Seagrass Diversity and Distribution in Maribojoc Bay, Bohol, Philippines
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54536/ajec.v1i1.217Keywords:
Seagrass, Relative abundance, Percentage cover, Biodiversity, Maribojoc BayAbstract
Seagrasses are major parts of coastal and marine biodiversity. Unfortunately, these aquatic plants and their ecological values are virtually unknown to many Filipinos. This study assessed the seagrasses in Maribojoc Bay, particularly in the coastal areas of the three municipalities, namely Maribojoc, Dauis, Panglao, and the City of Tagbilaran. Ecological assessments were conducted to determine the composition, abundance, distribution, percent cover, diversity, dominance, and evenness of seagrass species. Eight sampling sites were surveyed from October to December 2020. Seven seagrass species were identified, with Thalassia hemprichii as the most abundant (52.79%). There was a significant difference (p>0.05) in seagrass species relative abundance. The Shannon diversity index implies low diversity (H’=1.40) of seagrass species. High dominance (2.98) and low evenness (0.72) were attributed to the high abundance of T. hemprichii in the seagrass beds. The seagrass coverage was characterized by patchy and continuous meadows, with percentage cover ranging from 17.45% (poor) – 60% (good). Maribojoc Bay had a seagrass percentage cover of 38.65%, which can be classified under “fair” conditions. Seagrass community structure implies sparse coverage and low diversity, probably due to the deterioration of once-continuous meadows. However, further studies concerning seagrass communities are recommended in order to implement rehabilitation program or improve current management in Maribojoc Bay.
Downloads
References
Abubakar, F.Z.B. & Echem, R.T. (2018). Distribution and Abundance of Seagrass in Bongao, Tawi Tawi, Philippines.
Alcaria, J.F., Padin, J.I., & Padua, J.R. (1999). Survey of seagrass community in the CEP [community environmental program] sites of Region-7, Central Visayas, Philippines. Ecosystems Research and Development Service. International System for Agricultural Science and Technology (AGRIS) 24,181.
Babaran, R.P., & Ingles, J. (1996). The coastal marine habitats of Guimaras Province: a rapid appraisal. Institute of Marine Fisheries and Oceanology. Miagao, Iloilo, 161-191.
Biodiversity Indicators for National Use. (2005). Philippine Report on Coastal and Marine Ecosystems, UNEP-GEP-WCMC.BFAR-PAWB, Quezon City, Philippines, 75.
Borum, J., Sand-Jensen K., Binzer T., Pedersen O., & Greve, T.M. (2006). Chapter 10: Oxygen movements in seagrasses. In Biology of seagrasses. Eds Larkum, Orth & Duarte. In press.
Calumpong, H., & Meñez, E. (1997). Field guide to the common mangroves, seagrasses and algae of the Philippines. Makati City, Philippines. Bookmark, Inc, 197.
den Hartog, C. (1970). The seagrasses of the word. North Holland Publishing Co., Amsterdam, 275.
Duarte, C.M. (1991). Allometric scaling of seagrass form and productivity. Marine Ecololgy Progress Series. 77, 289-300.
Duarte, C.M., & Chiscano, C.L. (1999). Seagrass biomass and production: a reassessment. Aquat. Bot. 65, 159.
English, S., Wilkinson C., & Baker, V. (1997). Survey Manual for Tropical Marine Resources. Townsville, Australia, Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville Australia, 378.
Fortes, M.D. (1989). Seagrasses: a resource unknown in the ASEAN region. ICLARM education series, International Centre for Living Aquatic Resources Management, Manila, Philippines, 46.
Fortes, M.D. (1995). Seagrasses of East Asia: Environmental and Management Perspectives. United Nations Environment Programme, Bangkok. RCU/EAS Technical Report Series No. 6.
Fortes, M.D., & Santos, K.F. (2004). Seagrass ecosystem of the Philippines: Status, problems and management directions. 90-95. In DA-BFAR (Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources). In Turbulent seas: The status of Philippine marine fisheries. Coastal Resource Management Project, Cebu City, Philippines, 378.
Fortes, M.D. (2013). A review: biodiversity, distribution, and conservation of Philippine seagrasses. Philippine. J. Sci. 142, 95–111.
Genito, G.E., Nabuab, F.M., Acabado, C.S., Belle, S.A., & Beldia II, P.(2010). Baseline Assessment of Seagrass Communities of Lubang and Looc Islands, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines. Publications of the Seto Marine Biological Laboratory. Special Publication Series, 10, 53-64.
Green, S., Monreal, R., White, A., & Bayer T. (2002). Coastal Environmental Profile of Northwestern Bohol, Philippines. Coastal Resource Management Project, Cebu City, Philippines, 113.
Green, E.P., & Short, F.T. (2003). World Atlas of Seagrass. Prepared by the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre. University of California Press, Berkley, USA, 298.
Jumawan, J., Bitalas, M., Ramos, J.J., Garcia, A.R., Landero, R., Cordero, J., Matela, M.N., Apostol, M.A., and Cataluña, R. (2005). Seagrass diversity and structure along the coastal area in Paligue, Hagonoy Davao del Sur, Philippines. AES Bioflux, Volume 7, Issue 3. 351-356.
Lacap, C.D.A., Vermaat, J.E., Rollon, R.N., & Nacorda, H.M. (2002). Propagule dispersal of the SE Asian seagrasses Enhalus acoroides and Thalassia hemprichii. Marine Ecology Progress. Ser. 235, 75‒80.
Liu, S.L., Wang, W.L., Dy, T.D. & FU, C.C. (2005). The effect of ulvoid macroalgae on the inorganic carbon utilization by an intertidal seagrass Thalassia hemprichii. Botanical Bulletin- Academia Sinica Taipei 46, 3.
Hemming, M.A., & Duarte, C.M. (2000). Seagrass Ecology. Cambridge University Press.
Jackson, J.B., & Nemeth D.J. (2007). A new method to describe seagrass habitat sampled during fisheries-independent monitoring. Estuaries and Coasts 30, 171–178.
Jiang, Z.J., Huang, X.P., & Zhang, J.P. (2010). Effects of CO2 Enrichment on Photosynthesis, Growth, and Biochemical Composition of Seagrass Thalassia hemprichii (Ehrenb.) Aschers. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. 52 (10), 904–913.
Meñez, E.G., Phillips, R.C., & Calumpong, H. (1983). Seagrasses from the Philippines. Smithsonian contriib. Marine Science 21, 40.
McKenzie, L.J. (2003). Guidelines for the rapid assessment of seagrass habitats in the western pacific, Department of Primary Industries Queensland, Northern Fisheries Centre PO Box 5396.
McKenzie, L.J., & Mellors, J.E. (2007). Seagrass-Watch: Guidelines for Monitoring Seagrass Habitats in the Burdekin Dry Tropics Region. Proceedings of a training workshop, Arcadian Junior Surf Life Saving Club Townsville, 18th March 2007 (DPI&F, Cairns), 24.
McKenzie, L.J. (2008). Seagrass-Watch: Proceedings of a Workshop for Mapping and Monitoring Seagrass Habitats in North East Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, 18–20 October 2008. (Seagrass-Watch HQ, Cairns), 49.
McRoy, C.P., & McMillan, C. (1997). Production ecology and physiology of seagrass. In: McRoy, C.P., Helfferich, C. (Eds.), Seagrass Ecosystems: a Scientific Persective. Dekker, New York, e81, 53.
Nordlund, L.M., Koch, E.W., Barbier, E.B., & Creed, J.C. (2016). Seagrass ecosystem services and their variability across genera and geographical regions. PLoS One.
Orbita, M.L.S., & Gumban, N.B. (2013). Investigation of the community structure of seagrasses in the coastal areas of Iligan City, Mindanao, Philippines. Advances in Agriculture & Botanics-International Journal of Biological Sciences, 5(3), 140–151.
Orth, R.J., Carruthers, T.J.B., Dennison, W.C., Duarte, C.M., Four-qurean, J.W., Heck, Jr K.L., Hughes, A.R., Kendrick, G.A., Kenworthy, W.J., Olyarnik, S., Short, F.T., Waycott, M., & Williams, S.L. (2006). A global contemporary crisis for seagrass ecosystems.
Phillips, R.C., & Milchakova, N.A. (2003). Seagrass ecosystems. Mar. Ecol. J. 2(2): 29-39 Prog Ser 29, 15–22.
Redondo, A.F., Dagoc, K.M., Ignacio, M.T., Sanchez, R.R., & Tampus, A. (2017). Seagrass mapping and assessment using remote sensing in the Municipality of Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte, Philippine. Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences (JBES) ISSN: 2220-6663 (Print) 2222-3045 (Online) Vol. 11, No. 4, 74-88.
Saenger, P., Gartside, D., & Funge-Smith S. (2013). A Review of Mangrove and Seagrass Ecosystems and their Linkage to Fisheries and Fisheries Management. Bangkok: RAP Publication, FAO.
Short, F.T., Koch, E., Creed, J.C., Magalhaes, K.M., Fernandez, E., & Gaeckle, J.L. (2006). SeagrassNet monitoring across the Americas: case studies of seagrass decline. Marine Ecology 27, 277–289.
Short, F.T., Carruthers, T.J.R., Waycott, M., Kendrick, G.A., Fourqurean, J.W., Callabine, A., Kenworthy, W.J., & Dennison, W.C. (2010). Thalassia hemprichii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: eT173364A7000000.
Short, F.T., Polidoro, B., Livingstone, S.R., Carpenter, K.E., & Bandeira, S. (2011). Extinction risk assessment of the world’s seagrass species. Biol, Conserv. 144 (7), 1961-1971.
Terrados, J., Duarte, C.M., Fortes, M.D., Agawin, N.S.R., Bach, S., Thampanya, U., Kamp-Nielsen, L., Kenworthy, W.J., Geertz-Hansen, O., & Vermaat, J. (1998). Changes in community structure and biomass of seagrass communities along gradients of siltation in SE Asia. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 46, 757- 768.
Vermaat, J.E., Agawin, N.S.R., Duarte, C.M., Fortes, M.D., Marba, N., & Uri, J.S. (1995). Meadow maintenance, growth and productivity of a mixed Philippine seagrass bed. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 124, 215-225.
Vermaat, J.E., Rollon, R.N., Day, C., Lacap, A., Billot, C., Alberto, F., & Terrados, J. (2004). Meadow fragmentation and reproductive output of the SE Asian seagrass Enhalus acoroides, 52, 321–328. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.seares.2004.04.002.
Vonk, J.A., Christianen, M.J.A., & Stapel, J., (2008). Redefining the trophic importance of seagrasses for fauna in tropical Indo-Pacific meadows. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 79 (4), 653–660
Waycott, M., Duarte, C.M., Carruthers, T.J.B., Orth, R. J., Dennison, W.C., & Olyarnik, S. (2009). Accelerating loss of seagrasses across the globe threatens coastal ecosystems. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 106, 12377–12381. doi: 10.1073/pnas.0905620106.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Honey Jane Mascarinas, Otadoy Julie B
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
