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Status of Academe-based and Private Natural History Museums and Collections

Rediscovering the Northwestern Luzon Philippines: A Decade-long Exploration and Documentation of its Natural Heritage

Michael Agbayani Calaramo, Cora Marie Pugal, Victor Davalos and Lori Marceli De Castro

Northwestern University Eco-park & Botanic Gardens, Northwestern University, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte

Email for correspondence: nwu_ecopark@yahoo.com

Northwest Luzon is an ecologically diverse region. Its biological diversity is so unique with high endemism, several species are rare that cannot be found elsewhere in the world. Conversely, the region is home to nature’s greatest furies: active fault lines, turbulent winds, extreme temperatures, floods, tidal surges, and super highway to typhoons in propinquity to Batanes – a typhoon prone area. The enigmatic vegetation still under explored. Cuming 1836, Merrit & Darling 1908, Klemme 1909, Paraiso & Ramos 1914, Merrill & Ramos October 1916-1918 were only some of the field collections done in the area. Subsequently, it was a black hole for almost century until 2007, the Northwestern University launched the Northwesterniana Expedition to document the northwestern part of Luzon. As a result of a decade long expedition in the wild, 11 major ecosystems with unique ecology was found. Floristic composition was recorded as initial finger print of the vegetation. Botanical specimens were legitimately and properly collected, deposited at the Northwestern University Eco-park & Botanic Gardens (NUEBG) for ex situ conservation. It holds a living plant collection of 2,200 species in 228 families, arranged through systematics and latest phylogeny (APG IV 2016). It opened for research in 2010 as member of the BGCI. The Herbarium of the Northwestern Luzon HNUL became operational in 2016 with 14,000 specimens arranged in Systematics APG IV and Synoptic Collections for specific ecosystems. Today the NUEBG & HNUL is used for Plant Systematics, Field Botany, Horticulture and Ecology classes. Genomics, DNA barcoding and Phytochemistry are also available for scientific collaboration.

Empowering Floral Diversity Research in the Academe: Its Role in Enriching Herbarium Collections

Maria Melanie P. Medecilo and Myra N. Lagat

Biological Sciences Department, De La Salle University – Dasmariñas, City of Dasmariñas, Cavite

Email for correspondence: mpmedecilo@dlsud.edu.ph; mnlagat@dlsud.edu.ph

As everybody deals with the changing condition of our physical environment, which is undeniably getting worse, De La Salle University- Dasmariñas is taking part in the struggle by finding ways on how people can prevent landscape deterioration or, if not possible, survive the hazards which may already be present. The Biological Sciences Department (BSD) is earmarked to promote biodiversity conservation towards sustainable development in compliance with local, national, and global interests. With adequate facilities and resources such as fully functional herbarium and a robust botanical garden, BSD through its numerous programs encourages both faculty and students to undertake research on biodiversity and conservation. It also promotes the importance of protecting and saving the ecosystem and encourages the community to take an active part in order in this noteworthy endeavor to succeed. To determine the different species of plants found in the campus, inventory and documentation of each plant species were conducted. Furthermore, voucher specimens were collected and deposited in the DLSU-D Herbarium. A total of 450 species of plants belonging to three major groups were surveyed. Among the major groups, the angiosperm is widely represented with 410 species, which are distributed among 87 families. Araceae, Euphorbiaceae, Arecaceae, Fabaceae, and Acanthaceae are the most represented families. Of the species of plants found in the campus, 16 species are endemic to the country. This study contributed about 30% of the total herbarium collections in DLSU-D. These scientific collections will ultimately benefit the role played by herbarium and botanical gardens in future conservation.

Revisiting the Medicinal Plants Collection: Endemics and Ornamentals

Lourdes B. Cardenas^1,2 and Adie Diongco¹

¹Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna; ²Curator, UPLB Museum of Natural History, University of the Philippines Los Baños, College, Laguna

Email for correspondence: lbcardenas@up.edu.ph

Discovering a new plant species - describing and naming it - is a tall order by itself. This has deeper implications when we consider plant species with strong impact in the consciousness of the public, like the medicinal plants. Working on endemics is often the priority in research. This allows the discovery of novel biologically active compounds that may serve as the first-of-kind in pharmaceutical industry. With chemotaxonomy as a tool, testing of local species closely related to internationally established medicinal plant is another research approach. Previous work of the author showed this may or may not provide alternative source of the therapeutic substance. A third approach is considered recently: checking the ornamental variety of known medicinal plant. Whereas agriculture apparently reduces the level of, if not totally obliterate, biologically active secondary metabolites in crops, could the same trend be said of those in ornamentals? A study of three pairs of ornamental plant varieties vis-a-vis their wild types, or their older varieties that are already escapes from cultivation, were extracted for their valued secondary metabolites and their profiles compared using thin layer chromatography and spectrophotometry. Ornamental varieties proved to be as potent as their wild types with variations in profiles, in some cases. This indicates that ornamental plants can serve as material source of therapeutic substances. This finding is relevant as the PCHRD-DOST initiated Philippine Biorepository Network embarks on re-establishing the medicinal plants garden in UPLB.

Status and prospectus: The Zooarchaeological Collection of the University of the Philippines Diliman

Kristine Kate A. Lim¹, Rebekka Volmer¹, Pauline Basilia¹, Maria Rebecca Ferreras¹, Kathryn B. Manalo¹ and Noel Amano²

¹Zooarchaeology Laboratory, Archaeological Studies Program, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City; ²Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany

Email for correspondence: rebekka.volmer@gmx.de, rebekka.volmer@upd.edu.ph

The reference collection is integral in zooarchaeology since all zooarchaeological research is based on studies of modern animals. Accurate identification of the fragmentary remains excavated from the archaeological sites depends on actual comparisons with modern skeletal specimens. Although illustrations and keys might prove useful in the identification, there is no substitute for a good reference collection. A good reference collection should have multiple specimens of relevant species, reflecting differences in measurements or sizes, age, sex, etc. This would provide an opportunity for the collection to be used as a research tool to address questions of morphological and species variability. A zooarchaeological reference collection is significant for it is useful in identifying species diversity, abundance, estimating frequencies and to a certain extent, cultural beliefs to better understand man’s relationship with animals and its interplay with different environments since time immemorial. The UP ASP Zooarchaeology labarotory is continuously updating its own zoological reference collection. As of the moment, the collection has over 200 complete and partial skeletons of modern animals which includes birds, amphibians, reptiles and a variety of mammal specimens. The laboratory also houses a growing collection of more than 90 freshwater and marine fish bones and 40 species of shelled molluscan and crab animals. Since 2014, the laboratory also initiated the creation of the first taphonomic reference collection in the Philippines and Southeast Asia which through a series of actualistic experiments and comparative analysis, explored natural processes or intentional modification on faunal (i.e. bones, shells) materials.

Type Specimens in the Entomological Collection, Biological Museum, University of San Carlos in Cebu City, Philippines

Fidel E. Bendanillo

Curator, Entomological Collection, Biological Museum, Department of Biology, University of San Carlos, Talamban, Cebu City

Email for correspondence: fidelbendanillo@yahoo.com

Insects in the USC Biological Museum are now estimated to be more than fifty thousand individuals since the time when Rev Fr. Heinrich Schoenig, SVD established it 1952. But until now no record yet how many type species are preserved in the collection. Results showed that there are 24 holotypes, 25 paratypes and 10 allotypes composed of butterflies, bugs, beetles, wasps and ants were recorded in the collection. The ecological status and distribution of the species were also emphasized for more preservation and conservation of their habitat. These type species although are minimal but these make the museum more valuable because they are original species and used as reference materials in insect taxonomy. They are also considered as national treasures of the country.

The La Salliana Natural History Collections

La Vera U. Sombito

University of St. La Salle – Bacolod, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental

Email for correspondence: l.sombito@usls.edu.ph

The extensive degradation of our natural resources that led to tragic loss of habitats and consequently massive extinction of vulnerable species is a compelling reason for ensuring that natural collections are well-preserved and their data are accessible. Along with national and provincial natural history museums, campus-based collections do play an important role in providing a picture of the flora and fauna that existed within specific time periods in a place. Over several decades, the University has acquired a good number of specimens either through purchase or actual collections by Biology students, as part of a course requirement, and by faculty researchers. Some of these collections are regularly used as exhibits either in classroom activities or in club fairs. The specimens came from different parts of Visayas and Mindanao. The oldest specimen in the collection dates back to 1947. Unfortunately, only a partial inventory was done due to limitations in time and staff. Moreover, the limited space in laboratory rooms where they are kept already poses a threat to the viability of the older specimens. It is with this realization that the study was done to record the current status of the University’s collections as basis for assessing the need for a separate location for natural history exhibits. It is also high time to provide information as to the current conservation status of the species in the collection in order to establish the value of some of these specimens. To date, there are 240 herbarium specimens, 407 stuffed birds collected in 1952-1972, 21 stuffed mammals collected in 1947-1967, 538 wet specimens of vertebrates and invertebrates collected in the 1980’s to 2016, 5 framed insect mounts, and numerous shells, bones, and horns that are still unidentified or unlabelled. Among these specimens, one species of fish and 25 species of birds are endemic; and a rare megabat species, Acerodon jubatus, is both endemic and endangered (IUCN Red List).