03. Science and Technology (Natural Sciences) Committee
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In creating a culture of peace and addressing sustainable development challenges, UNESCO aims to cultivate the generation and application of scientific knowledge among its Member States. At UNACOM, we facilitate access to UNESCO’s international programmes in the sciences, such as the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, and International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP), among others.
Through this sector, the Commission aims to contribute to the following SDGs: 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities, 13 - Climate Action, 14 - Life Below Water, and 15 - Life On Land. With the overarching vision of the 2023-2028 Philippine Development Plan (PDP), UNACOM targets grassroots-inspired cultural heritage and biodiversity protection and conservation, as well as multi-stakeholder partnerships for SDGs promotion.
Through this sector, the Commission aims to contribute to the following SDGs: 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities, 13 - Climate Action, 14 - Life Below Water, and 15 - Life On Land. With the overarching vision of the 2023-2028 Philippine Development Plan (PDP), UNACOM targets grassroots-inspired cultural heritage and biodiversity protection and conservation, as well as multi-stakeholder partnerships for SDGs promotion.
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- Notes on the induced spawning and larval rearing of the Asian moon scallop, Amusium pleuronectes (Linné), in the laboratoryBelda, C. A.; Del Norte, A. G. C. (Elsevier, 1988-08)Sexual and chemical stimulations were effective in inducing the scallop, Amusium pleuronectes (Linné), to spawn sperm only, whereas thermal stimulation was not at all successful. Chemical stimulation consisted of serotonin injections into the ripe gonads. Fertilizable eggs were obtained by stripping gametes from the ovaries. Cleavage of zygotes (72.4 μm mean diameter) occured 1 h after fertilization. Trochophores (58.9–111.2 μm in length) and straight-hinge veligers or D-veligers (80.0–130.2 μm) were observed in less than 24 h. Five days after fertilization, the umbone stage (101.6–169.1 μm) was reached. Crawling pediveligers (174.0–250.0 μm) appeared after 9 days. Seawater in the culture vessels was changed 24 h after fertilization and every other day thereafter. The larvae were fed on Isochrysis galbana (Tahitian strain) at an initial concentration of 30 cells/gml.
- The role of epiphytic periphyton and macroinvertebrate grazers in the trophic flux of a tropical seagrass communityKlumpp, D.W.; Salita-Espinosa, J. S.; Fortes, M. D. (Elsevier, 1992-11)Biomass and production of epiphytic periphyton, and the abundance, distribution and grazing rate of epifauna were measured in tropical seagrass beds in the Philippines. Periphyton comprised mainly detritus, diatoms and filamentous algae (Polysiphonia sp. 1, Centroceras clavulatum (C. Agardh) Montagne, Ceramium gracillimum Harvey and Cladophora sp.). Mean biomass of periphyton was 0.16 mg ash-free dry weight (AFDW) cm−2 frond of Enhalus acoroides (L.f.) Royle and 0.24 mg AFDW cm−2 frond of Cymodocea serrulata (R. Br.) Aschers. and Magnus. Total periphyton biomass per unit area (m2) of seagrass bed varied between habitats because of differing densities of seagrass, and ranged from 598 to 1061 mg AFDW or (24–646 mg C). Maximum (midday, summer) in situ rates of photosynthesis and respiration by epiphytes colonising artificial seagrass material averaged 11.6 μg O2 cm−2 h−1 and 2.0 μg O2 cm−2 h−1, respectively. Daily net productivity was 14 μg C cm−2 frond. Productivity of epiphytes per area of seagrass bed varied with site (36–77 mg C m−2 day−1). Relative to biomass, these data show that epiphytes are highly productive, with turnover times of 6–8 days, compared with known values of 30–100 + days for tropical seagrass fronds. The epifaunal grazer community was dominated by a few species of gastropod molluscs (especially Strombus mutabilis Swainson and Cerithium tenellum (Sowerby)). Within habitats, numbers of grazers on particular seagrass species were directly related to their available surface. Three groups of grazers were identified: those occurring on fronds day and night (e.g. S. mutabilis); those foraging over sediment during the day and fronds at night (e.g. Cerithium tenellum); those mainly confined to sediments (e.g. Strombus urceus L.). All epifaunal grazers exhibited upward movement into the seagrass canopy at night. Grazing was non-selective, removing the periphyton, except for the unutilised encrusting coralline algae, in proportion to abundance. Epifaunal grazers consumed between 20 and 62% of periphyton net production and, as in temperate systems, must therefore play a major role in the trophic flux of this tropical seagrass community.
- Diurnal and diel patterns in the photosynthetic performance of the agarophyte Gelidiella acerosaGanzon-Fortes, E. T. (Walter de Gruyter, 1997)Photosynthesis of the red alga Gelidiella acerosa was monitored on diurnal (during the day) and diel (24 h period) bases using the oxygen evolution technique in a closed system. Natural sunlight and artificial light were used to assess uniformity in the diurnal photosynthetic responses. Photosynthesis-irradiance (P-I) curves were also determined diurnally. On a diel basis, maximal photosynthetic rates occurred at day time and minimal rates occurred at night. Diurnally, photosynthesis fluctuated in different patterns depending on PFDs used. Under saturating but not photoinhibiting FFDs, photosynthesis exhibited an early morning minimum (a few hours after sunrise), a midday-noon maximum, sustained until late afternoon, then declined at or after sunset. However, when exposure to high PFDs (above 1200 μιηοΐ photons m"~s") were prolonged, i.e. from morning until afternoon, the photosynthetic performance suffered a depression starting from noon and persisting until afternoon. When PFDs lowered late in the afternoon, recovery of photosynthetic performance commenced resulting in increased photosynthetic rates. The P-I curve data corroborate findings of experiments using saturating but not photoinhibiting PFDs. The morning P-I curve had lower Pm and alpha, and higher Ik and Is values than the identical noon and afternoon P-I curves. This suggested that photosynthetic performance was yet inefficient in the morning but performed efficiently near midday until the afternoon. An endogenous circadian clock was implicated to have influenced the diurnal and diel patterns in the photosynthetic performance of G. acerosa. Photoinhibition was the other factor suspected to have altered the diurnal pattern.
- Genetic structure of giant clam (Tridacna derasa) populations from reefs in the Indo-PacificMacaranas, J. M.; Ablan, C. A.; Pante, M. J. R.; Benzie, J. A. H.; Williams, S. T. (Springer, 1992-06)Large genetic differences were observed among the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Fiji and Philippine populations of Tridacna derasa (Roding) sampled in 1989 and 1990 (Nei's unbiased genetic distance, D,=0.137 to 0.341). This result contrasted strongly with the low genetic distance (D=0.032) reported previously for the giant clam T. maxima over similar geographical scales. No significant genetic differentiation was observed among most populations from the GBR (mean D=0.007), consistent with the high gene exchange expected in this highly connected reef system. However, significant differentiation resulting from differences in the frequencies of less common alleles between the North-Central GBR and South GBR (Swain region) were observed. Historical isolation of blocks of the Central Indo-West Pacific from the GBR and present-day restrictions to gene exchange between the GBR, Fiji and the Philippines as a result of oceanographic current patterns, were thought to be responsible for the high degree of genetic differentiation of T. derasa populations. The relevance of these findings to clam mariculture and reef restocking are briefly discussed.
- Temperature-influenced infection rates in the Chondrus crispus-Petersenia pollagaster pathosystem: A regression analysisMolina, F. I.; Hughes, G. C.; Craigie, J. S. (Springer, 1988-03)Cross-infection experiments were performed to determine the influence of temperature on infection rate in the Chondrus crispus Stackhouse-Petersenia pollagaster (Petersen) Sparrow pathosystem. C. crispus thalli were collected at Pubnico Harbor, Nova Scotia, Canada in the fall of 1981 to 1984. Infective zoospores were used to inoculate healthy thalli at five different temperatures. The highest infection rate was obtained at 20°C, while significantly lower rates were obtained at temperature extremes. The parasite's life cycle, consisting of infection of healthy thalli, endobiotic development, and release of zoospores, was completed in 48 to 72 h at 15° to 20°C.
- Five new sesquiterpenes from the red alga Laurencia flexilisde Nys, Rocky; Wright, Anthony D.; König, Gabriele M.; Sticher, Otto; Alino, Perry M. (American Chemical Society (ACS), 1993-06)The red alga Laurencia flexilis, collected from Philippine waters, yielded five new sesquiterpenoid metabolites, 3,4-epoxypalisadin A [1], 5B-acetoxypalisadin A [2], 12-bromopalisadin B [3], palisading C [4], and 5B-hydroxypalisadin B [5]. The known metabolites 6-10 were also isolated The unambiguous assignments of H- and C-nmr spectral data for compounds 7 and 8 are reported for the first time.
- Status of giant clam resources of the PhilippinesJuinio, Marie Antoinette R.; Meñez, Lambert Anthony B.; Villanoy, Cesar L.; Gomez, Edgardo D. (Oxford University Press (OUP), 1989-11-01)Field surveys were conducted to determine distribution and abundance of giant dam resources in the Philippines. All seven known species of giant clams were recorded with Tridacna crocea, T. maxima and T. squamosa occurring the most frequently. The larger species T. derasa, T. gigas, Hippopus hippopus and H. porcellanus were relatively rare. The reduction of giant dam stocks in the Philippines is due to the uncontrolled exploitation of this resource which is primarily gathered for shellcraft and as supplementary diet in coastal villages.
- The farmed Eucheuma species (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta) in Danajon Reef, Philippines: Carrageenan propertiesAzanza-Corrales, R.; Sa-a, P. (Springer, 1990-09)Six cultured ‘strains’ of Eucheuma denticulatum and E. alvarezii, from which stocks can be selected for the development of a Eucheuma ‘seedling bank’, were tested for their carrageenan quality from June to November 1988. Percent yield of all the varieties taken together was apparently higher in June, becoming lower in November (regression, r −0.785, probability, p ⩽ 0.001). Stepwise regression analysis was done to determine the existence of any relationship between any of the following parameters: gel strength, viscosity, sulfate content, month of sampling, and yield, whether taken individually or in combination. Results show variations of the yield with the month of sampling. ANOVA was performed to test whether there are differences in sulfate levels, gel strength, and viscosity between the Eucheuma alvarezii morphotypes. There was no significant difference between the green and the brown types.
- Benthic energy dynamics in a southern Baltic ecosystemYap, H. T. (Springer, 1991-10)Benthic components and metabolic activity at two stations in the Darss-Zingst estuary (eastern German Baltic coast) were investigated over a seasonal cycle from April 1985 to August 1986. As has been established for temperate and boreal ecosystems, peaks in the biomass of benthic microphytes occurred in the spring and late autumn to winter, presumably caused by settling phytoplankton blooms. Metabolic activity of the benthos did not increase with rising ambient temperatures. Rather, the highest values of oxygen consumption were recorded during the cooler months (spring and winter), when increased numbers of organisms were also observed. This may be a response to a greater food supply to the sediment in the form of settling phytoplankton during these times of year.
- Passive greenhouse heating, recirculation, and nutrient addition for nursery phase Tridacna gigas: Growth boost during winter monthsBraley, Richard D.; Sutton, David; Mingoa, S. Suzanne M.; Southgate, Paul C. (Elsevier, 1992-11)The impetus for this study was winter-related mortality of juvenile Tridacna gigas along Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Heating nursery tank water by passive solar heating in a greenhouse and the addition of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) was assessed for effect on the growth and survival of cultured juvenile clams. Two age classes of T. gigas were used, with means of 1.2 cm and 17.0 cm shell length. Treatments consisted of nutrient-spikes of 20 μ M and 40 μ M ammonium chloride daily or on alternate days, plus s spike of 2.3 μ M phosphate once per week vs. controls without nutrient addition. Three rearing systems were used: (1) recirculating water enclosed in a greenhouse; (2) flow-through water enclosed in a greenhouse; (3) flow-through water with ambient conditions. In the older clams growth in weight was best in system 2, while growth in shell length (SL) was best in system 1, and DIN treatments significantly increased growth compared with controls. In the younger clams, growth in SL was best in system 1. DIN treatments produced significantly greater growth than controls, but there was no difference between 20-μ M and 40-μ M treatments. Survival was 100% for larger clams but for smaller clams mean survival was highest overall in system 1, while 20-μ M DIN treatments within systems produced the best overall survival. The highest levels of DIN in the nursery tanks were found in the 40-μ M DIN treatments, particularly in system 1. The wet tissue weight/shell length ratio for 40-μ M DIN treatments was highest in system 1 and decreased in systems 2 and 3, while controls were similar. Dry shell weight/shell length was highest in the 40-μ M DIN treatment over the control in system 1 only. The zooxanthellae index (no. of algal cells/g clam) was significantly higher in the 40-μ M DIN treatment than in the control in all three systems. Biochemical analysis of whole animals showed higher carbohydrate content in system 2 and in treatments receiving 20 μ M DIN. Tissue protein content did not differ significantly between systems but increased with increasing nutrient concentration. Lipid content was highest in system 1 and decreased with increasing nutrient concentration. Tissue water content of clams at the 20-μ M DIN level was lower than clams in other treatments, indicating superior condition. The combination of passive solar heating, recirculated water, and nutrient addition for the giant clam land nursery phase opens possibilities for culture of this tropical bivalve in subtropical zones or in the tropics distant from the ocean.