Vegetation and wildlife fauna of the Emerald Bay coast, Zambales province, Philippines
2009
Gruezo, W. SM., Philippines Univ. Los Baños, College, Laguna (Philippines). Plant Biology Div.
The vegetation of the Emerald Bay coast in Port Silanguin, Barangay[village] San Antonio, Subic, Zambales Province (Philippines) is a mosaic of grassland-brushland types with very sparse remnant of lowland dipterocarp rain forest on its upper slope. At the junction of the marine and terrestrial environments, a narrow strip of mangrove and beach forests is still present. Its flora is composed of 111 vascular plant species belonging to 95 genera and 43 families, with a composite Shannon-Weiner diversity index of H'=4.15. Within the 7,930 ha. study area, the eastern portion (grassland-brushland type) had the highest species richness, S=60 species, followed by the southern portion (grassland type dominated by Dinochloa scanders) with S=43, then by the northern portion (grassland-brushland type) with S=41; the southeastern portion (Mangrove-swamp forest) with S=39 and the northern portion (grassland type) with only 30 species. However, in terms of species diversity level, the eastern portion had the highest H' value (3.617), followed by the northeastern portion, H'=3.347; southern portion, H'=3.230; southern portion, H'=3.163 and the northern portion, with H'2.916. Eighteen species of birds are recorded from the study area with only three endemic and three migratory species. With the present rate of utilization of plant resources in the area, it is predicted that the very sparse mangrove swamp forest as well as the few hardy species of the beach forest will be altogether lost either as fuelwood and domestic construction materials. The same fate will happen to the few, large remnant forest trees on the upper slopes of the study area. After a few years of continuous wood extraction and destruction of the remaining vegetation, the entire area will deteriorate beyond the grassland-brushland stage and ultimately become a barren, desolate and totally unproductive area of which no wildlife species will dare to visit. In short, the entire Emerald Bay coastal zone will become a classic example of a 'wildlife desert'.
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