This paper aimed at underlying some physico-chemical characteristics of the water of Lake Lanao at Poona-bayabao, Lanao Del Sur during the first quarter of 2015, by evaluating a total of eight (8) water quality parameters. Physical parameters were temperature, depth, transparency, and total suspended solids. On the other hand, the chemical parameters were pH, dissolved oxygen, phosphate and nitrate. Three sampling stations were considered in the study. Community’s knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes towards the utilization and condition of the lake were also evaluated through interview. Results showed that all assessed physico-chemical parameters still conformed to the Philippines standards set by Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for fresh surface water as Class A as for the year 2015. One-way Anova showed no significant difference in the overall average of the physico-chemical characteristics in the three sampling stations of Lake Lanao (p > 0.05). With the results obtained, the Lake can still be a source of water supply that require complete treatment in order to meet National Standards for Drinking Water (NSDW) of the Philippines, within the year of the conduct of the study. For the assessment of community’s knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes, Kruskal-Wallis test showed that the knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes are not significantly different in terms of stations. A more comprehensive and wider range monitoring is recommended for future study about the lake.
To identify factors that influence the decision to evacuate upon flood warning by authorities, a study was conducted in a flood prone area in the province of Bukidnon in the Philippines. A survey of flood victims was conducted in Batangan Village, Valencia City, Bukidnon, Philippines wherein 150 respondents were interviewed. Logistic regression analysis was done to test the socio demographic factors that could influence a family’s decision to either evacuate or stay upon advice by government authorities. College education, presence of children in the home, poverty, and extent of flood experienced were found to significantly influence the decision of the family to evacuate. Based on this information, the study provides recommendations for disaster managers in case of future flood incidence in the area.
Two new species of Monocoryna (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae: Monocorynini) are described from the Philippines, Mindanao: Monocoryna nicolebertiae sp. nov. and M. philippinensis sp. nov. Monocoryna borneensis Arrow, 1926 is synonymized with Monocoryna moultoni (Sicard, 1913), and Monocoryna javanica Miyatake, 1988 with Monocoryna decempunctata Gorham. The lectotypes of Walteria (=Monocoryna) antennalis Sicard, 1913 and M. borneensis Arrow, 1926 are designated. A catalogue of all known Monocoryna is provided.
The call signatures of sixteen Philippine insectivorous bat species are described, and used to inventory bats on Mount Makiling, Luzon. I compare these acoustic diversity data to those collected with mist nets, and a newly designed tunnel trap. The Rhinolophidae used calls with unique constant frequency components. Most vespertilionid calls could be identified to species based on call shape and minimum frequency, with the exception of those used by Pipistrellus spp. and Miniopterus schreibersii. The tunnel trap, mist nets, and the Anabat II detector recorded 22 species, including eight new records for Mount Makiling. Eighteen percent of the species were captured in mist nets, 68% were trapped, and 77% were detected acoustically. Twenty species were recorded either acoustically or with the trap. Two species were recorded exclusively with mist-nets, three with the tunnel trap, and four were only detected with the bat detector. Generally, bats possessing low intensity calls were not detected acoustically or captured in mist nets, but were captured in the tunnel trap. The tunnel trap captured most species flying below the canopy and the bat detector was effective for inventorying those flying above.
Parks and other protected areas in tropical forests often include secondary forest, cropland, and pasture. Documentation of the impact of such anthropogenic disturbance is essential for effective management. We re-sampled bats within Mount Isarog Natural Park (MINP), a protected area in southeastern Luzon, Philippines, seventeen years after a survey in old- and second-growth forest and in agro-pastoral areas was conducted in 1988. By employing harp traps and a tunnel trap, in addition to mist nets as used in the earlier study, we aimed to document species previously undetected by mist netting alone. We documented 26 bat species, seven of which were captured exclusively in harp traps, and two that were only captured in a tunnel trap. This survey resulted in nine new records of bat species for MINP, bringing the total number to 30. We did not recapture four species documented in 1988, all of which were noted in that study as uncommon. Nineteen species were captured in agro-pastoral areas on the south slope, including two Hipposideros spp. not captured at the forested sites.
Trypanosoma evansi infection in the Philippines is frequently reported to affect the country’s livestock, particularly, the buffaloes. To assess the prevalence and intraspecific diversity of T. evansi in the country, blood samples from water buffaloes in different geographical regions were collected during an outbreak. T. evansi was detected in all 79 animals tested using PCR targeting the RoTat 1.2 VSG gene. Sequencing of the rDNA complete internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region including the 5.8S subunit showed high similarity (99–100%) between Philippine isolates and known T. evansi isolates in Genbank. Tree construction based on the same region confirmed the close relationship between Philippine and reported Thai isolates as compared to Egyptian isolates separated by relatively small genetic distances, 47 polymorphisms, despite the clustering in four branches. Overall, the results of this study prove genetic diversity within T. evansi species despite previous reports on limited heterogeneity among isolates worldwide.
The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of Ehrlichia canis, Anaplasma platys and Babesia spp. in dogs. It describes the practice of veterinarians in detecting tick-borne diseases in Nueva Ecija, Philippines. Seventy blood samples were collected and were subjected to multiplex PCR for the detection of E. canis, Babesia spp. and A. platys. The prevalence of babesiosis is the highest in Cabanatuan City (2/10), while a 10% prevalence (1/10) was observed in Science City of Muñoz, Talavera and Sta. Rosa. E. canis were only detected in Cabanatuan City. However, no anaplasmosis was detected in any area. The prevalence of babesiosis and ehrlichiosis in Nueva Ecija is 7.14% (5/70) and 2.85% (2/70) respectively. In addition, 70% (7/10) of the Nueva Ecija veterinary practitioners encountered cases of suspected ehrlichiosis in their practice. The diagnosis of ehrlichiosis is based primarily on presented clinical signs and complete blood counts, which include a platelet count. Of the 10 respondents, half utilized test kits while 90% interpreted blood samples. Meanwhile, only 60% of the respondents used an ELISA test kit for ehrlichiosis. For some practitioners, the main reason for not utilizing a kit is the high cost. None of the respondents had previously attended cases of suspected anaplasmosis. Only one respondent diagnosed a case of babesiosis by blood smear microscopy.
The efficacy of Paecilomyces lilacinus strain UP1 as biological control agent of Meloidogyne incognita attacking tomato was evaluated under screenhouse condition pot experiments. P. lilacinus was formulated on rice substrate in powder form. Root weight, gall index rating, number of galls, egg masses and nematodes per one gram root sample were determined and per cent reduction in gall number was computed. Root weight and gall index ratings were significantly higher in untreated plants than those with P. lilacinus and with the commercial fungicide Nemacur. Number of galls, nematodes and egg masses per one gram root sample were significantly reduced by the application of P. lilacinus at all levels and this was comparable with Nemacur. However, egg mass count in plants treated with the lowest concentration of the biocontrol agent was not significantly different from the uninoculated control. Per cent reduction in gall number was the highest at treatment with 7.92 × 106 spores per ml of P. lilacinus.