Bayag, Edgel May Castellano, Canoy, Rocsildes Arguelles, Sonota, Laurence Patnon ( February 1997 )
Philippine Science High School Western Visayas Campus – Department of Science and Technology (DOST-PSHS WVC), Brgy. Bito-on, Jaro, Iloilo City 5000, Philippines
ABSTRACT
The abundance and population distribution of the echinoderms in the two sampling areas in Puerto del Mar, Guimaras were determine with the used of the Quadra sampling method. The population of the organisms in the study areas was assessed interms relative abundance, density, diversity, dominance and distribution pattern.
Ten different species if echinoderms were identified during the three sampling dates with the brittles stars ( Pectinura sp. ) and spikes starfrish ( Protoreaster Nodosus ) as the most abundant species.
The quality of the sea water in the sampling areas was also analyzed based on the following parameters: pH, temperature nitrates and phosphates content, dissolved oxygen and salinity.
The pH values obtained range from 8.16- 8.85 which indicate that the sea water is slightly basic. The temperature ranges from 24 to 29 degrees and the amount of dissolved oxygen ranges from 3.27-4.77 parts per million. The salinity, 35 parts per thousands, was found to be uniform in both of the study areas.