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LAKE TAAL : SUSTAINING NATIVE BIODIVERSITY IN THE FACE OF AQUACULTURE, CLIMATE CHANGE AND NON-NATIVE SPECIES
Rey Donne S. Papa
Department of Biological Sciences, Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences and The Graduate School, University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines 1015
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ABSTRACT
Lake Taal is an interesting freshwater ecosystem to study. The complex interactions of its geological origins, its location, and the presence of the world’s lowest active volcano led to the evolution of a diverse flora and fauna. Its fisheries are integral to local communities and have sustained them for centuries. In the past three decades, however, the biodiversity of Lake Taal has been threatened by aquaculture. This has eventually led to poorer water quality and alteration of species’ structure. Fewer scientific research studies on Lake Taal have been published, which has also led to a lack of sound management policies that would have helped alleviate the current problems of the lake. This research study is focusing on determining the range of Lake Taal’s biodiversity and will shed light on the impacts of aquaculture, newly introduced species, and climate change on the native flora and fauna of Lake Taal. The findings of this study will be compared to the existing records, and significant differences are expected, given the dynamism in taxonomy and systematics, as well as the newly available technology. The research team is collaborating with experts from the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) who are currently documenting the biodiversity of the Verde Island Passage. Lake Taal’s proximity and close geographic link makes it highly possible for Lake Taal to be home to an equally diverse set of organisms.
The researchers anticipate that this project will open opportunities for scientifically sound recommendations to be integrated in future lake conservation plans. The research results will be shared through peer-reviewed publications, presentations, community discussions, and museum exhibits. Since the evaluation of the current state of Lake Taal’s biodiversity is already long overdue, much effort is being put into research result dissemination through valid avenues to ensure that other scientists and policy makers would have access to reliable data on Lake Taal’s biodiversity. This study will also ensure that the surrounding communities in the area would gain a better understanding and appreciation of the lake, which plays a significant role in shaping their livelihoods. The outreach and education activities are being designed to help communities integrate responsible aquaculture processes into lake conservation efforts. A museum exhibit on the biodiversity of Lake Taal is planned to help increase public awareness on the importance of Lake Taal as a biodiversity hotspot, given how its native flora and fauna must cope with external pressures from anthropogenic and natural sources. The involvement of young scientists will help build a more educated and scientifically inclined community. This presentation highlights the current status of the project, after a year of full implementation, and will also give a run-down of on-going and upcoming events in relation to this project.
CONSUMER DEMAND FOR CLEAN PRODUCTS; THE CHANGING INDONESIAN POULTRY INDUSTRY
Ian Patrick
Director, Institute for Rural Futures
University of New England, Australia
ABSTRACT
Indonesian consumers of poultry products are increasingly demanding cleaner, greener products that are not only nutritious but also produced under safe and healthy conditions. Increasing wealth, value chain development and disease scares such as Bird Flu and Newcastle disease are leading to contractor companies beginning to encourage their partners to produce a ‘cleaner’ product. A survey undertaken in three provinces (Bali, West Java and South Sulawesi) indicated that consumers would be prepared to pay between 10 and 20% above the regular price for broiler chicken, if they could be sure that these were produced on farms that met approved biosecurity standards. The ACIAR funded project then tested the market for these products in two of the provinces and found that demand for ‘Healthy Farm’ eggs and meat was indeed significant. In a supermarket in Bali during the first year of the trial, approximately 20% of the chickens sold were under the ‘Healthy Farm’ logo at an average price 12% higher than the regular product. Irrespective of the actual quality of the product, consumers were, and are prepared to pay more for poultry products produced in cleaner, greener environments. This will continue in the future.
CLIMATE CHANGE IN SOUTHEAST ASIA AND ITS RELATION WITH ADAPTIVE NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Nestor T. Baguinon
Professor in Forest Ecology University of the Philippines Los Banos
ABSTRACT
Southeast Asia (SEA)is rich in natural resources. Natural resources (NR)are products of evolution henceitsuniquebiota (flora and fauna). Marine natural resourcesinclude pelagic, coral reef and seagrass beds.The estuarylinks both freshwater and marine resources. At the back of mangroves and the estuary are forests.Forests vary with soil, climate, slope and elevation. Biogeographically, SEA is unique being a subset of Indoaustralasia. Itsbiota are mainly descendedfrom Gondwanian ancestors,e.g. fromIndia (e.g. Dipterocarpaceae, primates) and Australia(e.g. Podocarpaceae, parrots).However,montane/mossy forests speciesareof Eurasianorigin (e.g. Fagaceae, rodents). As background, this paper reviews SEAn climate at a millenial scope, i.e. Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) c.18,000 yrs B.P. to present. Hunting-gathering Negroids such as Australian aborigines, Papuans, Melanesians, Negritos(Philippines and Malay Peninsula) walked from Africa to archipelagic SEA,c. 50,000 yrs B.P., but about 4,000 yrs B.P.agricultural Austronesians arrived by boat irreversibly convertingforests into human settlements/farms. SEAn climates matchthe culture of ethnic groups.NR providesthem ecosystem services.Climate is thelong-term mean atmospheric condition of anygiven place, weather isits daily expression. Weather extreme is the term when the expression is abnormal, e.g. typhoons. During Glaciations, landbridges connected Continental SEA with Archipelagic SEA.It allowed overland migration of biota+humans. After the LGM, warm Interglaciationabruptly melted glaciers causing sea level rise. Sundaland became archipelagic again.Alternating Glaciation and Interglaciation is being driven by the Milankovitch Cycles. In Glaciationdeserts expand whileforestsretreat. The reverse is true for Warm Interglaciation although short drought episodescan occur as it did inAngkor Wat, Cambodia. Walker Circulation and El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) together explain other droughts.Ifugao rice terraces (Payoh) coupled to natural forests (Muyong) circumventdrought uncertaintieswith forestsreliably supplyingwater.Coupled forests+farmsisboth CC adaptation (CCA) and mitigation (CCM). Drought is also a function of theso-called Little Ice Age(LIA). Stoppageof the Thermohaline Circulation initiates LIA.It occurredduringthe years1650, 1770 and 1850 after the Medieval Warming. In 1850, the Industrial Revolution was already spewing greenhouse gases (GHG)hence theAnthropogenic Climate Change (ACC) problem. Atmospheric GHGis mounting as per Mauna Loa, Hawaii Keeling Curve (1960-2015). Aside from ACC,exponential human population growth (HPG) and deforestation (DF) are closely knit problems. Under a business-as-usual scenario, ACC will destroy natural resources and makes people vulnerable to ACC extreme events. This paper presents a systems-approach solutionto ACC, HPG and DF in anylandscape (e.g. reef to ridge) under one adaptive management.It includes participatory landscape benchmarking (GIS as tool), land-use plan (coupled biodiversity corridors+agroforestry), IEC, renewable energy cooperative, M&E, fine-tuning of CCA + CCM.
Keywords: Nature, Man, Austronesian, biosphere, noosphere, anthropocentrism, alienation, anarchy, tragedy of the commons, limits to growth, IEC, capacity-building, GIS benchmark, conflict resolution, land-use plan, knowledge management, biodiversity corridors, agroforestry cooperatives, ecological covenant, adaptive/ecological governance, sustainable economics, M&E, green development fine-tuning.