The Malampaya Sound Ecological Study:
A Case Study on the Role of Geology in Biodiversity Conservation

Emmanuel S. Bate

Managing Director, SEASTEMS, Inc,
Consultant, Worldwide Fund for Nature, Phils.
 

1.  Introduction

This paper is part of a bigger ecological characterization study of Malampaya Sound, Taytay, Palawan commissioned by Worldwide Fund for Nature, Philippines (WWF, Phils Inc.). Malampaya Sound is an IPAS protected area known as the Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape and Seascape. It is located in the northwestern part of mainland Palawan and it is within the jurisdiction of the Municipality of Taytay, Palawan. The Malampaya Sound has a catchment area of 88,135 hectares and a water body of 4,572 hectares. Figure 1 shows the location of the Malampaya Sound. The object of WWF’s involvement in the Malampaya Sound is the conservation of the only known population of Irrawady Dolphin in the Philippines.

The ecological study in its entirety is intended to establish the current environmental status of this body of water. The geology component of the ecological study is expected to describe the geology of the sound, identify and describe the active geologic processes and relate these to the dynamic ecological processes operating in the habitat of the Irrawady Dolphin. Of specific interest to habitat management is the status of sedimentation. Sedimentation rate, if quantified can be used as an indicator of the status of the watershed. In the same manner, it can be used as an indicator of the success of environmental interventions implemented in the watersheds. For the Malampaya Sound, the ecological baseline generated by the study served as the basis for updating the management plan of the protected area.

Among the significant results of the geology component of this study are the initial estimates of sedimentation rate and the tentative ecological zonation of the Malampaya Sound based on physical characteristics.

However, it needs to be stressed that the results of this study are based on limited field data and as such, these should be considered as first approximation. Validation of the results through continued monitoring is strongly recommended. Also, it needs to be stressed that choice of methodology is limited by the amount of funds available.

Acknowledgement is due to Shell Philippines Exploration, B.V. who funded the study and WWF Philippines, who implemented the ecological study.