BIO 120

ECOLOGY

Exercise No. 4
MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM

Introduction

The area where a freshwater stream or river merges with the sea or ocean is called an
estuary. It is often characterized and bordered by extensive mudflats. The main plants are
collectively called mangroves. Depending on the dominant species, mangrove community can be
called "kabakhawan" if it is dominated by "bakhaw" or bakauan trees of the Family
Rhizophoraceae; "katonggan" if it is dominated by tongog trees; "pagatpatan" if dominated by
pagatpat; "Api-apihan" if Api-api trees dominate, or "kanipa-an" if dominated by Nipa or Nypa
fruticans of the Arecacea family.
The area is important as a nursery ground for fish and shrimp. A lot of clams, crabs,
oysters, mussels, barnacles and other filter feeders may live in the estuaries. The area is so
productive that they are used as feeding grounds for ducks and other migratory and wading birds.

Objectives:
1. To determine the physico-chemical parameters of a mangrove community.
2. To assess the composition and abundance of mangrove species.
3. To evaluate the composition and abundance of plankton.

Materials:
Transect line Plankton net
Two 10m X 10m sampling pH meter
quadrat Refractometer
GPS Tape measure
Thermometer Meter Stick
Sample bottles 5% formalin

Procedure:

1. Geographical location of the sampling area. Get the coordinates of the sampling area using the GPS.
Provide reserve dry cells for the instrument Take photograph of the entire sampling venue in panoramic
view.
2. Lay outing of the transect line. Lay out the transect line with calibrations every ten meters perpendicular
to the shoreline. Fix the line firmly on both ends.
3. Lay outing of the quadrats. Lay out the two 10m X 10m sampling quadrat along the transect line. The
first quadrat will be at 30 m with the center of the quadrat at the 20 meter mark of the line. The second
quadrat will be installed at 70 meter calibrations of the transect line. You can use nylon straw to set the
boundaries of the big quadrat.
4. Assess the flora (mangrove trees) within the 100 m2 quadrat. Categorize the mangrove plants into trees,
saplings and seedlings. Seedlings have a stump diameter of 0-5 cm regardless of heighted slums have a
stump diameter of 6-29 cm regardless of height. The tree stump diameter measurements will be made
using a 1 meter tailor's tape and the height will be measured using a meter stick. In as much as the tape
measures only the circumference, the diameter wil be computed using the formula: D = C/ π,
where: D = diameter, C = Circumference, and π = 3.1416.
 BIO 120
ECOLOGY

The trees have stump diameter greater than 29 cm.

Record the number of trees, saplings and seedlings. Lay out your table in your slate boards
before coming to the field. These will be checked before the field work.
Measure the circumference of the trunk at breast height. If the tree has already branched out,
record both the circumference at breast height as well as the circumference of the larger branch.
Identify each mangrove species. Collect leaves, flowers and fruits for identification and
herbarium. Take photographs of each species of mangrove plant.
Estimate the cover of each tree by measuring the longest horizontal distance

5. Assessment of the fauna within the big quadrat

Install small sub-quadrats in the four corners of the big quadrat. identify and record the number
of each organism. Identification of the fauna will be at the genus level only. Take photographs of
representative species. Do not forget your steel quadrats.

6. Environmental parameters
a. Physical parameters
i. Temperature
Determine the air, water and soil temperature using the field thermometer. Obtain three accurate
readings for each temperature at every 10 meter interval of the transect line.
ii. Total Suspended Solids (TSS)
Obtain one liter water sample at mid-depth for TSS analysis at every 10 meter interval. Analysis
will be done in the laboratory. The detailed procedure will be provided later.
iii. Humidity
Obtain three humidity readings at 10 meters interval.

b. Chemical parameters
i. pH
Obtain three accurate readings for water and three readings for soil pH using the pH meter at
every 10 meter interval.
ii. Salinity
Obtain three accurate salinity readings at every 10 meter interval using a pre-calibrated
refractometer. Bring wash botle filled with deionized water for calibration of the instrument in the field.

7. Sediment Grain size Analysis

Obtain sediment samples at every 10 meter interval for grain size analysis. Make three replicates
analysis for every sediment sample.
8. Organic matter
Obtain sediment samples at every 10 meter interval for organic matter analysis. Make three replicate
analysis for every sediment sample.
 BIO 120
ECOLOGY

ANSWER SHEET
EXERCISE NO. 4 MANGROVE ECOSYSTEM

Name: ________________________________ Lab Section: ____________ Score: ________

Table 4.1 Mangrove trees and their corresponding DBH.

Individual Species Density Relative Circumference DBH Basal Area
No. Density

Table 4.2 Species of mangrove trees, and their relative abundance.

Species Number of Individuals Relative Abundance (%)

Table 4.3 Physico-Chemical measurements in the mangrove ecosystem.

Trials Air Temp Water temp. Soil temp. Salinity Water Soil pH Humidity
(°C) (°C) (°C) (ppt) pH
1
2
3
Average
 BIO 120
ECOLOGY

SELF-ASSESSMENT:
1. What are the ecological importance of a mangrove ecosystem?
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. What is the role of the sediments in the mangrove community?

__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Documentations:

References:

__________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________