UP scientists report poor condition of reefs in WPS

MANILA, Philippines — Marine scientists from the University of the Philippines have discovered the poor condition of coral reefs in the West Philippine Sea, highlighting the need for better management and conservation efforts in the region.

Authored by scientists from the UP Marine Science Institute (MSI), the paper – published this week in the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom – revealed that coral reefs in the West Philippine Sea have low abundance and diversity of corals and fish species.

It noted that deeper areas of the reefs, which are presumed to be buffered from disturbances, showed similar composition to that of shallow water reefs, suggesting that these may also be vulnerable to human activities.

“The West Philippine Sea is a biodiversity hotspot and known source of fish and corals for reefs in surrounding countries,” the MSI said in an article published on the university’s website.

“With the declining condition of reefs in the West Philippine Sea, the abundance and diversity of fish and corals in other reefs could also be affected. This calls for regional efforts for better management and conservation of the area,” it added.

The study, which was conducted last year, sampled the habitat and abundance of fish in deep coral reefs in Luzon Strait, Palawan and four islands on the Kalayaan Group of Islands.

It aims to provide a clearer picture of the biodiversity in the deeper portions of the West Philippine Sea, with the researchers noting that most biodiversity surveys in the region are confined to shallow water reefs.

“Fishing efforts may have contributed to among-location differences as the highly exploited location had the lowest fish biomass,” read the paper.

“The results imply that local-scale factors and anthropogenic disturbances probably dampen across-depth structuring in coral genera and fish species assemblages,” it added.

The paper was authored by UP scientists Timothy Joseph Quimpo, Patrick Cabaitan, Kevin Thomas Go, Edwin Dumalagan, Cesar Villanoy and Fernando Siringan.