceae) isolated from Philippine waters, with the rare detection of paralytic shellfish toxinBenico, Garry; Azanza, Rhodora (Association of Systematic Biologists of the Philippines, 2022-04-01)Alexandrium tamutum M.Montressor, A.Beran & U.John is a non-toxic, bloom-forming dinoflagellate species commonly reported in temperate waters. In this study, 8 cultures of A. tamutum established from Bolinao Channel and Manila Bay, Philippines were characterized in terms of their morphology, phylogeny and toxicity. Cells were roundish, measuring 25.5 –29.84 µm long and 26.2–28.45 µm wide. The nucleus is equatorially elongated and located at the center of the cell. The chloroplasts are numerous, golden brown in color and radially arranged. Thecal tabulation is typical of Alexandrium: APC, 4', 6'', 6c, 6s, 5''', 2''''. Shape of the taxonomically informative thecal plates such as sixth precingular plate (6'') and posterior sulcal plate (sp) was similar to A. tamutum, which confirms the species identity. However, the presence of anterior and posterior attachment pores observed in our cultured isolates is the first case in this species. Molecular phylogeny inferred from LSU rDNA and ITS supports our identification by forming a well-supported clade composed of A. tamutum strains from other geographic regions. HPLC analysis showed that A. tamutum is generally non-toxic except for strain ATC9 which has low amount of decarbamoylsaxitoxin (dcSTX), resulting to a toxicity of 0.07 fmole STX eq per cell. The present study reports the first verified occurrence of Philippine A. tamutum with reliable morphological and molecular information, including the first record in Manila Bay and first detection of PST in one strain at a certain culture period.We acknowledge the Department of Science and Technology Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST PCAARRD) and the University of the Philippines-The Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) for the funding support. We are grateful for the assistance of Joshua Vacarizas, Keith Pinto and Jenelyn Mendoza for the molecular and toxicity analyses of the cultures. We also acknowledge Estrelita Flores, Emelita Eugenio and Jayson Orpeza for their assistance during the fieldwork and other logistical support.
- Effect of the Intensified Sub‐Thermocline Eddy on strengthening the Mindanao undercurrent in 2019Azminuddin, Fuad; Lee, Jae Hak; Jeon, Dongchull; Shin, Chang‐Woong; Villanoy, Cesar; Lee, Seok; Min, Hong Sik; Kim, Dong Guk (American Geophysical Union, 2022-02)The northward-flowing Mindanao Undercurrent (MUC) was directly measured by acoustic Doppler current profilers from a subsurface mooring at about 8°N, 127°E during 2 years (November 2017–December 2019). Its depth covers a range from 400 m to deeper than 1,000 m with its core appearing at around 900 m. The mean velocity of MUC's core was approximately 5.8 cm s−1 with a maximum speed of about 47.6 cm s−1. The MUC was observed as a quasi-permanent current with strong intraseasonal variability (ISV) with a period of 70–80 days. Further analyses with an eddy-resolving circulation model output suggest that the ISV is closely related to sub-thermocline eddies (SEs). In this study, two types of SEs near the Philippine coast are disclosed: the westward propagating SE (SE-1) and the quasi-stational SE southeast of Mindanao Island (SE-2). The SE-1 has both cyclonic and anticyclonic polarities with the propagation speed of 7–8 cm s−1, while the SE-2 is an anticyclonic eddy that moves erratically within 4–8°N, 127–130°E with the mean translation speed of about 11 cm s−1. Even though the SE-1 plays an important role in modulating the MUC, our results show that the observed strong MUC event (May–July 2019) is evidently induced by the intensified SE-2 that moves northwestward. This study emphasizes that the SE-2 when intensified, receives more energy from the strengthened New Guinea Coastal Undercurrent and loses the energy northward along the Philippine coast by intensifying the MUC.This study was part of the project entitled “study on air–sea interaction and process of rapidly intensifying Typhoon in the northwestern Pacific” (PM61670) funded by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Rep. of Korea. This study was also partly supported by the project entitled “Influences of the Northwest Pacific circulation and climate variability on the Korean water changes and material cycle I—The role of Jeju warm current and its variability” (PEA0011) funded by Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology (KIOST). The mooring data used in this study were provided by KIOST and are available from the KIOST live access server (http://las.kiost.ac.kr/data_adcp/). The model data are freely available from Mercator Ocean (https://resources.marine.copernicus.eu/?option=com_csw&view=details&product_id=GLOBAL_ANALYSIS_FORECAST_PHY_001_024).
- Through the boundaries: Environmental factors affecting reef benthic cover in marine protected areas in the PhilippinesPanga, Fleurdeliz M.; Anticamara, Jonathan A.; Quibilan, Miledel Christine C.; Atrigenio, Michael P.; Aliño, Porfirio M. (Frontiers Media SA, 2021-08-18)Philippine coral reefs have been on the decline since the 1970s, and this degradation has posed a risk to biodiversity, food security, and livelihood in the country. In an effort to arrest this degradation, marine protected areas (MPAs) were established across the country. MPAs are known to improve fish biomass, but their effect on live coral cover and other benthos is not yet well documented and understood. In this study, 28 MPAs across the Philippines were surveyed comparing benthic cover and indices between protected reefs and adjacent unprotected reefs. No consistent differences were found between reefs inside and outside MPAs through all the benthic categories and reef health indices considered that are indicative of protection effects or recovery within MPAs. However, there were notable site-specific differences in benthic cover across the study MPAs-suggesting that factors other than protection play important roles in influencing benthic cover inside and outside of MPAs. Storm frequency and proximity to rivers, as a proxy for siltation, were the strongest negative correlates to live coral cover. Also, high coastal population, a proxy for pollution, and occurrence of blast and poison fishing positively correlated with high dead coral cover. The lack of significant difference in benthic cover between reefs inside and outside MPAs suggests that protection does not necessarily guarantee immediate improvement in benthic condition. Correlations between benthic condition and storm frequency, siltation, and pollution suggest that it is necessary to augment MPAs with other management strategies that will address the multiple stressors that are usually indiscriminate of MPA boundaries. Supplementing long-term and systematic monitoring of benthic cover and biodiversity inside and outside of MPAs with data on other important environmental and human impact variables will help improve understanding of benthic cover and biodiversity dynamics inside and outside of MPA boundaries.We would like to thank RARE Philippines and USAID, in collaboration with the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation (MERF), for research funding, coordination, and support in the execution of this research. We would also like to thank the RARE Conservation Fellows and Local Government Units for logistical support and coordination on all of the MPAs studied. We would also like to thank the Fisheries team of the MSI Community Laboratory for the municipal profile data, and the MSI Physical Oceanography Laboratory for the storm frequency and relative exposure index used in the environmental correlation. We would also like to thank the rest of the MERF-RARE Team/MSI Community Ecology Laboratory who joined and supported the many months of data gathering, encoding, and data analysis.
- Organic matter compositions and loadings in river sediments from humid tropical volcanic Luzon island of the PhilippinesLin, Baozhi; Liu, Zhifei; Eglinton, Timothy I.; Blattmann, Thomas M.; Kandasamy, Selvaraj; Haghipour, Negar; Siringan, Fernando P. (American Geophysical Union, 2021-07)Tropical rivers deliver ∼60% of particulate organic carbon to the world ocean. However, compositions and loadings of sedimentary organic matter (OM) from tropical small mountainous rivers are largely unknown. Here, we provide an initial constrain on sources of sedimentary OM from 28 fluvial systems across Luzon in the Philippines by measuring total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), stable carbon isotope (δ13C) and radiocarbon activity of TOC (expressed as fraction modern—Fm), as well as grain size and mineral surface area (SA) of sediments. Results indicate that sediments in Luzon rivers contain both contemporary and 14C-depleted OM (Fm: 0.71–1.06, mean 0.97 ± 0.07) with a wide range of δ13C values (−28.3‰ to −17.7‰, −24.9 ± 2.2‰). This is attributed to the OM sources originated from modern surface soil and 14C-depleted subsoil and deep soil vegetated by C3 and C4 plants, with mean fraction of C3 plant at 80% ± 11%. Minor input from bedrock may also contribute to the 14C-depleted OM in sediments, accounting for 6% ± 6%. Sediments in most rivers are featured by low OC loadings (OC/SA ratio < 0.4 mg C m−2), owing either to a less OM input or intensive OM degradation. The estimated yields of particulate OC from Luzon vary between 3.2 and 3.7 t km−2 yr−1, which is higher than most tropical large rivers.We thank Peter B. Zamora and Yulong Zhao for assistance during the fieldwork sampling, Daniel Montluçon, Yanli Li and all members of Ion Beam Physics Laboratory at ETH for technical and laboratory assistance, and Bingbing Wei for his help during preparation of this manuscript. This work was supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41530964 and 91528304), the Swiss National Science Foundation (200020_163162) and the fellowship of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2020M671198). BL thanks the China Scholarship Council (20170260239) for the support during her stay at ETH Zürich (Switzerland).
- Spatial and short-term temporal patterns of octocoral assemblages in the West Philippine SeaLalas, Jue Alef A.; Lim, Romina Therese S.; Cabasan, Joey P.; Segumalian, Christine S.; Luciano, Rhea Mae A.; Valino, Darryl Anthony M.; Jacinto, Melchor R.; Arceo, Hazel O.; Baria-Rodriguez, Maria Vanessa (Frontiers Media SA, 2022-01-06)Octocorals are relatively understudied than other coral reef organisms despite their ecological and economic values. The Philippines is known to have high marine biodiversity, but information on octocorals is lacking. This study investigated spatial and temporal variations in the assemblage of octocorals in selected reef sites in the West Philippine Sea (WPS)- the Kalayaan Island Group (i.e., Pag-asa, Sabina, Lawak, and Northeast Investigator) and Ulugan in 2017 and 2019. Results showed high octocoral taxonomic richness (at least 10 families) in the study sites. Mean percent octocoral cover in WPS was 5.35% SE ± 0.55, with Sabina having the highest octocoral cover in both years. Significant differences in octocoral cover were observed among sites in both years, but among-station differences were only observed in 2017. Octocoral assemblage also differed among sites in both years (ANOSIM: R > 0.5, p < 0.05), wherein different octocoral taxa dominated in different sites. In particular, variations were driven by high cover of holaxonians, nephtheids, and coelogorgiids in Sabina, and clavulariids, tubiporiids, and xeniids in Northeast Investigator in 2017. In 2019, significant variations were driven by high cover of helioporiids in Pag-asa, while Sabina had higher abundance of holaxonians, nephtheids, alcyoniids, and xeniids. Short-term temporal variation on octocoral cover in monitoring stations in Pag-asa was not observed (Kruskal-Wallis, p > 0.05), although the overall mean octocoral cover increased from 1.23% ± SE 0.47 in 2017 to 2.09% SE ± 0.37 in 2019. Further, there was no significant change in the octocoral assemblage in Pag-asa between years (ANOSIM, R = 0.11, p = 0.07). This study highlights high octocoral taxonomic richness in the WPS relative to other sites in the Indo-Pacific Region and provides baseline information on the octocoral assemblages, which can be useful for future ecological studies and marine biodiversity conservation efforts.We would like to thank the Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the Municipality of Kalayaan, and the Philippine Navy for their assistance and support during the research expeditions in the West Philippine Sea. We also thank Lovely Joy Heyres for assisting in the field collection and image analysis, and Kevin Yatco and Socorro Rodrigo for assisting in the satellite product processing. We also thank the valuable insights and suggestions given by the editor and reviewers of this journal that helped improve this manuscript.
- Survival and sexual maturity of sexually propagated Acropora verweyi corals 4 years after outplantationLigson, Charlon A.; Cabaitan, Patrick C. (Wiley, 2021-04-19)Most coral reef restoration efforts are carried out over 1–2 years, and few have assessed long-term (over 3 years) outcomes. Although studies of outplantation of sexually propagated corals have reported promising initial results, few studies have followed outplanted corals to maturity. Here, we monitored sexually propagated Acropora verweyi corals for 4 years post-outplantation to determine their survival and sexual maturity. These corals were outplanted when 4 months old in two size classes (small = 0.3–0.5 cm; large = 1.0–1.5 cm) at two sites in the northwestern Philippines. Four years after outplantation, the 240 colonies of A. verweyi exhibited 17.9% survival, with mean diameters ranging from 7.48–26.8 cm. Most of the surviving outplants were gravid (81.4% of the 43 colonies) with mean diameters of at least 11.8 cm. Higher survivorship was detected in the initial large size class outplants than in the small ones at the natal site, but not at the other site. However, 4 years after outplantation, there was no significant difference in terms of geometric mean diameter between the initial size classes or between the sites. Results show that 4-month-old outplants of sexually propagated corals can survive until sexual maturity and are already capable of contributing gametes for the potential recovery of degraded coral communities at age 4 years.The authors are grateful to Ronald de Guzman, Francis Kenith Adolfo,and Renato Adolfo for the field and hatchery assistance.This study was supported by a grant from the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology to PCC. The authors are also grateful to Prof. Peter Harrison for providing CAL a research assistantship opportunity and for additional logistical support through an Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development.