Reef Mo

Why do we monitor the reefs of Lian, Batangas? 🪸🪸

Since 2008, scientists have been working at De La Salle University Br. Alfred Shields Marine Station, monitoring 16 survey stations surrounding the coasts of Lian. Its geological structure enables us to study how reefs change over time under varying conditions. Apart from that, reefs provide important resources that directly affect people’s lifestyles.

Learn about the story of a reef’s temporary closure, proving that monitoring is a science done by the people for the people.

What makes Philippine reefs important to people around the world? 🤔

With 7,641 islands, the Philippines sits at the apex of the Coral Triangle between the West Philippine Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

Its geographic and geological features shaped the country as the global center of marine biodiversity. This has made the country a prime location for research within the scientific community and an avenue for reef monitoring and conservation.

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐞𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 💖

This Valentine’s day, we are featuring 𝘿𝙞𝙥𝙨𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙚𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙨! What you’re seeing here is a coral undergoing asexual reproduction (called budding) – where it clones itself. When the timing is just right, this process can create a heart-shaped formation, just like the one captured in this photo. Isn’t that cool?

𝒟𝒾𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌?
𝘿. 𝙡𝙞𝙯𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙚𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙨 was named after the Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia, where it was first described.

What a sight! 👀🪸

The reefs of Cagayancillo, Palawan were monitored by Dr. Licuanan and his team last April and May 2019, making a final stop in Calusa Island. Its reefs were found with high coral cover such as those from offshore oceanic reefs, while also observing high species diversity belonging to inshore fringing reefs.

“Monitoring allows us to generate information that we can act on and potentially save corals,” marine ecologist Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan states in a WWF article.

This event was in collaboration with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines. Photo by Ryan Murray of Large Marine Vertebrates (LAMAVE) Research Institute Philippines.

Source: https://support.wwf.org.ph/resource-center/story-archives-2019/sulu-sea-reef-monitoring/