MARINE BIOGEOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY
RESEARCH PROJECTS
-
Project 1C: Monitoring Biodiversity at NIPAS Sites and Ocean Acidification Baseline Study
The objective of this project is to monitor cryptic biodiversity and determine baseline information on ocean acidification at selected reef sites in the country. The main activity of this project is to deploy 9 units of Autonomous Reef Monitoring Structures (ARMS) for a minimum of 1 to 3 years and study the diversity of the organisms that will be collected from these structures. ARMS units are made of polyvinyl chloride material and they are designed to mimic the complexity of coral reefs to attract and collect colonizing invertebrates. ARMS were developed by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – Pacific Reef Assessment and Monitoring Program (RAMP) to determine baseline of reef crypto biodiversity and later on assess the effects of climate change and ocean acidification on biodiversity. It provides a systematic, consistent and comparable method to
monitor biodiversity and cryptic species. Over 800 ARMS have been deployed globally. The ARMS provide a standard method for taxonomic and molecular analysis to assess invertebrate biodiversity and improve the ability to measure/monitor diversity of cryptic organisms globally over time, thus increasing the ability to monitor/predict ecological impacts of global climate change, particularly ocean warming and acidification. Understanding their impacts on biodiversity is essential due to the role of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem resilience.
The project is a collaborative effort between UP MSI, De La Salle University and National Museum. The ARMS will be deployed at 5 sites – Palaui, Verde Island Passage (VIP), Zambales, Tubbataha and Siargao. Aside from baseline carbonate chemistry information (e.g., pH and aragonite saturation maps), other outputs of the project include data on taxonomic biodiversity and other biodiversity indices, repository of some of the organisms collected in the ARMS at the National Museum, guidebook and information, education and communication (IEC) materials about the organisms collected in the ARMS, and trained personnel for capacity building for future retrieval and processing of remaining ARMS units.
Funding Agency: Biodiversity Management Bureau Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researchers: Dr. Charissa Ferrera, Mary Chris Lagumen
Funding Agency: Biodiversity Management Bureau Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researchers: Dr. Charissa Ferrera, Mary Chris Lagumen
-
Growth, survival, and toxin content of red-tide bloom forming Pyrodinium bahamense exposed to different phytoplankton species
The project aims to determine the effect of HAB species interaction on the growth, survival, and toxin content of Pyrodinium bahamense; the toxin content of P. bahamense exposed to different growth stages of other target HAB species; and changes in Paralytic Shellfish Toxin (PST) composition of P. bahamense cells exposed to different microalgal cells.
Funding Agency: Office of the Vice-Chancellor for Research and Development
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researcher: Iris Orizar
-
Identifying resilient coral species” under DOST-PCAARRD Coral Genomics Program
The project aims to identify resilient coral species in support of future coral restoration and rehabilitation efforts. Project activities involve field surveys on natural coral populations, in/ex-situ experiments on characterizing physiological limits of selected coral species in response to environmental stressors (e.g. ocean acidification, ocean warming, fish effluent), and molecular identification of Symbiodinium and genetic diversity across resilient susceptible coral species.
Funding Agency: Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD)
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researcher: Mikhael Clotilde Tanedo
-
Monitoring of water quality parameter in Bolinao, Pangasinan
The main goal of the study is to continue monitoring the water quality in Bolinao to describe the long-term changes in water quality conditions over time. Activities of the project includes daily collection of water samples from a permanent station at the back of Bolinao Marine Laboratory (BML) along Guiguiwanen Channel. The project provides daily monitoring data on nutrient, chlorophyll and carbonate parameters.
Funding Agency: University of the Philippines Diliman In-house Funds
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researcher: John Michael Aguilar
Recently Completed Projects
-
UP-Climate Change Commission-Resilience and Preparedness toward Inclusive Development-Natural Resources Assessment (UP-CCC-RAPID-NRA) (2015 - 2016)
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researchers: Mary Chris Lagumen, Iris Orizar
Funding Agency: Climate Change Commission
-
Coastal Ecosystem Response to Nutrient and Sediment Inputs and Fluxes from Mariculture, Tourism, and Watershed Activities (2013 - 2015)
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researchers: Mary Chris Lagumen (January - June 2015), Ma. Teresa Escobar (January 2013 -December 2014)
Funding Agency: Commission on Higher Education
-
Integrated Coastal Ecosystem Conservation and Adaptive Management under Local and Global Environmental Impacts in the Philippines (CECAM) (2010 - 2015)
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researcher:
Funding Agency: JICA-JIST
-
Detection and Mitigation Technology and Early Warning System for Philippine Harmful Algal Blooms (HABTech) Project 1: HAB Detection and Mitigation Technology (2012 - 2015)
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researcher: Iris Orizar
Funding Agency: DOST-PCAARRD
-
Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms in the Philippines Project 8: Harmful Algal Bloom Mitigation in the Tropics (2009 - 2012)
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researcher: Iris Orizar (January 2009 - December 2012)
Funding Agency: DOST-PCAARRD
-
Shelf-Pacific Interaction in Luzon Project (2013)
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researcher: Ma. Teresa Escobar (January -December 2013)
Funding Agency: US Office of Naval Research
-
Ecology and Oceanography of Harmful Algal Blooms in the Philippines Project 4: Fish Kill, Algal Blooms and Eutrophication in the Tropics, Philippine Harmful Algal Blooms Program (2009 - 2012)
Project Leader: Dr. Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone
Researcher: Ma. Teresa Escobar (January 2009 - December 2012)
Funding Agency: DOST-PCAARRD