INVENTORY AND ASSESSMENT OF BIODIVERSITY IN MOUNTS IGLIT-BACO MOUNTAIN RANGE: MOUNT

MASULONG KEY BIODIVERSITY AREA

In partnership with Sadik Habanan Buhid Inc., Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Asean Center for Biodiversity

Mariano Roy M. Duya, John Michael M. Galindon and Perry S. Ong

1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 202005

101520253035404550

Year

Num

ber o

f pap

ers p

ublis

hed

per y

ear

Number of papers published on amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds

8718%

23950%

15532%

LocalForeignCollaboration

1951-1960 1961-1970 1971-1980 1981-1990 1991-2000 2001-2010 2011-20130102030405060708090

100AmphibiansBirdsMammalsReptiles

Decade

Num

ber o

f Pap

ers P

ublis

hed

Number of publications for each of the four major vertebrate groups

Species Discovery Effort Curve

New Species Discoveries (Mammals)

New Species Discoveries (Amphibians and Reptiles)

Currently, more than half of the vertebrate species (birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles) in the country are endemic

Research topics

BiodiversityBiogeography

Conservation/ManagementEcology

Ethno-biologyMethods

Species biologySystematics

0 50 100 150 200 250155

13190

671

1146

216

No. of papers published

Research per Biogeoraphic Region

BabuyanesBatanes

Greater LuzonLubang

Greater MindoroGreater Palawan

BuriasSibuyan

Romblon-TablasGreater Negros-Panay

Greater MindanaoCamotes

SiquijorCamiguin

Greater SuluSibutu

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 14057

1150

1318

032

5648

04

103

0

No. of papers published

Heaney and Regalado

Bourns and Worcester in 1891 Whitehead in 1895-1896 McGregor in 1906 Ripley and Rabor 1958: East

of the Mt Halcon range from 0-1,980 m including the Barawan and Ilong peak

Halcon, Bongabong, Mansalay, Sablayan,Malpalon, Calintaan - Dutson et al 1992 & Evans et al 1993

Calintaan-UPLB Foundation 1995

Sablayan-University of Kansas' Biodiversity Research Center , 2007-present ; HARIBON Foundation Inc 2005-2006

Naujan Lake-UPLB MNH 2012 Field Museum- On-going

PREVIOUS STUDIES

Figure 1. Map of Mindoro showing forest cover. Forest cover is based on maps produced by SSC (1988), modified according to the results of this survey. Shaded areas are those visited during fieldwork. Hatching indicates other forest areas shown on SSC (1988) but not visited by this survey. A dashed line indicates a national park boundary. (Taken from Dutson et al 1992)

Location Map

Map Source: Modified from Google Earth 2013

Mt Hinunduang Key Biodiversity Area

MalpalonKey Biodiversity Area

SablayanKey Biodiversity Area

Iglit-BacoKey Biodiversity Area

Mt HitdingKey Biodiversity Area

Various Management Units within Mindoro compatible to conservation

Figure 1. Various management units and Key Biodiversity Areas and Mt Hinunduang KBA where the study was conducted (courtesy of the late Dr. Sabino G. Padilla of Anthrowatch).

Study Site

Figure 2. A portion of Mt Hinunduang (Mt Masulong) KBA showing the location of the survey sites within Mount Masulong, Tuwaga, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro. 25 January to 12 February

Property Transect lineFlora Transect

Transect I Transect II Transect III

Coordinates

N 12 ° 37' 11. 1" N 12 ° 37' 11.22.8" N 12 ° 37' 59. 6"E 121 ° 19' 04. 1" E 121 ° 19' 32. 8" E 121 ° 20' 27. 6"

Length 62.5 meters 107 meters 100 metersElevation ± 1037 masl ± 812 masl ± 292 maslSlope flat along broad ridge flat to 5% FlatHeight Range

7-15 meters 7-32 meters 8-38 meters

DBH range 30-52 cm 30-105 cm 30-105 cmLianas Abundant Abundant RareEpiphytes Abundant Abundant RareForest Type

Tropical Lower Montane Forest

Tropical Lower Montane Forest

Tropical Semi-Evergreen Lowland Forest

Methodology: Flora• Variable Transect Method by Foster 1998• Dominant and/or common tree species and families in the Mt.

Masulong KBA as indicators of forest formation type as per Fernando et al. (2008b).

Table 1. Properties and descriptions of the three transects in the Mt. Masulong KBA.

Table 3. Summary of features of study sites in the Mt. Masulong KBA and sampling efforts using various methods undertaken in each site.

Methodology: Fauna

Sites Elevation (m)

Habitat type Trapping(Small

mammals)No. of Trap

nights

Mist netting (Bats)

No. of net nights

Mist netting (Birds)No. of

net days

Line transect (Birds) (No. of Hours)

Line transect for Amphibians

and Reptiles (No. of Hours)

Site 1

840 Tropical Lower Montane forest

1022 106 106 13 18

Site 2

1010 Tropical Lower Montane forest

1050 145 145   10

Site 3

300 Tropical Semi-evergreen lowland forest

1008 

119 119 10 6

   Total 3080 370 370 23 34

225 morpho-species were recorded, belonging to 124 genera in 69 families.

Out of the 81 species of plants identified to the species level species level, 63% are endemic to the country of which one species (Astronia alata) is endemic to Mindoro Island

Seven species of plants are currently classified as threatened based on Fernando (2008a). Five species classified as vulnerable (VU) and two were endangered species (EN).

Results: Flora Assemblage

Results: Faunal Assemblage

Frogs

Snak

es

Lizard

s

Roden

tsBa

tsBir

ds05

101520253035

Mindoro EndemicNon EndemicPhilippine Endemic Threatened species

Num

ber

of S

peci

es

99 species of vertebrates were recorded during the survey, 55% are endemic to the Philippines and 6 species are threatened.

Two species of rodents which we tentatively identified as Rat 1 sp and Rattus cf everetti

one worm lizard from the genus Brachymeles sp., needed further study to determine its species identity.

Results: Potential new species

Species Ripley and Rabor (1958)

This study

Reddish cuckoo-dove Macropygia phasianella

Tok-wae' Halagom

Blue-crowned racket-tail Prioniturus discurus

To-ris' Husit

White-browed shortwing Brachypteryx montana

Ak-se-ar' Sidsiroy

Mountain-leaf Warbler Phylloscopus trivirgatus

An-ra'-bir Manayti

Elegant Tit Parus elegans

Ka-ri-ring'-ao Manok-lahi

Results: Species Local Names

Table 8. Local names of some birds encountered in the study of Ripley and Rabor (1958) and this study.

Most of the forest birds observed in this inventory were also observed in previous surveys in other forested areas in the island

Four species were added to the list of Mindoro birds (2 Resident and 2 migratory)

Four endemic Mindoro bird species first reported in the 1890’s were recorded during the survey

Nine species of amphibians and reptiles were new records

Discussion: Good News and Bad News

Some species particularly endemics are restricted only to a certain elevation or habitat which makes them more vulnerable to habitat loss and these are conditions that can lead to extinctions.

Seven species previously recorded in the early- and mid- 1900’s were not encountered in this inventory as well as in other recent studies in Mindoro

The two missing Philippine endemics, the Philippine Cockatoo (Cacatua haematuropygia ) and the Spotted Imperial Pigeon (Ducula carola) were last seen in 1905 (McGregor 1905) and 1950’s Ripley and Rabor 1958), respectively.

Discussion: Good News and Bad News

Discussion: Local Names and Conservation Education

Species Local Names

Habitat type (Kennedy et al

2000; Dutson et al 1992; IUCN

2012)

IUCN Threat Category

Mindoro Imperial Pigeon Ducula mindorensis

Tarubong Lowland to Mossy Forest (700 m and above)

Endangered

Mindoro Scops Owl Otus mindorensis

Buhaw Montane forest (700 m and above)

Near Threatened

Mindoro Tarictic Penelopides mindorensis

Tang-way Lowland to montane forest up to 1500m

Endangered

Scarlet-collared flowerpecker Dicaeum retrocinctum

Tariki Lowland forest Vulnerable

Discussion: Forest fragment and Key Biodiversity Area The results of the survey further emphasize the

importance of the remaining forest fragments in Mindoro to ensure survival of its biodiversity assemblage

The survey further emphasize the necessity of putting in place conservation management systems in the remaining forest patches in the island.

All the remaining forest patches in the island are now recognized as KBAs which comprise 21% of the total land area of Mindoro. But many of these KBAs still remain unprotected or partially protected

Key Biodiversity Areas*

Province Municipality Area (km2)

Status

Iglit-Baco Mountains

Mindoro Occidental; Mindoro Oriental

Sablayan, Bongabong 563.00 Partially protected

Mt. Hitding Mindoro Oriental Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong

177.68 Unprotected

Mt. Hinunduang**

Mindoro Oriental Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay

82.23 Unprotected

Siburan Mindoro Occidental

Sablayan 115.69 Partially protected

Malpalon Mindoro Occidental

Sablayan 140.93 Unprotected

*CI Philippines et al 2006 Total 1,079.53  

Discussion: Forest fragment and Key Biodiversity Area

Table 9.Key Biodiversity areas within the Mt Iglit Baco National Park and the Sadik Habanan Buhid Inc. Ancestral Domain.

It is imperative that protection measures of the remaining forest patches in Mindoro be put in place to ensure continuous survival of the biodiversity assemblage of the Island.

One strategy that can be adapted is declaring the area as an Indigenous Community Conserved Area (ICCA). It supports 43% of known threatened species in

Mindoro Island the site is under an Ancestral Domain which is

currently being managed by the indigenous people through their organization, Sadik Habanan Buhid Inc.

Conclusion and Recommendation

The results from the plant inventory in this study could be used to restore the grasslands of the MIBNP and transform these into MIBNP’s former forests.

There is a need to address through the proper authorities the concerns raised by the indigenous people on the unabated timber poaching and unregulated resources extraction in other areas covered by their ancestral domain

Conclusion and Recommendation

ContributorsUP BIOLOGY and DILIMAN SCIENCE RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.

Project Team Members

Fauna Perry S. Ong, PhD Mariano Roy M. Duya Melizar V. Duya Danah Marie P. Purificacion Willardo A. ReyesNonito C. AntoqueUldarico CarestiaDonato FernandezJR Aznar III

Flora John Michael M. Galindon Franklyn M. Dalin Jaime M. Mangalindan Jr. Ulysses FerrerasClaire Ann G. Elmido

Local Community Sitio Tuwaga, Barangay San Vicente, Roxas Municipality

“Too many species, so little time”Leonardo Co

Acknowledgement

Sadik Habanan Buhid Inc.Local Community of Sitio Tuwaga, Brgy. San Vicente, Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

AnthroWatch and the late Dr. Sabino G. PadillaLocal Government Unit of the Municipality of Roxas, Oriental Mindoro

Local Government Unit of Barangay San Vicente, Municipality of Roxas, Oriental MindoroMt. Iglit-Baco National Park-Protected Area Management BoardDepartment of Environment and Natural Resources Region IVB

Zoology Division, National Museum of the PhilippinesThe Field Museum

Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Institute, University of KansasFunding for this project was generously provided by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB)