The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) hosted a 3-day long workshop on Aquatic Wildlife Taxonomy and Systematics last April 25-27, 2016 at The Heritage Hotel, Pasay City. The seminar invited local and international specialists from the California Academy of Sciences. On the first day, the program was graced Atty. Annaliza A. Vitug, Chief of the Fisheries Regulatory and Quarantine Division. The workshop was made lively by quirky, yet intellectual remarks by Ms. Ludivina L. Labe as she introduced the guest lecturers.
The first lecture was on the Introduction to Philippine Marine Biodiversity by Dr. Terry Goslinger. He enticed the participants with figures and illustrations showing the unique and amazing marine biodiversity along the infamous Coral Triangle. However, the mood in the room turned melancholic as he unveiled photos of bleached coral reefs and seabeds with no coral reefs at all! Although the lecture had an unexpected twist, Dr. Goslinger noted that it’s not yet too late. To quote him: “Reef rehabilitation works, as long as there are people willing to participate.” Dr. Richard Mooi followed, discussing the Introduction to the Principles of Systematics. Technical terminologies and basic rules on binomial classification were tackled, including evolutionary lineages and phylogenetic systematics. Afterwards, Dr. Meg Burke went on to discuss how science information can be disseminated to local communities to develop an atmosphere of knowledge regarding the effects of anthropogenic disturbances, and how to counteract these effects through effectively communicating science. According to her, there are 4 steps: (1) Know your audience, (2) Keep it simple, (3) Make it relevant to the audience, and (4) Use the power of visuals and physical audience. Dr. Goslinger and Dr. Mooi returned to give a lecture on Molluscan and Echinoderm taxonomy and characteristics respectively. After the lectures, the participants partook in a practical exercise called, “Darwin’s Roadshow.” The participants were divided into 2: one echinoderm and one molluscan group. Each group huddled around either Dr. Mooi or Dr. Goslinger, and each lecturer continued to discuss about the phenotypes of their taxon of interest. The participants were in awe as they discover new things about seemingly common animals. For some participants, it was their first time to see blue sea stars, black sea urchins, sand dollars, and many more! The specimens used for the activity were from both participants and the National Museum of the Philippines. Day one ended with a scrumptious dinner and a small chatter with some of the lecturers. On the second day, participants were greeted with a 3-hour lecture on the taxonomy and characteristics corals by our very own Dr. Al Licuanan. Who knew that these sessile animals could be so interesting? Dr. Licuanan was so passionate in his lecture, that one could not help being drawn into loving corals as well. He had witty antics and acronyms to help the participants remember that taxonomy of corals better. Afterwards, Dr. Kent Carpenter followed with a brief lecture on fishes. In a brief amount of time, he was able to demonstrate the evolution of fishes starting from Class Agnatha to Class Acipenseriformes. He went on to discuss about the difficulties of regulating conservation efforts on Philippine marine biodiversity and why there is an urgent need for it. Furthermore, he introduced the CITES appendices and why we should all be concerned about the on-going trade of Philippine marine animals. The workshop ended with a practical and written examination. Participants were given the entire morning of the last day to prepare for the examination and were reminded of their school days as they were handed their test papers. Regional participants had a fellowship dinner afterwards, while participants from the metro were handed their certificates of attendance/appearance and were given the signal that they could leave. The workshop was served as a pool of knowledge wherein participants could dive for more information if they wanted. The lecturers were more than happy to accommodate any inquiry about their field of specialization, maybe even more. All in all, everyone left satisfied and eager to share everything they have learned in the workshop. Employees of BFAR and NFRDI are now ready to face new challenges towards the development, rehabilitation, restoration, and preservation of Philippine marine biodiversity.
0 Comments
Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
Leave a Reply. |
ActivitiesSee the latest happenings in and out of the laboratory. Archives
September 2018
Categories
All
News FeaturesMichael John Mendiola Web DesignJennifer A. Poniente |