Patterns of Research Effort and Extinction Risk of Marine Mammals in the Philippines
Global marine mammal research is disproportionately lacking compared to terrestrial mammal research and is strongly biased toward populations in Europe, North America, New Zealand, and Australia. With high extinction risks facing marine mammals in the tropics, we sought to identify potential drivers...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-06-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.607020/full |
| _version_ | 1818897958062522368 |
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| author | Angelico Jose C. Tiongson Jean Asuncion Utzurrum Manuel Eduardo L. de la Paz |
| author_facet | Angelico Jose C. Tiongson Jean Asuncion Utzurrum Manuel Eduardo L. de la Paz |
| author_sort | Angelico Jose C. Tiongson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Global marine mammal research is disproportionately lacking compared to terrestrial mammal research and is strongly biased toward populations in Europe, North America, New Zealand, and Australia. With high extinction risks facing marine mammals in the tropics, we sought to identify potential drivers of research effort and extinction risk evaluations for marine mammals in the Philippines as a model for tropical island nations with limited resources and research capacity. Using a bibliographic approach, we compiled all materials on marine mammal research in the Philippines from 1991 to 2020, which we categorized into eight thematic areas of research focus. We reviewed all materials based on their research focus to assess the current scientific knowledge of local marine mammal populations. Using a simple metric to calculate research effort allocation, we found that all marine mammal species in the Philippines receive inadequate research attention. Using generalized linear models, we analyzed the relationship of potential factors that drive research effort. The model with the lowest Akaike Information Criterion value suggests that frequency of marine mammal stranding incidents may influence an increase in research effort on marine mammals by providing access to biological specimens that would normally be difficult to obtain. Strandings are unfortunate events with often unclear causes, but they provide an opportunity to collect data from behaviorally cryptic animals in areas where financial constraints often hamper scientific progress. We also determined that a national Red List evaluation was predicted by increased research effort. Maximizing local research using all materials from strandings and building research capacity may be an alternative to expensive field-based methods to increase knowledge on local marine mammal populations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-19T19:24:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-15de589d7192489e98e0746370b5d4d3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-19T19:24:26Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-15de589d7192489e98e0746370b5d4d32022-12-21T20:08:51ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452021-06-01810.3389/fmars.2021.607020607020Patterns of Research Effort and Extinction Risk of Marine Mammals in the PhilippinesAngelico Jose C. Tiongson0Jean Asuncion Utzurrum1Manuel Eduardo L. de la Paz2Institute of Environmental and Marine Sciences, Silliman University, Dumaguete, PhilippinesInstitute of Environmental and Marine Sciences, Silliman University, Dumaguete, PhilippinesCenter for Research and Engagement, University of St. La Salle, Bacolod, PhilippinesGlobal marine mammal research is disproportionately lacking compared to terrestrial mammal research and is strongly biased toward populations in Europe, North America, New Zealand, and Australia. With high extinction risks facing marine mammals in the tropics, we sought to identify potential drivers of research effort and extinction risk evaluations for marine mammals in the Philippines as a model for tropical island nations with limited resources and research capacity. Using a bibliographic approach, we compiled all materials on marine mammal research in the Philippines from 1991 to 2020, which we categorized into eight thematic areas of research focus. We reviewed all materials based on their research focus to assess the current scientific knowledge of local marine mammal populations. Using a simple metric to calculate research effort allocation, we found that all marine mammal species in the Philippines receive inadequate research attention. Using generalized linear models, we analyzed the relationship of potential factors that drive research effort. The model with the lowest Akaike Information Criterion value suggests that frequency of marine mammal stranding incidents may influence an increase in research effort on marine mammals by providing access to biological specimens that would normally be difficult to obtain. Strandings are unfortunate events with often unclear causes, but they provide an opportunity to collect data from behaviorally cryptic animals in areas where financial constraints often hamper scientific progress. We also determined that a national Red List evaluation was predicted by increased research effort. Maximizing local research using all materials from strandings and building research capacity may be an alternative to expensive field-based methods to increase knowledge on local marine mammal populations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.607020/fullmarine mammalsPhilippinesextinction riskconservationresearch effort |
| spellingShingle | Angelico Jose C. Tiongson Jean Asuncion Utzurrum Manuel Eduardo L. de la Paz Patterns of Research Effort and Extinction Risk of Marine Mammals in the Philippines Frontiers in Marine Science marine mammals Philippines extinction risk conservation research effort |
| title | Patterns of Research Effort and Extinction Risk of Marine Mammals in the Philippines |
| title_full | Patterns of Research Effort and Extinction Risk of Marine Mammals in the Philippines |
| title_fullStr | Patterns of Research Effort and Extinction Risk of Marine Mammals in the Philippines |
| title_full_unstemmed | Patterns of Research Effort and Extinction Risk of Marine Mammals in the Philippines |
| title_short | Patterns of Research Effort and Extinction Risk of Marine Mammals in the Philippines |
| title_sort | patterns of research effort and extinction risk of marine mammals in the philippines |
| topic | marine mammals Philippines extinction risk conservation research effort |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2021.607020/full |
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