2nd Wet Season Intensive Field Sampling conducted

Last September 8-25, 2011, CECAM successfully held its second wet season field sampling in the Philippines. Scientist and researchers from both Japan and the Philippines conducted intensive field measurements at CECAM study sites (Bolinao Reef Complex, Guimaras Strait and surrounding coastal zones in Western Visayas, and Naawan coastal waters in Mindanao). The main goal of the field campaign this time was to monitor local-scale ecosystem dynamics vis-a-vis their environmental connectivity, and correspondingly understand their seasonal variations.

The objective of the survey was accomplished through the following activities: 1. deployment of logger-type sensors to monitor spatio-temporal variations of physico-bio-chemical parameters; 2. spatio-temporal water sapling and water quality profiling; 3. bathymetric survey; 4. drifter experiment; 5. electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) survey and radon monitoring; 6. sediment and micro-algae sampling; 7. coral and sea-grass survey; 8. fish-tracking experiment. During this time, two Continuous and Comprehensive Monitoring Systems (CCMS) were also deployed in Bolinao, one at the aquaculture area and another one at the reef/sea-grass-area.

As before, equipment were brought from Japan for in-situ hydrodynamic and water quality measurement and processing.

For a glimpse of the activities during the third CECAM intensive survey, see CECAM survey pictures September 2011 under Database.