Mangrove forests are recognizable by the way they appear to stand on stilts above the slow moving coastal water due to their dense tangle of prop and aerial roots that handle the regular ebb and flow of the tides as well as unique adaptations to tolerate saltwater and low-oxygen soils.
Mostly located in the Indo-Pacific region, it is the center of mangrove biodiversity yet a hotspot for mangrove loss due to rapid land conversion and habitat degradation as well as the most vulnerable to sea level rise over the next century due to climate change that is also likely to have a substantial impact on faunal diversity of mangrove ecosystems in the Indo-Pacific.
As part of the coral triangle, the Philippines hosts 30-40 out of the 65 known mangrove species worldwide. These play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance in coastal regions– supporting high fish biodiversity, and providing critical ecological services. These forests also serve as breeding and nursery grounds for numerous fish species while offering essential feeding areas for enhanced biodiversity within mangroves and nearby marine ecosystems. Furthermore, mangroves also support the livelihoods of coastal residents through fisheries, and eco-tourism.
Although the structure, ecosystem services, and geographic coverage of the mangroves are widely studied, assessments of animal species, such as fishes and benthic macroinvertebrates, found in mangroves are still fragmented. This leads to difficulties in comparing and consolidating unstandardized datasets for large-scale analysis. Challenges in biodiversity monitoring can be addressed by application of an easy to be standardized approach across countries such as the environmental DNA (eDNA).
The fourth season episode of Saribuhay features the project, “Application of eDNA metabarcoding in faunal biodiversity assessment of Indo-Pacific mangroves vulnerable to climate change: Philippine Node,” of the Mindanao State University at Naawan through led by Dr. Venus E. Leopardas, Center Head of eDNA Research and Development.
The project aims to determine the change in biodiversity of fish and benthic macrovertebrates in select mangrove areas of the country following the aquatic environmental DNA and application of Species Distribution Modeling (SDM). This approach will serve as a new indicator for evaluating species biodiversity in mangrove ecosystems and will provide prediction of species distribution under different climate change scenarios through a modern, non-invasive DNA sequencing technique, called metabarcoding.
Use of eDNA of Philippine mangrove fauna allows for efficient detection of a wide range of organisms by analyzing traces of genetic material in water or sediment.
Water samples from sampling stations across five representative mangrove sites in Aklan, Batangas, Catanduanes, Dapitan, and Palawan were collected across different monsoon periods over a three-year monitoring period. The extracted DNA was then amplified using universal primers such as MiFish for fish and MiDeca for crustaceans and sequenced through Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) technology to detect a broad range of species including cryptic and hard-to-observe taxa.
Environmental parameters such as water temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen were also collected and will be integrated with eDNA results through SDM to analyze current biodiversity patterns and forecast potential changes under different climate scenarios.
A center for Environmental DNA Research and Development was established to advance eDNA-based studies and conservation efforts in the country and now stands as a hub for innovation, collaboration, and sustainable environmental management.
This project is funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PCAARRD) and is part of a regional collaborative research submitted to East Asia Science and Innovation Area Joint Research Program (e-ASIA JRP) – a multilateral international joint initiative among a number of public funding organizations of the East Asia Summit (EAS) member countries including Japan, Indonesia, and the Philippines entitled, “Application of eDNA metabarcoding in faunal biodiversity assessment of Indo-Pacific mangroves vulnerable to climate change,” and other funding agencies for non e-ASIA member countries such as Thailand, South Africa, and Malaysia.
Gathered data in the Philippines will be incorporated for analysis on Indo-Pacific mangrove systems through the collaboration and will serve as a new indicator for evaluating species biodiversity in mangrove ecosystems.
Learn more about eDNA metabarcoding and faunal biodiversity assessment of Indo-Pacific mangroves on the latest episode of Saribuhay at the DOST-PCAARRD YouTube Channel.
Saribuhay is a nonprofit infotainment YouTube Series that features DOST-PCAARRD’s initiatives on biodiversity and natural resources. You can watch the full episode on Youtube: Paano matutukoy ang yaman ng saribuhay sa mangrove forest? | Saribuhay