Philippine Biodiversity: Issues, Challenges, and Initiatives

Philippine

Biodiversity:

Issues,

Challenges,

and Initiatives

We all depend on biodiversity to survive!

But what is biodiversity?

BIO = LIFEDIVERSITY = VARIETY

Biodiversity – what is it?

• Variety of life in our natural environment – from the smallest micro-organism to the largest mammals, including the ecosystems where they live –forests and mountains, rivers and seas.

• Variety within and between species.

LEVELS OF BIODIVERSITY

-The genes are responsible for the uniqueness of every living organism

-usually measured in terms of the total number of species found in a particular area


Waling Waling

Nepenthes argentiiCebu Flowerpecker

worldbirdwatching.wordpress.com

Kalantas

www.stuartxchange.com


-self sustaining collection of organisms and habitat

Biodiversity – The Web of Life

• Birds pick up seeds and drop them on a rich soil enriched by ants, microorganisms, etc.

• The seeds grows into a variety of trees, becoming a forest.

• Forests and mountains provide aquifer (source of fresh water) and oxygen.

• Man eats fruits from trees and drops seeds.

• Birds and other pollinators pick up seeds again and the cycle continues.

What benefits do we get from biodiversity?

BIODIVERSITY FEEDS THE WORLD•In the olden days, humans had over 10,000 species for food. •Today – About 30 crops provide our body’s energy requirements; 40 species of mammals and birds domesticated for food; 14 species account for 90% of livestock production.

Forests generate oxygen that we breathe.

Forests and mountains provide aquifers - sources of water we drink.

Biodiversity provides air and water

Biodiversity providesmaterials for clothing and shelter

•Fiber•Timber•Bamboo•Cogon•Anahaw•Rattan

Biodiversity heals

About 80 % of the world's biodiversity resources with medicinal values are in forests. (The world loses around 13 million hectares of forest cover every year.)

Cone snail, living in corals, is source of medicine for cancer pain. (Around 88% of ASEAN’s corals are at risk.)

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Biodiversity brings income to millions

• Livelihood (selling fish, fruits and vegetables; furniture

making and wood carving; pearl farming; livestock raising and

selling)

• Forestry, Agriculture and Fisheries

• Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals

• Ecotourism

Biodiversity brings income to millions

•Around 80 % of ASEAN’s rural poor’s income is derived from biodiversity.

• Nature tripping• Mountain climbing• Bird watching• Enjoying the beach or verdant

forests• Comfort in nature by simply

looking at the green grass• Hearing the joyful chirping of

birds• Watching a puppy at play• Inspiration to artists for their

masterpieces

Biodiversity soothes

What services do we get from our ecosystems?

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

Provisioning (production of food, air water, including purification of air and water, etc.)

Regulating (stabilization of climate, control of diseases, detoxification and decomposition of wastes, creation of drainage systems, etc.)

Supporting (nutrient cycling, crop

pollination, soil fertilization, prevention of soil erosion, etc.)

Cultural (social, spiritual and

recreational benefits)

Maintains plant, animal, and microbial biodiversity

Sequesters Carbon

Stores surface water and reduces flood damage

Provides fish and breeding grounds and nurseries

Provides timber and other vegetation for human use

Provides wildlife habitat

Provides outdoor recreation, education, and ecotourism

Filters and recycles N and P released by human activity into water

Recharges underground aquifers

Wetlands and Mangroves

Forest Ecosystems

Forest canopy purifies air by filtering particulates and

providing chemical reaction sites where pollutants are detoxified

Forest canopy and leaf litter protect the soil surface from the

erosive power of rain

Forest tree roots bind soils and help prevent erosionDeep forest soils store

large volumes of water

Forest soils purify water, acting as a

massive filters

Forests provide critical habitat for plants,

animals, and microbesForests provide goods such as food, timber, and

medicines

Forests help maintain the water cycle and stabilize local climate

Forest trees and plants store carbon and help slow human-caused global climate change


Marine Ecosystems

Provides fish and breeding grounds and nurseries


Provides fish and other marine fauna habitatSequesters Carbon

Maintains marine plant, animal, and microbial biodiversity

Filters and recycles N and P released by human activity into water

Ecosystem Services in Southeast Asia valued

at over US$2.2 billion (ASEAN TEEB 2012)

Biodiversity is Life. Biodiversity is our Life.

Biodiversity soothes

Biodiversity cures us

We get our food and water from biodiversity

Biodiversity clothes us Biodiversity gives us shelter

Biodiversity provides us livelihood

How rich is our biodiversity?

PHILIPPINESNature’s Superpower!

Facts and Figures

Facts and Figures

Mt. Makiling contains more tree species than the whole

continental United States, which land area is 32 times bigger than the Philippines.

Facts and Figures

The Philippines is SECOND in the world in terms of butterfly species

endemicity. Of its 895 species, 352 are endemic.

Facts and Figures

FIFTH in the world in mammalian endemicity. Of its 183 species, 120 or 66% are endemic.

Facts and Figures

EIGHTH in the world in reptilian species endemicity. Of its 258 species, 170 or 66% are endemic.

Facts and Figures

Polillo forest frog

There are 171 species of amphibians in the

Philippines, 78% of these are

endemics.

Facts and Figures

Philippine Eagle,

the world’s largest eagle.

Facts and Figures

There 54 species of mangroves in the world and 40 species of

these are found in the Philippines.

Facts and Figures

500 of the 800+ known coral species in the world is

found in our country.

Philippine BiodiversityThe Philippines is one of the 18 megadiverse countries.

Has more than 52, 177 described species, half of which are endemic found nowhere else in the world.

We are in great danger!

Hottest of the Hotspots

•The Philippines is one of the 35 hotspots in the world.

•On a per unit area basis, the Philippines is the top megadiversity country and the hottest of the hotspots.

Mangrove forests149,000 hectares remain from the original 450,000 hectares in 1918.

Depletion of the Philippine biodiversity

Depletion of the Philippine biodiversity

Wetlands - more than half of the country’s wetlands of international importance

covering 14,000 sq. km. are threatened.

Forest - In 1935, there were 17 million hectares of forests. Today, there are

only six million hectares .

THREATS TOBIODIVERSITY

Overview of biodiversity loss in the Philippines.

Climate Change

Climate change is likely to become the dominant direct driver of biodiversity loss by the end of the century.

(MA, 2005)

Climate Change

• In Asia, the IPCC report predicts that up to 50 percent of biodiversity is at risk.

•As much as 88 percent of coral reefs may be lost in the next 30 years as a result of climate change.

Globally, about 20 to 30 percent of species will be at increasingly high risk of extinction possibly by year 2100 as global mean temperatures exceed 2 to 3°C above pre-industrial levels (Fischlin et al., 2007).

Climate Change

Climate Change

The ASEAN region is especially vulnerable to climate change since a huge proportion of its population lives along coastlines (ADB, 2009).

Deforestation

• 3 million hectares of peatland burned over the past decade in Southeast Asia.

• $9 billion in economic loss caused by forest fires in Indonesia, including health damage from smoke.

• NASA: “Forest fires released as many greenhouse gases as all the cars and power plants in Europe in an entire year." (Earth Policy Institute, 2009)

• Net annual forest area loss in Southeast Asia at 2.4 M ha in the 1990s; 0.4M ha in 2000-2006; and 1.0 M ha in 2005–2010, respectively (FAO, 2010).

Deforestation

• Shifting cultivation and agricultural expansion (Forest cover declining at about 1% per year due to expansion of agriculture and human settlements to provide for the growing population)

• 1 percent: deforestation rate in Southeast Asia from 2000-2010 , which is lower than the 1.5-1.7 percent estimates provided for 1900s (FAO, 2006). (National University of Singapore).

• If this continues, the region will lose up to 3/4 of its forests, and up to 42% of its biodiversity by 2100.

Consequence of deforestation

• Loss of habitat for many birds, mammals and other animals

• Reduced pollinator activity

• Overall reductions in biodiversity

Invasive Alien Species

• IAS - one of the major drivers of environmental change, thus, placing considerable constraints on environmental conservation, economic growth, and sustainable development.

• When IAS enter new habitats, they compete with native species over food supply and allow them to dominate the local ecosystem.

• Cost of damage caused by invasive alien species (IAS) globally is around US$ 1.4 trillion p.a. (Global Invasive Species Programme, 2008)

Illegal Wildlife Trade

• Over 100 million animals are hunted for bush meat• Illegal wildlife trade valued at USD $ 10 to 20 billion (ASEAN-WEN)• Targets - Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar. Smugglers frequently caught

utilizing transport links through Thailand and Viet Nam. (ASEAN WEN) • 13,000 metric tons of turtles shipped into China every year

People have impacts on nature

Nature provides services for people

Humans: Both Problem and Solution to Biodiversity Loss

As a problem, irresponsible human practices contribute to biodiversity loss

As a solution, humans have the knowledge, expertise and financial resources to conserve biodiversity

What can youths and schools do

to conserve biodiversity?

What can schools do to conserve biodiversity?

• Integrate biodiversity lessons in appropriate subjects.• Conduct school activities that will promote biodiversity

conservation• Students to take the lead in their homes and communities:

• Conserve water and electricity• Recycle / re-use clothes, paper, cans, glass and plastic

bottles• Adopt simple lifestyles – consume less; produce less

garbage • Dispose wastes properly• Eat together


• Educate yourselves on which species of seafood are under threat and avoid buying them

• Buy products with less packaging; avoid use of plastic bags (or re-use them)

• Grow our own fruits and vegetables; eat less meat as meat production requires more inputs and energy

• When buying, choose appliances with high-energy efficiency ratings / use fluorescent lamps


• Use social networking tools such as FB, etc. to promote biodiversity conservation

• Walk, bike, carpool• Write about biodiversity conservation in school paper• Report environmental crimes to DENR/city government• Conduct / join environmental contests• Volunteer – Bantay Kalikasan• Write to government officials • Plant trees

Why plant trees?

A single mature tree can release enough oxygen back into the atmosphere to support 2 human beings.

A single mature tree can absorb 4.5 kg (10 lbs) of air pollutants, including 1.8 kg (4 lbs) of ozone and 1.4 kg (3 lbs) of particulates.

Trees store carbon and help slow human-caused climate change.

Tree canopies and leaf litter protect the soil surface from the erosive power or rain.

Why plant trees?

Trees purify our air and water.

Trees provide food, timber and medicine.

Forests provide outdoor recreation, education and eco-tourism.

Over a 50-year lifetime, a tree generates $31,250 worth of oxygen, provides $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycles $37,500 worth of water, and controls $31,250 worth of soil erosion.

Join the GREEN WAVE!

www.greenwave.cbd.int

The Green Wave is a global biodiversity campaign to educate children and youth about biodiversity.

Each year, the Green Wave will contribute to worldwide celebrations of the International Day for Biological Diversity – 22 May.


On 22 May, students around the world count down to 10:00 AM local time, when they will water their tree in their respective schoolyards, thereby creating a figurative “green wave” starting in the far east and traveling west around the world.


Students plant locally important tree species in or near their schoolyard. Ideally, the tree species should be indigenous.

Where possible, the trees should be planted on 22 May –the INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR BIODIVERSITY.

You may plant in another month but still hold a special ceremony on 22 May.


Throughout the day, students can upload photos and text summaries on the Green Wave website to share their tree-planting story with other children and youth from around the world.


Environment

Philippine Biodiversity: Issues, Challenges, and Initiatives