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25% of RP’s coral species face extinction, says marine biologist |
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Arlyn VCD Romualdo |
“One-fourth of the listed coral species in the Philippines is vulnerable to extinction,” declared Dr. Wilfredo Y. Licuanan in an interview with the UP Newsletter (UPN). Licuanan is adjunct researcher at the UP Diliman Marine Science Institute (MSI), and professor of biology and head of the Br. Alfred Shields Marine Station, De La Salle University, Manila.
Licuanan and 38 others (including two Filipinos) compose an international team of researchers in a Global Marine Species Assessment project. Their findings, published in Science in July of this year, concluded that one-third of the world’s reef-building corals face an elevated risk of extinction due to climate change and local impacts.
After the project, Licuanan cross-checked listed Philippine coral species with the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List to determine their extinction risk and found that 25% of these were vulnerable. He said that 53% of Philippine reefs need to be protected if near-shore fisheries are to be made sustainable.
The rapid increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere leads to rising sea surface temperatures and acidification, which reduces the ability of corals to build skeletons. On the other hand, local impacts include coastal development, overfishing, coral mining, sewage discharge, sedimentation from poor land-use and watershed management, nutrient loading from agro-chemicals, etc. These local threats further weaken the corals’ resistance to the problems brought about by climate change.
The Coral Triangle—the center of marine biodiversity in the Indo-Malay-Philippine archipelago—“has the highest proportion of vulnerable and nearly threatened coral species.” This is due to the “chronic nature of anthropogenic disturbance in many parts of this region… compounded by the effects of climate change.”
Licuanan said that no single solution exists to deal with such a problem. Many factors have to be considered—funding; alternative sources of income for those who rely on fishing; effective implementation; sustainability; etc.
Making a case for conservation
Last month, during the Coral Triangle Initiative Conference held in the country, Dr. Edgardo D. Gomez, MSI founding director and university professor emeritus, announced that the ongoing studies of Philippine coral reefs showed at least seven new records of coral and one new species.
Licuanan, who works closely with Gomez, explained that “new records” refer to coral species which were previously thought to not be present in the country. The new records announced by Gomez during the conference are already in scientific literature but the descriptions of these species are pending publication.
These new records attest to the richness of Philippine coral diversity. “We might even rival Indonesia,” said Licuanan. Rajah Ampat, Indonesia has the highest record of coral species with 553, while Sulu, Philippines has 540, excluding new records species that are often encountered in surveys.
“If we do not protect our reefs, we will not be able to discover other marine species in our waters. Maybe some have already gone extinct without us having known about them at all,” he lamented.
Licuanan and colleagues say that the extinction of coral species depends on the continued severity of global warming as well as local threats. If coral bleaching—the result of rising temperatures—becomes more frequent, many species may be unable to reestablish breeding populations. Moreover, if corals lose the ability to adapt to changes in their environment due to the speed and volume in which they occur, reef ecosystems will break down.
The protection of coral reefs is not an issue that should concern marine scientists alone. Licuanan illustrated the significant impact of losing these marine resources. Degraded reefs lead to less fish. And less fish not only mean a decrease in income and livelihood, but also a decrease in food availability and further degradation of these already damaged reefs.
According to the paper by Licuanan, et.al., “the functional loss of reef ecosystems… [will] have huge economic effects on food security for hundreds of millions of people dependent on reef fish.” Their study has led them to conclude that this loss “would lead to large-scale loss of global biodiversity.”
Rough seas
The ideal situation would entail the national government allotting resources for this endeavor and everyone pitching in to help in whatever way they can. According to Licuanan, however, “There are a lot of gaps and conflicts between government agencies that could help in protecting our coral reefs.” Fishing, for example, is governed by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, under the Department of Agriculture, while marine protected areas fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The problem lies in a government agency’s reluctance to encroach upon another’s perceived jurisdiction or in weak inter-agency linkages. What ensues is a confusion over who has the authority to decide and act on such a huge problem.
Above, a continuous survey of reefs shows new Philippine records.
Below is what a healthy reef should look like, according to Licuanan.
(Photos provided by Dr. Licuanan)
Licuanan divulged that sometimes dealing with local governments and communities was easier since the Fisheries Code empowers them to manage coastal waters. But he was quick to counter that it is not without its own set of problems. “Sometimes, you find a leader who is sympathetic and a community that is indifferent. Sometimes, it is the leader who is apathetic and the community that is enthusiastic about helping out.”
He reported that local leaders respond more if they are shown approximately how much money will be lost if coral reefs in their areas are not protected. In some localities, creating a marine sanctuary that makes up as little as four percent of the coastal waters can already make a big difference. Ideally though, it should be at least 15%. Disallowing big commercial vessels to fish closer to shore is already a preventive action against the deterioration of reef ecosystems.
Knowledge is key
Licuanan stressed that it is imperative that people know the significance of coral reefs to marine biodiversity because their loss affects everyone. One step in this direction is the conduct of seminars for divers by marine scientists. Licuanan heads the Coral Taxonomy Project of the Global Environment Facility-funded Coral Reef Targeted Research Program that provides training courses and creates visual field guides to aid divers and students in identifying coral species.
Identification is an integral part of conservation. “How can we protect something if we do not know what it is and where it is found?” he asked. It is not enough to know there are corals in a certain location, he said. It is more important to know which coral species are there because this will provide information on the conditions in which these species thrive. And by knowing the ideal conditions for their survival, specific measures can be taken to prevent their extinction.
Licuanan informed the UPN that these visual field guides can be downloaded for free at http://coenomap.philreefs.org. The project is a continuous activity, he explained. In their training courses, marine scientists request divers to report sightings of corals—when and where they were found, and if possible, a photograph of the said coral. This is a big help in determining the population of specific corals as well as their locations.
By making their materials available online, Licuanan and his team aim to inform a wider audience. It is hoped that more people will share the advocacy of conserving coral reefs.
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