SCITECH TOPIC 9

SPECIFIC ISSUES IN STS

(2) BIODIVERSITY AND THE HEALTHY SOCIETY

LESSON OBJECTIVES

– At the end of this lesson, the students should be able to:

– determine the interrelatedness of society, environment, and health;

– create a diagram that would show the relatedness of species in forming up

a diverse and healthy society without compromising one another; and

– identify everyday tasks and evaluate whether they contribute to the

wellness and health of biodiversity and society or not.

INTRODUCTION

– Decrease in biodiversity is eminent worldwide.

– Vertebrates fell to 60% from the 1970’s due to human causes.

– It is projected that by 2020, wildlife decline will be 67 % of the present number.

– The World Wide Fund for Nature and Zoological Society of London reported an
annual decrease in wildlife by 2 %.

– A major cause is human population which has doubled in number since 1960 to
7.4 billion.

– Humans have industrialized the natural habitat of wildlife as well as marine life.

– Earth might enter the sixth mass extinction event according to experts.

– Mass extinction is described as the disappearance of species at a rate of 1000

faster than usual.

– The disappearance of species in a certain environment causes an imbalance in

the ecosystem, producing more chaotic changes that harm the entire ecosystem
(Inquirer.net,2016)
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– This is but a pressing statement for people to know more about the importance of
our diverse environment, and how human activities can either contribute to its
growth or destruction.

BIODIVERSITY AND ECOSYSTEM

Biodiversity- is defined as the vast variety of life forms in the entire Earth.

- it encompasses all kinds of life forms, from the single-celled organisms to the
largest multi-celled organisms.

- the variability among living organisms from all sources, including terrestrial,
marine, and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are
part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of ecosystems.

- the source of the essential goods and ecological services that constitute the
source of life for all and it has direct consumptive value in food, agriculture, medicine, and
in industry.”

- Understanding Biodiversity within the concept of ecosystem needs a thorough study

on the relationship of the biotic and the abiotic.

- Interdisciplinary approach is needed to study the ecosystem.

- Biodiversity plays a major role in this natural dynamics.

- Sustainability of the ecosystem ensures a better survival rate against any natural
disaster.

- Therefore, we, as human inhabitants of the ecosystem, must preserve and

conserve the biodiversity of all creatures.
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THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY

1. Habitat loss and destruction

2. Alterations in ecosystem composition

3. Over-exploitation

4. Pollution and contaminant

5. Global climate change

SCITECH TOPIC 9

MINDORO BIODIVERSITY
DIFFERENT CLIMATE TYPE

Type I

Type III
Type I. Two pronounced seasons: dry from
November to April and wet during the rest of the
year.

Type II. No dry season with a pronounced

rainfall from November to January.

DIVERSITY OF HABITATS
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Coastal Wetlands

Forest

(low land, montane & mossy)

Freshwater wetland

Offshore islets
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Grassland

Coral reef

Beach forest and karst

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;J

Mangrove forest

MINDORO: Globally important island

MINDORO
SPECIES GROUP PHILIPPINE ENDEMIC
ENDEMIC

Mammals 24 7

Birds 35 9
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• Amphibians
EXTINCT (EX) - No known individuals
& Reptiles 24 4
remaining
• EXTINCT IN THE WILD (EW) -
Known only to survive in captivity, or
Butterflies 49

as a naturalized population outside its

historic range
Flowering Plants 70
• CRITICALLY ENDANGERED (CR) -
Extremely high risk of extinction in the
wild
• ENDANGERED (EN) - High risk of
extinction in the wild
• VULNERABLE (VU) - High risk of
endangerment in the wild Structure of the categories. 2001
• NEAR THREATENED (NT) - Likely to CATEGORIES OF
IUCN Red List
THREATENED SPECIES Categories and
become endangered in the near Criteria version 3.1
future
• LEAST CONCERN (LC) - Lowest
risk. Does not qualify for a more at
risk category. Widespread and
abundant taxa are included in this
category
• DATA DEFICIENT (DD) - Not enough
data to make an assessment of its
risk of extinction
• NOT EVALUATED (NE) - Has not yet
been evaluated against the criteria
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ONLY IN MINDORO...
TAMARAW
(Bubalus mindorensis)
The largest land animal native to the
Philippines
Critically Endangered (CR)

MINDOROWARTY PIG
(Sus oliveri)

Endangered (EN)
SCITECH TOPIC 9

ILIN BUSHY-TAILED
CLOUD RAT
(Crateromys paulus)

Known from only one specimen

collected on April 04, 1953

MINDORO STRIPE-FACED FRUIT BAT

(Styloctenium mindorensis)
One of the world’s top ten
species discovered in 2007

One of the two known

species under Genus
Styloctenium in the whole
world!
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MINDORO BLEEDING-HEART
(Gallicollumba platenae
Critically Endangered (CR)

MINDORO VARIABLE-BACKED FROG

(Pulchrana mangyanum)
Vulnerable (VU)

BANGON MONITOR LIZARD

(Varanus bangonorum)
Vulnerable (VU)
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BLACK-HOODED COUCAL
(Centropus steerii)
Critically Endangered (CR)

MINDORO RACKET-TAIL
(Prioniturus mindorensis)
Vulnerable (VU)

MINDORO SCOPS OWL

(Otus mindorensis)
Near-threatened (NT)

MINDORO IMPERIAL PIGEON

© Robert
Hutchinson
SCITECH TOPIC 9

(Ducula mindorensis)
Endangered (EN)

MINDORO HORNBILL
(Penelopides mindorensis)
Endangered (EN)

MINDORO HAWK OWL

(Ninox mindorensis)
Near-threatened (NT)
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MINDORO GECKO
(Gekko mindorensis)
Endangered (EN)

MINDORO TREE FROG

(Philautus schmackeri)
Endangered (EN)

SCARLET-COLLARED
FLOWERPECKER
(Dicaeum retrocinctum)
Vulnerable (VU)
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MINDORO BULBUL
(Hypsipetes mindorensis)
Least Concern (LC)

HALCON GLOSS
SWALLOWTAIL

(Papilio hermeli)

Found only in Mt. Halcon at an

elevation of 1,000masl and above
One of the 49 species of butterfly
that can only be found in Mindoro
and nowhere else in the world

Near-threatened (NT)

NEWLY DESCRIBED SPECIES FROM MINDORO…

SCITECH TOPIC 9

SARCOSTEMMA MALAMPAYAE
A newly described species named after the
Malampaya Joint Venture Partners (MJVP)
who supported the research on 2013 at Ilin
Island, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro. Follow
up researches should be conducted to look for
new distribution records of this species.

70 PLANT SPECIES ARE ENDEMIC TO MINDORO!

VACCINIUM WOODIANUM ELAEOCARPUS MANDIAE

MERR. COODE
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PHILIPPINE BROWN DEER B

(Cervus mariannus barandanus)
subspecies endemic to Mindoro

Vulnerable (VU)

OTHER IMPORTANT SPECIES FOUND IN MINDORO...

PHILIPPINE TEAK
(Tectona philippinensis)

Only recorded in
the islands of
Ilin and Ambulong in
Occidental Mindoro and
Batangas in Luzon Island

Critically Endangered
(CR)

TUFTED DUCK
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(Aythya fuligula)

Migratory species recorded at

Naujan Lake National Park
(NLNP) at high numbers.
During the Annual Waterbird
Count (AWC) in 2016, 7,619
individuals were counted and
Estimated number of 7,000
individuals were seen during
the Worldof
Home Wetlands Day this
the Mangyans
2017
Eight (8) ethnolinguistic groups
(Iraya, Alangan, Tadyawan,

Tau-Buid, Bangon, Buhid,

Hanunoo and Ratagnon)

comprise 16.7% of Mindoro’s

population
(NSO, 2007)

Tau Buid mangyan from

Calintaan, Occidental Mindoro
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THREATS

Illegal cutting of trees Slash and burn agriculture or kaingin

Excessive charcoal-making

Wildlife poaching
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POLLUTION

SPECIES INTRODUCTION

“Tilapia” Oreochromis sp. Oriental House Rat

“Golden Kuhol”
(Rattus tanezumi)
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HUMAN POPULATION GROWTH

TRIVIA BOUT PHILIPPINE BIODIVERSITY

BIO = LIFE

DIVERSITY = VARIETY

BIODIVERSITY is the variety of life on Earth and the essential Interdependence of all
living things.

• Philippines is a home to 70 to 80% of planet’s Biodiversity, one of the world’s 18

“Megadiversity”
• Philippines is ranked first in the world for the number of endangered endemic
species of mammals and birds. 55 0f 70 bird species are found only in our country.
• Of the 500 known coral species, 488 are found in the Philippines.
• The Philippines is home to some of the world’s exotic birds.
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TAAL VOLCANO –is the smallest volcano in the

world with a 406 meter high crater.

PHILIPPINE BAMBOO BAT- the smallest bat

In the world. It measures about four centimeters
(11/2 inches) in length.

TARSIER- considered as the smallest monkey

In the world that measures about twelve centimeters
In length.

PHILIPPINE EAGLE- Also known as the monkey-

eating eagle and the second largest in the
world.
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GIANT FLYING FOX and GOLDEN CROWNED

FLYING FOX- the largest bats can also found
In the Philippines.

MINDANAO TRENCH- world’s second deepest

spot, also known as Philippine Deep. This
is about 34 440 ft. below the sea level.

KALANGAY- one of the most endangered species

that can live up to 50 years. They are known for
mimicking human voices.

1000 species of orchids are found in the

Philippines.

NORTHERN SIERRA MADRE NATIONAL

PARK- the largest forest in the country. It
Contains 16 watersheds, 293 bird species
25 mammal species, and 16 reptile species.
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Philippines is also a home of the world’s biggest

fish, the whale shark. It can grow up to 14 meters
in length.

PAEDOCYPRIS- is now the smallest fish in the

world. It can be found in the Southeast Asia
especially in the Philippines.
7.9 mm (0.3 inches)

TUBBATAH REEF- one of the most

remarkable coral reefs in our planet.

-contains 10,000 hectares of coral reef

600 species of fish
360 species of coral
11 species of sharks
13 species of dolphins and whales
100 species of birds