AQD holds Dean DK Villaluz memorial lecture, research seminar

The Dean Domiciano K. Villaluz memorial lecture, an annual event  held in honor of Dean Villaluz, AQD’s first Chief, was held at AQD’s Tigbauan Main Station (TMS) last July 9.

Dr. Fernando Siringan of the Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines Diliman Dr. Siringan on Temporal trends of sea surface temperature in the Philippines and some possible consequencestalked about the Temporal trends of sea surface temperature in the Philippines and some possible consequences, Dr. Siringan revealed that sea surface temperatures (SST) around the Philippines and its internal seas are getting warmer. Data also showed that the seas along the Pacific seaboard warmed by about 1.5°C over the past 90 years at a rate accelerating over the past 25 years. 

What are the negative effects of SST rise? Dr. Siringan mentioned that changes in shallow and deep-ocean water primary production have been observed. Certain dinoflagellates associated with harmful algal blooms, such as Pyrodinium bahamense, also flourish in warmer waters. In addition, the rising sea levels in the Philippines is due to the warming of the seas. Thus, coastal erosion and worsening floods along the coastal plains have persisted in the country.

A research seminar was also held that same day, whereDr. Suarez on The SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department in Philippine science and society Dr. Raul Suarez of the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Marine Biology of the University of California, Santa Barbara spoke about The SEAFDEC Aquaculture Department in Philippine science and society. According to him, data have shown that the reason the Philippines is poor is the lack of “intangible capital,” i.e., the skills and education of its people, their ability to work together to achieve common goals, and the quality of social institutions. He also noted that, sadly, the country lags behind its neighbors in scientific productivity, and that science has not contributed significantly to increasing intangible capital.

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