Lecture 4 Measuring Biodiversity

ASSESSMENT AND MONITORING OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY PASTOR L. MALABRIGO JR.1 1

Department of Forest Biological Sciences, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna

VS.

VS.

V S.

How to measure them?

Assessment VS Monitoring Biodiversity assessment involves conducting a survey or inventory of the species of an area. How complete a species list through biodiversity assessment depends on the skills of the scientist doing the survey, the methods used, and the length of

Assessment VS Monitoring Monitoring consists of intermittent (regular or irregular) surveillance to ascertain the extent of compliance to a determined standard or degree of deviation from an expected norm (Hellawell 1991). Goldsmith (1991) points out that monitoring is usually goal oriented and designed to reveal changes in particular parameter or parameters.

Biodiversity Monitoring System Pursuant to NIPAS Act (RA 7586) and consistent With Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act (RA 9147), all PAs should implement Biodiversity Monitoring System

Questions Monitoring can Answer  Are habitats and ecosystems being degraded?  Are the populations of threatened species of plants and animals declining?  What are the causes?  Has management intervention had the intended impact on the ecosystem?  Are there increased benefits to local

Biodiversity Monitoring System

Plant Blindness "the inability to see the plants in one's own environment" Plant Science Bulletin 47:2-9 (2001)

http://www.botany.org/bsa/psb/2001/psb47-1.pdf

Biodiversity Assessment

Learning Objectives Characterize forest types, dominant species, importance value of each species, and diversity indices of an area; Create a taxonomic list of all species in an area, including endemism, conservation status, and economic importance of each Determine the different kinds of threats to the forest ecosystems and the biodiversity; and Make recommendations on what species to monitor, and how the species can be conserved.

Why Assess Biodiversity? Philippines is one of the 17 mega-diversity countries 23rd most plant rich country in the world, 7th in Asia  2nd hottest spot in the world 3rd most threatened forest ecosystem with only 7% of the natural forests remaining our knowledge of the diversity and variability of organisms is incomplete

Biodiversity Crisis  1.7 million described species of 5-10 million total    250,000 vascular plants described of 320,000 total  At current rate of taxonomic description, it will take at least 150 years to document all species  Efforts are underway to increase the number of taxonomists worldwide

Biodiversity Crisis ‘Bad taxonomy, of which there has been plenty, persists. Unlike bad chemistry or bad physiology, it cannot be ignored; it must be undone and redone. Poor taxonomy is not only an ill unto itself; it is contagious, often with very long incubation period’ D.K. McE. Kevan (1973)

Biodiversity Assessment  Accuracy of assessment is heavily dependent on the skills of the scientists doing the survey, sampling design and intensity or the proportion of area subjected to inventory  It is impossible to inventory or measure the whole protected area  A good sampling strategy is necessary

Biodiversity Assessment Sampling Method What is a sample? “A portion, piece, or segment that is representative of a whole”

Why do we sample?

it is usually impossible to measure the whole

Biodiversity Assessment

One big assumption… That the sample is representative of the whole

It is necessary to take enough samples so that an accurate representation is obtained It is important to avoid bias when sampling

Biodiversity Assessment Sampling site stratification different vegetation and forest formation should be represented stratification doesn’t always need to have proportionate sampling efforts for each vegetation type a more important consideration is the ecosystem’s diversity and complexity.

Biodiversity Assessment 1. Determination of the different land cover types in the area With the aid of the existing maps and other secondary information, a land-use map and vegetation map can be extracted to serve as the basis for the lay outing of sampling

LandCoverType Barren land Built-up area

Grassland

Crop land

Scrubland

Forest land

Characterization/Description Land not covered byvegetation i.e. rockyareas, lahar laden areas Land intensivelyuse for the establishment of structuresi.e. settlement, transportation and communication facilities Land areaheavilydominated bygrasses (Poaceae) and sedges (Cyperaceae) without anytree species growingi.e. cogonal land Land areadevoted for rearingof livestock and production crops i.e. corn or rice plantation Land areadominated bygrassbut with few scattered shrubsand/or small trees i.e. Parangvegetation, Buyo-buyo stand

Large track of land (>0.5 ha) dominated bytrees and other woodyvegetation

DominantPlant Species None None

Cogon (Imperata cylindrica), Talahib (Saccharum spontaneum) Agricultural crops (corn, rice, coconut, vegetable crops) Cogon, Talahib for grasses; Akleng parang, Lanete, Binayuyu, Batino, Paguringon, Bagna, Binunga, Figs, Buyobuyo for trees Dependson the kind of forest formation (see Table 3)

Sampling Techniques

the land cover of an area determines the appropriate sampling technique to be used for floral assessment or whether the zone needs to be surveyed.

a. Barren land and built-up area

these land cover types will not be subjected to floral assessment but t is necessary that their location and area of coverage be noted.

b. Scrubland, grassland, and agricultural land contain less diversity, sampling in these areas can be minimal (less number of samples) if not forgone

most widely recommended sampling technique for areas dominated by grasses is the line intercept technique (LIT)

Procedure in using Line Intercept Techniques i. Determination of the number and length of transect The number and length of transect will depend on the extent and heterogeneity of the area.

Procedure in using Line Intercept Techniques ii. Laying out of transect lines  To make the sampling unbiased, transect lines must be laid out systematically.  A baseline should be established strategically then transect lines perpendicular to the baseline will be laid out at certain interval distance

Procedure in using Line Intercept Techniques Transect lines should be spaced far enough apart to avoid sampling overlap.

Procedure in using Line Intercept Techniques iii. Measurement of intercepts

Measuring the intercept for each plant prior to computation of percent

Line No: Vegetation type: Startingpoint:

TreeNo: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9a 9b 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

LINEINTERCEPTFIELDDATASHEET SurveyTeam:

N E

Endpoint:

Species

B(dm)

Location: N E E(dm)

Date:

Length:

Intercept(E-B)

Remarks

Procedure in using Line Intercept Techniques  iv. Cover Assessment % Species cover species x 100

=

Total intercept length of Length of transect

lines % Site cover = Total intercept length of all species x 100 Length of transect lines

C. Forest land Forestland is always the focus of many biodiversity studies as it presumably

contains high diversity and more ecologically important species i.e. native, endemic, and threatened species.

After Philippines National Forest Inventory – Field Manual

Plants 

Nested plots 

10x10 m (trees)



5x5 m (vines and shrubs)



1x1 m (weeds)



50 m interval between plots along 500 m line

www.fao.org; www.sciwebhop.net

ter B+Wiser Biodiversity Assessment Field Tachniques– Training Manual

Modified Belt Transect The transect method for biodiversity assessment developed by B+Wiser (2014) was modified for the assessment of forestlands.

Modified Belt Transect

Transect line design, a 2-km transect where black squares represent the stations every 250m and the blue dots represent the

Modified Belt Transect i. Establishment of transect line .use a meter tape to layout the transect line along the slope of the mountain to cover different elevation gradient .while setting-up the 2-km transect, mark every 50m section with highly visible flagging tape.

Modified Belt Transect A different color flagging tape should be used for every 250m stations to readily distinguish sections from stations. Sections should be labeled continuously as 0a, 0b, 0c, 0d…7d while stations should be labeled as 0, 1, 2, 3, up to 8.

Diversity Assessment 1. Ecosystem level assessment .Ecosystem level assessment will be done in every 50m section (0a, 0b, 0c, 0d….. 7d) of the transect line. .Each section can be classified following the 12 forest formations developed by Fernando et al. (2008) .Sections can be further classified based on the maturity of the stand i.e. early second growth, advanced second growth, and old growth .Pictures of the site should be taken from all cardinal directions (N, E, S, W, T) and reference number of the photos should be noted.

Diversity Assessment

1.Ecosystem level assessment

1. Forest formation 2. Maturity of stand 3. Photos (N, E, S, W) 4. Observed disturbance

Different Forest Formations Forest formation

Elevatio n

Soil

Localitie s

Soil Water

Dominant Species

Tropical lowland evergreen rain forest

Lowlands to Zonal soils 1,200 m

Inland

Dry land

Dipterocarps

Tropical lower montane rain forest

(750) 12001500m

Zonal soils

Inland

Dry land

Benguet Pine, Mindoro pine, Tanguile, Oaks, Tree fern

Tropical upper montane rain forest

(600) 15003000m

Zonal soils

Inland

Dry land

Tree ferns, Medinillas, Rhododendrons

Tropical subalpine forest

(2400) 3,000m – tree line

Zonal soils

Inland

Dry land

Tinikaran, Podocarpus spp., Rhododendrons, Medinillas

(modified from Fernando et al. 2008)

Different Forest Formations Forest over limestone

Mostly lowlands

Limestone

Inland

Dry land

Molave, Philippine teak, Bogo, Tindalo, Dipterocarps

Forest over ultramafic rocks

Mostly lowlands

Ultramafic rocks

Inland

Dry land

Mangkono, Nickel tree, Scaevola spp. Dillenia spp.

Beach forest

Mostly lowlands

Sandy

Coastal

Dry land

Coconut, Talisai, Bani, Dapdap, Malubago, Bitaog, Agoho

Mangrove forest

Just above sea level

Muddy clay/silt

Estuarine

Water table high at least periodically

Rhizophora spp., Avicennia spp., Sonneratia spp.

(modified from Fernando et al. 2008)

Different Forest Formations Peat swamp forest

Mostly lowlands

Oligotrophic peats

Freshwater

Water table high at least periodically

Calophyllum sp., Tristaniopsis sp.

Freshwater swamp forest

Mostly lowlands

Eutrophic soil (rich in minerals)

Fresh-water

Water table high at least periodically

Sagu, Lanipau, Buri

Tropical semievergreen rain forest

Mostly lowlands

Zonal soils

Inland

Moderate annual shortage

Dipterocarps

Tropical moist deciduous forest

Mostly lowlands

Zonal soils

Inland

Marked annual shortage

Dipterocarps

(modified from Fernando et al. 2008)

Diversity Assessment

1.Ecosystem level assessment

1. Forest formation 2. Maturity of stand 3. Photos (N, E, S, W) 4. Observed disturbance

Diversity Assessment

1.Ecosystem level assessment

Early second growth forest

Diversity Assessment

1.Ecosystem level assessment

Advanced second growth

Diversity Assessment

1.Ecosystem level assessment

Old growth forest

Observer: GPSunit: Transect No. Section 0 – 0a 0a– 0b 0b – 0c 0c – 0d 0d – 1 1 – 1a 1a– 1b 1b – 1c 1c – 1d 1d – 2 2 – 2a 2a– 2b 2b – 2c 2c – 2d 2d – 3 3 – 3a 3a– 3b 3b – 3c 3c – 3d 3d – 4 4 – 4a

FieldDataSheetforEcosystemLevel Assessment Date: Camera unit: Location : Photo Forestformation Standmaturity Numbers

Remarks

Diversity Assessment 2. Species Level  Species diversity assessment will be conducted at every 250m station using nested quadrat technique

1. Species diversity 2. Tree measurement (DBH, Ht) 3. Abundance and frequency

Diversity Assessment

Nested quadrat sampling design for species diversity assessment

Diversity Assessment 2. Species Level

Quadrats layout along the 2-km transect line.

Observer: GPSunit: Transect No. Quadrat No. TreeNo. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

FieldDataSheetforUpperCanopyAssessment Date: Camera unit: Location: Elevation: Species

DBH

MH

TH

Remarks

Observer: GPSunit: Transect No. Quadrat No. TreeNo. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

FieldDataSheet forUnderstoreyAssessment Date: Cameraunit: Location: Elevation: Species

Count

Epiphytes

Remarks

Observer: GPSunit: Transect No. Quadrat No. No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16

FieldDataSheetforGroundCoverAssessment Date: Cameraunit: Location: Elevation: Species

%Cover

Remarks

Mangrove Diversity Assessment Mangrove Forest unique ecosystem with community of trees occurring in a very define zonation pattern Unlike the terrestrial forestlands, the diversity in mangrove forest is significantly lower. a particular zone can be dominated by a single species as in the case of Rhizophora zone

Mangrove Diversity Assessment

Mangrove Forest Zonation

The three zones typical of mangrove habitats in the tropical Pacific, showing the differences in mangrove species typical of each zone. (Image source: http://www. spc.int/climate-

Mangrove Diversity Assessment Belt transect Method the most applicable sampling technique. Transect lines should be established perpendicular to the baseline at every 100 meter interval. A nested 10x10m quadrat will be established at every 100-meter

Belt transect Method for Mangrove

Random Meander Survey a non-systematic general collection method to account for other species occurring outside the survey plots. With this method, there is a higher chance of encountering more species occurring in the area. However, except for the number of species, it will not give other quantitative data to determine the dominance or importance value of each species.

Collection of Specimens The Sweinfurth’s method involves the soaking of properly labelled specimens in ethyl alcohol to avoid rapid wilting and crumpled drying.

Identification of Specimens All specimens collected during the survey period should be dried for long-term storage and systematically processed Relevant literature should be consulted for the initial identification of the dried plant materials. Specimens will then be compared with the image database on type materials of the Philippines for final identification.

Most Important Information

CORRECT IDENTIFICATION OF THE SPECIES