Tag: SDG 15

The 5-day World Lecture Series during November 13-17 organized by the Department of Biology, College of Science, UP Baguio, concludes

The 5-day World Expert Lecture Series (WELS) with Dr. Raelene Crandall and Dr. Jennifer Fill, organized by the Department of Biology, with the Lecture Series Committee, College of Science, UP Baguio has come to a close. The World Expert Lecture Series was celebrated along with the National Science Technology Week, ran from November 13 to 17. Explored topics included the initiatives to safeguard the Camp John Hay Forest Reserve, which were shared by distinguished speakers, Engr. Editha M Mejia and Professor Zenaida Baoanan. WELS speakers Dr. Crandall and Dr Fill also shared the ecology of pine savannas and Florida’s experience with the use of fire to harness and promote diversity in forest and savanna ecosystems, emphasizing the role of fire and fire regimes as important ecological processes. A two-day field trip and workshop at Camp John Hay was conducted on November 15–16 with MS CaRE and undergraduate students. The activity focused on analyzing tree size structure to understand the effects of fire on population dynamics. The event concluded with a discussion of possible collaboration with the faculty of the Department of Biology, Dr. Crandall, Dr. Fill, and other members of government agencies. A huge and heartfelt thank you to Dr. Crandall and Dr. Fill for generously sharing their vast knowledge, expertise, and insights with us. We appreciate the time and effort dedicated to preparing the presentations and the courage to present a new perception about fire in a community where fires carry a negative connotation. We hope that you have enjoyed your short stay in the Philippines. We would also like to extend our appreciation to all participants who have joined us throughout this lecture series. This event wouldn’t be successful without your active involvement and enthusiasm throughout the event. We would also like to extend our thanks to Assoc. Prof. Aris Reginaldo and the UP Office of International Linkages for making this event possible. Your hard work and commitment to fostering international collaboration have played a crucial role in bringing this lecture series to life. We wish to also recognize the CLAN Office, CPDMO, and the OPA for providing us with much-needed technical support. See you at our next WELS! We support the Sustainable Development GoalsSDG-4 (Quality Education); SDG-15 (Life on Land); SDG-17 (Partnership for the Goals)

The World Expert Lecture Series (WELS) with Dr. Raelene Crandall and Dr. Fill officially commences

Today, the Department of Biology and the Lecture Series Committee of the College of Science officially opened the 2nd 2025 World Expert Lecture Series (WELS) in celebration with the National Science Technology Week (NSTW)! We were honored to have Vice Chancellor Leah Abayao deliver the opening remarks who inspired the participants to maximize the activity for program improvement by extending the laboratory to the communities. Prof. Aris Reginaldo followed by sharing the significance and the upcoming activities of WELS. Dean Gilbert Peralta capped the event with closing remarks that fanned the flames of curiosity, scientific inquiry, and more meaningful collaboration. A warm welcome to Dr. Fill and Dr. Crandall—we look forward to engaging and insightful discussions in the coming days! This event would not have been possible without the collective efforts of the Lecture Series Committee (College of Science), Office of International Linkages (OIL-OVPAA), Campus Planning and Development Office, and the Computer/LAN Office. We support the Sustainable Development GoalsSDG-4 (Quality Education); SDG-15 (Life on Land); SDG-17 (Partnership for the Goals)

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT: “Interfacing Bat Conservation and Indigenous Cultural Community Perspective in Aran Cave System, Tuba, Benguet” in celebration of the National Environmental Awareness Month

🌿💚 𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒚 𝑵𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒂𝒍 𝑬𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍 𝑨𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝑴𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒉! 💚🌿 In celebration of this month — and in honor of the recently concluded 𝘽𝙖𝙩 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙈𝙤𝙣𝙩𝙝 and 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵 last October — the Department is thrilled to share some of our amazing student works! 🦇✨ 💫 Take a moment to read, reflect, and be inspired by our students’ creativity and passion for the environment. Here’s our first featured entry! 🌏📖 Bat conservation initiatives must consider both the ecological and social aspects to address the specific needs of local bat populations and human communities. To contribute to this, graduate student Joseph Lemuel Asinas documented bat species diversity and indigenous community perspectives in Tuba, Benguet, Cordillera Administrative Region. This was primarily aimed at providing scientific information and developing recommendations for localized bat conservation. Their study recorded eight, 8, bat species, including a first record of 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘮𝘶𝘴, 𝘙𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘰𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘶𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘴, and a roost of 𝘙𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘶𝘴 𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘴 for the province of Benguet, at an elevation of about 435–690 masl. The cave bat colony, estimated to exceed a thousand individuals, is the largest documented in the province. This bat population, though large, is determined to cause a low extent of human-bat conflict within the community, with developed wildlife tolerance and low disease risk perception. Furthermore, locals demonstrated practical knowledge and positive attitudes toward bats that are not rooted in superstition. The thriving bat population in Tuba underscores how the integration of practical knowledge and positive attitudes of the indigenous community toward wildlife can foster harmonious and sustainable coexistence between people and nature. Mr Joseph Lemuel Asinas recently graduated from the MS Conservation and Restoration Ecology (MS CaRE) program of the Dept. ✍️ JLA Asinas, YS Picpican, MT Bagangao🖼JLA Asinas, YS Picpican, JA Alviar We support the Sustainable Development GoalsSDG-11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities); SDG-15 (Life on Land)

UPB Faculty receive the 3rd Best Paper Award during the 2025 Agency In-House Review held at Benguet State University (BSU) last August 27-28, 2025

UPB faculty Professor Zenaida G Baoanan, former faculty Asst. Prof. Deign Frolley C. Soriano and current MS CaRE Lecturer Prof. Roscinto Lumbres, along with other co-authors, Prof. Nova D. Doyog and Prof. Lynn J. Talkasen received the 3rd Best Paper Award for the paper entitled “Land Use and Land Cover Assessment Within the Batanes Protected Landscapes and Seascapes” during the 2025 Agency In- House Review held at the Research & Extension Building, BSU, La Trinidad, last August 27-28, 2025. The results of the paper provides a more reliable LULC for monitoring and planning for the six islands covered by the Batanes Protected Landscapes and Seascapes (BPLS). Furthermore, the technique used in the LULC assessment is shared as a reference for future studies.  The research article is published and is accessible at the Philippine Journal of Science. It is an output of the research project entitled “Popularizing Access to Biodiversity Information Data and Conservation Opportunities (PABIDACO)” spearheaded by Professor Zenaida G. Baoanan through the funding of the  Commission on Higher Education-Discovery-Applied Research and Extension Trans/Inter-disciplinary Opportunities (CHED-DARE TO).  This publication supports the Sustainable Development Goals: SDG-11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG-13 (Climate Action), SDG-14 (Life Below Water), SDG-15 (Life on Land)

New published short article out titled “An incidental observation on the facultative terrestriality of a Philippine Flying Dragon, Draco spilopterus (Wiegmann, 1834), in a post-fire regenerating pine forest in Baguio City, Luzon Island, Philippines”

The Department of Biology is pleased to highlight an important contribution to Cordillera biodiversity research through the recent observation documented by MS CaRE student Mark P. Villarubia, in collaboration with DB faculty member Arvin Jet Marcaida. In their paper, they shared the first documented incidence of facultative terrestriality in 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘰 𝘴𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘰𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘶𝘴 in the pine-dominated forests of the Central Cordillera. The flying lizard has been observed in secondary lowland forests of Luzon, but their paper is the first to showcase its distribution in pine-dominated forests of Baguio, expanding the records on its distribution. Furthermore, the paper provides ecological notes on the flying lizard. Their full paper may be accessed through the following link: https://www.biotaxa.org/hn/article/view/86007 𝑪𝙝𝒆𝙚𝒓𝙨 𝙩𝒐 𝒅𝙞𝒔𝙘𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙧𝒊𝙚𝒔 𝒂𝙣𝒅 𝒆𝙣𝒓𝙞𝒄𝙝𝒊𝙣𝒈 𝒐𝙪𝒓 𝒌𝙣𝒐𝙬𝒍𝙚𝒅𝙜𝒆 𝒐𝙛 𝙋𝒉𝙞𝒍𝙞𝒑𝙥𝒊𝙣𝒆 𝑩𝙞𝒐𝙙𝒊𝙫𝒆𝙧𝒔𝙞𝒕𝙮!

Biology Department Holds ENVI Workshop for MS CaRE Students

Fourteen graduate students from the MS Conservation and Restoration Ecology (MS CaRE) program participated in a specialized workshop on the use of Environment for Visualizing Images (ENVI), a geospatial software recently acquired by the Department of Biology through MS CaRE GTFI funds. The workshop, held last August 21. 2025 at the IB Building, University of the Philippines Baguio, aimed to provide students with essential tools and skills to support their graduate research endeavors. It opened with welcoming remarks from Asst. Prof. Jeno Rey Pagaduan, the newly appointed MS CaRE Graduate Program Coordinator. This was followed by a lecture and hands-on session led by Asst. Prof. Deign Frolley Soriano, former faculty member and one of the Department’s GIS experts. Through this training, the Department continues its commitment to equipping graduate students with advanced methodologies and resources for ecological research and conservation studies. This event supports the Sustainable Development Goals: SDG-4 (Quality Education); SDG-14 (Life Below Water); SDG-15 (Life on Land)

UPB students and alumni participate in research dissemination of biodiversity and ecological studies through scientific conferences

Fifteen (15) students and alumni from the Department of Biology joined the call to disseminate their respective research outputs through the recently concluded 32nd Philippine Biodiversity Symposium held at the Central Philippine University, Iloilo City, last August 12-15, 2025. Presenting his thesis outputs, MS CaRE alumnus Mr. Joseph Lemuel Asinas shared the findings of his graduate research, “Interfacing Bat Conservation and Indigenous Cultural Community Perspectives in Aran Cave System, Tuba, Benguet.” Another graduate thesis study entitled “Implications of Land Use and Land Cover Changes to Avifaunal and Malacofaunal Assemblage in Canarem Lake, Victoria, Tarlac” was presented by MS CaRE alumna Jairah T. Balisi. A current MS CaRE student, Ms. Emmeline Jirah P. Fetesio, also delivered an oral presentation on the findings of her study, “Bark Beetle Assessment of Pinus kesiya in Barangay Bakakeng Norte-Sur, Baguio City,” which was a result of her case study in CRE 261: Disturbance Ecology. Furthermore, under the oral presentation category, BS Biology alumnus and current MS CaRE student Hendrix Abenoja shared their undergraduate study entitled “Assemblage and occurrence of small, non-volant mammals along a disturbance gradient in a lowland tropical forest of La Union, Northern Luzon.” This paper is co-authored with his thesis groupmates – Hem C. Castillo and Franchesca B. Ortega, and thesis adviser Aris A. Reginaldo. A robust number of poster presentations from BS Biology alumni and MS CaRE students were also shared during the event (details below). The posters were also highlighted on stage through a one-minute PechaKucha oral presentation. Most of these poster presentations were outputs from undergraduate thesis studies under the Ecology and Systematics and General Biology areas of concentration. The posters — covering topics on plant ecology, reef biodiversity, insect ecology, freshwater ecosystems, and disturbance ecology — showcased these young minds’ earnest commitment to contribute to ecological and biodiversity conservation. Through your research dissemination efforts, we are one with you in rallying for the conservation and proper management of our natural resources. More importantly, we hope the examples you have set will inspire more students to take on biodiversity and ecological studies. The Department of Biology takes pride in your hard work! Poster Presenters Title of Presentation Carissa Collado & Eloise Myra Uyao* (MS CaRE Students, CRE 261 Output) Impact of Campsite Development on Vegetation: Assessing Environmental Disturbance in a Transformed Landscape Noel Carl L. De Los Reyes(MS CaRE Student, CRE 261 Output) Sisid Sibuyanon: Working with Local Communities to Assess Reef Biodiversity on Sibuyan Island, Romblon Province Maria Colline Angeli R. Viernes*, Carmela Isabela Beltran, Kryssy Alfonia Simon(Undergraduate study) Insect (Hexapoda) assemblage under LED Streetlights in Loakan Road, Baguio City Queenie Mae L. Marquez*, Meojanlee B. Agulla, Alyka M. Fangon*(Undergraduate study) Taxonomic Diversity and Ecological Assessment of Freycinitia (Sarakat) Species in Eva Garden, Calanasan, Apayao Stephanie Lueia*, Yvonney Freya Angeles and Shorin Grimaldo Analysis of the effects of selected environmental factors on the nesting behavior of the Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtle at three sites in La Union” Anna Lorraine Bie*, Julius Canlas*, Chinee Dela Cruz* Microplastic Characterization in Selected Bivalves of Agno River, Philippines Maria Victoria B. Taller*, Kirsten Ruth G. Merilles, and Julius Ryan C. Regnim Assessment of Ethnomedicinal Plants Used by Yapayao of Adams, Ilocos Norte and the Analysis of Their Secondary  Metabolites and Bioactivity in Mice Joanna Marie Reyes (MS CaRE Student) Biomass and Carbon Stock Assessment on Four (4) Sites at the Subic Bay Freeport Forest *Attending author The presentations support the Sustainable Development Goals: SDG-4 (Quality Education), SDG-11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG-14 (Life Below Water), SDG-15 (Life on Land)

CALL FOR DOST INTERNS for the project “Baseline Biodiversity and Socio-economic Survey at the proposed geothermal plant in Bokod, Benguet”

🌿𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐃𝐎𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐒! Open to all undergraduates:Join the Baseline Biodiversity and Socio-economic Survey at the proposed geothermal plant in Bokod, Benguet. Open slots:✅ Microbiology (2)✅ Botany (2)✅ Zoology (2)✅ Freshwater Ecology (1) 📧 Submit your application letter and list of electives to: mtbagangao@up.edu.ph🗓️ 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞: 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟔, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 (𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐲) Don’t miss this chance to contribute to a meaningful biodiversity project! We support the Sustainable Development GoalsSDG-4 (Quality Education); SDG-5 (Gender Equality); SDG-8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) SDG-15 (Life on Land)

Department of Biology faculty members awarded the Cordillera Research Center – Interdisciplinary Research Grant (CSC-ITRG) for their project: “Microbial Diversity in Mine Tailings of Tube, Benguet: Influence of Heavy Metals and Physicochemical Properties”

Congratulations to our esteemed faculty members 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 – 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 (𝐂𝐒𝐂-𝐈𝐓𝐑𝐆) for their project: “𝐌𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐮𝐛𝐚, 𝐁𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐭: 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐲 𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐡𝐲𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐨𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬.” This study aims to assess microbial diversity in mine tailings, providing vital insights into biomining and bioremediation, with potential applications in preventing acid mine drainage (AMD) and promoting environmental restoration.Project Proponents:🔬 Asst. Prof. Jay-Ann A. Tallad, MSc – Department of Biology, UP Baguio🔬 Ms. Mae-ann F. Am-amlan, MSc – Department of Biology, UP Baguio🔬 Asst. Prof. Mac Michael Rubio – Department of Physical Sciences, UPBaguioPioneering research for sustainable mine waste management in the Cordillera! ⛏️🦠🌱 We support the Sustainable Development GoalsSDG-4 (Quality Education); SDG-13 (Climate Action); SDG-15 (Life on Land)

Department of Biology faculty members receive the Cordillera Research Center – Interdisciplinary Research Grant (CSC-ITRG) for their project “Unlocking the Potential of Dried Pine Needles: Applications for Agricultural Productivity and Soil Rehabilitation

Congratulations to our esteemed faculty members for receiving the 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 – 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭 (𝐂𝐒𝐂-𝐈𝐓𝐑𝐆) for their project: “𝐔𝐧𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬: 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐨𝐢𝐥 𝐑𝐞𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.” This innovative study explores microorganism-assisted decomposition of pine needles for soil rehabilitation, crop productivity, and use as poultry feed additive.Project Proponents:🔬 Prof. Zenaida G. Baoanan, PhD – Department of Biology, UPBaguio🔬 Asst. Prof. Jennifer B. Antonio, MSc – Department of Physical Science, UPBaguio🔬 Dr. Jocelyn Zarate – BIOTECH, UP Los Banos🔬 Asst. Prof. Kimberly P. Paglingayen, MSc – Department of Biology, UPBaguioA big step toward sustainable environmental solutions in the Cordillera! 🌲🌱 We support the Sustainable Development GoalsSDG-4 (Quality Education); SDG-13 (Climate Action); SDG-15 (Life on Land)