International Conference on Emerging Trends in Computer and Image Processing (ICETCIP'2014) Dec. 15-16, 2014 Pattaya (Thailand)

Assessment of Marine Resources in the University of Eastern , Catarman, Northern Samar

Divina M. Galenzoga, and Geraldine A. Quinones

Part of the coastline of UEP, where there is fine white sand Abstract—This study aimed to assess the marine resources of and panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean, is developed. It is the University in terms of the following: algae, birds,corals, made into UEP White Beach Resort. Local and foreign crustaceans, , fishes, , molluscs, , tourists, faculty members, and students are welcomed to the and sponges; determine their abundance and distribution; determine resort. The resort is located near the exit gate (landmark) of the environmental parameters, ie. pH, current, temperature, salinity the University. The part of the coastline which is not and substrate; and determine their economic uses. The study was developed lay the areas, the coralline seashore, and conducted during the first semester SY 2014-2015 (June-October, 2014). There were 18 of algae, 7 species of birds, 10 species the fishing ground of the people. The coastline runs around of corals, 17 species of crustaceans, 16 species of echinoderms, 10 5km parallel to the National Highway species of fishes, 20 species of mangroves, 27 species of molluscs, 7 species of seagrasses, and 2 species of sponges. Most abundant alga II. OBJECTIVES - Sargassum cristaefolium; bird -Egretta sacra; coral - Porite slutea; The objectives of this study are: crustacean - Pagurus longicarpus; - rtypicus; 1. To identify the marine resources of a University Town fish – Siganus virgatus; mangrove - Rhizophora apiculata; mollusk – Cypraea moneta; – Thalassia hemprechii; and sponge- in terms of: algae, birds, corals, crustaceans, Halichondria panicea. All the environmental parameters were at echinoderms, fishes, mangroves, molluscs, seagrasses, normal range during the time of sampling. Substrates were variable and sponges.; as muddy, sandy, and rocky. Marine resources of the University 2. To determine their abundance and distribution; were used for food, for sale, for pet, for house decoration, for fuel, 3. To determine the environmental parameters, i.e. pH, for body ornaments, and for biological research and studies. The coastlines of the University may still be considered diverse and current, temperature, salinity and substrate;and abundant, and also not polluted, because of the presence of some 4. To determine the economic uses of these marine marine organisms that inhabit in it. resources to the people living in the coastlines

Keywords—Abundance, assessment, environmental parameters, III. METHODOLOGY marine resources. The study was conducted during the first semester SY 2014-2015 (June-October 2014) along the 5km stretch of the I. INTRODUCTION University coastlines. The descriptive method of research was HE community where University of Eastern Philippines is applied using stratified random sampling. For sessile marine Tfound is known as the University Town. The school organisms, five transect lines were laid out along the covers 382 hectares, of which 20 hectares is the school coastlines from the landward, leeward, to seaward at a campus The University of Eastern Philippines is a university distance of 50m. The intervals of the transects were 100m. by the sea. The University Town is composed of three zones, Five quadrats of 1 x 1 sq. meter was laid out in the transect. i.e. three barangays: UEP Zone I, UEP Zone II, and UEP All the sessile marine organisms in the quadrat were Zone III. The first two barangays lie in the coastal area, identified, counted and get sample of representative whereas the third barangay is located on the mountain/hill organisms of each species.Preliminary identification was area opposite the coastline[1]. conducted using field guides, references, and textbooks. Final This University lies along the National Highway, almost identification was made at the College of Science Laboratory, midway between the two municipalities of Catarman and University of Eastern Philippines.For mobile organisms, Mondragon, Northern Samar. It overlooks the Pacific Ocean sampling was done with the use of fine-meshed net/plankton on one side, and a reserve primary forest on the other side. It net, fishing net, and catching by hands. can be reached by water, land, and air transportation [2]. Sampling was made once a month to get the average of the environmental parameters; i.e. June, July, August, September, Divina M. Galenzoga and Geraldine A. Quinones are with the College of and October. The sampling sites were visited an hour before Science, University of Eastern Philippines, Catarman, Northern Samar, 6400 Philippines (e-mail: [email protected] and aldine [email protected]). the time of low tide to allow considerable amount of time to

70 International Conference on Emerging Trends in Computer and Image Processing (ICETCIP'2014) Dec. 15-16, 2014 Pattaya (Thailand) observe the marine organisms in their natural habitat and 9. Jania dessucato-dichotoma 10.Gelidiella acerosa record observations. For getting the data of environmental 11.Gracillaria salicornia parameters, i.e. pH, current, temperature, salinity and 12.Halimeda opuntia substrate; some materials and hand-held apparatuses were 13.Venticaria ventricosa 14.Caulerpa racemosa used, like the pH meter, refractometer, secchi disc, calibrated 15.Caulerpa lentillifera string/rope, and thermometer. 16.Ulva lactuca To answer the economic uses, a semi-structured 17.Halimeda macrolaba 18.Enteromorpha clathrata interview schedule in English, and translated into Samarnon dialect, was made. Older residents living near the coastlines B. Birds 1. Egretta sacra Chinese egret were interviewed. 2. Butorides striatus Little heron 3. Actitis hypoleucos Common sandpiper 4. Arenaria interpres Ruddy turnstone 5. Treron vernans Pink-necked green pigeon 6. Nectarinia jugularis Olive-backed sunbird 7. Rhipidura javanica Pied fantail

C. Corals 1. Actinia equine Beadlet anemone 2. Actinia fragacea Strawberry anemone 3. Anemonia viridis Snakelocks anemone 4. Haliclona oculata Finer sponge 5. Physalia physalis Portuguese man-of-war 6. Aurelia aurita Moon jellyfish 7. Gorgonia sp. Sea fan 8. Acropora cervicornis Staghorn coral Fig.1. UEP White Beach Resort 9. Millepora alcicornis Fire coral 10.Porites porites Club finger coral 11.Diploria labyrinthiformis Labyrinthin brain coral IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 12.Porites lutea Massive coral

A. Marine Resources of the University D. Crustaceans 1. Palaemon serratus Common prawn a) There were 18species of algae belonging to 12 2. Athanas nitescens Hooded shrimp genera. 3. Crangon crangon Edible shrimp b) There were 7species of birds belonging to 7 genera. 4. Penaeus duorarum Pink shrimp 5. Penaeus aztecus Brown shrimp c) There were 12 species of corals belonging to 10 6. Hippolyte varians Chamaeleon prawn genera. 7. Pagurus bernhardus Common hermit crab d) There were 17 species of crustaceansbelonging to 13 8. Pagurus longicarpus Long-clawed hermit crab genera. 9. Pagurus granosimanus Grainy hermit crab 10.Hyasco arctatus Lesser spider crab e) There were 16 species of echinodermsbelonging to 11.Cancer pagurus Edible crab 18 genera. 12.Cancer productus Red crab f) There were 10 species of fishes belonging to 8 13.Necora puber Swimming crab genera. 14.Carcinus maenas Shore crab 15.Pilumnus hirtellus Hairy crab g) There were 20 species of mangrovesbelonging to 11 16.Crabcallinectes sapidus Blue crab genera. 17.Libiniae margimata Common spider crab

h) There were 27 species of molluscsbelonging to 20 E. Echinoderms genera. 1. Asterina gibbosa Cushion star i) There were 7 species of seagrassesbelonging to 5 2. Asterias forbesi Common genera. 3. Asterias vulgaris Northern sea star 4. Ophiothrix fragilis Brittle star j) There were 2 species of sponges belonging to 2 5. Ophiocoma erenaceus Black brittle star genera 6. Echinus esculentus Edible sea urchin 7. Ophiopholis aculeata Daisy brittle star TABLE 1 8. Diadema antillarum Long-spined urchin MARINE RESOURCES OF THE UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES 9. Echinarachnius parma Common sand dollar Marine Resources English Name 10.Dendraster sp. Sand dollar 11.Nardoa turbiculata Warty mesh starfish A. Algae 12.Holothuria hilla Sea cucumber 1. Ulva reticulata 13.Echinometra mathari Rock sea urchin 2. Chaetomorpha crassa 14.Ophiorachnella gorgonia Green brittle star 3. Padina australis 15.Echinothrix calamaris Double spine brittle star 4.Padina minor 16.Archaster typicus Typical starfish 5. Sargassum cristaefolium 6. Sargassum gracillimum F. Fishes 7. Sargassum hemiphyllum 1. Siganus virgatus Virgate rabbitfish 8. Sargassum ilicifolium 2. Siganus canaliculatus White dotted rabbitfish

71 International Conference on Emerging Trends in Computer and Image Processing (ICETCIP'2014) Dec. 15-16, 2014 Pattaya (Thailand)

3. Siganus argenteus Forktailrabbitfish 4. Hippocampus sp. Seahorse 5. Gazza minuta Toothed pony fish 6. Halichoeres melanochir Purple wrasse 7. Mugil cephalus Flathead mullet 8. Ambly gastersirm Spotted sardinella 9. Abudefduf variegiensis Seargent major 10.Arothronigro punctatus Black spotted pufferfish

G. Mangroves 1. Nypa fruticans 2. Avicennia lanata 3. Avicennia alba 4. Avicennia marina 5. Ceriops decandra 6. Ceriops tagal 7. Rhizophora apiculata Fig. 2 The UEP Coastline 8. Rhizophora stylosa 9. Rhizophora mucronata B. Abundance and Distribution 10.Bruguiera cylindrical 11.Bruguiera gymnorrhiza The abundance and distribution were based on the density 12.Bruguiera parviflora and frequency of the organisms made by ocular inspection on 13.Bruguiera sexangula the sampling sites. The following were observed as most 14.Aegiceras corniculatum 15.Lumnitzera littorea abundant: 16.Lumnitzera racemosa a. alga– Sargassum cristaefolium 17.Hibiscus tiliaceus b. bird –Egretta sacra 18.Terminalia catappa c. coral–Porites lutea 19.Xylocarpus granatum 20.Derris trifolia d. crustacean –Pagurusl ongicarpus e. echinoderm –Archaster typicus H. Molluscs 1. Nerita undata Waved nerite f. fish –Siganus virgatus 2. Nerita scabra Grazer nerite g. mangrove –Rhizophora apiculata 3. Patella vulgata Common limpet h. mollusc –Cyprea moneta 4. Patelloida saccharina Pacific sugar limpet i. seagrass –Thalassia hemprechii 5. Trochus maculatus Maculated top 6. Turbo chrysostomus Gold mouth turban j. sponge -Halichondria panicea 7. Turbo pentholatus Tapestry turban 8. Turbo argyrostomus Silver mouth turban C. Environmental Parameters 9. Turbo bruneus Brown pacific turban The environmental parameters were gathered during the 10.Clypeomorus corallium Coral horn shell time of sampling. The following represents the average (June- 11.Telescopium telescopium Telescope shell 12.Cyprea tigris Tiger cowrie October, 2014) or mean: 13.Cyprea moneta Money cowrie TABLE II 14.Cyprea mappa Map cowrie AVERAGE/MEAN ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS 15.Conus ebraeus Hebrew cone parameter June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Mean 16.Conus textile Textile cone pH 7.3 8.1 8.2 7.6 8.0 7.84 17.Oliva reticulate Blood olive Current 2.9 2.8 2.8 2.9 2.8 2.84 18.Vasum tubiferum Imperial vase Tempe- 36.1 35.8 35.6 35.2 34.9 35.52 rature 19.Vasum turbinellum Common vase Salinity 33.5 32.7 32.2 33.6 31.9 32.78 20.Tridacna crocea Crocus giant clam substrate muddy muddy muddy Muddy Muddy Muddy 21.Tridacna gigas Giant clam sandy Sandy Sandy Sandy Sandy Sandy 22.Atrina vexillum Flag pen shell rocky rocky rocky rocky rocky rocky 23.Spondylus sinensis Chinese thorny oyster

24.Littorina littorea Edible periwinkle 25.Littorina neritoides Small periwinkle The pH for five months sampling averaged to 7.84, which 26.Cerastoderma edule Common cockle represents average water pH range bracket, i.e. as 7 is the 27,Polinices sp. Moon snail neutral amount in the pH scale; as 1 – 6 represents acidic;

I. Seagrasses and 8-14 represents basic. 1. Enhalus acoroides The current averaged to 2.84m/sec, which represented a 2. Thalassia hemprichii normal water current for coastal areas at fair weather 3. Halodule pinifolia 4. Halodule ciliatum condition, i.e. as normal range from 2.0-3.0m/sec. 5. Cymodocea rotundata The temperature averaged to 35.52°C, which also 6. Cymodocea serrulata represented a normal range water temperature for tropical 7. Halophila minor countries at normal range 30-36°C. J. Sponges The salinity averaged to 32.78ppt, which is also within the 1. Halichondria panacea Breadcrumb sponge 2. Hymenia cidonperleve Orange encrusting sponge normal range of water salinities at 30-35ppt in the tropical countries.

72 International Conference on Emerging Trends in Computer and Image Processing (ICETCIP'2014) Dec. 15-16, 2014 Pattaya (Thailand)

The substrates in the University coastlines were muddy, ACKNOWLEDGMENT where the mangroves were abundant; sandy, where fine white The authors would like to thank the following: Atty. Mar sand is present and is used as beach; and rocky, where P. de Asis, Ph.D., President, University of Eastern abundant reefs occur. Philippines; Dr. Pio P. Tuan, University Research Director, UEP; Dr. Karina Milagros R. Cui, Dean, College of Science, UEP;Mr. Felipe A. Balleta, Director, LAEF-BFAR, Lavezares, Northern Samar; Mr.Arnold Lorenzo M. Galenzoga; and the BS Marine Biology 4 students.

REFERENCES [1] University of Eastern Philippines, Official Records, 1975. [2] D.M. Galenzoga, et. al., Student Handbook. College of Science, University of Eastern Philippines, April, 2009. [3] G.S. Sandhu, A Textbook of Fish and Fisheries. New Delhi, India: Wisdom Press, 2010. [4] G.R. Allen and M.V. Erdmann, Reef Fishes of El Nido, Palawan. Philippines: Primex Printers Inc., El Nido Foundation Inc., 2009. [5] B. Bowen, Diversity of Fishes: Biology, Evaluation, Ecology. USA: Wiley Fig.3. One of UEP’s landmarks, the UEP Hostel Blackwell Inc., 2009. [6] H. Maserda, et. al., Fishes of Southeast Asia. Tokyo, Japan: Tokai D. Economic Uses University Press, 1987. Older people living near the coastlines were asked about [7] Rod and Ken Preston-Mafham, Seashore. Italy:Harper Collins Publishers, 1999. the economic uses of the marine resources to them. The [8] Audubon Society Pocket Guide, Familiar Seashore Creatures. New York: following were the answers: the marine resources of the Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1990. University were used for food, for decoration, for pet, for [9] National Audubon Society Pocket Guide, Familiar Birds of North America. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1990. house decoration, for fuel, for body ornaments, and for [10] J. Gooders, Pocket Guide Birds of Britain and Ireland. London: Kingfisher biological research and studies. Publications Plc, 1995. [11] T. Fisher and N. Hicks, A Photographic Guide to Birds of the Philippines. London: New Holland Publishers, 2006. ONCLUSION V. C [12] H. P. Calumpong and E. G. Menez, Field Guide to the Common 1. The marine resources of the University of Eastern Mangroves, Seagrasses and Algae of the Philippines. Philippines: Bookmark Inc., 1997. Philippines included the algae, birds, corals, crustaceans, [13] G. Trono, Algae of the Philippines. Quezon City: Bookmark Inc., 1998. echinoderms, fishes, mangroves, molluscs, seagrasses, [14] F. Leobrera and A. Springsteen, Shells of the Philippines. Philippines: and sponges. CARFEL Inc., 1986. [15] W. Cunningham and M. Cunningham, Principles of Environmental 2. Most abundant alga- Sargassum cristaefolium; bird- Science: Inquiry and Applications, 3rded. New York:McGraw-Hill Book Egretta sacra; coral-Porites lutea; crustacean- Pagurus Co., 2006. longicarpus; echinoderm- Archaster typicus; fish- [16] E. Enger and B. Smith, Environmental Science: A Study of Interrelationships, 11thed. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Co., 2008. Siganus virgatus; mangrove- Rhizophora apiculata; [17] T. Millerand S. Spoolman, Environmental Science, 13thed.USA: mollusk- Cypraea moneta; seagrass- Thalassia Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning, 2010. hemprechii; and sponge- Halichondria panicea. [18] C. Starr, C. Evers and L. Starr, Basic Concepts in Biology, 6th ed. 3. All the environmental parameters were at normal range USA:Thomson Brooks/ Cole Corp., 2006. [19] Philippine Biodiversity: An Assessment and Plan of Action. Makati: during the time of sampling. The substrates were UNEP, DENR, Bookmark Inc., 1997. variable as muddy, sandy, and rocky. 4. The marine resources of the University were used for food, for decoration, for pet, for house decoration, for fuel, for body ornaments, and for biological research and studies. 5. The coastline of the University may still be considered diverse and abundant; and also not polluted, because of the presence of some marine organisms that inhabit in it.

VI. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. More studies on planktons, migratory birds, coastal zonation, biology and ecology of marine organisms be done. 2. LGUs of the University Town be involved in coastal protection and management. 3. The University coastlines be included as a National Protected Area.

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