USTP Panaon holds Coastal Resources Assessment at Panaon Intertidal Area
By Mark L. Arcilla, USTP Panaon BSMB Faculty
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First-year Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology (BSMB) students from the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines (USTP) in Panaon, Misamis Occidental, conducted a Coastal Marine Resource Assessment at Barangay Punta, Panaon, Misamis Occidental, on May 4, 2023, with the help of their lecturer Mr. Mark L. Arcilla.
By observing marine resources and making scientific suggestions to locals, the students will be able to gain experience on how to maintain marine resources. The intertidal zone at Punta Tumoy served as the setting for thirty-six (36) students to conduct the assessment.
During the field excursion, students learned to acquire information about the habitat, estimate the percent cover of the marine vegetation, and identify species using the field guide of Pakoa et al., 2014. Only a few species of marine gastropods, mollusks, bivalves, and echinoderms were found. Three different substrate types—sandy, rubble, and hard coral—support these species. The common marine seagrass and seaweeds found in the intertidal zone include Enhalus acoroiodes (Tape Seagrass), Thalassia hemprichii (Pacific Turtlegrass), Cymodocea rotundata (Ribbon Seagrass), Sargassum sp., and Turbinaria ornata.
In response to the study, the students devised ecological recommendations for efficient and sustainable marine resources. The examination, therefore, allowed students to learn about environmental concerns and grow into genuine environmental advocates.
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