Recent Changes (2018–2022) in Benthic Cover in Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Sulu Sea, the Philippines

A recent study on Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park reveals significant changes in benthic cover from 2018 to 2022, marked by a decline in hard coral and an increase in sponges and cyanobacteria. While these shifts suggest potential nutrient enrichment (eutrophication), the data does not uniformly support this hypothesis, with only turf algae and cyanobacteria showing statistically significant changes. The study's findings are limited due to insufficient statistical power, indicating that other factors such as typhoon impacts may also contribute to reef condition changes. This research underscores the need for a more robust dataset to conclusively determine the drivers behind these ecological shifts.

Cadiz, M. M., Parr, R. A., Feliciano, G. N., Alarcon, R., Alaba, M. R., Pecson, M. J., & Licuanan, W. (2024). Recent Changes (2018–2022) in Benthic Cover in Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Sulu Sea, the Philippines. Philippine Journal of Science, 153(6B). https://doi.org/10.56899/153.6b.01