Scientific Area
Taxonomic List and Conservation Status on the Beach Forest Flora of Homonhon Island, Philippines
ID: 613 / 229
Category: Abstract
Track: Pending
Proposed Symposium Title: Taxonomic List and Conservation Status on the Beach Forest Flora of Homonhon Island, Philippines
Authors:
Roanne Benesisto Romeroso1,2,*, Danilo Niem Tandang3, Ian Ausa Navarrete4,5
Affiliations: The Graduate School and Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, España Boulevard, Manila, PHILIPPINES. 2Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Eastern Philippines, Catarman, Northern Samar, PHILIPPINES. 3Philippine National Herbarium, Botany and National Herbarium Division, National Museum of Natural History, National Museum of the Philippines, T.M. Kalaw Street, Manila, PHILIPPINES. 4Department of Environmental Science, Southern Leyte State University-Hinunangan Campus, Ambacon, Hinunangan, Southern Leyte, PHILIPPINES. 5Center for Smallholder Horticulture and Agroforestry Research and Extension, Southern Leyte State University-Hinunangan Campus, Ambacon, Hinunangan, Southern Leyte, PHILIPPINES.
Abstract:
A total of 44 families, 89 genera and 103 beach forest species were identified. The most numbered family is Euphorbiaceae (9), Leguminosae (8) species, Compositae and Poaceae (7) and Rubiaceae (6), Malvaceae (5) Araceae, Convolvulaceae (4), while the rest of the genera have three to fewer species. Among the sites, Habag beach forest is the most diverse with 38 families, 80 genera, 95 species followed by Pagbabangnan beach forest with 25 families, 32 genera and 32 species and Casuguran beach forest with 21 families, 30 genera, 33 species. The findings of the study would be a great help to at least fill the gap on the scarcity of data on the beach flora species on the Philippine Island. The forest of Homonhon Island is affected by mining activities, with the depressing threats of extinction at hand. It is hoped that the findings of this study will encourage more researchers to perform a floristic survey of the Philippine beach forest to catalogue the species before they become prey to extinction.