Search

The fishing industry is considered vital for livelihood resources in the Philippines, especially in Surigao del Sur. By investigating how fishers' well-being can be affected by various anthropogenic stressors, adaptation strategies can be crafted to address related problems. Focus groups were used to assess fishers' well-being through the five dimensions such as social, economic, ecological, spiritual values, and cultural. A total of N = 174 participants attended the six FGDs conducted in Cortes, Lanuza, and Lianga. Separate focus groups were used to validate the results of the study. Results showed variation in social connectivity, Lanuza and Lianga scored moderately (3), but in terms of cooperatives, Cortes and Lanuza scored highly (4). In the cultural dimension (governance and advocacy for marine conservation), Cortes scored high (4), and all sites scored very high (5) for spiritual values. For the economic dimension, e.g. catch and cost of fishing trips, Cortes and Lanuza also scored high (4). Finally, for the ecological dimension (protection of fish stocks), Cortes and Lanuza scored very high (5). Four major anthropogenic stressors were mentioned: coral reef siltation (85%), climate change impacts (82%), improper garbage disposal (69%), and impacts of mining activities (67%). The respondents agreed that establishing more marine protected areas (MPAs) is essential for their marine ecosystem to provide services that include nutrition, livelihood, and tourism. In addition, most of the fishers have agreed about the necessity for the municipal and provincial governments to focus their attention on assisting fishers to address anthropogenic disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biochar and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are found to improve crop productivity affecting the nutrient availability in the soil and favoring build-up of beneficial microbes. The effects of AMF and bamboo biochar (BB) on the growth of cacao, estimated number of mycorrhizal spores, and soil chemical properties were investigated. Cacao seedlings were grown in unsterilized and oven-sterilized acidic soil. After 15 months, AMF generally increased most growth traits of cacao plant over the control. Bamboo biochar at 15%, gave the best plant growth regardless of soil sterilization. When biochar was added to AMF, 15% consistently provided the heaviest total plant dry weight, especially in unsterilized soil. Likewise, all treatments improved the height and stem diameter increments of those grown in unsterilized soil. Percentage of mycorrhizal root colonization was higher in mycorrhizal (+AMF) plant and addition of biochar proliferated AMF spores in the rhizosphere. Biochar showed positive effect in enhancing the soil chemical properties. The results imply that biochar and AMF can improve the overall growth and can positively increase the yield of cacao plants, which will provide impact in improving cacao production in acidic soils in the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]