A Comparative Study of

Lizard Population between

Mahogany Plantation and
Secondary Old Growth Forest
at Mt. Makiling Forest
Reserve, Los Baños, Laguna
Fabunan, M.A.B.1, Gerardo, M.A.O.1, Maguslog, J.O.1,
Salumbre, R.L.1, Surquia, J.M.S.1,
Diesmos, M.L.L.1,2

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Santo Tomas

1

2
Research Center for the Natural Sciences, Thomas Aquinas
Research Center, University of Santo Tomas

January, 2008
Introduction
 Background of the Study

• Earth’s biodiversity is rapidly disappearing

• Habitat fragmentation

• Exploitation

• Pollution

• The Philippines has been identified as a

biodiversity hotspot
• Reptiles are represented by about 235 species

• Some 160 species are endemic

 Introduction
• 5.4 million hectares
of the country’s
land area remains
forested out of
15.88 million
hectares of the
declared
QuickTimeª and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

forestlands.
• American
administrators
initiated
reforestation of the
school grounds of
UP Los baños,
 Objective
• To compare the diversity of lizard
populations in mahogany plantation
and secondary old growth forest.
• To assess the effect of habitat
fragmentation on lizards populations.
• To generate an honest evaluation of
lizard populations.
• To provide a credible view of lizard
populations with respect to
biodiversity, especially in terms of
conservation, assessment and
management of species at risk.
 Statement of the Problem

• Assessment of the state of lizard

population abundance and
diversity patterns in a modified
habitat (mahogany plantation) and
an older habitat (secondary old
growth forest) using statistical
methods employed in similar
studies
 Significance of the Study

• Further understanding of lizards,

and in general, reptilian diversity
patterns and abundance
• Sound information regarding the
habitats of lizards for use in
ecosystem management
• Evaluate the effect of habitat
modification for better ecological
conservation practitioners
 Scope and Limitation

• Lizard occurrence at mahogany

plantation and secondary old growth
forest is the subject of this study
• Data that was gathered from June to
November was subjected to Mann-
Whitney U Test, Simpson’s index of
diversity and the Sorensen
quantitative index
• Graphical analysis was achieved using
sampling effort curve with values
generated using EstimateS 8.0
Methodology
Schematic Diagram of
Methodology
 Study Area

Geographical map of Mt.

Makiling (L) and Location
map of the Makiling Forest
Reserve (R)
 Study Area

• Forest Reserve (MFR) is located at

14O08’ N and 121O11’ E lying 65km
of Metro Manila and covers 4224
ha extending across 80% of the
mountain.
 Study Area

• The mahogany
plantation is a
result of early
reforestation
efforts in MFR
 Study Area

• Secondary old
growth forest
• Only 55% of
the MFR can
be
considered a
close canopy
forest
 Sample Preparation

• Lizards were captured and

temporarily placed in Ziplocs.
Afterwards, collected species were
photographed and then released
• Photographs of lizards were
identified using field guides
 Experimental Methods

• Sampling was done from June to

November 2007
• Opportunistic search
• Random strip transect distance
sampling method
 Random Strip Transect
Distance Sampling Method

50m

10m

10m

5m

*Transect not drawn to scale

 Statistical Analysis of Data

• Mann-Whitney U Test for Two

Independent Samples
• U= n (n +n + 1) - T
i i 2 i

• Simpson’s Measure of Diversity

• D= (n *( n -1)/(N*(N-1)
i i

• Sørensen Quantitative Index

• C = 2jN / (n +n )
n i 2
Results and
Discussion
 Lizard Sampling Effort Curve

• Mahogany Plantation species effort curve

6

2
Species Observed

0
0 1 2 3 4
Transect
 Lizard Sampling Effort Curve
• Secondary Old Growth Forest species effort
curve
12

10

4
Species Observed

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Transect
 Lizard Sampling Effort Curve
• Comparative species effort curve of
Mahogany Plantation () and Secondary Old
Growth Forest ()
12

10

4
Species Observed

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Transect
Species Account of Lizards in
Mahogany Plantation and
Secondary Old Growth Forest
Species Account of Lizards in
Mahogany Plantation and
Secondary Old Growth Forest

• A total of 12 species of lizards were

found in the two habitats
• The total count for species in the
mahogany plantation is 26
• The total count for species in the
secondary old growth forest is 39
Species Account of Lizards in
Mahogany Plantation and
Secondary Old Growth Forest
• Mann-Whitney U Test
• Critical Value at α0.05 : 14

• P-value: 31
• Statistically indicates that a
significant difference in the
diversity between the two sites
exists
 Comparison of Lizard
Population using Relative
Frequency
10
9 •Mahogany Plantation ()
8 •Secondary Old Growth Forest
7 ()

6
5
Count 4
3
2
1
0

S. jagori
D. grisea G. gecko S. steerei
S. cumingi V. B. bonitae
salvator
L. pulchella G.semperi
D. spilopterus
E. multicarinata E. multifasciata
Lizards
 QuickTimeª and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

Sphenomorphus Lipinia
cumingi vittigera
Eutropis
multicarinata
 Species Diversity

• Simpson’s index of diversity

•D : 0.21 (1-D= 0.79)
MAHOGANY

• Low diversity; stronger

dominance

•D : 0.14 (1-D=0.86)
SECONDARY

• Higher diversity; weak

dominance
 Species Diversity

• Sorensen Quantitative Index: 0.05

• (1-Cn= 0.95)
• High diversity
• Little commonalities between the
two sites
 Conclusion
and
Recommendation
 Conclusion

•It was found that lizard population found in

secondary old growth forest are much more
diverse than lizards inhabiting the mahogany
plantation.

•It can be inferred that the decrease in the

diversity of lizard population can be attributed
to the fact that few species tend to live in a
modified habitat.
 Recommendation

•More intensive sampling effort

•Alternative statistical tools
•Alternative distance sampling methods