Lem Aragones

The total amount of dietary protein available for absorption is dependent on the flow of dietary nitrogen (N) to the duodenum and its intestinal digestibility. Variation in intestinal digestion among protein supplements has been reported in vivo (Stern et al., 1985) and in situ (Hvelplund, 1985). Obtaining estimates of protein digestion in the small intestine is expensive, labour intensive and requires the use of surgically prepared animals. The objective of this study was to develop a reliable in vitro technique to estimate intestinal digestion of proteins in ruminants.

The impact of grazing by two megaherbivores, the Dugong Dugong dugon and the Green Turtle Chelonia mydas on the community structure of intertidal seagrasses was investigated experimentally over two time frames (shorterterm: 1?4 months; longer-term: 10 and 13 months), at three levels of grazing intensity (leaf cropping, light grazing, intensive grazing), at two seagrass meadows in tropical Queensland, Australia: (1) a mixed species bed of Zostera capricorni, Halophila ovalis, Halodule uninervis, Cymodocea rotundata and Cymodocea serrulata, and (2) a monospecific bed of Halodule uninervis, From the perspective of the megaherbivores, grazing improved the structure and dynamics of the tropical seagrass communities by altering their biomass, volume of detritus, net aboveground biomass productivity and the species composition of the mixed-species bed, Recovery from grazing disturbance occurred after several months to a year.

ABSTRACT The general consensus of a rapidly changing ocean ecosystem being affected by anthropogenic activities needs to be understood in relation to both wildlife and human health. The risks and challenges for the Philippines include lack of scientific information on waterborne diseases that are potentially zoo-notic. The present study fills in this knowledge gap by detecting the occurrence of bacteria, Giardia, and Toxoplasma gondii in locally found cetacean species. Cetaceans (n = 30) that stranded from January 2012 through March 2013 were appropriately responded to, and biological materials were taken whenever applicable. A total of 25 bacteria were isolated from nine stranders. Phenotypic and genotypic methods of isolate identification yielded 12 consensus genera:. No screened strander was positive for Giardia. Serological assay detected antibodies for T. gondii in five stranders, while nested polymerase chain reaction positively amplified the B1 gene of the parasite in two stranders. This study provides the first report on bacteria and T. gondii in cetaceans found in the Philippines. Since the detected microorganisms include species recognized to cause new infections in marine mammals worldwide, the findings of the study underscore the potential of stranded cetaceans to serve as sentinels for studying the movement of emerging pathogens in marine habitats, provide clues on the health status of their free-ranging populations, and present the health risks available to humans who share the same water resource with them.

A simultaneous monitoring system that used a team of local observers to count dugongs around Calauit Island, Busuanga, Palawan, Philippines, from eight vantage points was employed from March 1989 to May 1990 to identify important dugong habitats around the island. On average, five dugongs were seen per survey day. More dugongs were observed during March and July 1989 than in other months. These periods coincided with the bimodal peaking of seagrass biomass in the region and the lull between monsoons for that year. The site where dugongs were most often sighted was about 1.5 m deep, had the largest area of seagrass on the island (approximately 50 ha) and supported a seagrass (above-ground) biomass averaging 1060 g m-2 (wet weight). The dugongs were shy, making observations difficult. They were observed to graze at the study sites once per day, usually starting in the late afternoon or at night. Animals usually stayed on the seaward side of the spur-and-groove sections of the reefs. S...

The general consensus of a rapidly changing ocean ecosystem being affected by anthropogenic activities needs to be understood in relation to both wildlife and human health. The risks and challenges for the Philippines include lack of scientific information on waterborne diseases that are potentially zoo-notic. The present study fills in this knowledge gap by detecting the occurrence of bacteria, Giardia, and Toxoplasma gondii in locally found cetacean species. Cetaceans (n = 30) that stranded from January 2012 through March 2013 were appropriately responded to, and biological materials were taken whenever applicable. A total of 25 bacteria were isolated from nine stranders. Phenotypic and genotypic methods of isolate identification yielded 12 consensus genera:. No screened strander was positive for Giardia. Serological assay detected antibodies for T. gondii in five stranders, while nested polymerase chain reaction positively amplified the B1 gene of the parasite in two stranders. This study provides the first report on bacteria and T. gondii in cetaceans found in the Philippines. Since the detected microorganisms include species recognized to cause new infections in marine mammals worldwide, the findings of the study underscore the potential of stranded cetaceans to serve as sentinels for studying the movement of emerging pathogens in marine habitats, provide clues on the health status of their free-ranging populations, and present the health risks available to humans who share the same water resource with them.

Grazing by dugongs and cropping by green turtles have the capacity to alter the subsequent nutritional quality of seagrass regrowth. We examined the eVects of simulated light and intensive grazing by dug-ongs and cropping by turtles on eight nutritionally relevant measures of seagrass chemical composition over two regrowth periods (short-term, 1–4 months; long-term, 11–13 months) at two seagrass communities (a mixed species community with Zostera capricorni, Halophila ovalis, Halodule uninervis, Cymodocea rotundata and C. serrulate; and a monospeciWc bed of Halodule uninervis) in tropical Queensland, Australia. The concentrations of organic matter, total nitrogen, total water-soluble carbohydrates, total starch, neutral detergent Wber, acid detergent Wber, acid lignin, as well as the in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were measured in the leaves and below-ground parts of each species using near-infrared reXectance spectroscopy (NIRS). Regrowth of preferred species such as H. ova-lis and H. uninervis from simulated intensive dugong grazing after a year exhibited increased (by 35 and 25%, respectively, relative to controls) whole-plant N concentrations. Similarly, regrowth of H. ovalis from simulated turtle cropping showed an increase in the leaf N concentration of 30% after a year. However, these gains are tempered by reductions in starch concentrations and increases in Wber. In the short-term, the N concentrations increased while the Wber concentrations decreased. These data provide experimental support for a grazing optimization view of herbivory in the tropical seagrass system, but with feedback in a diVerent manner. Furthermore, we suggest that in areas where grazing is the only major source of natural disturbance, it is likely that there are potential ecosystem level eVects if and when numbers of dugongs and turtles are reduced.

Grazing by dugongs and cropping by green turtles have the capacity to alter the subsequent nutritional quality of seagrass regrowth. We examined the eVects of simulated light and intensive grazing by dug-ongs and cropping by turtles on eight nutritionally relevant measures of seagrass chemical composition over two regrowth periods (short-term, 1–4 months; long-term, 11–13 months) at two seagrass communities (a mixed species community with Zostera capricorni, Halophila ovalis, Halodule uninervis, Cymodocea rotundata and C. serrulate; and a monospeciWc bed of Halodule uninervis) in tropical Queensland, Australia. The concentrations of organic matter, total nitrogen, total water-soluble carbohydrates, total starch, neutral detergent Wber, acid detergent Wber, acid lignin, as well as the in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were measured in the leaves and below-ground parts of each species using near-infrared reXectance spectroscopy (NIRS). Regrowth of preferred species such as H. ova-lis and H. uninervis from simulated intensive dugong grazing after a year exhibited increased (by 35 and 25%, respectively, relative to controls) whole-plant N concentrations. Similarly, regrowth of H. ovalis from simulated turtle cropping showed an increase in the leaf N concentration of 30% after a year. However, these gains are tempered by reductions in starch concentrations and increases in Wber. In the short-term, the N concentrations increased while the Wber concentrations decreased. These data provide experimental support for a grazing optimization view of herbivory in the tropical seagrass system, but with feedback in a diVerent manner. Furthermore, we suggest that in areas where grazing is the only major source of natural disturbance, it is likely that there are potential ecosystem level eVects if and when numbers of dugongs and turtles are reduced.

Marine mammals strand for various reasons. The recorded Philippine marine mammal stranding events from 2005 to 2016 was analyzed for patterns on (1) species composition of stranded marine mammals, (2) spatial and temporal variation of stranding events, and (3) proportions of alive and dead specimens, to mention a few. A total of 713 stranding events have been recorded comprised mainly of single stranders (n=638), mass stranding events (n=31), out of habitat (n=15) and Unusual Mortality Events (n=29). The UMEs occurred in Region I only. The annual frequency of recorded stranding events ranged from 24 (2005) to 111 (2015), with an average of 59 events per year. Most of the strandings occurred in Luzon (60%) while Visayas and Mindanao had equal share (20% each). Strandings have been recorded in all regions with coastline and in 64 coastal provinces. 
The top five regions on a national level which have had the highest number of recorded stranding events (i.e. stranding hotspots) were: Regions I (n= 158), V (n=92), VII (n=68), III (n=53) and II (n=48). The regions with the least number of recorded stranding events were: NCR (n=3), ARMM (n=6), 13 (n=11). In the Visayas, Region VI (n=47) was also an area of concern, apart from Region VII. Similarly, in Mindanao Regions XII (n=44), XI (n=42), and IX (n=25) were hotspots. Region IX was considered as a hotspot primarily because it has the highest proportion of live stranders on record (84%, 21 of 25). Overall, 60% (n=430) of all recorded stranding events involved live animals. 
In terms of seasonality, strandings were relatively more frequent during the Northeast monsoon (NE) in most provinces than the Southwest monsoon or Inter-monsoon.  The bulk of the recorded strandings (76%) came from the top 20 provinces of the 64 represented. The top six provinces in terms of frequency of recorded strandings were Pangasinan (n= 63), Ilocos Norte (n= 52), Cagayan (n= 40), Sarangani (n= 37), Sorsogon (n=30), and Zambales (n=29). 
A total of 29 species (28 cetaceans plus the dugong) of marine mammals have been recorded throughout the Philippines, mostly confirmed through stranding records. Of the 29 species, 27 have stranding records, with Regions III and V both having the highest number of marine mammal species recorded (n=17); followed by Regions I and II (n=16), and 3 (n=15). The most frequent species that stranded was the spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris, n=115), followed by the Fraser’s dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei, n=67), Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus, n=52), melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra, n=45), Pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuate, n=37), dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima, n=36), and the dugong (Dugong dugon, n=36).  Another notable result was that the spinner dolphins was the most common stranded species and had been recorded to have stranded in 15 out of 16 regions. This implies that the spinner dolphin is most likely the most abundant and widely distributed marine mammal species in the Philippines. On the other hand, only 23 (3%) records of baleen whale strandings were documented. 
Majority of the stranding events involved adults (n=501, 70%). The ratio of stranded females to males was almost even (0.92). Furthermore, a total of 1561 individuals were recorded to have been involved in all (n=713) stranding events from 2005 to 2016: out of habitat = 745, single = 651, mass = 134, and UME = 31.  All the out of habitat animals, except three (3), eventually made it back to open seas. Out of the single stranders, 395 (61%) stranded alive. Of these, 329 were released immediately or after a few hours of


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The Philippine marine mammal strandings from 2005 to 2016
supportive care, including 5 baleen whales (i.e. adults to sub-adults). Sixty-six individuals were rehabilitated: 48 died (72%), 11 released (17%), 4 (6%) long-term care, and 3 euthanized (4%). 
The response to strandings has remarkably improved through time. This was mainly attributed to the significant increase in numbers of PMMSN Chapter and trained volunteers nationwide.  The PMMSN now have at least 12 collaborating BFAR Regional Offices, 11 with MOAs and 1 currently being worked out.  In 2010, 5 years after the establishment of PMMSN, there were 1736 trained volunteers. To date, there are 3690 trained volunteers, including at least 75 veterinarians who underwent a special training on medical management for stranded marine mammals. The existence of active PMMSN Chapters in several regions through the initiatives of BFAR Regional Directors, and local chief executives of provinces and cities/municipalities has enabled better response than before. Further, BFAR Regional Offices in regions I, II, II, IVA, V, VII, VIII, XI, and XIII have either already organized or are planning to organize provincial chapters of PMMSN through their Provincial Fisheries Offices to further enhance their capacity to respond to strandings. Regions IX, X and XII are currently setting up their respective Chapters. 
However, there are still many challenges. For instance, the coordination between the individual(s) who initially discover stranded marine mammals and trained local personnel (responders) needs to improve. Most often the discovering parties do not know who to call. This is unfortunate because, to date, there are many trained locals, especially in strategic (hotspot) areas, who are knowledgeable about stranding first response protocols. Supposedly, the assistance of the pertinent personnel from BFAR Regional Office (e.g. veterinarian) and/or PMMSN, would be required or immediately pursued only if there was no local individual(s) trained or after the animal has been given first aid and stabilized. Another challenge is finding accessible pond or enclosures for possible use as holding pens for rehabilitation of stranded animals in remote areas.
Another noteworthy finding was the significant number of live animals rescued and released back into their habitats. For the last 12 years, at least 329 individuals were released after providing supportive care. That was equivalent to 27 animals per year. Furthermore, the success rate of rehabilitation has increased from 12% in 2010 to 23%, to date. The 11 animals successfully rehabilitated was equivalent to almost 1 animal released per year. Furthermore, four dolphins, mostly victims of dynamite blasts, and therefore are acoustically challenged, and with almost nil chances of survival if released, are now under human care with their conspecifics. The PMMSN has also observed increasing cases of stranders (dead or dying) with compacted GIT by marine debris. A systematic collection of information regarding these sorts of cases and the like is now in place. These would not have been possible if there was no organized national stranding network (i.e. the PMMSN) that looked after their welfare as well as systematically collected data. Ultimately, the engagement of empowered communities (e.g. PMMSN Chapters), especially mandated agencies (i.e. BFAR, LGUs) and their respective leaders, made the difference for the Philippine marine mammal strandings.