Project Objectives

In general, the main objective of this study is to monitor and assess the biodiversity of coastal ecosystems in Sta. Cruz, Botolan and Palauig, Zambales, Philippines. Specifically, it aims: 1. To monitor and assess the biodiversity of the coastal ecosystems in the 3 municipalities; 2. To determine the physical, chemical and bacteriological characteristics of the water and sediments of the coastal ecosystems; 3. To assess the present condition and status of the coastal ecosystems in the selected municipalities in Zambales;

Project Objectives
4.To determine the status of organisms in the critical habitats based on the IUCN Red List;
5.To gather geo-referenced information habitat/ecosystems to be surveyed; on the

6.To describe the local communities of mKBAs and the 3 selected municipalities of Zambales;

7.To determine the indigenous knowledge on biodiversity conservation; and

8.To develop IEC materials, multimedia and information management system on biodiversity and conservation of coastal ecosystems.

Selection of Study Areas

Three municipalities in Zambales were selected as the study areas to be monitored and assessed namely: Botolan, Palauig and Sta. Cruz.
The research team conducted a survey in the 3 municipalities to identify the coastal ecosystems to be assessed and monitored. Barangay Bolitoc, Sabang, Lucapon South and Lipay were selected as study sites in Sta. Cruz. On the other hand, two barangays in Botolan and Palauig were preliminary identified as study sites.

Preliminary Activities
August 15 2013, an inception meeting with DENR Region 3 was conducted to discuss the workplan of activities and related important matters for the implementation of the project.
Inclusion of San Antonio as one of study sites in the socio-economic and anthropology part of the study. Procurement of necessary supplies, materials and equipment was done during the early stage of the project

Preliminary Activities
Request letters were distributed to the LGU heads (Mayors and Brgy. Captains)

Courtesy calls municipality.

were

also

conducted

in

each

STUDY AREAS
Sta. Cruz, Zambales

Brgy. Bolitoc

Brgy. Sabang

STUDY AREAS
Sta. Cruz, Zambales

Brgy. Lipay

Brgy. Lucapon South

Brgy. Bolitoc

Brgy. Lipay

Brgy. Sabang

Brgy. Lucapon South

Component 1. Biodiversity Monitoring and Assessment of Coastal Ecosystems in Sta. Cruz Zambales
13 species of true mangroves and 2 species of associate plants were observed and identified in Barangays Bolitoc, Sabang, Lucapon South and Lipay, Sta. Cruz 5 seagrass and 5 seaweed species were present in the mangrove ecosystems of Brgy. Sabang and Brgy. Bolitoc

9 birds, 5 fishes, 3 mollusks, and 2 crabs were observed in 4 barangays

Combretaceae

Euphorbiaceae

Meliaceae

Meliaceae

Myrsinaceae

Rhizophoraceae

Rhizophoraceae

Rhizophoraceae

Rhizophoraceae

Rhizophoraceae

Sonneratiaceae

Verbenaceae/Avicenniaceae

Verbenaceae/Avicenniaceae

Percentage occurrence of true mangroves and associate plants species in the mangrove ecosystem in 4 barangays in Sta. Cruz, Zambales
STATIONS

Name of Species
True mangroves Sonerratia alba

Bolitoc

Sabang

Lucapon

Lipay

Percentage Occurrence 100% 100% 75%

Rhizophora mucronata
Avicennia marina Rhizophora apiculata Lumnitzera racemosa Excoecaria agallocha

50%
50% 50% 50% 50%

Avicennia alba
Aegiceras corniculatum Bruguiera sexangula Xylocarpus moluccensis Bruguiera cylindrica

25%
25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25%

Xylocarpus granatum
Ceriops decadra Associate plants unknown 1 unknown 2

Percentage occurrence of fauna in the mangrove ecosystem in 4 Barangays in Sta. Cruz, Zambales
Name of Species Bolitoc STATIONS Sabang Lucapon Lipay Percentage Occurrence 100% 50% 50% 50% 25% 100% 100% 100% 75% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 50% 50% 50% 50% 50%

Fishes Periopthalmus sp. Terapon sp. Fish 1 Fish 2 Mugil sp. Birds Artamus sp. Todiramphus chloris Egretta eulophotes Geopelia sp. Butorides sp. Egretta sacra Alcedo atthis Lanius cristatus Corvus enca Mollusks Mollusk1 Mollusk2 Crassostrea gigas Crabs Hemigrapsus sp. Scylla sp.

Periopthalmus sp. Occurrence: All Stations

Fish 1 Occurrence: Brgy. Bolitoc and Brgy. Sabang

Mugil sp. Occurrence: Brgy. Lipay

Fish 2 Occurrence: Brgy. Bolitoc and Brgy. Sabang

Butorides sp. Occurrence: Brgy. Sabang

Egretta eulophotes Occurrence: All Stations

Corvus enca Occurrence: Brgy. Sabang

Artamus sp. Occurrence: All Stations

Lanius cristatus Occurrence: Brgy. Bolitoc

Todiramphus chloris Occurrence: All Stations

Mollusks

Mollusk 1 and Mollusk 2 Occurrence: Brgy. Bolitoc and Brgy. Sabang

Crassostrea gigas Occurrence: Brgy. Lipay Brgy. Lucapon South

Crabs

Hemigrapsus sp. Occurrence: Brgy. Bolitoc Brgy. Sabang

Scylla sp. Occurrence: Brgy. Lipay Brgy. Lucapon South

Percentage occurrence of macrophytes in the mangrove ecosystem of Brgy. Bolitoc and Brgy. Sabang
Name of Species STATIONS Percentage Occurrence

Bolitoc
Seaweeds Sargassum polycystum Padina sp. Cladophora glomerata Sargassum muticum Unknown 1 Seagrass Cymodocea rotundata

Sabang

100% 100% 100% 50% 50%

50%

Halodule pinifolia
Thalassia testudinum Syringodium isoetifolium Thalassia hemprichii

50%
50% 50% 50%

Sargassum polycysticum Occurrence: Brgy.Bolitoc Brgy. Sabang

Sargassum muticum Occurrence: Brgy. Sabang

Cladophora glomerata Occurrence: Brgy.Bolitoc Brgy. Sabang

Padina sp. Occurrence: Brgy.Bolitoc, Brgy. Sabang

Unknown Occurrence: Brgy.Bolitoc

Syringodium isoetifolium Occurrence: Brgy.Bolitoc

Thalassia hemprichii Occurrence: Brgy. Bolitoc

Halophila uninervis Occurrence: Brgy.Bolitoc

Cymodocea rotundata. Occurrence: Brgy.Bolitoc

Unknown Occurrence: Brgy.Bolitoc

Brgy. Bolitoc
Mangrove Species

Name of Species
Sonneratia alba Rhizophora mucronata

Importance Value Index

275.94 23.95

Animal Species

Periopthalmus sp. Mollusc 1 Terapon sp. Mollusc 2

114.10 82.60 21.49 14.39

Artamus sp. Fish 2

Fish1 Todiramphus cloris

10.35 14.35
13.48

10.65 6.56 5.31

2.30 2.30 2.13

Geopelia sp. Hemigrapsus sp.

Egretta eulophotes Lanius cristata Egretta sacra

Brgy. Bolitoc
Macrophytes

Name of Species Padina sp. Cymodocea rotundata Unknown 1 Halodule pinifolia Cladophora glomerta Thalassia hemprichii Syringodium isoetifolium Thalassia testudinum Sargassum polycystum

Importance Value Index 70.41 69.72 44.15 42.10 31.70 14.38 9.22 9.19 9.13

Brgy. Sabang
Mangrove Species

Name of Species
Sonerratia alba Avicennia marina Rhizophora mucronata

Importance Value Index

259.15 25.04 15.87

Animal Species

Periopthalmus sp.
Mollusk 2 Littoraria sp. Fish 2 Terapon sp. Fish 1 Todiramphus chloris

135.23
43.92 38.83 24.04 21.69 12.92 6.57

Butorides sp.
Hemigrapsus sp. Egretta eulophotes

4.30
4.30 4.10

Alcedo atthis
Corvus enca

2.05
2.05

Brgy. Bolitoc Macrophytes

Name of Species Cladophora glomerata Padina sp.

Importance Value Index 125.39 17.48

Sargassum polycystum
Sargassum muticum

79.65
77.49

Brgy. Lucapon South

Mangrove Species

Name of Species

Importance Value Index

Rhizophora apiculata Sonerratia alba

Excoecaria agallocha Rhizophora mucronata Bruguiera sexangula

96.49 95.58
20.41 12.74 12.31

unknown 1
Avicennia marina Bruguiera cylindrica Avicennia alba

10.44
9.46 9.17 6.24

Aegiceras corniculatum
Lumnitzera racemosa Xylocarpus granatum unknown 2

5.87
5.56 4.87 4.57

Brgy. Lucapon South Animal Species

Name of Species Crassostrea gigas Periopthalmus sp. Geopelia sp. Todiramphus chloris Scylla sp. Egretta eulophotes Artamus sp.

Importance Value Index 192.78 34.34 20.22 18.80 12.35 11.43 10.07

Brgy. Lipay Mangrove Species

Name of Species

Importance Value Index

Sonneratia alba
Rhizophora mucronata Avicennia alba

69.97
68.10 60.86

Avicennia marina
Excoecaria agallocha Rhizophora apiculata Xylocarpus granatum

40.56
33.00 20.26 12.03

Ceriops decadra
Lumnitzera racemosa Aegiceras corniculatum Sonneratia alba

9.69
8.55 6.81 69.97

Rhizophora mucronata
Avicennia alba

68.10
60.86

Brgy. Lipay Animal Species

Name of Species

Importance Value Index

Periopthalmus sp. Crassostrea gigas

Mugil sp. Artamus sp.

117.26 57.97
55.86 23.93

Geopelia sp.
Scylla sp. Egretta eulophotes Todiramphus chloris

16.35
12.28 10.79 5.56

Shannons Diversity Index for Flora and Fauna of Mangrove Ecosystems

LOCATION BOLITOC SABANG SPECIES DIVERSITY INDEX 1.88 2.19 INTERPRETATION Low Low

LUCAPON SOUTH
LIPAY

1.69
2.20

Low
Low

Condition of the Mangrove Habitat in Barangays Bolitoc, Sabang, Lucapon South and Lipay
BARANGAYS Brgy. Bolitoc Crown Cover Regeneration Rate Brgy. Sabang Crown Cover Regeneration Rate Brgy, Lucapon South Crown Cover Regeneration Rate Brgy. Lipay Crown Cover Regeneration Rate MEASUREMENT CRITERIA

35.22% 0.34m/2
32.90% 0.94m/2

Fair Fair
Fair Good

49.40% 1.74m/2
48.85% 1.26m/2

Fair Excellent
Fair Excellent

Component 2. Physical and Chemical Characteristics of the Coastal Ecosystems

A. Physical and Chemical Characteristics
Environmental Parameters in Barangays; Bolitoc, Sabang, Lucapon South, and Lipay
Barangays Brgy. Bolitoc Brgy. Sabang Brgy. Lucapon South Brgy. Lipay pH 7.22 7.44 7.67 7.89 Turbidity Clear Clear 0.87 m Slightly clear 0.45 m Muddy

Salinity 34.33ppt 34.67ppt 30ppt 9.5ppt

Temperature 26.67C 28 C 28.33 C 23 C

B. Sediment and Water Analysis

Laboratory Analysis - On-Going at CRL Environmental Corporation, Clarkfield, Pampanga C. Determination of Sediment Load
Sediment Container
Container 1

Distance from Shoreline

100 meters

Grams
200

Container 2

150 meters

100
75 125 grams

Container 3 200 meters AVERAGE WEIGHT

D. Shoreline Tracing in Brgy. Bolitoc and Brgy. Sabang

Satellite images of the shoreline of Brgy. Bolitoc and Brgy. Sabang for the year 2009, 2011 and 2013

Satellite images of the shoreline of Brgy. Bolitoc from 2003 - 2013

Component 4. Establishment of RIC Learning Center

IEC MATERIALS
11 Multimedia/CDs in Impact of Climate Change on the following ecosystems:

IEC MATERIALS
18 Multimedia/CDs in Biodiversity of the following ecosystems:

IEC MATERIALS
2 Multimedia Prepared:
Seaweeds and Seagrasses in Philippines

Philippine Indigenous Marine species

IEC MATERIALS
Brochures that have been prepared: Importance of Biodiversity Indigenous Marine Species Biodiversity Conservation Indigenous Knowledge on Biodiversity Conservation Seagrass and Seaweeds Diversity Mangroves Diversity

PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED
Frequent storms and strong typhoons affected scheduled field activities Vehicle availability Availability of Camera with higher resolutions
Turbid water obstructed documentation of animals Delayed supplies

REMAINING ACTIVITIES TO BE UNDERTAKEN

Biodiversity assessment in Palauig and Botolan

Seagrass and coral reef assessment in Sta. Cruz

Shoreline tracing, determination of physical-chemical characteristics and sediment loads in Palauig and Botolan. Finalization of IEC materials.

IUCN status of the identified species. Verification of the identification of organisms

Establishment of the RIC Learning Center