THE STATE OF PHILIPPINE

BIODIVERSITY
Philippines is considered as
“Pearl of the Orient Seas”

7,100 Islands
Rich fauna & flora

Dahil sa kanyang likas na ganda

Mga dayuhan ay nahalina
 BIODIVERSITY
- Refers to the totality of all species on earth
and the ecosystem where they thrive

Classification
1. Genetic diversity
2. Species diversity
3. Ecosystem diversity
 Ecological Diversity
The variety of terrestrial and
aquatic ecosystems found in
an area or on the earth.

Species Diversity
Genetic Diversity The number & abundance of species
The variety of genetic material present in different communities
within a species or a population.
Fig. 4-2, p. 61
Why Study Biodiversity

• Improve harvest thru seed selection &

hybridization
• Rich biodiversity supports increasing
population on earth
• Environmental protection and restoration
• Maintains a harmonious relationship
between the biotic & components of an
ecosystem
 Classification of Organisms
(5 kingdom classification)
1. MoneransClassification
(Prokaryotes)of Eukaryotic Organisms
2-5 (Eukaryotes)

[INSERT FIGURE 12.4]

 Naming Organisms
 How do we name organisms?
Binomial nomenclature
Genus name Species name
Oryza sativa
Oryza sativa

Carollus Linnaeus “Father of Taxonomy”

 Reports on the Number of Species in the
World & in the Philippines
Species Numbers in the World
VERTEBRATES
Mammals 4, 629
Birds 9, 040
Reptiles 6, 458
Amphibians 4, 222
Total of non-fish vertebrates 24, 349
Fish (bony) 18, 000
Fish (cartilaginous) 850
Fish (agnathans) 60
Total fish 18, 910
TOTAL OF VERTEBRATES 43, 259
 Reports on the Number of Species in the
World & in the Philippines
Species Numbers in the World
Higher Plants
Flowering plants (Dicots) 170, 000
Flowering plants (Monocot) 50, 000
Gymnosperms 529
Ferns 10, 000
Bryophytes 16, 600
Others 1,300
GRAND TOTAL OF HIGHER 248, 492
PLANTS
 Number of Species of Plants & Fungi
in the Philippines

Plant Groupings
Number
Angiosperms (flowering plants) 9, 000
Gymnosperms 33
Fern and Fern allies 1, 011
Mosses 506
Liverworts and Hornworts 518
Fungi 700
Lichens 790
 Number of Species per Animal Group
in the Philippines
Animal Groupings Number
Mammals 204
Birds 576
Reptiles 258
Amphibians 101
Fish 2, 000
Insects 20, 940
Corals 488
Distribution of Some Species in
the Country
Biogeography- studies the distribution of the
organisms in a certain region

 Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta)

 Philippine eagle (Pithecopaga jefferyi)
 Tamaraw (Babalus mindorensis)
 Peacock pheasant (Polypectron emphanum)
 Waling waling (Euanthe sanderiana)
 Stinking corpse lily (Rafflesia sp.)
 Endemic Species

- Refers to those species that are found in a

particular area only and not anywhere else
- Philippines- high rate of endemism
- Geological history & development of
island systems in the country
 Percentage of Endemicity Among
Vertebrate Species in the Philippines
Total Number of % of
number Endemic Endemicity
Species
Mammals 179 111 64
(land)
Birds 395 172 44
Reptiles 258 168 65
Amphibians 102 78 77
 Top 12 Countries & Corresponding %
of Non-Fish Vertebrate Endemism
COUNTRY ENDEMIC %
SPECIES ENDEMISM
1. Australia 1, 350 5.62
2. Indonesia 848 3.53
3. Mexico 802 3.34
4. Brazil 788 3.28
5. Colombia 634 2.64
6. Madagascar 630 2.63
7. China 484 2.02
 Top 12 Countries & Corresponding %
of Non-Fish Vertebrate Endemism
COUNTRY ENDEMIC %
SPECIES ENDEMISM
8. Philippines 474 1.96
9. India 393 1.64
10. USA 388 1.62
11. PNG 355 1.48
12. Peru 342 1.43
 Philippine Endemism
- Luzon- 31 endemic species of mammals
out 111 in the world
- Camiguin & Cagayan de Oro- 2 species
- Philippines- “epicenter for marine
biodiversity”
 Philippine Endemism
- Luzon- 31 endemic species of mammals
out 111 in the world
- Camiguin & Cagayan de Oro- 2 species
- Philippines- “epicenter for marine
biodiversity”
 Endangered Species
- Group of organisms that is on the verge of
extinction

- Biodiversity hotspots- habitats with a lot of

endangered species
No. of Threatened Species at the same
Endemic Species in the Philippines
Taxonomic No. of No. of
Group Threatened Threatened
Species Endemic Species
Amphibians 24 24
Reptiles 8 4
Birds 74 59
Mammals 51 41
List of Some of the Endangered Species
in the Philippines
Philippine Tarsier (Tarsius syrichta)
Philippine eagle (Pithecopaga jefferyi)
Palawan Peacock pheasant (Polypectron
emphanum)
Native catfish (Clarias macrocephalus)
Whale shark (Rhincodon typus)
Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris)
 Ecosystem Diversity
Reasons for the evolution of various types of
ecosystem in the Philippines
1. Unique geological history
2. Climate
3. Archipelagic nature

Reasons for abundant biodiversity

1. Proximity to the equator
2. High amount of rainfall
 Forest Ecosystems

- home to about 90% of the total

biodiversity on earth
- Classification of Vegetation
1. Mangrove
2. Beach type forests
3. Pine forest
4. Dipterocarp forest
5. Molave forest
6. Mossy forest
 Mangrove
- Forested area found along the coastline w/c
protects it from erosion
- 47 species & 26 associated species (Nipa palms)
- Species: Rhizophora, Sonneratia, Avicenia
- Substrate is muddy with poor undergrowth
- Pneumatophores or aerial roots
- Wood coming from mangrove “bakawan”
 Beach Forest
- Found beyond the limits of the high tide where
vegetation can survive the impact of salt spray
- Salt tolerant vines, herbs and grasses
- Popular species: Casuarina, Ficus, Hibiscus,
Pandanus
 Pine Trees
Also called coniferous
- Found in higher elevation (500-1500m)
- Dominated by genus Pinus
- Pinus insularis (Cordillera)
- Pinus merkusii (Mindoro)
 Dipterocarp Forest
- Provides hardwood domestically used or
exported
- Covers about 75% of the unlogged forest
- Found in all types of topography with an altitude
of 600-1000 m
- Apitong, Lauan, Bagtikan
 Molave Forest
- Grows typically on low limestone hills with
scanty dry soil cover
- Dominated by species Vitex parviflora (Molave)
with associated trees such as Pterocarpus
(Narra), Afzelia (Tindalo)
 Philippine grassland
- Dominated by two species of grass
Imperata cyndrical (kogon) & Saccharum
spontaneum (talahib)

Rhizomes- responsible for the reappearance of these

species even after fire has destroyed the above
ground structures
 Mossy Forest
- The branches of the trees including the forest
floor are covered by bryophytes like mosses,
liverworts, and hornworts
- Eugenia, Eurya, Quercus
 Aquatic Ecosystems
- 18 major river basins
- 211 lakes
- 22 marshlands
- In Manila, rivers are biologically dead
Marikina, Pasig, and San Juan Rivers
 Lake
- Taal Lake
- Laguna Lake
- Lake Buhi- (Sinarapan or Tabios)
- Lake Sebu
 Wetlands
- Candaba Swamp & Agusan Marshland
- Temporary refuge for migratory birds
- Biota: 1,616 species of hydrophytes and
3, 675 aquatic animals
 Marine Ecosystem
- Mangroves & coral reefs- productive ecosystems in the
world
- Wide variety of species which contribute to high fishery
yield
- Apo Reef (Mindoro)
- Tubataha (Sulu Sea)
 Marine Ecosystem
- 75% of the coral reefs are degraded caused by
1. muro ami
2. cyanide fishing
3. blast fishing
4. overfishing
5. sedimentation
6. pollution
Humans Affect Biodiversity