Microcosm between Seagrass and Bare Patches S...

Microcosm between Seagrass and Bare Patches Supporting Communities of Gastropods and Bivalves after a Large-Scale Disturbance

Author Name : Bryan Joseph Matillano, Marion Alvy Villero, Allyza Quiminales

ABSTRACT

In an ecosystem that had experienced large-scale disturbance such as the Supertyphoon Haiyan in 2013, four years after; gastropods and bivalves were started to be amassed by local gleaners in seagrass and bare patches in shallow waters of Tacloban City. In order to compare which among the two microcosms would have higher abundance, four stations were established along coastlines of Burayan, San Jose, Magsaysay Boulevard, Anibong and Caliro, Diit; laying two 50- meters transect lines in each station; one for seagrass and one for bare patches. Results showed that 12 gastropods :Cerithiidae sp., Terebraliasulcata, Laevistrombusturturella, terebralia palustris, Clypeomorus sp., Nicilla Lamellose, Rapana sp., Bittium eschrichtii, Nasarius reticulatus, Tectus conus and two unidentified species. On the other hand, bivales included: Pernaviridis, Anadaratransversa, Trachycardium sp., Leukoma staminae and one unidentified species. More gastropods were collected in bare patches while seagrasses  indicated evenness and higher abundance in both bivalves and gastropods. Though there were no rehabilitation efforts done for ecosystem recuperation, bivalves and gastropods communities starting to emerge. Rehabilitation of surviving seagrass after a large-scale disturbance is necessary to sustain surviving communities.

Keywords: ecological succession, pioneer population, environmental stress, patch dynamics,disaster