Diversity assessment of mangrove vegetation in selected coastal areas in Masinloc, Zambales [manuscript] / John Florentino E. Echon.

The study aimed to assess the diversity of the mangrove vegetation and evaluate the factors affecting the conditions of mangroves in selected coastal barangays of Masinloc, Zambales. The study was conducted from December 2017 - March 2018 using the Quadrat Method. The diversity of invertebrates and other animals associated with the mangrove species were not included in the study. A total of ten mangrove species comprised the mangrove vegetation in Masinloc, Zambales. These include Avicennia marina, Sonneratia alba, Bruguiera cylindrica, Excoecaria agallocha, Ceriops decandra, Lumnitzera racemosa, Aegiceras corniculatum, Rhizophora apiculata, Rhizophora stylosa and Rhizophora mucronata. All species, except Ceriops decandra, are classified as Least Concern in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Site 1 (Sto. Rosario) have the highest population density with 378 tree/ha, followed by Site 2 (Bamban) and Site 3 (Bani) with 307 tree/ha and 192 tree/ha, respectively. In terms of size class structure, mangrove vegetation in Masinloc was classified as young mangrove vegetation. Generally, landward and middleward zones of all the study sites have higher diversity index. Site 1 (Sto. Rosario) with H'=1.81 and D= 0.77 have the highest diversity among the three study sites. However, all the study sites have lower number of species as compared to other areas in the Philippnes. Nevertheless, Masinloc have higher diversity as compared to Puerto Princesa, Palawan and Danjuhan Island in Negros Occidental. Hence, the mangrove vegetation in Masinloc is considered as low diverse vegetation but is more diverse as compared to other mangrove areas in the Philippines. It is also concluded that research findings about substrate preferences and tidal inundation is related to the zonation pattern of mangroves. Based on the salient findings of this study, municipal government should give more attention to the remaining mangrove areas in Masinloc to ensure its existence for the future generation.