03. Science and Technology (Natural Sciences) Committee
Permanent URI for this communityhttps://repository.unesco.gov.ph/handle/123456789/3
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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- Assessing the viability of commercial media for the mass culture of Chaetoceros muelleriCabanayan-Soy, Rona; de Peralta, Glycinea; Juinio–Meñez, Marie Antonette (National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, 2021-12)The microalgae Chaetoceros muelleri is considered a highly nutritious feed for the cultured larvae of the tropical sea cucumber Holothuria scabra. Due to the cost of analytical grade culture media used in the production of C. muelleri, there is a need to evaluate cheap alternative commercial media to decrease the cost of producing quality live microalgal food. In this study, two different indoor batch culture systems (1 L glass bottles and 10 L plastic carboys) were used to evaluate the effectiveness of two conventional (modified F/2 and Walne’s) and one commercial (Epizyme AGP complete) microalgal culture media. Results of the 1 L glass bottle experiment showed that the peak cell density of C. muelleri in AGP (1,241 ± 116 x 104 cells ml-1) was not significantly different from the modified F/2 (1,584 ± 41 x 104 cells ml-1) and Walne’s medium (1,319 ± 162 x 104 cells ml-1) (Kruskal-Wallis test, p=0.78). Likewise, in the plastic carboy experiment, the maximum cell density of C. muelleri in Walne’s medium (750 ± 144 x 104 cells ml-1) and F/2 medium (653 ± 79 x 104 cells ml-1) were higher, but not significantly different from AGP (496 ± 184 x 104 cells ml-1) (Kruskal-Wallis test, p=0.43). The highest growth rate in the glass bottle cultures was the modified F/2 (0.38 div day-1), while AGP was the lowest (0.34 div. day-1). On the other hand, in carboy culture, AGP was higher (0.17 div.day-1) compared to modified F/2 (0.15 div. day-1) and Walne’s medium (0.13 div. day-1). The exponential growth phase was similar in the glass bottles, while in the carboy, the exponential phase was reached at a shorter time in the AGP treatment than those in the modified F/2 and Walne’s media. The findings showed that AGP medium is an adequate alternative to replace the conventional media (modified F/2 and Walne’s) during the secondary stock culture for C. muelleri. The viability of using cheaper and more readily available commercial AGP media for the indoor culture production of C. muelleri can contribute to cost-effective scaling-up of the hatchery production of quality H. scabra larvae and early juveniles.The authors would like to thank Dr. Rene Abesamis for his valuable comments and the two anonymous reviewers for their suggestions to improve the manuscript. We are also grateful for the guidance of Ms. Elsie Tech in improving the microalgal cultures and providing valuable inputs for this paper. We also thank the Sea Cucumber Research Team and the staff of the University of the Philippines - Marine Science Institute, Bolinao Marine Laboratory for their support and assistance during the conduct of the study. We would also like to acknowledge the Department of Science and Technology Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARRDQSR-MR-CUC.02.02) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR – FIS/2003/059) for the financial support in the conduct of this study.
- Preliminary population genomic study on the sandfish Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabraLal, Monal M.; Macahig, Deo A. S.; Brown, Kelly T.; Juinio‐Meñez, Marie A.; Southgate, Paul C.; Ravago‐Gotanco, Rachel (Wiley, 2021-07-04)Brief note.
- Transcriptome analysis of growth variation in early juvenile stage sandfish Holothuria scabraOrdoñez, June Feliciano F.; Galindez, Gihanna Gaye S.T.; Gulay, Karina Therese; Ravago-Gotanco, Rachel (Elsevier, 2021-12)The sandfish Holothuria scabra is a high-value tropical sea cucumber species representing a major mariculture prospect across the Indo-Pacific. Advancements in culture technology, rearing, and processing present options for augmenting capture production, stock restoration, and sustainable livelihood activities from hatchery-produced sandfish. Further improvements in mariculture production may be gained from the application of genomic technologies to improve performance traits such as growth. In this study, we performed de novo transcriptome assembly and characterization of fast- and slow-growing juvenile H. scabra from three Philippine populations. Analyses revealed 66 unigenes that were consistently differentially regulated in fast-growing sandfish and found to be associated with immune response and metabolism. Further, we identified microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism markers potentially associated with fast growth. These findings provide insight on potential genomic determinants underlying growth regulation in early juvenile sandfish which will be useful for further functional studies.The authors are grateful to the following individuals and institutions for providing samples and facilitating their collection: D. Ticao of (Finfish Hatcheries, Inc.); Dr. M.A. Juinio-Menez, ˜ J.R. Gorospe, C. Edullantes, B. Rodriguez, A. Rioja, T. Catbagan, and G. Peralta of Bolinao Marine Laboratory, University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute; and E. Tech (Palawan Aquaculture Corp.).
- Complex patterns of genetic structure in the sea cucumber Holothuria (Metriatyla) scabra from the Philippines: implications for aquaculture and fishery managementLal, 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.
- Size-dependent predation on juvenile sandfish, Holothuria scabra by seagrass-associated crabsCaasi, Olivier Josh C.; Gosselin, Louis A.; Juinio–Meñez, Marie Antonette (Cambridge University Press, 2023-10-23)High mortality of juvenile Holothuria scabra in seagrass nursery areas has been attributed to predation. In this study, laboratory and field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of the size of two seagrass–associated crabs, Thalamita crenata and Dardanus megistos, on the survival of juvenile sandfish at different sizes (1–10 g). Small juvenile sandfish (1–2 g) offered in field trials were more preferred by small Thalamita and large Dardanus. Non-lethal damage caused by both crabs were also evident, indicating differences in the mode of attack and consumption. The incidence of non-lethal wounds in medium and large juveniles in the laboratory indicate higher incidences of unsuccessful attacks by the crabs. Differences in consumption rate may be related to cheliped morphology and handling techniques, and activity patterns affecting encounter rates. Mortality rates of juvenile sandfish due to T. crenata (CW: 4.30–7.05 cm) ranged from 10–43%, while those by D. megistos (SL: 0.90–2.3 cm) was even higher at 34–53% after 24 h trials. This is the first report that a hermit crab D. megistos is a significant predator of juvenile sandfish. Results provide new insights on crab–soft-bodied prey interactions in tropical seagrass areas. These are also important considerations in stock restoration and ocean-based culture. Given that juveniles (≤10 g) are very vulnerable to predation by these common crab species, growing sandfish to larger sizes is essential prior to release in the field.This study was funded by Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) through the project FIS/2016/ 122 ‘Increasing technical skills supporting community–based sea cucumber production in Vietnam and the Philippines’ and administrative support from the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation (MERF), Inc. We are grateful to the Bolinao Marine Laboratory of the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute for the use of facilities and equipment. Special thanks to Tirso Catbagan, Garry Bucol, and Tomilyn Jan Garpa for their assistance with field and laboratory work. We also thank JayR Gorospe and Jerwin Baure for comments on the draft versions of the manuscript.
- 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.
- Metamorphic success and production cost of Holothuria scabra reared on microalgae concentrates compared with live microalgaeGarpa, Tomilyn Jan; Caasi, Olivier Josh C.; Juinio–Meñez, Marie Antonette (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, 2024-03-07)The production of live microalgae poses challenges for the expansion of sandfish hatcheries, hindered by high costs and limited technical resources. In relation to this, the use of three imported commercial concentrates (Instant Algae®) - TW1200 (Thalassiosira weisflogii), TISO1800 (Isochrysis sp.), and Shellfish1800 (mixed diatom) - were compared with live Chaetoceros calcitrans (CC). The diet efficacy was evaluated based on larval development, growth, and survival to late auricularia (LA) with hyaline spheres (HS), and the number of post-settled juveniles. Larvae reared with TW did not progress beyond LA, while those fed CC exhibited earlier LA development, larger sizes (1028.43 ± 19.38 µm), and significantly more post–settled juveniles (9,268 ± 2,183.79) compared to SHELL and TISO. Although TISO larvae reached a larger size during LA (855.7 ± 62.67 µm), SHELL resulted in a higher number of post-settled juveniles. The better performance of CC and SHELL may be attributed to their higher carbohydrate content. Despite SHELL and TISO having lower juvenile yields and longer feeding durations, the estimated cost per juvenile using SHELL, TISO, and CC were PHP 2.00, PHP 11.77, and PHP 0.52, respectively. Results showed that microalgae concentrates are not a cost-effective option under the studied conditions. The potential use of microalgae concentrates as supplemental feeds and further research to develop the use of local microalgae concentrates to sandfish larval culture are discussed.This study was funded by Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) through the project FIS/2016/122 “Increasing technical skills supporting community-based sea cucumber production in Vietnam and the Philippines” and administrative support from the Marine Environment and Resources Foundation (MERF), Inc. We would also like to thank the Bolinao Marine Laboratory of the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute for the use of facilities and equipment. We are grateful to our collaborators, Jon Altamirano and Roselyn Noran, and SEAFDEC AQD for guidance on the methods used for preparation and protocols of microalgae concentrate feeding regimen. Special thanks to JayR Gorospe for comments on the earlier draft and Jerwin Baure for copyediting this manuscript. The assistance of Mr. Tirso Catbagan in the culture of larvae and maintenance of the experimental tanks was invaluable during the experiment.
- BFAR Administrative Circular No. 248: Series of 2013. Size regulation for sea cucumber collection and trade.(Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, 2013-11-25)This Circular, consisting of 7 sections and two Annexes, establishes Size Regulation for Sea Cucumber Collection and Trade. Pursuant to Section 11 of Republic Act No. 8550 and Sections 22 and 25 of Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) No. 233 implementing R.A. No. 9147, the following rules and regulations for the conservation of sea cucumber species belonging to the orders: Aspidochirotida and Dendrochirotida in Philippine waters are hereby promulgated. It shall be unlawful for any person, association or corporation to gather, collect, catch, take, cause to be taken or caught sea cucumber species for commercial trade without an AWCP or to transport without LTP. It shall also be unlawful for any person, association or corporation to possess, transport, sell, trade or export sea cucumber species in any state or form except in dried form with minimum size of 2 inches or 5 centimeters in length. Annexes specify the following information: Annex A lists the Common Commercial Sea Cucumber Species in the Philippines; and Annex B lists the Common Commercial Sea Cucumber Species in the Philippines in Fresh and Dried Forms.
- New hatchery for sea cucumber at SEAFDEC(TNT Publishing, Inc., 2010-05-14)At the price of $180 to 250 per kilogram (Php 12,000 per kg) of dried sea cucumber in the United States, sea cucumber are good bets for fish farmers wanting to find the new gold in aquaculture. This has driven South East Asian Fisheries Development Centre (SEAFDEC) Aquaculture Department, the research centre based in Iloilo, to develop the hatchery, nursery and grow-out technologies of the sea cucumber Holothuria scabra so that overexploitation of the wild fisheries on which the sea cucumber trade depends will cease or be minimized. Aquaculture can take the pressure off wild stock, enabling it to recover and allowing sustainable management plans to be put in place by local government units and people’s organizations in sea cucumber-rich areas.