Pavia, the immediate past Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, has worked on non-native aquatic organisms and non-native freshwater fish species. In 2023, he published an article warning about the risk of non-native fishes invading due to climate change, with Lake Taal as the study site. Recently, he co-authored the article “Development and application of a second-generation multilingual tool for invasion risk screening of non-native terrestrial plants.”

First chartered in 1968, FIFMS now has over twenty-three members comprised of both public and private higher education institutions. The federation provides an avenue for greater collaboration among members through collaborative research undertakings and the sharing of expertise and resources.

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A team of aquatic biologists and microbiologists led by Asst. Prof. Reuel Bennett, Dr.rer.nat., Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences, and Inst. Elfritzson Peralta, M.Sc., together with DBS academic staff Inst. Allan Gilles, M.Sc. and Inst. Eunice Aaron, M.Sc. (Marine Biology team), Inst. Justine De Leon, M.Sc. and Inst. Kenneth Xavier Sanchez, M.Sc. (Freshwater Biology team) conducted the study from August 11 to 14, 2024. The team covered 26 study sites in the watershed area, including mangrove forests, coastal areas, estuaries, streams, rivers, and a freshwater lake – Lake Danao. 

On September 17, 2024, Peralta, Assoc. Prof. Richard Thomas B. Pavia Jr., PhD, and Inst. Allan Gilles Jr., MSc presented the project’s initial results to Mayor Torres-Gomez. Also present were City Councilors Peter Rodriguez, Caren Torres Rama, Edmund Kierulf, and Bert Pades, together with officials from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office, City Agricultural Office, and representatives from the Protected Areas Management Board.

This initiative, which underscores the strong partnership between UST scientists and their government counterparts, is a testament to their shared commitment to bring science to the community.

Academic and research staff of the UST Department of Biological Sciences conducting the water quality monitoring, biological sampling and microbiological analysis of aquatic ecosystems in Ormoc Bay and its tributaries.

The UST Team, Mayor Lucy Torres Gomez, and the City of Ormoc officials after the presentation of the team’s initial findings.

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Bennett delivered a lecture entitled “Oomycetes in Philippine freshwater ecosystems”, highlighting current research developments in taxonomy and potential utilization of oomycetes (aquatic fungi) for aquaculture as natural food source due to its potential for mass propagation and fatty acid content. Meanwhile, Papa updated the audience on “Methane Dynamics and Limnological Monitoring in Tropical East Asia: The Case of Lake Yambo”, which emphasized on the importance of routine limnological monitoring for water quality and methane concentrations in tropical lakes such as Lake Yambo as these are closely linked to eutrophication, especially in tropical lake ecosystems, especially those heavily utilized for aquaculture.

Papa and Bennett joined speakers from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Turkiye, and Vietnam in giving lectures on the ecology and life history of economically important aquatic organisms, aquaculture, and fisheries, including topics on conservation, management, climate change adaptation and sustainability.

Chonnam National University holds the distinction of having the first and oldest fisheries and marine educational institution in South Korea and is known for receiving the most research funding among Korean universities.

Its College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences maintains two research vessels, including the 96.45m ship Sae Dong Baek which was launched in 2019. Symposium speakers were given the opportunity to visit and inspect the research facilities of their two research vessels, which routinely conducts research cruises around the Korean peninsula.  A best research poster competition was also held during the symposium where graduate students and researchers of Chonnam National University showcased their latest research findings.

The event was organized by the CNU College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences in cooperation with the Korea Fishery Resource Management Research Institute and the Institute of Fishing Village and Aquaculture.

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Both alumni and academic staff from the College of Science presented their research during the conference. Mary Grace Lumba and Zarina Dawn Cablitas who both majored in Environmental Biology won Best Poster for their research titled “Diet analysis and risk screening of native and introduced fish species in Angat Watershed Forest Reserve: Implications on protection and management”. Mr. Elfritzson M. Peralta, MSc served as the pair’s research adviser. The research is co-authored with academic staff from the Department of Biological Sciences namely Mr. Kenneth Xavier Sanchez, MSc, Mr. Allan Gilles, Jr., MSc,  Assoc. Prof. Richard Thomas Pavia, Jr., Ph.D., and UST College of Science Dean Prof. Rey Donne Papa, Ph.D.

In the same poster session, Eliza Rose Aquino, Miguel Estrada, and Hannah Lorraine Frias who majored in Medical Biology presented their thesis titled “Benthic macroinvertebrate communities reveal urban river health in Batangas and Zambales, Philippines: Does protection status influence urbanized watersheds?”. This study is co-authored with Lilian Dela Cruz, a BS Biology student from Batch 2024; Ms. Justine de Leon, academic staff from the Department of Biological Sciences; Mr. Dino Tordesillas an academic staff from UST Senior High School; Prof. Emeritus Milagrosa Martinez-Goss, Ph.D. from the University of the Philippines-Los Banos, Laguna; and Prof. Papa, with Mr. Peralta as research adviser.

During the conference, Allan Gilles won Best Oral Presentation based on the research titled “Current and future risk of invasion posed by non-native freshwater fishes in a mega-biodiversity country (The Philippines)”. This presentation is co-authored with Jean-Matthew Bate (BS Biology Batch 2023) and his colleagues from the department Mr. Peralta, Dr. Pavia, and Visiting Assoc. Prof. Lorenzo Vilizzi. In addition, Mr. Elfritzson Peralta also won Best Oral Presentation based on the research titled “Philippine watersheds in the Anthropocene: Cases of southern urban hydrosystem syndrome and freshwater protected area”, which was co-authored with Mr. Sanchez and Prof. Papa.

With the theme “New Waves in Hydrobiology towards a Changing World”, ASH 2024 was attended by a total of 243 participants from different countries (i.e., China, India, Japan, Mexico, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Thailand, Vietnam). Four out of 55 poster presentations and nine out of 63 oral presentations have been awarded as Best Poster Presentation and Best Oral Presentations, respectively, across different sessions. The recognitions received by the students and faculty members of the University of Santo Tomas are testament to the significant contributions of the Thomasian researchers towards the challenges being faced by Philippine aquatic ecosystems.

ASH 2024 also saw the appointment of Dean Papa as one of the new Executive Board members of the international organization in the field of hydrobiology in Asia.

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Ms. Anne Parojinog, MS won first place in the Oral Competition of the Biological and Health Sciences category (MS level) for her research entitled “Integrated Urban Ecology: A socio-ecological overview of Metropolitan Manila and bioecological study of its two urban protected forests”.

Meanwhile, Ms. Pauline Maglipon, MS won first place in the Poster Competition of the Agricultural and Environmental Science category for her poster entitled “Spatiotemporal distribution and diversity of plant communities in post fire sites of Mts. Iglit-Baco Natural Park, Occidental Mindoro, Philippines”. Both Ms. Parojinog and Ms. Maglipon were under the supervision of Biological Sciences academic researcher Nikki Heherson Dagamac, Dr.rer.nat.

Another Environmental Biology alumna, Ms. Kamille Poblete, M.Sc. won third place in the Poster Competition of the Biological and Health Sciences category for her research entitled “Temporal shifts of methane production and methane oxidizing bacteria communities: A limnological assessment in a tropical lake,” which she conducted under the supervision of College of Science Dean Rey Donne S. Papa, PhD.

Lastly, Mr. Theo Victor Cavite of the MS Applied Physics major in Medical Physics program garnered second place in the Poster Competition of the Physical Sciences Category. His poster entitled “Neutron spectrometry via in-115 activation foil at the Philippines’ sole research reactor” was co-authored with his supervisors Dr. Alvie J. Asuncion-Astronomo of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute and Asst. Prof. Roland Cristopher F. Caballar, Ph.D. of the UST Department of Mathematics and Physics.

These award-winning student researchers are part of the UST delegation composed of 13 DOST scholars, four Graduate School academic staff, and two UST DOST-ASTHRDP office project staff. ������Ƶ of Santo Tomas is a member of the National Science Consortium (NSC) under the ASTHRDP of the DOST–Science Education Institute, which oversees the offering of scholarships in flagship Science and Technology graduate programs. UST is represented in the NSC by Dean Papa. First offered in UST in 2010, the DOST-ASTHRDP scholarship has supported 435 Master of Science graduates and 55 doctoral degree graduates. This academic year, there are 70 Master of Science and 6 doctoral students enjoying the scholarship.

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Three Thomasian scientists joined foreign researchers in sounding the alarm on potential invasive species that can threaten worldwide biodiversity, a new article published in Global Change Biology revealed.

Master of Science in Biology alumnus Arman N. Pili (now a research affiliate at Monash University), Department of Biological Sciences academic researcher Mae Lowe Diesmos, MSc, and Graduate School academic staff Arvin Diesmos, PhD joined eleven (11) scholars from different parts of the world in the study “Forecasting potential invaders to prevent future biological invasions worldwide.” Biological invasions, include the introduction of foreign, i.e., alien species, into a given area, have been brought about by the “ever-increasing and expanding globalization of trade and transport.”

The study provided a quantitative invasion risk assessment tool based on invasion syndromes (i.e., generalizing typical attributes of invasive alien species). The researchers based on their work on the modelling of invasion syndromes of 466 amphibians and reptile species with invasion history, then used the data to forecast possible invasion for the rest of the 16,236 species worldwide.

Based on their findings, “160 amphibians and reptiles without known invasion history could be unintentionally transported and introduced in the future,” with 57 posing a “high risk of establishing alien populations.” Such introduction may happen through the accidental transport of fresh produce to a territory by travelers.

In a spinoff article published in The Conversation, Pili and co-researcher David Chapple warned that among the species that can invade Australian biodiversity are the Graceful Chameleon, Common European Viper, and American toad.

The new tool lends itself to “developing a future-proof preventative biosecurity” system globally.

Both Dr. Arvin and Asst. Prof. Mae Lowe Diesmos are scholars on the systematics, ecology, and conservation of amphibians and reptiles in the Philippines and Southeast Asia.

Sources:

Research Article:  

Feature Article:  

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In a parallel session, Dr. Baldia presented a paper that dealt with the importance of phytoplankton in maintaining the ecological balance of the freshwater ecosystems such as lakes, ponds, and dams. Angat Hydroelectric Dam (AHD) which is one of the largest freshwater dam in the Philippines has been in existence for over 50 years supplying potable water in Metro Manila, irrigates farmlands in Bulacan and Pampanga provinces, and generates hydroelectric power in Luzon Island. The study investigated the diversity of the phytoplankton community structure in Angat Dam and its relationship with the changes of the water quality of the reservoir. Thus, a monthly sampling on the phytoplankton diversity coupled with water quality analyses in AHD was conducted from June 2018 to May 2019.  This study was beneficial for monitoring the health of the reservoir ecosystems, as well as the conservation of environment functions.

            She shares authorship of the paper with her former graduate thesis advisee, Michelle S. Agustin, who is now a graduate of Master of Science in Biology.  The research was supported by the UST Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, and by the Commission on Higher Education and Bulacan State University through Ms. Agustin.

            The 9^th Asian Pacific Phycological Forum (APPF) 2024 is a gathering of scientists, professors, engineers, and even students for exchange of ideas and garnering new information in the field of phycology (study of algae).  This was attended by over 240 participants, the sessions included the following topics: Harmful Algal Blooms, Seaweed Cultivation, Algae and Climate Change/Ecology, Taxonomy, Phylogeny and Evolution.

������Ƶ of Santo Tomas joins six other Philippines universities who also were present in the conference delivered oral presentations, served as chairs of the different sessions, and acted as judges of oral and poster presentations of student participants.

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Bennett was recognized for research efforts as young researcher at the Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences and for his work while a graduate student. Specifically, Bennett’s work on the taxonomy and evolution of oomycetes was recognized. Building on the comprehensive study by Dogma, Bennett’s contributions helped “fill in the missing literature and knowledge gap in Philippine Oomycetes.” His studies focus on oomycete taxonomy, ecology, and evolution. Recently, he has engaged with fellow Thomasian researchers on the applied aspects of oomycetes such as fatty acids and secondary metabolites. Among his collaborators, are Prof. Dr. Gina Dedeles, Inst. Mark Devanadera, Prof. Dr. Mafel Ysrael, Inst. Nono Caguimbal, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Kim Arafiles.

His current focus is researching with and training students “who are very willing to learn about these organisms,” which he counts as a rarity as the work involves long hours of observations using a microscope to try and decode the oomycetes life cycle and development.

In his interview with the Communications Bureau, Bennett acknowledged College of Science Dean Rey Donne S. Papa, PhD for the nomination and his plant pathology and mycology professor at the UST Graduate School, Prof. Irineo J. Dogma, Jr., PhD, whom he hailed as the “authority on zoosporic fungi.” He also thanked graduate research advisers Prof. Dedeles and Prof. Dr. Marco Thines. The Chair also thanked his colleagues and teachers in the department, namely Asst. Prof. Mae Lowe Diesmos, Prof. Dr. Thomas Edison E. dela Cruz, Prof. Dr. Pia Marie S.P. Albano, and Prof. Dr. Maureen Sabit.

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The two-day hybrid conference, which was attended by participants from Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, China, and Japan was organized by the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and supported by the Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), National University of Laos (NuoL), South East Asia Limnological Network (SEALNet), Research Centre for Limnology and Water Resources, United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP), Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), and Ministry of Environment and Forestry and the International Society of Limnology.

The UST delegation included Science Dean Prof. Rey Donne S. Papa, Ph.D., Senior Teacher Dino T. Tordesillas, Ph.D. of the UST Senior High School, Biology instructor Ms. Justine R. De Leon, M.Sc., Organismic and Environmental Biology Cluster Coordinator Mr. Elfritzson M. Peralta, M.Sc., and M.Sc. student Ms. Kristine Sandoval (who represented National University – Laguna). All five Thomasians presented papers during the parallel sessions of the conference.

Peralta was awarded “Best Presenter (Student)” during the closing ceremonies of the two-day event. His paper, titled “Watershed Ecology: Assessment of Valuable Ecosystems in Freshwater Protected Areas (WEAVE FPAs) of the Philippines” discussed the importance of Freshwater Protected Areas for effective conservation and management of inland aquatic ecosystems. Peralta is currently enrolled under the Ph.D. Biology program of the UST Graduate School.

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The national training delved into the conservation management of natural parks, particularly those in consideration for the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List. It documented the bio-cultural programs and projects of LGUs with UNESCO sites under the World Heritage, Man and Biosphere, and Geoparks programs, to build awareness and enhance appreciation of nature-culture linkage towards development strategy, to introduce bio-cultural governance as the basis for responsible tourism, cultural education, cultural industries, and environment activism. Bio-cultural governance is an iteration of culture-based governance training.

Sen. Loren Legarda began the day with a video message where she discussed the concept of biocultural governance and its significance.

Plenary speaker, Dr. Alvin C. Diesmos, Director of Biodiversity Knowledge Management and Department (ASEAN Center for Biodiversity), focused on the state of conservation in the Asia Pacific Region, providing valuable insights. Joining him were UST Graduate School academic staff that shared key-takeaways with regards to biodiversity, research, and science.

Atty. Nicolas Pichay, the Director for Legislative Library Services at the Philippine Senate, discussed Nature and Culture Linkage: Laws and Jurisprudence. He explained the concepts of natural and cultural heritage and cases related to heritage sites.

Ms. Zorina Arellano, the Puerto Princesa City ENRO Senior Environmental Management Specialist presented the city’s environmental problems, its resolutions, and different programs.

Park Superintendent Angelique Songco of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park discussed the park’s protective measures and management, while Geologist Karl Michael Din, the head of the Geoconservation Committee in the Bohol Island UNESCO Global Geopark, explained the concept of geopark and its goal.

The second day of the conference presented two case studies from Samar and Palawan. Ms. Maria Victoria Punay, a Lecturer of UST Graduate School Cultural Heritage Program and Associate Researcher of CCCPET, presented the Governance: Aspirations and Struggles for World Heritage Nomination of Samar Island Natural Park, while Brooke’s Point Vice Mayor Atty. Mary Jane Feliciano shared insights into the Conservation Management Plan, Issues, and Context of Mount Mantalingahan Natural Park—another site with UNESCO World Heritage aspirations.

The national training is attended by local government workers, newly elected barangay officials from Palawan, Large Marine Vertebrates Research Institute Philippines (LAMAVE), Katala Foundation, Zoological Society of London, Center for Sustainability, DepEd, Pilipinas Shell Foundation, LGU of El Nido, environmental science students from Palawan State University and more. This is an adjunct activity of the Subaraw Biodiversity Festival of Puerto Princesa City supported by the USAID-SIBOL Project and RTI International.

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