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, Started on 2023 -
Completed on 2024
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The Butuanon River in Metro Cebu, Philippines, was studied for phytoplankton species
and diversity from November 2017 to February 2018. 30L phytoplankton samples were
collected in three stations once a month using the pour-through method. A total of 60
phytoplankton species were identified, including Bacillariophyta (54%), Euglenophyta
(16%), Chlorophyta (13%), Cyanobacteria (11%), and Charophyta (7%). The upstream station
had a moderate diversity index (H’=2.25), while Cyanobacteria dominated the midstream
and downstream stations. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) results imply that
the phytoplankton species and their population densities were influenced by water
temperature, transparency, pH, dissolved oxygen, NO3, and PO4. Bacillariophyta cell
densities were positively correlated with water transparency (r=.579, p< 0.01) and
dissolved oxygen (r=.066, p<0.01) but negatively correlated with water temperature
(r=0.51, p<0.05). Chlorophyta positively correlated with phosphates (r=0.75, p<0.01),
while Euglenophyta and Cyanobacteria were negatively correlated with water
transparency (r=0.54, (Eu): and r=0.75, p<0.01 (Cya), respectively. According to the
study, the Butuanon River is not a "biologically dead river" as was previously claimed.
River restoration is necessary to save biodiversity and promote sustainable
development.