Mindoro Biodiversity, Environmental Conservation, and IUCN Classification Reviewer

Practice flashcards generated from lecture notes covering international conservation categories (IUCN), Philippine government agencies and laws, island biogeography, climate refugia, marine ecosystems, and specific 2025–2026 Mindoro wildlife developments.

What does IUCN stand for, and what is its main role?

IUCN stands for International Union for Conservation of Nature. It is an international organization that works to conserve nature and biodiversity, promote the sustainable use of natural resources, and assess the conservation status of species.

What are the six main goals of the IUCN listed in the lecture?

1. Protect biodiversity
2. Conserve threatened species and ecosystems
3. Promote sustainable use of natural resources
4. Provide scientific information for conservation
5. Support governments and organizations in environmental conservation
6. Assess the conservation status of species

What species information is provided by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species?

It provides information regarding population size, population trends, geographic range, habitat, threats, and conservation actions.

What is the definition and a notable example of the IUCN category Extinct (EX)?

A species is considered Extinct when there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. Example: Dodo.

What is the definition of the IUCN category Extinct in the Wild (EW)?

The species is no longer found in its natural habitat but survives in captivity, cultivation, or another human-controlled setting.

How does the IUCN define the three threatened categories: Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN), and Vulnerable (VU)?

Critically Endangered (CR): faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild. Endangered (EN): faces a very high risk of extinction in the wild. Vulnerable (VU): faces a high risk of extinction in the wild.

What is the difference between Near Threatened (NT) and Least Concern (LC) in the IUCN Red List?

Near Threatened (NT) species do not currently qualify for VU, EN, or CR, but are close to meeting criteria or may qualify in the near future. Least Concern (LC) species have been assessed and do not currently qualify for a threatened category.

What do the IUCN categories Data Deficient (DD) and Not Evaluated (NE) signify?

Data Deficient (DD) means there is insufficient information to make a reliable assessment of extinction risk (it does NOT mean safe or endangered). Not Evaluated (NE) means the species has not yet been assessed using the criteria.

What is the correct order of the IUCN categories for species assessed according to increasing extinction risk?

$\text{LC} \rightarrow \text{NT} \rightarrow \text{VU} \rightarrow \text{EN} \rightarrow \text{CR} \rightarrow \text{EW} \rightarrow \text{EX}$. Note: DD and NE are excluded from this risk progression due to lack of assessment or insufficient information.

What is RA 9147, and how does it compare to the IUCN Red List?

RA 9147 is the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, which provides the legal framework for protecting wildlife in the Philippines. While IUCN is an international conservation assessment, RA 9147 provides Philippine legal classifications and protection laws.

What are the primary responsibilities of DENR, BMB, EMB, FMB, and BFAR in the Philippines?

DENR: Main Philippine government agency for environmental protection and natural resources. BMB: Protects and manages Philippine biodiversity, wildlife, and protected areas. EMB: Handles environmental quality, pollution control, and compliance. FMB: Manages and protects forest resources. BFAR: Manages fisheries and aquatic resources.

What are the roles of PCSD, PAMB, CENRO, and PENRO in regional/local environmental management?

PCSD: Manages conservation and sustainable development in Palawan. PAMB: Helps manage individual protected areas. CENRO: Local DENR office responsible for environmental and natural-resource management. PENRO: Coordinates DENR environmental programs at the provincial level.

What are the primary roles of CITES, UNEP, UNESCO, WWF, BirdLife International, and CBD?

CITES: Regulates international trade in listed wildlife species. UNEP: Coordinates international environmental programs and assessments. UNESCO: Supports conservation of natural and cultural sites (including biosphere reserves). WWF: Works on wildlife, biodiversity, forests, oceans, and climate. BirdLife International: Global partnership focused on bird conservation. CBD: Protects biodiversity globally.

What is NAMRIA, and what are its key functions?

NAMRIA stands for National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (under DENR). Its functions include mapping, geospatial information, hydrographic surveys, remote sensing, resource mapping, geodetic surveys, and marine/coastal mapping.

What are climate change refugia, and what are the four main types?

Climate change refugia are areas where plants, animals, and ecosystems can survive relatively better because local environmental conditions are less affected by climate change. The four types are: Topographic refugia, Microclimatic refugia, Hydrological refugia, and Elevational refugia.

How can the mountain forests of Mindoro function as climate refugia?

The mountain forests associated with Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park can potentially function as refugia for the tamaraw and other Mindoro endemics by offering cooler, stable conditions compared to surrounding lowland habitats.

What is the difference between Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) and Critical Habitats in the Philippines?

KBAs are scientifically identified sites globally important for biodiversity persistence (not automatically legally protected). Critical Habitats are areas outside protected areas necessary for the survival and recovery of threatened species under RA 9147.

What is Drosera?

Drosera is a genus of carnivorous plants commonly called sundews, which trap and digest small insects using sticky, gland-covered structures on their leaves.

What is Wallace's Line, and what major explanation accounts for its existence?

Wallace's Line is a biogeographic boundary associated with Alfred Russel Wallace separating Asian-type fauna from Australasian-type fauna. Deep-water ocean channels between islands prevented certain terrestrial animals from crossing even during periods of lower sea levels.

What is Huxley's Line, and why was it proposed?

Proposed by Thomas Henry Huxley as a modification of Wallace's Line to better describe animal distributions (particularly in relation to the Philippines) because different animal groups (e.g., birds vs. terrestrial mammals) have varying abilities to cross water barriers.

What is Weber's Line?

Weber's Line is a biogeographic boundary proposed by Max Carl Wilhelm Weber positioned farther east than Wallace's Line, toward areas with stronger Australasian faunal influence.

Which six countries comprise the Coral Triangle, and what geographic area does it cover?

The six countries are: Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Timor-Leste. It covers approximately $6\,\text{million}\,\text{km}^2$ of ocean.

What is endemism, and why does high endemism combined with habitat loss increase conservation risk?

Endemism means a species naturally occurs only in a specific geographic area. High endemism paired with habitat loss creates high risk because species with restricted distributions have nowhere else to go if their habitat is destroyed.

What is coral bleaching, and what biological interaction is disrupted during bleaching?

Coral bleaching occurs when corals under environmental stress (such as high seawater temperature) expel their symbiotic microscopic algae (zooxanthellae/photosynthetic dinoflagellates), turning pale or white.

What are two major marine protected areas highlighted in the Philippines?

1. Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (Sulu Sea, UNESCO World Heritage Site)
2. Apo Reef Natural Park (off Occidental Mindoro)

What is the distinction between species richness and species diversity?

Species richness is simply the total number of different species present in an area. Species diversity takes into account both species richness and species evenness (how evenly individuals are distributed among the species).

What is a wildlife corridor, and what functions does it serve?

A wildlife corridor connects separated habitats to allow organism movement. Functions include gene flow, plant dispersal, pollinator movement, seasonal migration, and recolonization after local extinction.

What is ocean acidification, and what chemical equations illustrate this process?

Ocean acidification is the long-term decrease in ocean pH caused by absorbing atmospheric $\text{CO}_2$. Chemical steps: $\text{CO}_2 + \text{H}_2\text{O} \rightarrow \text{H}_2\text{CO}_3$ and $\text{H}_2\text{CO}_3 \rightleftharpoons \text{H}^+ + \text{HCO}_3^-$.

What is blue carbon, and what ecosystems capture it?

Blue carbon is carbon captured and stored by coastal and marine ecosystems, specifically mangroves, seagrass meadows, tidal marshes, and vegetated coastal wetlands.

What is the scientific name, status, and 2026 survey result for the Tamaraw?

Scientific name: Bubalus mindorensis. Status: Critically Endangered endemic flagship species. The April 15–20, 2026 survey in MIBNP recorded $425$ individuals (up from $380$ in 2025, a $12\%$ increase) using the Simultaneous Multi-Vantage Point Count Method.

What key event occurred in August 2026 regarding the Mindoro bleeding-heart?

A camera trap photographed the Mindoro bleeding-heart (Gallicolumba platenae) in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro at over $900\,\text{m}$ above sea level. It had last been reliably sighted in 2005.

What marine turtle nesting data was reported in July 2026 for the SAMARICA landscape in Occidental Mindoro?

DENR recorded $60$ marine turtle nests across San Jose, Magsaysay, Rizal, and Calintaan. Out of $5,157$ monitored eggs, $3,733$ hatchlings emerged ($73.93\%$ emergence rate): Olive ridley ($2,687$), Green turtle ($647$), and Hawksbill ($399$).

What marine species was observed near San Jose, Occidental Mindoro on July 19, 2026?

Approximately $50$ melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra) were observed and identified by the Philippine Marine Mammal Stranding Network.

How does island biogeography explain the origin of endemic species?

Geographic isolation $\rightarrow$ reduced gene flow $\rightarrow$ evolutionary divergence $\rightarrow$ endemic species.

What is the duration and purpose of the Mindoro Biodiversity Corridor (MBC) Project?

Running from July 2021 to June 2027 under DENR-UNDP/GEF, it uses a landscape-level approach to conserve globally threatened species, protect high-value forests, reduce deforestation, and promote sustainable livelihoods.

What are four major protected areas located on Mindoro?

1. Mounts Iglit-Baco Natural Park
2. Mount Calavite Wildlife Sanctuary
3. Naujan Lake National Park
4. FB Harrison Game Refuge and Bird Sanctuary

What notable Philippine conservation initiatives occurred in May, November, and December 2025?

May 2025: Rehabilitation started for the $6,434.72\,\text{hectare}$ Mag-asawang Tubig Watershed in Oriental Mindoro. Nov 2025: ADB launched the Philippines Flyway Project. Dec 2025: ADB approved a $\text{US}\$500\,\text{million}$ policy-based loan supporting marine ecosystem management and blue economy.