3/12/2009

STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity refers to the Importance of

totality of life forms Biodiversity
and the areas they occupy

IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY

Food Medicines
More than 90% of the calories
consumed by people worldwide come About 80% of the world’s population still use plants as their
from 80 plant species primary source of medicine.

Fruits, nuts, mushrooms, honey,

Close to 30% of all pharmaceuticals on the market
spices and other foods that human
today were developed from plants and animals.
and wildlife consume originate from
natural ecosystems.

Fish comprises 10% of man’s protein

intake worldwide and 50-60% of the
protein intake of Filipinos.

In 1989 the total world fishery catch

reached an astounding 100 million
metric tons
(since then annual landings have dropped or at best
remained the same)

1
 3/12/2009

IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY
IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY
Fuel, timber, fiber and other resources Air and water purification

Most houses, furniture and even many clothes are made

from natural products, including wood, oils, resins, waxes,
gums and fibers.
The cocoons of silk worms are the basis of the
valuable, centuries-old Asian silk-making industry.
Forests purify our air and our water by taking in carbon
dioxide, regulating water vapor, releasing oxygen, and
cycling nutrients.

IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY

Climate modification Drought, erosion and flood control

IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY

Social / cultural value

Economic value

Biodiversity is directly linked with traditional, spiritual and

cultural values of people.

2
 3/12/2009

Philippine
Philippine
Biodiversity
Biodiversity
105 species of AMPHIBIANS…

…82 species are FOUND ONLY in the

Philippines

BIRDS

More than 254 species of Reptiles

We have more than 576 species of birds

196 of these occur only in the Philippines.
…with 208 sp. endemic to the Philippines

Of the 179 species of land mammals,

Around 20,940 species of insects
111 species are found only in the Philippines
69.8% are endemics

3
 3/12/2009

INLAND WATERS

estimated 15,000 species, 50% are endemics 211 Lakes, 18 major rivers, 22
marshes,
swamps and reservoir

70 – 80% Flowering plants

Phil. wetlands
1616 species of aquatic plants
3675 species of fauna
193 Threatened species

Corals

Mangroves 462 coral species recorded* (an

additional 30 species can be
expected)

At least 21 undescribed species

recently found in the Calamianes
Around 60 mangrove plant Islands, Palawan

species in the world 12 species are endemic to the

Philippines & Indonesia

1 new species of Leptoseris in the

34 mangroves species occur Kalayaan Is.

in the Philippines
* Highest in the world, followed by Eastern Papua New Guinea
with 380 species; Ryukyu / Yaeyama Islands with 370 and
Great Barrier Reef, Australia with 350

Fish
about 4,000 species in the Indo-Pacific region

Philippine Total = 2,459 (Fish Base 2000)

2,241 marine species (2/3 coral reef- Molluscs
associated) 22,000 freshwater, land and marine species
209 freshwater species Nine
Seven
species of
occur in
Giant
82 (possibly 98) species are Philippine Endemics Philippine
Clams
waters
59 Threatened species worldwide

photos by Evette Lee

4
 3/12/2009

Composition and current characteristics of biodiversity in the

Philippine Marine environment (source: DENR, 1997) Total number of wildlife species in the Philippines

Economically
Taxon Number Threatened
Important No. of Endemic Threatened
Marine Fungi 7 Major Taxa Species Species Species
Sea Grasses 16 3 Amphibians 101+ 82+ (78%) 24
Algae 1,062 531 60 Reptiles 258+ 170+ (66%) 8
Birds 576+* 195+ (34%) 74
Corals1 381
Mammals 204+** 111+ (54%) 51
Other Invertebrates 1,616 152 47
Fish2 1,831 672 Total 1139+ 558+ (50%) 157

Mammals3 18 18 18
Reptiles 20 20 20 + Includes new species (38 sp. for amp, 35 sp. for reptiles)
* Includes rediscovered species
Total* 4,951 1,396 145 ** 22 species of dolphins, whales and dugong
1 Totalnumber of corals found in the Phil. now stands at 462 (Werner and Allen, 2000)
2 Totalnumber of fish now is estimated to be over 2,000 species.
3 Totalnumber of marine mammals in Philippine waters is now at 23.
* Estimated number of species in the Philippine marine environment is over 5,000

Some Notable Flora and Fauna Species in

Philippines
Total Endemic % Land Area
COUNTRY
species Species Endemic (km2)
Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga
Philippines 1139 558 50% 300,780 jefferyi) - world’s 2nd largest eagle

King cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) -

Spain 435 25 6% 451,171 largest terrestrial venomous snake

Reticulated python (Python

Brazil 3131 788 25% 8,511,965 reticulatus) - largest / longest snake
Source: Heaney, 2002
Phil. Iron Wood, Magkuno
(Xanthostemon cerdugonianus) - hardest
wood

Some Notable Flora and Fauna Species in

Some Notable Flora and Fauna Species in
Philippines
Philippines
Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) –
2 Largest Bats in the world: world’s largest fish
Golden-crowned Flying Fox
(Acerodon jubatus)
Giant Manta Ray (Manta birostris) –
& Large Flying Fox (Pteropus
world’s largest ray
vampyrus)

Saltwater crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) – world’s

Smallest primitive primates: Slow largest living reptile
loris (Nycticebus coucang) & Tarsier
(Tarsius syrichta)
Leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) – Dwarf Pygmy Goby (Pandaka
largest of all sea turtles pymaea) smallest freshwater fish

Sinarapan / Bia / Tabios

(Mistichthys luzonensis)
Smallest Deer: Largest flower: smallest food fish
Mouse deer (Tragulus napu) Rafflesia speciousa
photo by Evette Lee

5
 3/12/2009

Some Notable Flora and Fauna Species in Philippines The Origin of

Giant Clam (Tridacna gigas) – world’s largest giant clam species formation LIFE: blue-
LifeAkinetes:
cellular Hard-bodied marine
of Earth green algae differentiation invertebrates

Boring Clam (Tridacna crocea) – smallest giant clam species 5,000 million years
4,600 3,600 2,300 570
MYA MYA MYA MYA 500
Porcelain Clam (Hippopus porcellanus) – rarest giant clam species Land million
Invertebrates, years
Jawless fish land plants, Amphibians Radiation of
First
Agnathans bony fishes Gymnosperms Dinosaurs, Mammals
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) – largest toothed cetacean Spiders & First first true
Archaeopteryx Mass
First birds extinction of
insects Reptiles mammals Dinosaurs

Killer whale (Orcinus orca) – largest dolphin species 500 million years
500 400 370 350 300 200 140 100 65
MYA MYA MYA MYA MYA MYA MYA MYA MYA 5
Minke Whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) – smallest of all million
years
baleen whales Homo habilis Homo erectus
Australopithecus first species of closest to
afaransis genus Homo moden humans Homo sapiens
modern man
Dugong (Dugong dugon) – only herbivorous marine 5 million years
mammal in the Philippines
4 2 1 30,000
MYA MYA MYA years ago

Present configuration

Why is Philippine
Biodiversity
so rich?

Philippine
Biogeography

6
 3/12/2009

Amidst all of these, globally

Critically Endangered Vulnerable TOTAL
Endangered (E) (V)
816 species became extinct (CR)
Mammals 7 14 32 53
in the last 500 years Birds 12 13 43 68
Reptiles 3 4 1 8
11,046 threatened species face a Amphibia 7 6 11 24
Fishes 16 2 11 29
high risk of extinction
Molluscs 1 0 2 3
Other Inverts 1 6 10 17
4,595 species are on the brink of moving into one Sub-Total 47 45 110 202
of the threatened categories Plants 44 29 143 216
TOTAL 91 74 253 418

Extent of Forest Cover Loss in the last 100 years Estimates place forest cover in 1900 at
21 million has. (210,000 km2) or 70%
of the total land area.

Less than 6%
Many areas were already heavily
of the country’s
original damaged by this time in the
forest remains! Central Cordilleras and Ilocos by
local action, while the Spanish
were responsible for the cutting
of the much valued molave of
the Central Visayas and the
conversion of the marsh lands of
Pangasinan and Culion which
was reportedly already bald

The Americans introduced

logging for export.
Source: Environmental Science for Social Change, 1999

By 1950 estimates place forest

Forest still covered 18 cover at 15 million hectares
million hectares (180,000 (150,000 km2) or 50% of the total
km2) or 60% of the total land area. Since 56% of the
Philippines is classified as upland,
land area but the forests the threshold in sustainable
were under pressure management was crossed in the
because of the great 1945-50 period.
demand for tropical
hardwood for export to the
U.S. Between 1900 and FAO, 1963 put forest cover at 12
million hectares (120,000 km2)
1920, Romblon Island was or 40% of the total land area.
completely deforested; the The late 1960s is considered the
Central Plains of Luzon were start of a logging boom period.
Logging concession areas
also cleared, while Northen increased from 4.5 million
Bukidnon and Cotabato were hectares to 11.6 million
opened up. hectares.

7
 3/12/2009

Forest covered 34% of the total The Swedish Space

land area or 10.2 million Corporation (SPOT) study of
hectares (102,000 km2). From 1987 place forest cover at 6.9
1977 to 1980, deforestation million hectares (69,000
reached an all time high- over km2) or 23.7% of the total
300,000 hectares a year. By the land area. There were 2.7
end of the 1970s, the following million (27,000 km2) hectares
islands were either almost or 8.9% of the total land area
completely deforested or had less of primary forest and this
than 5% forest cover: Polillo, included mossy and pine
Burias, Palaui, Tablas, Batanes forest.
Islands, Lubang, Marinduque,
Ticao, Guimaras, Masbate,
Siquijor, Cebu, Bohol, Samal,
Siargao, Tawi-Tawi, Jolo and
Camiguin. The Philippine forest
was rapidly disappearing.

(km2)
The Swedish Space Land area (300,000 km2)
300,000
Corporation (SPOT) Spanish colonization (270,000 km2)
study of 1987 place 250,000
forest cover at 6.9 (400 years)
American colonization (210,000 km2)
million hectares 200,000
(69,000 km2) or (50 years)
Philippine Independence
150,000
23.7% of the total land (150,000 km2)

area. There were 2.7 100,000

(40 years)
million (27,000 km 2)
hectares or 8.9% of the 50,000 Post EDSA Revolution
(8,000 km2)
total land area of
0
primary forest and this
1400 1500 1900 1950 1990
included mossy and
YEAR
pine forest.
Extent of Original Forest Cover in the Philippines

Forest loss on Negros Status of Philippine Mangroves

1918 The Philippines had an estimated 450,000
hectares of mangroves (Brown and Fisher,
1920)
1990 139,725 hectares (31.05%)
1993 138,000 hectares (30.67%)
1995 117,000 hectares (26%)
1997 only 112,400 hectares (24.97%) remain
(Phil. Forestry Statistics, 1998)
The loss is largely attributed to the conversion of mangroves to fishponds
Other factors: reclamation for residential, commercial & industrial purposes
1875 1949 1970 1987 1992
and excessive harvesting of trees for fuel

8
 3/12/2009

Philippine Coral Reef Area

Coral Reefs of the World

Covers an estimated
area of 30,000 sq km
(McManus,2002)

Roughly 5% of the
world coral reef
coverage

Throughout the world’s oceans, coral reefs cover an area approximately

617,000 square km (Smith, 1978) of the Earth - sounds a lot, but in
fact this only represents about 1/6 of ONE percent of the marine
environment.

Status of Philippine Coral Reefs

Source: Aliño et al., 2002

Phil. Reefs Condition

5% Excellent
25 % Good
38 % Fair
32 % Poor What are the threats to
based on
Philippine biodiversity?
Live Coral Cover Condition
76 – 100 % Excellent
51 - 75 % Good
26 - 50 % Fair
0 - 25 % Poor

* the LOWEST in South East Asia!!!

DEFORESTATION

LOGGING TIMBER POACHING

DEFORESTATION
UPLAND AGRICULTURE FOREST FIRE

ROAD DEVELOPMENT

9
 3/12/2009

DEFORESTATION
POLLUTION

MINING

ILLEGAL FISHING UNSUSTAINABLE HUNTING

DESTRUCTIVE FISHING and GATHERING OF WILDLIFE
Picture soure: Internet
PRACTICES

ELECTRO-FISHING

DYNAMITE FISHING
CYANIDE FISHING

ILLEGAL TRADE SILTATION/SEDIMENTATION

10

Introduced Species
Maraming Salamat Po!

Wildlife – terrestrial
vertebrates

Taxonomic basis

Population

Basic biology & ecology

Biogeography
3/12/2009
“In the end, we will conserve
only what we love, we will
love only what we
understand, and we will
understand only what we are
taught.”
-Baba Dioum, a Senegalese
conservationist

Conservation focus &
priority projects

Education and
information access

Standard methods and
techniques

Research gaps
11
 3/12/2009

unstable systematic list of species

biochemical vs. morphological
Current population estimates

subspecies – less priority, island races
Locally extirpated, globally stable

lumpers vs. splitters
Validity of records, standard methods

newly described taxa, new records
Fragile Islands – limited capacity

phylogenetics & behavioral ecology
Incomplete records, undocumented

need for further taxonomic review
Distribution, range, remaining habitat

Known only from the type

Reproductive biology, feeding adaptations, behavioral

ecology, unique morphology

Captive vs. wild, in-situ & ex-situ

Genetics, physiology & histology

Species interactions, food web

Habitat preferences

IUCN categories

Faunal regions

Threatened & endemic species

Disturbance & habitat gradients

Faunal inventory of important sites

Lowlands vs. Highlands

Database management

Island endemism & restricted range

Regional conservation activities

Impact of introduced species

Habitat protection & restoration

Extensive field study, monitoring

12
 3/12/2009

Standard field survey methods

Biologists, para- & non-biologists

Less intrusive means of data collection

Local experts, collaborative work

Use of modern techniques& equipment

Media exposure, internet access

Bioacoustics, Telemetry, Camera traps

References, field guides, manuals

GIS documentation & mapping

Basics in primary/secondary curricula

Molecular biology protocols

B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D., training seminars

Captive management studies

Increased conservation concern

- Prescribing a Regulatory Framework for the

Many species still insufficiently known

Distribution, estimates, current status

Biomedical & biochemical studies
Prospecting of Biological and Genetic
Resources, their By-Products and Derivatives,
for Scientific and Commercial Purposes, and
for Other Purposes
-approved by Pres. Fidel Ramos in May 1995

Species interactions, ecological links

Taxonomic review, local names

Auffenberg 1988, Gray’s monitor lizard 419 p.
- The process to develop EO 247 was initiated
by a group of scientists which had long
recognized that the exploitation of Filipino
biodiversity had rarely been of benefit for the
country

The purpose of EO 247 is to:

-all bioprospecting activities are

 regulate the research, collection and use
subject to research agreements with
of biological and genetic resources, so that the government, containing terms
such resources are conserved, used for the provision of information and
sustainably and benefit the national samples, technology cooperation
interest; and and benefit-sharing. For the
collection of biodiversity in areas
 p romote the development of local
where local and indigenous
capability in science and technology
communities live, the prior
informed consent (PIC) of such
communities is required.

13


EO 247 does not contain any
explicit requirement on the use of
traditional knowledge related to
genetic resources

However, the rights of indigenous
people over their knowledge systems
and practices are explicitly
recognised by IPRA, and by the
Traditional and Alternative Medicine
Act (TAMA, 1997) which requires
benefits to be shared with
communities that provide traditional
knowledge.
-Any act of bioprospecting without the
required Research Agreement and/or PIC
Certificate is subject to criminal
prosecution as may be proper under
existing laws, including NIPAS Law of 1992
(R.A. 7586) and the Revised Forestry Code
(PD 705), as amended.
- Noncompliance with the provisions
stipulated in the Research Agreement shall
result to the automatic
cancellation/revocation of said agreement
and confiscation of collected biological
and genetic specimens in favor of the
government, forfeiture of bond, and
imposition of perpetual ban on
prospecting of biological and genetic
resources in the Philippines
1992 R.A. 7586 National Integrated
Protected Area System (NIPAS)
 1995 EO 247 Law on Bioprospecting
1998 R.A 8371 Indigenous Peoples
Rights Act (IPRA)
1999 R.A. 8749 Philippine Clean Air
Act
2001 R.A. 9147 Wildlife Act
2004 Philippine Clean Water Act
3/12/2009
-reviews and approves all research agreements
entered into by any person.entity or corporation.
-It allows prospecting of biological and genetic
resources within areas of local communities,
including ancestral lands and domains of
Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous
Peoples (IPs) only with the prior informed
consent of such communities and in accordance
with the customary traditions practices and
mores of the concerned communities.
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
Section 16, Article II of the
Philippine Constitution, vests in
the State the ultimate
responsibility to preserve and
protect the environment; the
wildlife, flora and fauna, among
others, are owned by the State
and the disposition, development
and utilization thereof are under
its full control and supervision.
-Ratified in 1992
-is the classification and administration of all
designated protected areas to:
• maintain essential ecological processes and life
support systems
•to preserve genetic diversity
•to ensure sustainable use of resources
•to maintain their natural condition to the greatest
extent possible
•it includes designation of buffer zones-established
peripheral zone w/in the protected area that will
protect the same from activities that directly or
indirectly harm the prot. area.
14
 3/12/2009

Biodiversity protection was first legislated in

the Philippines with the passage of :

1916 Protection of Game and Fish Act-Act - very

limited in scope and severity of
penalty

1932 R.A. 3915-

3915 - first significant law that Integrated Protected Area Fund or
governed protected areas and IPAF - established for the purpose
IPAF-
provided the establishment of
national parks of promoting the sustained
financing of NIPAS
1981 Convention on International trade of
Endangered Species (CITES)-
(CITES) - an
international agreement focusing on
biodiversity protection

1. Batanes Landscape and Seascape 1. Mt. Pulog National Park

2. Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park 2. Mt. Isarog National Park
3. Turtle Island Wildlife Sanctuary 3. FB-Harison National Park
4. Mt. Kanlaon National Park 4. Sibuyan Island
5. Apo Reef National Park 5. Coron Island
6. Mt. Kitanglad Natural Park 6. El Nido Marine Reserve
7. Mt. Apo Natural Park 7. Malampaya Sound
8. Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary 8. Mt. Malindang National Park
9. Siargao Island Protected Landscape
and Seascape

15