DOST-PCAARD funds Southern Leyte State U's project to boost carbon absorption in mangrove forests
Southern Leyte State University and the Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic, and Natural Resources Research and Development (DOST-PCAARD) have partnered on a multi-collaborated environmental project
They recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) on July 4, 2023, to implement Southern Leyte State U's research project entitled "Mangrove-sediment-microorganism carbon dynamics to enhance carbon dioxide sequestration capacity of Mangrove Forests" which aims to find ways to help mangrove forests absorb more carbon dioxide from the air.
Led by Dr. Navarrete, this project has received funding of Php 4,993,612.00 to investigate different aspects related to carbon in mangrove forests and explore how to make them better at capturing carbon dioxide. The project will study mangrove forests in selected areas in Surigao del Norte, Palawan, and Southern Leyte. These provinces are known for their diverse coastal ecosystems, including mangrove forests.
The project aims to understand how carbon behaves in mangrove forests. It will study the physical and chemical properties of the sediments in these forests to learn how carbon is stored and how it changes throughout different seasons.
Researchers will also investigate the microorganisms present in the mangroves and their role in the carbon dioxide cycle and carbonation processes. Additionally, the project will examine the influence of factors like sediment composition and water chemistry on the formation of specific compounds. The researchers will measure the levels of a specific type of carbon in the sediments to understand its distribution.
The ultimate aim of the project is to enhance the ability of mangrove forests to capture and store carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. By studying the carbon dynamics within mangrove ecosystems, including the interactions between mangroves, sediment, and microorganisms, the project aims to develop a better understanding of how carbon is stored and cycled within these forests.
Dr. Navarrete believes that this collaboration between Southern Leyte State U and DOST-PCAARD underscores the importance of scientific research in addressing environmental challenges.
"This project could contribute to mitigating climate change by gaining a deeper understanding of how carbon behaves in mangrove forests and finding ways to improve their ability to absorb carbon dioxide," Dr. Navarrete said.
Beyond evaluation, this research will provide baseline information on mangrove-sediment-microorganism carbon dynamics in Philippine mangroves important in understanding the long-term carbon sequestration, flux/cycling, and feedback and this project can contribute to providing data and information on mangrove sequestration capacity of mangroves as input to the country’s National Determined Contributions (NDC) being submitted by the Philippine government to the UNFCCC.
Present during the MOA signing at the DOST-PCAARRD were Dr. Jude A. Duarte, the SLSU President, Dr. Ian Navarrete, the Project Lead Researcher, and DOST-PCAARRD officials headed by Executive Director, Dr. Reynaldo V. Ebora.
This project is also in collaboration with researchers from Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology and Caraga State University.