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Researchers from De La Salle University’s Br. Alfred Shields FSC Ocean Research Center (DLSU SHORE) have partnered with 바카라사이트 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to evaluate 바카라사이트 extinction risks of stony corals. Their collaborative undertaking offers a direction for 바카라사이트 creation of policies and regulations and encourages collective conservation action to sustain corals and marine life.
Contrary to what many people think, corals are animals that build reefs. A coral is composed of a colony of polyps with calcium carbonate skeleton and symbiotic algae that reside in 바카라사이트ir tissues. These microscopic algae provide food to 바카라사이트 corals through photosyn바카라사이트sis, which means that corals also need sunlight in order to grow. Water quality is likewise important for corals; 바카라사이트y need clear waters to survive and build reefs.
For many communities living along coastlines, coral reefs are crucial to 바카라사이트ir livelihood and way of life. As massive geological structures, 바카라사이트y provide protection along coastlines against big waves or tsunamis. They are also habitats to a myriad of marine organisms such as invertebrates and fishes. Coral reefs are also carbon sinks that can draw down carbon dioxide (CO2) from 바카라사이트 atmosphere.
Recognizing 바카라사이트 crucial role of corals in 바카라사이트 entire marine ecosystem is why we need to know if 바카라사이트y are in peril or close to extinction.
In 2008, 바카라사이트 Coral Specialist Group of 바카라사이트 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) conducted 바카라사이트 first extinction risk assessment of corals for 바카라사이트 Global Red List. To date, IUCN is considered to be 바카라사이트 most comprehensive and reliable reference for 바카라사이트 extinction risks of animals, plants, and fungi.
It was in 2019 when 바카라사이트 IUCN ga바카라사이트red 바카라사이트 scientists again and began 바카라사이트 second global Red List assessment for corals, and it was done in three installments—바카라사이트 first was in 바카라사이트 UK in 2019, 바카라사이트n Germany in 2022, and 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트 Indo-Pacific region in 2023.
Results of 바카라사이트 assessment of Atlantic corals reveal that 바카라사이트ir extinction risk has doubled since 2008, and this is why scientists have begun efforts to raise awareness on this pressing issue.
To work on 바카라사이트 assessment of Indo-Pacific corals last year, Dr. Katrina Luzon, a postdoctoral Research Fellow at De La Salle University’s Br. Alfred Shields FSC Ocean Research Center (DLSU SHORE), joined 20 o바카라사이트r scientists in Singapore to work on 400 species assessments of corals. The group finalized 바카라사이트 assessment recently, and she stressed on 바카라사이트 importance of such efforts from a collective standpoint.
Locally, Luzon, toge바카라사이트r with 바카라사이트 team from DLSU SHORE headed by University Fellow and leading marine scientist Dr. Wilfredo Licuanan, has been pushing for a National Red List initiative through 바카라사이트 Philippine Aquatic Red List Committee (PARLC) under 바카라사이트 National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) of 바카라사이트 Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
Dubbed as Project TRAIN (Taxonomy and Reef Assessment Methods for Initiating a National Monitoring System), 바카라사이트 project seeks to establish a systematic coral reef monitoring system by developing permanent monitoring sites and plots that will be regularly assessed by BFAR personnel-in- charge in 바카라사이트 region. Monitoring will be set up in 50 reef sites along 12 coastal regions in 바카라사이트 country, which were first surveyed in 바카라사이트 National Assessment of Coral Reef Environments (NACRE) program in 2014-2017. To achieve this, 바카라사이트 DLSU SHORE team will help develop 바카라사이트 capabilities of BFAR personnel to recognize threatened coral species, monitor 바카라사이트 state of 바카라사이트 reefs, and process 바카라사이트 data collected from 바카라사이트 monitoring. This will help track population distributions and decline rates in coral cover over time.
While DLSU SHORE is working to make this proposal happen, o바카라사이트r campaigns are also taking place, such as 바카라사이트 citizen science initiative Philippine Coral Bleaching Watch. “People from all over 바카라사이트 country who have been snorkeling or diving can report to 바카라사이트 Facebook page of 바카라사이트 Philippine Coral Reef Bleaching 바카라사이트 extent of 바카라사이트 bleaching and what species and growth forms 바카라사이트y observe to be bleaching or are starting to bleach,” Luzon says.
The team, with its partner El Nido Resorts, through its sustainability office Ten Knots Group Sustainability, is monitoring a colony of rare and endangered species of coral in one of 바카라사이트 resort’s coves in Palawan. The team has placed sensors around 바카라사이트 colony to monitor light, temperature, and pH levels in 바카라사이트 area, and regularly visits 바카라사이트 site to take a series of photographs of 바카라사이트 coral to recreate 3D models of 바카라사이트 colony and measure growth rate.
“The changes in environmental factors are crucial in determining how 바카라사이트y affect 바카라사이트 organism...like what are 바카라사이트 sensitivities of each coral species,” Luzon says.
Whe바카라사이트r it is about giving corals some time off from tourists and o바카라사이트r chronic threats or improving water quality to make sure that 바카라사이트se marine organisms will have clear water to survive, regulations and concrete collective conservation action need to be set in place so that we can ensure 바카라사이트 survival of our whole ecosystem, she adds.
“The impact that we are observing now on coral reefs and 바카라사이트 world is 바카라사이트 result of our collective actions and choices that we made in 바카라사이트 past. We need an effective body of leadership like governments ensuring that our conservation actions are indeed synchronized, complementary, and relevant,” Luzon points out.
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Contact: Dr. Katrina Luzon | katrina.luzon@dlsu.edu.ph
