Final Technical Report PlacePlace CAF2016–RR08–CMY–Dautova logo logo here here Developing life–supporting marine ecosystems along the Asia–Pacific coasts – a synthesis of physical and biological data for the science–based management and socio– ecological policy making The following collaborators worked on this project: 1. Dr. Tatiana N. Dautova, A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, National Scientific Center of Marine Biology (NSCMB) of Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Russia; [email protected] 2. Dr Salim Dautov A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology, NSCMB FEB RAS, Russia; [email protected] 3. MsSci. Hoang Trung Du, Institute of Oceanography, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Vietnam, [email protected] 4. Dr Filipina Sotto, San Carlos University, Philippines, [email protected] 5. Dr. Xiaoxia Sun, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, [email protected] Copyright © 2016 Asia–Pacific Network for Global Change Research APN seeks to maximise discoverability and use of its knowledge and information. All publications are made available through its online repository “APN E–Lib” (www.apn–gcr.org/resources/). Unless otherwise indicated, APN publications may be copied, downloaded and printed for private study, research and teaching purposes, or for use in non–commercial products or services. Appropriate acknowledgement of APN as the source and copyright holder must be given, while APN’s endorsement of users’ views, products or services must not be implied in any way. For reuse requests: http://www.apn–gcr.org/?p=10807 Table of Contents 1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………. 8 2. Methodology………………………………………………………………………………. 11 2.1. The study region – characters and background……………………………………..... 11 2.2. Collecting of the existing data……………………………………………………....... 13 2.3. Collecting of the gap-filling data on the environments………………………………. 14 2.4. Stable isotopes composition………………………………………………………….. 17 2.5. Collecting of the gap-filling data on the status of coral reefs………………………... 17 2.6. Data on the reproduction strategies and recruitment…………………………………. 19 2.7. Research of sexual reproduction of sea urchins…………………………………….... 20 2.8. Dissemination of our results and policy-making consultations……………………… 21 3. Results & Discussion……………………………………………………………………... 21 3.1. Physical environments in the targeted model area…………………………………… 21 3.1.1. Terrestrial run-off and water quality – regional threats, Nha Trang Bay (Vietnam)…………………………………………………………………………... 21 3.1.2. Nha Trang Bay, Central of Vietnam – fluctuation of aquatic environments around coral reefs………………………………………………………………………….. 24 3.2. Status of targeted coral reefs in South China Sea – condition of the coral communities and its relation to the environments………………………………....... 34 3.2.1. Coral reefs of the different regions of Vietnam………………………………......... 34 3.2.2. A case of Nha Trang Bay – coral reefs along with the gradient of river discharge influence……………………………………………………………………………. 36 3.3. Philippines - aquatic environments and coral reefs ………………………………….. 50 3.3.1. Data on the aquatic environments around the Philippine’s coral reefs…………...... 50 3.3.2. Sedimentation/eutrophication influence on Philippine’s coral reef ecosystems…… 54 3.3.3. Philippines coral reefs conditions under the environmental fluctuations………….. 56 3. 4. Coral reef conditions along with the Chinese coast of the South China Sea……….. 59 3.5. Biodiversity and interconnections between marine ecosystems in the Asia-Pacific seas…………………………………………………………………………………... 60 3.5.1. Stony corals of South China Sea…………………………………………………… 60 3.5.2. Coral diversity of the Central and South of Vietnam………………………………. 61 3.5.3. Reef-building (stony) corals diversity in Philippines………………………………. 62 3.5.4. Octocorals as a key group to study the ways of corals dispersal in the Asia-Pacific seas…………………………………………………………………………………. 63 3.5.5. Soft corals diversity of the Vietnam……………………………………………….. 63 3.5.6. Sinularia soft corals of Vietnam waters – indicative group for octocorals pathways for dispersal in South China Sea…………………………………………………… 68 3.5.7. Soft corals in Philippine’s coral reef ecosystems and their ways of dispersal in South China Sea …………………………………………………………………… 78 3.5.8. Dispersal ways of the Octocorallia in other Asian-Pacific areas and their important role in the vulnerable marine ecosystems……………………………... 81 3.5.9. New markers for echinoderms chemotaxonomy and its relevance to biodiversity 87 3.6. Reproductive capabilities and potential of key groups of marine organisms in Nha Trang bay, Central of Vietnam…………………………………………………….. 88 3.6.1. Coral reproduction in the natural ecosystems…………………………………………. 88 3.6.2. Asexual reproduction in Echinoderms………………………………………………… 92 3.6.3. Sexual reproduction in Echinoderms, a case with sea urchins………………………… 99 4. Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………...... 109 5. Future direction…………………………………………………………………………... 113 6. References………………………………………………………………………………… 114 7. Appendix………………………………………………………………………………….. 125 1 Project Overview Project Duration : 01.07.2015 – 12.03.2018 Funding Awarded : US$ 38,000 for Year 1; US$ 38,000 for Year 2 Key organisations : 1. A.V. Zhirmunsky Institute of Marine Biology of National involved Scientific Centre of Marine Biology, Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia; involved persons – Dr. Tatiana N. Dautova, Dr. Igor Dolmatov, Dr Salim Dautov, Prof. Andrey Adrianov, Dr Valery Parensky, Dr Viacheslav Odintsov, Dr.Yaroslav Kamenev, Dr Elena Kostina, Dr Eduard Titlyanov, Dr Tamara Titlyanova, Computing specialist Gennady Dolgov, Diving specialist Konstantin Dudka. 2. Far East Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia; involved persons – MsSci Pavel Kireev, MsSci Alena Moskovtseva, Dr Prof Nadezhda Khristophorova. 3. Racific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry FEB RAS, Vladivostok, Russia; involved persons –Director Dr Valentin Stonik; Dr Vladimir Kalinin; Dr A. Silchenko. 3. Institute of Oceanography, Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology (VAST), Nha Trang, Vietnam; involved persons – MsSci Hoang Trung Du, Dr. Vo Si Tuan, Dr Dao Viet Ha, Head General Management Dept Mr. Nguyen Phi Phat, International relation officer Mrs. Bui Thi Minh Ha, Mr. Nguyen Ky, MsSci Thi Thu. 4. Nha Trang Marine Protected Area, Vietnam; involved persons – Mr Truong Kinh, Mr Buong Choi. 5. Long Phu Tourism Corporation, Long Phu, Vietnam. Involved persons – Mr. Nguyen Van Huong. 5. Research Institute of Aquaculture No. 3, Nha Trang, Vietnam; involved persons – Dr Pham Quoc Phung, Dr Minh Du Mai, Dr Minh Nguyen. 6. Government Administration of the Khanh Hoa Province, Vietnam; involved persons – Mr Huynh Ky Han(Department of Science and Technology), Mr Mai Van Thang (Department of Natural Resources), Tran Son Hai (People’s Committee). 7. Khanh Hoa Union of Science and Technology Associations, Nha Trang, Vietnam; involved person - Bui May. 7. San Carlos University, Philippines; involved persons – Dr Fr Louie Punzalan, Dean Dr Fr Miranda, Dr Prof Filipina Sotto, MsSci Antonio Ayop, MsSci Maria Olano. 8. Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China; involved persons – Dr. Xiaoxia Sun, Director Prof. Sun Son, Prof. Li Chaolun, Prof. Xu Kuidong, Prof. Yu Rencheng. 2 Project Summary The project addresses the essential questions regarding the global change research – how to identify, explain and predict the changes in the ecosystems of coral reefs in the Asia-Pacific region under the natural and anthropogenic influence forcing? The South China Sea (SCS), the greatest in SE Asia, is a strategic body of water that is surrounded by nations that are currently at the helm of industrialization and rapid economic growth in the region. Our project united the experience and knowledge of the scientists, managers and policy makers to synthesize the data on the physical environments together with the information on the biodiversity and reproductive potential of marine organisms for recognition of the risky changes in their populations and estimate its adaptive capacity under the global climate change. The project has fundamental relevance with APN Focus Activity being intended to promote the regional cooperative global change research via wide discussion and promotion our results and conclusions at public and policy-making levels for developing the social– related policy options for the marine conservation. Keywords: marine ecosystems, South China Sea, coral reefs, Asia-Pacific region, sustainable exploration Project outputs and outcomes Project outputs: - Output A. The input into the building up strong partnership with managers, policy-makers and researchers concerning with the global change problems. - Output B. A conceptual framework developed and implanted to assess the sustainability of marine resources in Asian seas. Project outcomes: - Outcome A. The integrative assessment of the life-supporting marine ecosystems and their adaptive responses to the global change provided in the targeted regions basing on the arranged partnership with managers, policy-makers and researchers. - Outcome B. The capacity of the national specialists who are busy with the vulnerable marine ecosystems improved to assess their adaptive responses to the global change in the targeted regions due to a range of meetings for involving all countries parties along with the special training divisions for young eco-managers and scientists. - Outcome C. Two international workshops and round tables organized