Annex B ,,BO PNNTX Orry,tor.. G O T^rr n, Nonoc lsland | t'\ \ tllldo llre a lia. .l C.rr.ltLa 8rJitaAo xgrI- plmY ,r.tc..a fi..| aooo 'll..r-a. tcaLE: r :toaooo L, 蹱 腒 腝 V V 腵 苛 誴 諺 陼 NC. NES膌 PP膌 EL PHrL膌 賚 顉 苚 l VOIK PROGRA蝗 lENTAL腒 質 ENVIRON蝗 FOR EE 转 VSIaV 鏺 臚PPLIC4rfaV FOR TNS(2,IEAR EX鑔 荦 OF 苛 rr EXPLOR4 rrav PEtt葉 g r F 腷 芰 苛 芰 膉腒 芾 艥 雚 膍 腄 膁 TABLE OF CONTENTS 腄 膁 Description Page Number 腅 1.0 Name and Address ofProject 1 膁 1.1 Project Name 1 1.2 Company Name and Address 1 腅 2.0 Type and Nature ofProject 1 荓 2,1 Pioject Description 1 2.2 Minerals 1&2 腅 3.0 Project Location 2  3.1 Project Location and Accessibility 2&3 3.2 Total Project Area 4 腎 4.0 Baseline Environmental Conditions 4 陑 4.1 Land Environment 4 4. 1. 1 Topography/Physiography 4&5 腅 4.1.2 Land Use/Capability 5-9 雚 4.1.3 Pedology and Soil Characreristics 9-12 4.2 Water Environment 12 腅 4.2.1 Water Qualiry 12  4.2.1.1 Freshwater and Sediment 12&13 4.2.1.2 Marine Water and Sediment 13-17 腅 4.2.2 Hydrology and Hydrogeology 18 4.2.2.1 Hydrologic Setting 18-20 4.3 Meteorology/Air Quality and Noise 21 賻腅 4.3.1 Climate 21 4.3.2 Temperature 21 4.3.3 Rainfall 21 膁腅 4.3.4 Relative Humidity 21 4.3.5 Wind 22 4.3.6 Air Quality 22&23 膁腅 4.3.7 Noise 23 4.4 Geology and Geomorphology 23 4.4.1 Study Area Boundary 23&24 膁腎 4.5 Biological Environment 24 4.5.1 Terrestial Flora and Fauna 24-30 4.5.2 Freshwater Flora and Fauna 30&31 腄 賻 4.5.3 Marine Flora and Fauna 31 4.5.3.1 Corals and Associated 31-35 4.5.3.2 Seagrass and ReefFish 35-38 腄 4.5.3.3 Plankton Seaweed Communities 39 趑 4.5.3.4 Soft Boton1 I:auna 40&41 4.5.3.5 Description olthe 41&42 腄 Fisheries 42  4.6 Socio-Econonlic Environmenl 42腝 4.6.1 General Characteristics of Nonoc lsLand 43 艫 4.6.2 Demography 43 艤 艥 腵 访 膁 V 貀腅 4.6.2.1 Population: Size, Growth and Density 43&44 腅 4.6.2.2 population: Literacy Rate and Educational 陼 Anainmenl 44&45 4.6.2.3 population: Ethnic Groups and Culture 45 腅 4.6.2.4 Population: Religious AIfi liation 45 諺 4.6.3 Housing 46 4.6.3.1 Housing Structure 46 腅 4.6.3.2 Housing Materials 46 鎺 4.6.4 Sanitarion 46 4.6.4.1 water 46 腅 4.6.4.2 Toiler Faciliries 47 荓 4.6.4.3 carbage Disposal 47 4.6.4.4 Healrh 47 腅 4.6.5 Social Services 47 躔 4.6.5.1 peace and Order 47 4.6.5.2 Lighting Materials 48 腅 4.6.6 Livelihood and Income 48 陼 4.6.6. I Sources of Livelihood 48 4.6.6.2 Estimared Monthlv Income 48 腅 4.6.7 Fishing Operarions 49 賭 5.0 Descriction of Exploration Work 49 5.1 Description ofExploration Melhod(s) and 腅 equipment to be used 49 貀 5.1.1 ceological Mapping 49 5.1.2 Geophysical Merhods 49 腅 5.1.3 Geochemical Methods 49 閛 5 1.4 Drilling Method 49 5.1.5 Test Pitting 49_50 腅 5.1.6 Others 50 賭 5.2 Preliminary Processing of Samples 50 5.3 Map shorving the location of the proposed $.ork 腎 area in relatjon to readily identified geographic 驍 and environmental features 50 5.4 Esrimated Exploration costs 50 裪 6.0 Identification of Porential Environmental Effects 50 雊 6.1 On Land 50 6.2 On Hydrology and Warer QLralily 51 裪 6.3 On the Ecology 51 轖 6.4 Ou Socio-Economic Effecrs 51 7.0 Enviroturental Management Measures 51 裪 8.0 Name and Signature ofPersons preparing lhe EWp 52 膁 9.0 Plan(s) ofthe Proposed Operations 裪驍 10.0 Matrix 7.1 - Environmenlal Manasement plan 鎷腅 韙腎 趌 腜 访 腸 賻 V 鉷 艫 ATTACHMENTS 访 Description 膁 艐艏 腀 1腒(atrix 7 1 腀 Environmental tr{anagement Plan 腀腀 腀 腅 腏艹艏 腀腀 Fig 2 1 陼 腀 2-Yr. Exploration Bar Graph Schedule 腀腀 艒艏 Fig 2 2 腅 2-Yr- Explorarion Program 膁 (No. ofholes and meterage requirements) 膁腅 50 腅 MPSA Map showing rhe location ofrhe 膁 proposed 2-yr. Exploration Areas - South 腅 Dinagat, Area - B and E 陼 雚腅 苚腅 腝 諺腎 腄芒 芒腎 腄芒 腄芒 腄芒 腄 艥 腄艥 腎 鍣 韙腅 V V 轵腅 10 NAME AND ADDRESS OFPROJECT 賭腅 11 Project Nanle 詣腅 NONOC NICKEL PROJECT 12 Company Name and Address 陼腅 i铀 芪 1臱貂譲 裻1醝 :780 腄 腺 Ayala Avcnuc,辬 4akati City 1200 陼 Tclcphonc1 867腝 4334 腄 Facsit菅 ilc1 816-7039 陼 腄 膉 2.0 TYPE AND NATURE OF PRO.IECT 腄 2.1 ProjcctDescription 苛 The mail] objecti!c of lhc pro.jcct is to condLrct exploration work in the 460 heciares of the project sile. 'lhc two-year exploration period will cover mostly the portion of 腄 South Dinagat Island. The NipSA covers 25.000 hectares wirh the following 荳 geographical coordinates : 腄 Are. 荳 Larirude l-on!iIUde Nonoc Islafd. llanigad lsland. & Boundcd by(9'48'37.109' 55'00'' 42.24'' 腄 !!l!ir Diflrg,rr Point I 10'015176腝 125腅41'2660'' 荻 - Poillt 2 9'SI'5789'' ' 12S腅12'01 06腍 Poiin l 9腅 S3'0787'' 3S.2856腍 腎 1 ' Point 4 苂 56腍 25`1'腅 125膋 37'3686'' 荳 l'oLnt i: , 59 19'5 125膋 37.3686腍' 125腅 37.0255'' 腄苛 12莁37'0255" Pdm8 1 lo'o6216, 125'40.3081" 腄苚 The schedule ofaclivities in the t$o-year explorarion period is shoqr in Figure 2.1. -fhe estimated cosl fol rhe t\vo-vear exploration period is aboul p g.j62.9S 腄 167,259.62 ar a forex rare ofUSS I p 1.00 or US$ 芒 = 50. 腄 2,2 Mincrals 荳 Nickeliferous iron laterite is a rvcalhering product ol mafic and ultramafic rocks. 腄 \\'righr, et al. (1958) cited the follolving condirions favorable ro rhe lormarion of 芒 lalerite ore: dislinct wet and dry season; flat or nearly flat topography for greater 腄荳 腄苛 芒 腄荳 腄hmtton腎 dm"d mO蝖 0腡h:荨 rl:腶 荳腣 to alo腁 v casy penctratiOn and circulatiOl 腵 銹 裻 趮 韂 臨 鎼 顈 腣 exposurc to腁 vcathcring proccss slo腁 荳腺 腄荳 荳腺 荳腎 腄荳 腄荲 腄鞸 腜腺 腄腜 腄腜 腜腎 賻腺 腄賻 腄賻 腄躩 腄鏺 腄艐 腄艐 賻 腄腎 鏺 --/ V 腄腪 and Cantiasav. and lhe lolal island population reached 12.i58 in 1935, a year bciore 苚 shutdown. 腎腺 Other islands sunound Nonoc Island. These are: 苚 腄 Dinagat lsland Go the nonh ofNonoc Island); 艨 Hanigad Island (to the northwesr); Awasan lsland (to the north); 腺 Bayagnan Island (to the south). 邼腁 E\cepl lbr Bayagnan lsland. these islands are separated lrom Nonoc Island by nanow 腎 channels. 苛 Access and Transportation 腺 fronr Manila, Nonoc Island 荳 is accessible eithcr by air transport or by sea. At present, Do flights are available ar Surigao City, so one has lo take the plane 10 Butuan City 腎 and rehn by land transport Irom Butullt City ro Surigao Ciry. From Surigao City, 荳 lherc is a recnlar ferry going to Nonoc Island every day. For transport by sea, one can take a plane going to Cebu, then ferry lionr Cebu ro Surigao City. Both Nonoc, Soulh 腎 Dinagat, Awasan and Hanigad Islands are accessible by sea. 苛 Road 腄 -lhe eristing road ncnrork establishcd on Nonoc Island ,,,,ill hc adequare lor 荓 !ornq ol.raiion ihe on- \\ill oi:rhc mine and refincr\. 1l_addtlional accr'ss roeds are reqLrired. thev 腎 be conslnlctcd r,,irhin thr: 4prr4rriirte guiclelines establrshed for lhe Cirl of 苚 Suricarr. The roaCs ai Nonoc *ili be rcpaircC and rnaintaincd to pror,ide all-rveather access rrtere practicable. and mJy bc upgraded lo minimize dust in dn,rveather and 腎 sillation runoff and minor roadside flooding in the \rcl season. No road netlvork at 苚 North Dinagal. Awasan and Hanigad. 腄 Air  Nl)noc lsiund is uuusLnl as it hrs a fulll scrriceahlc uirport trith a concrete runwav 腺 l.;00 mr'lers lo[g aud ii(] mclers \\'idL' 'lhc hangrr ar]d lerninal builclings rvill be 苛 repaircrl on a appropriate stindurd. As thcre is no runrva."- liglitiug s),stent. thc tirpofl is limited to dal-light operalions. 腄 荳 Sea 腮 Existilla ',l,an,es on Nonoc lsland rvill be rcpaired and upgraded to ntanage vessels 苏 Lrp to l!0 n1er..-s in lengrh and a draughr of I2 metc,rs. Smaller *harves will be rlpaire-1 lo faatlitatc gentral srnali cralt ofcrations includine passenger fcrries and 腄 conrnlcicirl oFar0lions. Thc Porl oi Suiiqito Njll ser\e ille nlaritinte requirements for 荳 ,rcIerill crrgo lbr the project. 腄荳 腄膉 腄膉 鉀 膁 腅 32 膁 Tot:rl Project Area 腺 The Surigao Mineral Reservction comprises 250,000 hectares (ha) and covers 觱 resources located at Surigao Del Norle. Awasan, South Dinagat, Hinatuan, Nonoc, Siargao, Hinatuan. Ivlasapelid lslands, and a po(ion of Eastern Mindanao. It has an 腅 overall resoLlrce of over 667,000.000 tonnes of nickeliferous laterite and is divided 陼 inlo four p2rrcels (Figure 2.3, EPEP). Parcel Il comprises Nonoc Island and a number ofsmall islands, and has an estimated total resource in excess of 135.8 million tonnes 钱腅 averaging 1.127o nickel. -llrc iUi'SA covcrs 2j.000 heclarcs cornprising Nonoc (.{,172 ha ). Arvasan (916 ha.), 腅 Ilanigad (976 ha.) and Dinagat lsland (18,736 ha.). The 2-yr. E\ploralion Program 鎷 rvill cover l,J8{ hectares mostly the norlhern part of MPSA (l'arcel Il & lll of 腅 Mineral Reservation), Awasan and Hanigad and po(ion ofSouth Dinagal. 钱 10 腅 BASIILINE ENVIRONIIENTAL CO^-DITIO,\..S 雚 .1.1 L^nd llnvironment 膁腅 1.1.1 Topography/Physiography 腺 Nonoc Island 長 Nonoc lsland hns a lo\! to mod€rarc rclief (Figurc 3.1, [lS). $ith the highesr peak elc\arion of ll5 meters ASL represenrcd b1 rhe pcak of lvlt. Conico. The other 腅 sLrbordinatc pcaks in l\vonoc are I\1r. 'l iDago (180 merers ASL). I\,lt. Sigbanog (220 陑 nrctcrs ASL). The tenain genemlly varics lrom rolling lo rueecd with the tops of rid,rci aDd spurs generall), \\ide and comnronll- rounded- rvilich is an indication of a 腅 nriturc slege in landtbrm development. Anrong the eentler terrains in Noloc, are 陑 locxled on the plant sile in dre southem portion of the islalld and LutawoD Basin at lhe 腅 no(hern par! ol Notoc lsland. 膁 I)rcvious nrininq activity has altercd thc lopography in parts ofthe islaud. Thcse areas alc highly visible clue to the deep red color of the bare soil. The ntined our arcas have 腅 becr llattencd lvilh the rentoval ol the laterile cover. l-lowe!er. the past mtning 膁 aeli\il\ has not si-sniticanrl) alrercd lhc gc0eral ropograplric charnctcristic ofNonoc 腅 lsland. 醅 As idenltticd b! previous \\orkers. (Santos-Yriigo. l96l and Wright, 1958) the donrinant tolrographic fearures of the island are the north to nonheasterly trending 魧 ridges. Thesc ridges, Irom west to east, arel 艫 . Nonoc Ridge . Conico Ridge . Tinago Ridge 艤 . IUaribojoc-Lutawonfudge 艥 . Banlor Ridge 膁   腄膁 雚腅 . Sigbanog Ridge, the only northeasterly trending ridge in the island. 腎 The two major basins recognized in the island are the Lutawon Basin, located 雚 bcr\leen the iUaribojoc-Lutarvon Ridge and Banlot Ridge, and the Conico Basin, juxtaposed at the southem pa( of the Conico Ridge and Tinago Ridge. Figure 3.2 of 陼腅 the EIS shows the geomorphic features ofNonoc Island. 腺 Dinaeat. Awasan and Haniead Islands 陼 The topography of South Dinagat (Figure 3.3, EIS) is dependenr ufon Ml. Gaboc. lt is thc highcst clevation iD the Project silc with a peak elevation of 5,19 masl. The slope 腄 ol lvlount Caboc is mostly steep lo very steep. Towards Cagdianao 1o the north, 賚 terrain varies Io low elevation and a less rugged topography. 腄 The noflircrn pan of Dinagat Island exhibits generally rugged topograplry, with a 芒 maximum elevalion ofjust o\er 600 m above mean sea level (a.m.s.l.). Several lower, north-east and north-lvesl trending ridges traverse Awasan and Hanigad 腄芒 Islands, with elevations typically between I l0 m to 160 m. 腎 Sabang River Watershed Site/I{eservoir 芒 Being of rhe same gcology, the topography of tlre watershcd is identical to the rest of South Dinagat and Nonoc lslands. Topography varies from moderatel)' rugged to 腄芒 rolling. 'l he watershed has a low elevation with more than 90o% of the land area below 300 masl (Tnblc 3.1, f,IS). The highest peak in the drainage divide is 323 masl 腄 (Figure 3.{, EIS). 芒 Slope Distribution 腄芒 The slope distriburion in tlle project sile is listed in Trble 3.2 and is sllo\\n in Figurc 3.5 ofthe ElS. 腄芒 {.1.2 Lxnd Usc/Capnbilit} 腄 ir'lethods and Procedures 芒 Land uses in the stud) siie \\'ere detenrrined fronr vertical aerial photographs, oblique 腄 aerial pholographs. te|restrial photographs and lieid obsen'ation. The 1963 芒 CEIII-EZA \,crtical aerial photo mosaic $as used to detemlil1e historical land use and lhe iinrit ol land uses that are observed 1o have persisted up to thc presenl tirne. The 腄 obliqLr. phoros \\cre lake0 lion) i\llUIC s Annual Reporls. Terr(rstrinl photograplis 艥 \\cre lakcn during the li to l9 Jul) 1998 lieldwork. Base map ibr the study site was preplred using lhe NAMRIA topographic ntap. Subsequeltly, the CIS ibrilal base 腄芒 nrap prepared by Dames and N{oore was adopled. llistorical lard use pattern in the Project site rvas establisbed fronr various Iiteratures. 腄 .,\nrong lhc relirerces used sere the soil and land use map preparcd by the Bureau of 芒 Soils and \\'arr'r lvlanagemenl and rhe 1958 report on the Philippine Bureau of Mines' 腄荳 腬 腒 苛 艥 腄苛 腄賻 (l']tli\'l) geological exploration of Nonoc Islard and South Dinagat br Wright and Salazar (1955). The PBNI report conlained a short accoLui of the previous exploitarive 腄艩 activities in the isiands prior 10 the large-scale mining project thal suned in 1971. -l-he coverage ofthe land use component included Nonoc lsland, South Dinagat lsland 腄 up to the northern limit of the coverage of Philnico's MPSA and the Sabang 芪 watcrshed, the source ofthe Project's water supply. 裪 Ir should bc noted at this point that updating of the land use of the Project site was 膉 confined to Nonoc lsland. Sabarrg Watershed and the eastern seaboa-rd of South Dinagat due to time constraint. Further updating will be done after the aerial 陼裪 photography, contracted to CERTEZA, is completed. Ccncrally acccptable land usc cllssificntiols ha\,e been adopted for this study. The 裪 lend Lrses in the strdy area can be classiljcd inlo t$,o major classilicalions. natural and 膉 nran-nrade or modifiecl land use. Land trsc calcgories under this classification are as 腄 lbllows: 膁 l. Natural Land Uses 腄艩 Dense Scrubs Open Scrub 腄 Crassland 陑 Vlangrore 0 腄 Man-made or modified land use 芍 Built-up and settlements 腄 Tailings pond 膁 r\griLi:iiure - coconut plantalion 腄 Bare and mined-out areas. 陼 ll i srorlqal!44s!rjtli.arl4lt!L&9!!]]I!qlb9 腄 lhc I)rotcct rrcl is a special Lrsc ilral hcing dcclar'c'Ll os plrt ol the Surigrro Mineral 腭 I{csclration in I919 tluough l)roclrnillion No. l1)l Prcsiclential Proclamation 391 cnconrpasseel thc isLands ol'N"onoc. Dinagat. Siargao, Bucas Crande and the stnaller 膁腅 surrouDding islands. \o impo ant nlining activity !!as repo ed in the study site even afier dre discoverl of 腅 lhc lalerite deposit ol lhe Surigao Mineral Rcservation. In 1916. ihe Japanese sho$'ed  int.'rest in the Surigao Latcrite and Nas alloved to collect samples for analysis. Results ofthe anal!sis horvever rvere unfavorable.  -quhsequentl). dlc Pllilippille Bureau of Mines started an erplorarion progranl in l9i7 艤 until 1913. ln 19.10 to 19.11, a other Jrpanese group e\plored lhe laterile reserve of Nonoc. \\'ith the oulbreak of \f,'orld \\'ar II, rhe Japanese abaDdoned the rvork and left 艥 \irh no record olthe !\'ork done. 膁  ` 芒 腄荳 V V 腄 Even dit, thc islands havc bccn dcclat 莡cariicd Out in thc island it conductcd lo8ging in Nonoc sometimc t腁vas rcpOrt( 腄Bureau of Mincs rcsunlcd c腁 p10ration in 芒:裻n鋎 腶 :::镸 [f鿤 銅::荌 諒 腄芒趌轒 跲1=L鋟 趔 腄 辻 銞跫 苔 h銦 鉀 1詼 辀 荦 麽 cmm腧 腂 膜emm8腣 ha芨 nd u韕 腣 腷 :lt蹶 腡 願 腄 鑹 閣: :钧 苛 腷 芒腸 腄苛 芒腺 芒腺 腄芒 艥腺 芒腎 腄芒 芒腺 腕銆 腄荳 艥裪 苛裪 鷴腺 艥 腄芒 V V 膉 艳 Present Land Usc 跓 Consequentl). the prcscnl land use patleru of Nonoc' South and Nonh Dinagat' 芰 Arvasan and Hanigad Islands is largcly dictltcd by the pasl mining and explorriion activities. The hailities of the previous mining and exploration project continue 10 艩 exist and are therefore considered in the classilication ofthe land cover and land use 膡 . Opeo and Dense Scrubs 艩 Despi!e the past exploitation activities of loggirlg and mining and presently charcoal 膡 mrking. a substanrial Fonion of the study area is still coYered by natural vegetation' '[hc sirul's classification u'as adopted since it accurately dcscribes the type of 访 \rcletnlion co,"cr in rhe islands Thc scrtlbs arca are fu(hcr classilled as open and rlensc. Scrub hnd uillr opcn canopl containing tlp to a olaximum oi'40 percent open 芒 rrca is classilicd as opcn scl\lb. On llle othcr hand. closed scrutr canopy is classileLl as 諓 clcnse scr;r'r... Dcsfile tlre pl.vious exploitation activities, substantial land area is still covered b1' dcnle scnrb vegetation. Abottt 50 percent of Nonoc Island is slill densely 莡 vegetated.'fhe sanle condilion is observed in Souih Dinagat, especially the Sabang 雚 \\/itershed Iieservation, Awasan and Ilanigad Islands that has been effectively protccted during the last 27 years or so. 臧 uell the 1968 aerial pilotomosaic show 隁 t,ancl use map of lhc Bureau of Soils as as clense vegetaiion in the slopes of N{t. Gaboc. However, only the eastern slope was 艩 verified during the field visit on 15 to l9 Juty 1998. 膡 r\n example of thc areas classified as open scmb is shorvn in Pl:lte 3'12 \'hile a 蹒 rlpical exanple ofa dense scrub is shown in Plate 3'13 oflhe EIS' 膡 . Grassland 软苉 Grasshild fonnalioll is not common in the study area unlike other parts oi lhe country \tere disturbed areas are dominated by grasslands lhis is attributed lo ihe type of 裪 substratc present in the study site. Crass (commonly Saccharun) in the study site grorvs orrl,v irr non-lateritic soils. Hencc. grassland are only prcse!1t in disturbed areas i,r thc r..rr"rn side of Nonoc Islarrd. rvhere lhe country rock is non-ultramafic (the 钚腎 pilrent malcrial of lalerile). Grassland constitlltes at mosl 3 percenl ol the land area of Nlonoc lsltrnd ancl Sourth Dinagat. Onc of lhe ferv grassiand in the slLldy sile is shown 腎 in Plntc 3.1.1 (ElS). 賻 . I\langrove 腄 'lhe colstline ol the sludy area is lined by nlangrove. Large nral)grove areas are found around Doot lsland and t'*onoc Ba1 shile strips of mangrove stand line dre coasl of 腄 Gaboc Channct on both sircs ofNonoc Island. Dinagal, A\!asaD aDd Ilanigad Islands  About 9OO hectales ol oangrove have been mapped in the study sile.477 hectares in Nonoc Island and about 417 hectares in South Dinagat 腄艐 腄艐 豒 艥 膁腅 v 雚腵 . Built Up Areas 腅 Built up areas constit te less than 500 hectares in Nonoc lsland and these are mostlv 貀 associared with the previous mining projecr. The buik up area includes the industriil complex, airstrip, mined out areas, road networks and tailings pond. Built-up areas at 腵 Dinagar,.Awasan and Hanigad Islands include rhe municipiliiy of Cagdianao and is 酷 surrounding barangays. 銲 . Scitlements 腵 'lhis category refirs to settlemenls outside the mine area. These are the settlements of l3arangay lalisay. Barangav Nonoc and Barargay Cantiasay in Nonoc and other 閛 barangays at Dinagat, AB.asan and llanigad Isla;ds Ir is esrimated that settlemenrs occupy only an area of 88 ha in Nonoc Island and 212 ha. in South Dinaqat. The 艩 abscnce of flal lands along lhe coast, the restncted access to Nonoc Island and the Iack of other econonic activities asitle from employment are the major limiling 腵 factors in the grouh of tlle selllements in the island. ir was reponed thaithe present 醚 bar.rrrgay pob!.rcions rvere rxice Iarger than today. Ar rhe h.ipl,t of the pieuot,s mining projccr, tlte poblacions expanded lorvards the sea rJ uc.om,noiate the incresing populction. Sign of at(empts to reclaim as well as rennanls of houses on 艩 slrlts crn sljll be observed in Talis.y and Cantiasay, Typical se(lement in the area is 膡 sho*,n in PIate 3.15 (ElS). 艥 r Cultivation Cultivation is verv limited in \onoc. Dinagat. Alvasan and Haniead Islands. 韙艳 Cultiration is only possible in non-larcrirrc arels. In \onoc Island. rhis is confined along rhe rvesrern side. in the vicinil!.of Barangay Canriasay and Barangay Nonoc. Crops are comnro|lv coconul and banana. Small patches of -kamore_ng t 200 cm deep'  or.i ii lv - Pl:rtcs 3.i io l.a, Els) and conrposed of clay loanr developed from ",,a ."rn"nten,ticor,,ltr;rbcsicrocks.lhissorllxsagoodpcnetlabilitlrvithabulkdensity 醈 o,t6 Or g,"u, per cm' te'cct Hvdrarrlic conducttvity is rery fast at 2'67 x l0'cm/sec' iLris .oii is ,tiongly o.iiic (pl I 5.2) with moderate content of organic matter at2 32vo' 苎 '..', lorv nhosoiorus at l.?l mg/kg and low porassium at 0'l cmol'l and cation at 4.60 cmol/i. Base saturation percentage is-high al'7681yo' 腺 "*.iuno. ""po.itt' of 0.i8 cmolll is below the critical limit of 0 5 cmol/l' Zinc 芒腒 l*u".,ibt" aluninum (]-89 iron contents arc high at 0'56 .ontin,i, n',oa"r"," at mg/kg *hile copper and al 43 mg/kg' ,," i" .',a 8.9 rns'klr. ,.,p".ti*.i1'. N'langanese conlent is veq' hish 荲 X,.i"i. tir,.or. ..j,".m. cobalt arid chromium are all above the critical values of 50' 苚 3, lOO, and 100 mg/kg, respectivell. This soil has lorv natural ferlility' 艥 Thc soil ofthe quarrylnined out areas is similar to the Kabatohan soil type' except for 膡 rhe penenabilitv u'hich is relativelv more compact at 1 03 g/cc However' below the t,,ti densitr liurir ol l.l0 g/cc. h!drauiic conductivity is slouer and is of medium 艥 ipecrl ar'r J; r 10 - cm secl Thrs soil lype is nloderately acidic rvilh pH equal to 5'6' Like the Kabatohan soilllpe. conlents ofall major elements are low to very low' with 裪 most ofthe heavy oetals above the crirical values. Natural fertility ofthis soil is lou' 荳 'Ihc tlydrosol is the poorLy drained silt)'clay loam on the tidal flats wilh flat to almost 裪 llrt rerrain (0-3% slope). Soils are deep (greater lhan 150 cm deep)' ultra-acidic (pH 荳 3.,1) and h.rre n."ry- high orlaDic tlrattcr content (15'7?%)' Phosphorus content is Ycrr lolr llt 2.6 mgi'kg. The cation e\change capacitl ard base saturation percentage 艥 arc lrigh at 101.8 clnol/l, and 58% respeclively \\'hich may be due-.to the sodium collteu-t of rhe brackish water. lhis soil may turn to acid sulthte soils upon drying 艫 \vhich are then considered to be a problem soil. 艥 艥腎 10 苛裪 苨 腄覟腅 V 裪 The e\isring railing pond has a flal rerrain (0 to 3% slope - plxtes 3.5 & 3.6, EIS). h has a moderarely well-drained loamy sand malcrials uhich is deep (> 100 cm deep). lt 裐 has a modcrate alkaline reaction (pH 8 2) and has low organic matter content at 1.30 mg/kg. Potassium content is low at 0.13 cmol/I. Bolh the cation exchange capacity 顨 ard base saturation percentage are high with 20.85 cmoVl and 62.06 %, rJspeciively. Zinc content is low at 0.26 mg&g while coppcr content is high at 0.g2 mg,&g. Both 讽 thc iron and manganese contents are very high at 136 mg,&g ana :.+ mg*g, 艫 rcspccli,vely. Silicon. cadmium, cobalt. chromium and nickel are all above tlle critical valucs of2l.l.3. I00. 100, and 50 ppm, respecrively. Lead wilh the amount of 16.4 腷 mg/kg is still wirhin the normal value_ The natural fertiliry ofthis material is low. 腅 San Nlat)tlcl stndl' clal loam occurs on lhc localized valle.r,s/coastal_alluvial plains 長 rlirh a slope ran[e of J-8%. This is a \vell-drained sandy cla]. loanr wirh a deep iolum (rhick soil). 'fhis soil is slighrly acidic (pH 6.4) wirh moderate amounr of organic 腅腅 mitller (1.15%). Phosphotus is vcry low ( 1.69 mg,&g), but polassium cation exchange 醮 caplcity and base saturation pcrcentage are bolh high. Zinc and copper contents are high a( 1.0 and 0.9 mg/kg, respectively, while iron and manganese aie very high at 24 苛膬 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg, respectively. The natural ferrility ofrhis soil is modeiatel 腅 Sabanq River Warershed and South Dinaqat Island 迺 lbuf soil l"pcs/mapping units wcre identified and characterized in Dinagat island, namcly: Kabatohin clay loam. Anao-aon clay Ioanr, Sar lVlanuel sandy clay-loanr, and 腄腎 Ilydrosol. 1he Kabatohan clay loam is the biggesr mapping unit and has an area of 苛 12.985 ha or 79.05% ofthe toralarea ofSourh Dinagat. 腄腅 The scconJ lareest unil is the Anao-aon clay loam rvilh an area of l.g2g ha or ll.l3% 苛 ol-the mrning claim in Sourh Dinagat. 1-he rhird largesr unjt is the San Manuel sandv cla) loarn rith an area of987 ha or 6.0l pcrcenr ofrhe mining claim in rhe islanj. 艥 The sr,allest soil-mapping unit is the Hydrosol tlilh an area of 417 ha or 2.53% of rhe 諺 mining claim in the island. 裪 Krbalohan clay loanr has two snraller mapping units. One is located at the southern 鑥 pir! ol Dinagar islaucl. specificalll. in Mt. Gaboc. The other one is located in the noflhcrn frall of lhe mining claint. liom the Sabang reservoir to the northem project 荍 boundary in llamngay l,ayagaan. 'lhe physico-cheurical properlies of these mapping  units are similar to the Kabatohan clay loam of Nonoc island (see Kabarohin in 芒 Nonoc Islarrd). 艥 .\nao-aon cla) loam is the nrapping unit ai the neck of the Dinagat Island from 艫 Baransx) Cagdianao in rhe sourh to llarangal.Del pilar in the north.ihis brown soil devclopcd fro1) melanorphosed shale. The dominant slope range is lg_30%. This soil 鶕 is rrcll.).5n_t in niu*i.ra ,lr.Irr(rcr) .lt\i ollrrr rfcai(s. 0nlibl\ l,rlr(.f ol (l)e nu,si!c anJ brancltin{ grosth 腄 lomrs. In l-rol)t ol tlle laililgs pond. lrrge fblrose to.rn. of f,rii,rri,i *.r" 芒 donrinarrt. 'lhe fair'cate':orr'(=2) ofhard coral cover rvas obse^,ed in 腄 the spols inspecred rvhile a liule a Iittre more rhan 22u% of 芒 category. less rhan 20% w.ere considcred uncle; ij;;:poo,, 腄 Most ol thesc spots rvere locared in areas ofhigh emba1.r"riirl"ii.r"al. 艥 Dead coral cover rangcd frorn <10 to j07u rn more than 9070 of the snnrq in(nected .rnd rr.rs jl-i0o'" in rhe remaininp snn.{ None ,f" .p",i i",p.",.a-ffi',r'# ,fr"n suco de.,d coral cover. Areas oi :i-so"; "f 腄 conlinuous. d".d .";;i ;;,;; ,'';i; l""i"Jo' 芒 For example, this was observed near Banlot a, f"fir.'ar* "l'o' """- iV'".a1"* ,fr" 腄艥 腅 tl 郧 遱 鎪 vv 腅 loundutions ol tlt( srt(r prpe runnirrg bcrween Dincg.rt and Uaboc Lhannel Nonoc lslands along 腺 Similarly, soft coral cover ranged lronr <10 鑥 inspected. ro Nonc of the spots had more than 50olo裩::rr::赆 c10詇 r鞃 韬荳 amounts of soft coral cover were those relativelv 轒l Silty For cxamplc thc arca ncar 腅 Banlot silt dam and east ofthe pier 闒 at Talisay. 腅 Areas largely devoid of biotic benthic cover comprised a small po(ion of the coastal 閛 perirnetcr (litrre over 77o of rhe rorar spot inspected). u*r .iti".. *.."'i, r-nt or lne oecch areas ot lhe exposed siJc of Barangay Nonoc promonlory. Less than I4Zo 腅 olthc spots inspectcd comprisinq inncr portions'ofthe coves locatej*o.J ii,"'i.funa 访 nild slll srnJ co\'(r c\tln.rlL.rl l 5l-7i".. A Icrsc mflturilt L,I the snots inspected (nearly 80%) had a silr/sand covcr eslinlrrL,d ar les;rhrn 50% Mo,. rt o'n t uti oi tt .,e 馏腅 had silt/sand cover of less than 30%. 腅 Benthic Lifeforms 鎺 r Ceneric Composirion of Coral Commun ities 腅 A tolal ot J5 genera ofscleractinian corals were observed collectively in all g stations 閛 (Tablc 3.59). -fhc nurnbcr of genera observed ibr each sration rurg"d f.o. li t" \!ith the highest ohtaincd ar srarions Tailings pond 2+ colonies of /.,/'il/J and Talisay. Su.roti- inJiu;Orol 陼腺 and AcroporLt \!ere tlte mosl contmon co;plsing r,.urtrlOX oi llre ro(:11 occurrcnces. Seven generJ. pt)ttct- Acroporo. f.urg,.,. OZi,ruo'. fou,t"r, 'lirbinotia Goniopo,.a, were common to all g staiions. 芊腅 . ^]nd. Coral Cover 陼腅 The pcrcentage covcr of various reef contponents varied between stations. Ofthefive mirjor benthic reel ca(egories. the nlosl imponani \rcre cover of fi"" aoiufr, a"aa corals and abiotic contponents lbr all slations surveyed. percentag. ,la 陼腅 rarious reefcomponents are derailcd in Trble 3.60 ro j.66, ElS. "*.r-of 腅 Lire c'oral corcl ranqed fronr 2l% lo 75 % (Figurc 3.27, EIS) wi(h lhe highest 鑥 occurfinL at the stxtion in liont ol l\Iine Area V. TIie station at Gaboc channel had the rccorrti highost pclcenlalc covcr of lire corals ar ncrrly 6,lyo. fni, ioito.a cl, s.'l) h' :utiorrs ur tlunr ot thc'lrrllrF. lunJ.rrrd [l.rring.ty t"1,.., "ni 腅 {lor t\otlr). lNo sr.rrinlls. Nurroc ltrd o, n."rti ofrg" 赼 lhan 40yo $hile Carrrr.rser. had lire coral covers ofa litrje less ar)orlter 2, Mine Areas ll/lll and IIVIV, t,oa oi o f,trf" 鑥腅 o\er 20Yt "orat "o*r. Tabulak a,id branrhirtg Acropora (ACTs atrd ACBs, respecrively) logether conlprised 腅 nrore rhan 90%u ofthe live hard corals al rhe srcrion in f.* frli".-a,." l:l'iiri"* corals (cFs). predonrinanrly Turbinatict. and AcBs rrere "f 鑥 the sralions in Gaboc rrr" n,ori i.porlni u, channel and in fronr ol rhe Tcilinls t",rJ ."",p,i.i,rg "or"or, 3i and,'rii6. respecli\cl). l'hc perc.rltage corer of c-orals ,"r" ,fr* 驍腅 Nerc alnlost equally dislributed to 5 groilth typ"r. o, ,f,a ,,u,ion- in fofou' fn a..r.u.i,rg ;;;;;:';;r";; 艥腅 ,芤 膡腅 鍤 膁 V 腅 ACTs. encrusting corals (CEs), ACBs. massive (CMs) 鑥 lhe couuton sere corals and CFs. In Cantiasay, corals CNIs. branching corals (CBs) and CFs. In Nonoc. ACBs, 腅 CMs and CFs were the more common type of coral grorvrh fortus. 'I-he percentage 賻 cover of CMs at the station in front of N,line Area ll/lll comprised more than 2/3 of the total hard corals while CBs, CMs and ACTs were common at the station in front 觍腅 of Mioe Area III/lV. 'I_he percentage cover of soft corals were quile subslantial in stations belween Mine 腅 Areas lll/lv and II/lll. Talisay and Tailrngs pond Algcl cover \ ere fairly ample in  slations ber\\een lvline Areas IIllll and IIIi lV and Tclisa). The most common algae was (.ctulcrpa spp. Additionally, moderatc nunlbers of the stinging cnidarian 麽腅腁 AglctoThenia sp was prese t at these J stitions 趌 . Cover ofDead Corals and Other Abiotic ReefComponents -l-he pcrcentagc cover ol-dead corals rangcd liorr 49," ro 5l% (Figure 3.2g, EIS). highcst perccntage cover of dead corals occurred al Cantiasay (52%) i he 腅 (49%). This rvas followed by srations and i\onoc ar Mine Area III/tV (30yo), Talisay f23%) and 雚 Caboc (21%), then srarions ar Mine Areas V and IIlllI (bo!h xr ll%). -The station with the least percentage of dcad coral cover was in front of the Tailings pond (4%). 赼腅 Most ofdead corals accounied \!ere covered with algae. 腅 'fhe pcrccntlgc co\cr of ahioric reof contponents rxnged fronl l% to 3g% (Figure 雚 --1.29, IilS). lhe hishest pcrccnra,:ecn!crofahiotic rccfconlponenls \\as recorded for sliitions in l\fine Area ll lll (j8o/;) and lailings ponrl (289.ir). lhls urs followed by  slations in i\{ine Area III/lV (li9/o). Nonoc (11.69,i,). lv,line Area \'(1096). Cantiasav (969';) and 1-alisay (8%). lhe sraiion in Grboc had rhc lcasl co\er of abiori; conlponcnls. in stations Minc A!.ea llilll.'failings l,ond. Canriasav and Nonoc. silr 腅 accountci for a large proponion of thc abiotic componenl. Rubble \\.as a ma1or 膁 abiotic component in Talisav while sand conlposed most of the abiotic factors at Mine  Areas III/IV and V. 菑 Associated ReefFish  . Species Composirion of ReelFish Assemblages ,\ Ioliil o1'l(r{ species (lislributed t() ll lantilies *.ere ohselveci in all g starrons 腅 comhined (T.rblc 3.66, EIS). Target spccics conrprised 26yo of ll1e roral number of 賻 sn!'cics \\hile indicator species (Chacrodonridac) rccounted about 99,o of (he total numbcr of sfecics. Abour ,15% of the spccies belong to I Iarnilics alone 腅 (}onraceirtridae (249/") and Labridae (219i,)). l-he resr ol rhe species (20%) were 郟 distributed lo l5 orher families (Figure 3.30, EIS). 腅 Fortv-three species from l3 families were considered target fish wilh varying 鍣 conrntercial r'alucs. All of dlese except ll species fronr Senanidae have medium to low- n1x1191 valuc when sold locally. Serrlnrds lgroupers tnd trouts (lapu-laDu)) are a 魧 Iighl\ soughr alicr tlsh and comntand a hrgher nrarier ralur parricLrllrll rihen scld 艫 li!e thaD rhe rest. 銆  腄艩 鏺 膥 V 腄良 膁 腅 草 i遅 l腒Ra韆 苨 tFI 1:菇 趙腶 ie,腵 鍣 膍 a::lll苧 腅 1111:|:遧 閛 | ::;:韍 l:illlil:臧 :腬 |腡:lI苈 :iisIIin:芤 wll t c膍 illlllldlilil:苔 芧c膍 膌 荰and C韍 膌菆膌膍 菍膍膍 菍臧膌 膍膌 駂 芧 腒verc obsc蝗 cd in at lcast half OFthc statiOns 賻 1101顉 莋 |苦lC腬 ,8菇littlildll i4f::菌 賻腅 dCllI1111:I臧 t'Jl饈 lil軘 :lllll 腅 [腸 鍣 '腶 鍣裪 跥 趮 鳰 諞 铸h閔 1鳡 鞕 闡1轢 :詼 闟 Canuasay(n腝 32)腁 crc Jle mOst dcpaupcratc 賚裪 :腬 銹 :::il:lF:T:::|lilt苈1,1]:1lelli:llmal]:豑 裪 ldI:|臧 :l臧 苦 clliy隰 腒 1lf::腬 芍 1跫 A葋 a腒 Caboc and TJ腁 u许 銙 1:韚臨:襷 辔证h韆 el 顉 銲|:Ll腶 腄 (腧 鑥 Indi腁 idual Abundanccs Of Rccr Fishcs 腄 腅 A lota1 01 16 200 11,di腁 itltlals 01 5s11 陑 腁腁 腄膡 腄鍣 腄芒 腄膡 膁 鏺鏱 芍艨 腵鏱 艩 腄 芒 1/ 腄 . ReefFish Biomass 芒 腺 ]te mean biomass offish ranged lrom IOj to Jg00 g 50ni:. The highest mean 芒 biomass was:ecorded at Talisay (il6j0 lSEl) and rhi lowest Cuniii*y-1::Sy. Estimates of fish biomass in stations ar lvline Areas ll/lll, V "t Pond were moderate. The mean una iiflfv^uni'fuifing. 腄 (r120),564 (!297) biomass al these slations was B5l (1265), 645 芒 and 528 ('00) g 50m'2. respectively. eut,nu,.. ofioi Uio."r, in stations at Nonoc and Gaboc were fair wirh il0 (ttlg) and 15? (;lili ;50;.r, 腄 respectively. 芒 A sun)mary of the contributions of the top 5 species and the top 5 families lo the 腄 cunlulative csrima(cd bionrass of fish lbr each sration l. pr"..nt"a ln f"fi", flOZ una 芒 .1.68. rcsn!.ti!el) (Fi4urc 3.J1. EIS). Specre,*rthcumulatir.i*Ir,",.".",ri,,,i"", e\lcedrng t)UU g 500m. inclu,.Jrd lhL. black spot snapper Lutjunut ltlti (t na, the 腄 lirsiliers (,-;,.rio c.ucrulauretts. C: L.tnitls prciiurcsi,i lilr. 'tlre"corai rrorr 艥 l'lcc_t.ropont: laopurdrs atd the rainbo*i ^nd - Ianilies wilh rrrnncr Elegarrr bipi,;,"i.;;; i""f nrf, cLurlulalive biomass contrjbution, f3OO g iOO.; i".fra" 腄 P^omacenrlidae (darnselfishes) Labridae (wrasse9, "*"".,ling 荳 (fusiliers) and Senanidae I_utlaniaie lsnapplr.y,"C*.ioniAu" (groupers). 腄 4.5.3.2 Seagrrss and Seawced Communitics 芒 Pcrcentage Cover and Frequency ofSeagrass and Seaweed Species 腄 鏺 A roral of 8 sampling stalions rvere surveyed during the stLrdy. Seven (7) seagrass spccies, nanrell. Enhulut acoroitles. (\,motktcctt ,o-turtL n. t- ,nrln,latr),'Th-olnrrio 腄 ht'.'1'tttltii- .\)rrn_a,tlttnt tjoct,ttt;lu,ht. HatoJtttc piniplit ola Uut,,fnlui,,, ,),lip,,_,,.r. 芒 and 6 searvced specics. HLline(la ntact,tlubu_ Hulinre,tu sp.. pu,l,n,l i:pr"n sf. sp. and (hrrl..,7.r r,/(.(./,r{rr.r. uer(, idenrified ^,rrl,,,rl' 腄 !tLt,tofhor.t in .,tt siarrons cornhrnc(t. spectes conrposition. dcnsity. frequency and percenta.qe cover of 鏺 seagrasses a,d presence of seau,eed species in the g stalions are p.aran_*d in Trbl", 腄 3.70 and 3.?1. EIs 腜 l-hc,total^pert.enlagc cover of seacras5 species ranqed fiom 5 to 6g% with Il]:,lowcsl pcrcenrilc coverot mean of 腄 l\".li1r, ]u ";. seagrass was observed in Srarion 6 (S of 賻 r.,,,ot t\trrrrl] \\hrt( lhc hi{hcsr irr Stirlrr)n 2 (SW ol.Canli.sav) Except at Stalion 7. llr( rno\l intpo inl speucs ol'scttrJls tlere C),rrrodoccrr'rutrrrk,tr, Enhnlr,, ,/.,,r,,1/,.\ arrd lhttl.tr,ttt ln) t .tL.tt;!_ Ihcre I species N(,rc rhe ntriL,r ^d 腄 scagrass beds surveyed on the island. ln conrponenls of 腜 coDlplised the Srarion 7. lburup".i". ui.5u seagrass conrmunity. "r"nfy 腄 for Sralions 7 (Gaboc channet) and 8 (Talisay). 腜 :l:c-:!: rhe abundance of seaw.eed \ne(rcs r\i6 lrol rcmirrabre trrou!h rhey were noted. [iorinecro tt,rarutrtn aonrtit,,taa 腄 ,. 0 or ur( coler lll )lalton / \\1Ile.\.r.(,1.\\rr,i/,u/tL).r/r r was lhe slngle \eeetation 賻 obsenaed ar Srarion 8. Nurne.ors parlrr.s oi'inr7",f; ;;;r;'":;';i::*" 艨 o(casionilll). in sotne statjons. 艨 芆 芌 芌 芌 芌艐 艥 艐 艨 膁 腜 腪 膁 艐 讌 膁 艩腅 鷴 !v 賻 A detailed description of seagrass and seaweed communities are given below for each 腅 station. 膁 Station I (near Barangay Can(iasay) 腅 Several small beds of seagrass were obsewcd on the norihern podions of the bay but 邧 the most extensive beds $'ere observed towards the souih. The seagrass bed in front of Cantiasay lvJs anron[ the more extensive bec]s. Thc seagrass comnruDily in this 閛腅 stition was moderalely deep ( l-3 m) and exlends from the pier of BaranBay to about a kilometerinrvards1othebay. Thc substratunr$asmudd). A totalof4 seagrass and 2 裪 searveed spccies rvcre prcsenl in this slation.'l'hc nrosl dontioanl seagrass species was [nhalus acttroitlcs with a pcrcentage cover of 38.07o. followed by Cymodocea 賻 rotundat:l \vith 8.0%, then ('ymodocca serrulota \4.98 yo) and T holossia henptichii (2.0%). Similarly, E acoroides was the most fiequent species encountered (20%), 裪 followed hy Cymodocca rctunlluto it0.4 o/o), Thulossia hemprichii (1.0%) and 鏺 ('yntodc,t ttt sartuLuro (l-6 7o). Thc searveed specics obselved in this station conrprised of l/dlimcrlrr macntloba aid Padiko fiinot. Thc fbrrrer was inlerspersed 賻裪 on the substratun whill3 the latter lvas more donlinant on the rocky shores. The cover ofthese species was unremarkable. 陑裪 . Slation 2 (2 km. southwest ofBarangay Cantiasay) 腅 'fhe seagrass bcd in this station extends southwards about halfa kilometer. The bed 賻 was shallow (l-2 nr) and the subslratlm rvas sandl. The seagrass bed was a monostand of C,-modocca rotundata while the genera Halimeda, Hypnea and 腅 Acontophora comprised dre seaweed communitv for this station. The percentage 膠 cover and fiequency ofC. roiundata were 68.0 and 80.0%, respectively. The seaweed 腅 species were sparse. 賻 Station 3 (entrance ofchitnnel across Barangay Nonoc) 腅 'l hc scigrass bcd in this stalion was shallow ( l-2 rri) ancl small u ith dre rvidest breadth 賻 eslimslcd at 250 fi. fhe substratuDl \\'as characterized rs silty to nruddy iype. A total of thrcc (i) se;rgrass and tlrree (i) sca\ecd species uere rr'corded.'Ihe seagrass 腅 spccies (:!rrod{).e.r roturulata hrd th. highest percenlrqe covcr (20.71%). followed 賻 bt'lhdussiu hc lprit:hii (6.81o/") and Lnhulus acoroilas (i.0 ol,). C. rotnndata \vas rhe nrosl iiequentl)'encountered species i579'o) follo*ed b1 T- hcntprichii (25o/o) and 腅 L- acoroilc.t (10%). The 3 searveed species \ve(e Pudina fiinor. sp- and 賻 HLtlinledo sp. The abundauce ofthese species rvas rrot remarkable. ^teoheris 賻腅 Station 4 (50utlr\\esl ofJcltJ'l) Ihc se,ilrass bccl in this station *as r.'latirelr shallo\\ (0.r-2 nr) and relatively small 賻腅 shich er,lends scarvalds to onl) about 150 nr. 'lhc substratunl \\ts characterized as of the silly-nrudd) lvpe the resuspelrsion ol \rhi.l] tuakes \\'ater visibility almost zero. Three sear:tass and a searveed species \\'ere noted in this statiolt. Of the fbur spccies, 賻腅 onlv one species of sea\\,eed is identitled. Thc bed uas mairly inhabited bY Enlolrrs acoroides, Halodule piniJ'olia ani Halopllild (lecipiens, rlith a percentage cover of 賻腅 軓腅 荒 腄賻 賻腅 賻腅 腂 Station S(norlhcast Or腶 ctty 3) 膠腅 鍣腅 鏺裪 鏺腅 腂 StatiOn 6(sO葘 th oF D00tlsland) 賻腅 賻腅 賻腅 赼腅 StatiOn 7(a10ng Caboc channcl苊 腅 cing Awasan isialld) 賻腅 鍣腅 鏺裪 賻腅 腅階 :韸 }镲 鏥 赼 钧 賻 l 賻裪 賻腅 賻裪 腷腅 酉 腛 |腅 conrnrunil! was rclarivel!'large exlendinS about 50_70 m sea\tards from the subtidal ,"".. it" a.pir, *ri"o ttom t-+ m. The substratum \ras comPosed chiefly of small |荇by sand' to large boulders of limestones and interspersed Density and Biomass of Seagrass Species |腝 膁 The densitl and bionlass ofseagrass species are presented in Tablc3'71'IlS' Both ".or,,r.,"r. rlricJ rrithrn anJ betrrccn sfre(ics 'cross ststions' The densily and 腄 i.i.r-u.. nI rearrur, tpreies ranptd fronr Q to Q7] shoots m ' and tiom 0'56 to 178 6 g 郮 arv *. .t i.specnuely. The highesr density was recorded in Station 2 for Cyrrorlor"o rutrirtntn uid the lowest observed in Station 3 for Linhalus acoroides 腄 iiuuL z.rl. The lriglrcst biomass was observed in Station I fot E' acoroides uld the 膁 lowest in Station 4 for Halophila decipiens' 腄 Mean density artcl ttrcan biomass wcre available only for species that occurred in at 膁 least 4 stations. 'fhcse are presented in T'rblc 3'?l (EIS) for E acoroides' C' ,lotiunaoiu una Thakusia hemprichil. The nrean density of C r"ftr'ddl'r {466's-shoots 腄 ni:) rvas ncarly 5 times thrt of T hcnl'richii (qb'5 shools m__) ond ne-3rly 19 tlmes 賻 iiuiorr r.,"uiA'rt:4.8shootsmi). Con\ersel). the mean biornassoff' acoroides 腄 i;;. ii ; ;; ;..''.';-ii was about t*icc that of C"rorundata (49'4 g drv *r' m'2; and 陼 Lo tlmJs trrat ot il himprichii (27.4 gdry * nt'1)' 裪 The tolal density antl total bionrass of seagrlss species varied between. stat ions' The ur,nt a"n,i,1 ond tolal biomass of seagr'r'ss species in 3 sl'llir'n rlngcd Iionl l8 to 972 鏺 ,rrooo ,-,tt o of'l l2 shoots itr I rnd 89 to 2i i'o g dr1 \Yl lli' rrith a mean of r. -Ihc "i,rt "t"nn highest mean total density uas recorded in 裪 i;o - " Att rvt nr respeclirel\- total biomass occurred in 陼 sl,,"fi""a rhc lorrest in Sraiion 6' l-he highest mean SEtion I afld the lowest at Station 6. 裪 The results of this investigation were consisleit with those found by Nienhius et al' 銩 iisig). tn"y repo,ted iint the number of shoots per surface area uas species 腅 d.p"ndenr u,ri density was relatively wide in "supply place" Fortes (1990) obsened 賻 ;;:t nrul,lic seas.:tss beds al Bolinao Bay (northwestern Luzon) -ranged ";,i"it ibil ;i;;tJ;,t (l*; Je.'e beat to more than 400 shools/m2 (trulv il,.;:,.r"" tt:;J oi seagrass beds in Noooc lsland *idely 腅 J.'Il." .""s.a.). Allhough the dcnsirics 賻 \ aricd bet;veerl sta(ions. the total nleiln clcnsit.'-- *as a little over tlrat oi the truly dense 腅 seagrass bed (.terri, Fortes 1990). 膠 Ilollon and Fortcs (1939) reported a ranrie of 8 to 132 g clry wt m-! for total biomass ol- selectctl sclgt'ass conlnrunilies irl tlre Philippines A rccellt \\'ork ^estimated 腅 'ra!,rrs. brurrrai\ in l)rrnpilrLrn. Trtyabas Ilal slto*ed an anlttal range of90'28 to 賻 ll7-.q-l dry.rr g/nr:tDA-l:Sl'. lqq6) The bionlass obtained in the present study was S.n".otl-" i o nri.t"n, ttith results of earlier studies' Enholus acoroides contributed 腅 l"r-".,, a ,ft" lolill biornass of seaBrass beds rhan any other species in Nonoc Island 芍 dclite a liritl;.. lo$ mean densil\'. -l he more massive and heavier rhizomes of this speii"s than tliat of C roltntlata ar.d'1. hlmprichii expla|n the larger contribution of 鏺腺 t aco,'oi(/ej to the lolal biomass. 賻腅 腵腅 辁 鎇 艤 艥 4.5.3.3 Plankton  Composition, Density and Abundance of plankton Communities 裪 lntroduction 雚 The dersity and abundarce of laxonontic groups comprising plankton conlmunilies for crclt statioll arc lrcscrlled in Txhlc 3.72 tnd -1.73, ElS. A r;l;l of 17,25{ nlankton was 裪 estimated in all stalions combined. Nlore rhJn 650" of lhis ucrc phyroplankron while 雚 zooplankron conrpriscd the rest. A rotal of 2l genera constirutei ihe phlroplankton Broup while the zooplanlton group consisted of g raxonomic groups. ihe cla.ses 裪 Cyanophyta (blue green algae), Bacillariophlra (diaroms; and pyrroihyta lred algael 鏺 comprised the phytoplankton. 腅赼 Mean Density Bct$een Plankron Croups The density varied rvidel.,- between plalklon groups and between stations. The mean 裪 dcnsily amon! the gcltcra ofph)toplankron ranged fiom I to lll individuals m-l. fhe 鏺 highest mcan dcnsitv rvas obser'!cd tbr lhe dialom frdl.rr.liorlrrrr and rhe lo.west for another dial()In Bucilluriu. The mosl abundaltly imporlant genera of phyloplankton 裪 include Thtrlassiothri)i. Choetocero.\. Slnedra. ('osciioli.rt.rrs. ' Skcletonentu, 鏺 Trichodesntiun, Cerutium and Pol-vkrittr.r. All rvere recorded in at least g ofthe total l5 sanlpiing stations \\ith Thalossiotht,ix being present in all stations. All except the 裪雚 last 3 genera are diatoms. The mecn densirJ- amonq taxonomic groups of zooplankton ranged from 15 to 196 裪 rndi!iduals m-r The highesr rrls recorded for nauplii 1a lawal ibrnr ofcrustaceans) 襾 and the lowest lbr rhc cyclopoid copepocl. n-auplii and calanoid copepods were the most abundant zooplankton. The foruter was recorded in all stations while the laner 腅鎬 was present in all but one siation. 腅 Composition and toral dcnsit). oi plankton between sralions 雚 Tlrt' numbcr ol'o((urrenees of pbnlton groups in a station rangcd from l0 to lg :.rL,uns nr' \!rrh J l)uirn ot l J gtoupj nt' .'[hc highest \\as obselrcd in Srations 2 and 裪 l0 anc! tli,.- lorvcsr at Stalions I arld 9. Starions 2..1.6. l0 ancl ll hari a hieher Dumber 鏺 ol groups ol platrklon m j than the ntean. ()n lll. a!(rJ,te. 600,0 ot rhe pl,l,rtton in a sample for each slarion uas phlroplankton groups 腅鎺 and 40yo zooplankton. Thc total densiry ol'plankron ranged fiom 5,{j to 24j 1 individuals m-l rvirh a mean of Il58 irrdiritlulls ni' . The hiclrest toral dcnsil) rras observed in Station ll and the 裪鏺 lo\vcsl al Sutiol 3. Nearly.ialf of the srarions had lotal dersirics of piuntton in excess of 1000 inciividuals m-1. 艱 艫 荳 莍 靸 裉 酚 V 艥 膁 4.5.3.4 s,,ft Bottom Fauna 腅 雚 Composition of Soft Bottom Fauna A total of 919 benthic organisms were counted from 15 stations combined (Table 腅 3.71, EtS). These orBanisms represerted 37 families under 4 major classes as well as 雚 from 8 other large gioup/phyla. The largest class was Polychaeta with 23 families, lbllowed by Crustaica with 10, Pelecypoda with 3 and Gastropoda with l The 8 腅 other large group/phyla uere Chaetognatha, Chiton, Nematoda, Ophiuroidea, 鏺 Rynchocoela. Sipunculida, Turbellaria and Foraminiferans' 腅 The composition of sofr bottom fauna was largely dominated bl- only 3 gror'tps, 賻 namely, ihe pollchaetes (marine scgmented rvorms) ('16%). lhe small crustaceaus (23%)-and the nematodcs (round \\'or s) (22%). Together they conlprised 9lolo oflhe 腅 total organisms cottnted. The rest were distributed to 2 other classcs and 7 phyla The 芄 polycha'etes were prcsent in all stations with hiSh abundances recorded in Stations 2' i I and l. emongthe pol)'chaeles. the 5 most abundant rvere Cilr'alulidae Spionidae' 腅 Capitellitlae Narei(.lt(J.rlrd ro be drrlled ir YllM dlll. (lel'er to aruchment "A" for the details). 腅膁 Constnrctionoflinlitedaccessroadforthedrillsisnecesscryforeasyntaneuverabiltyoffann traclorc pulling the rig in nrost difficult terrairr. 515 Tr膜 Pitting 腅艧 Tc腁 t pittil,s ll,' 腍腁腁 1!11 111 葝 c tlndclt(lke1l i芣 the stratcsic drill sitcs Tlle 艤 艥 腅賚 靰 腅苚 腛 V 腅鏺 meter inlerval for density measuremenl. nroisture content and metal analysis. Mapping of the test pirs is also conducted to delineate the contacts of the limonite- 腅苚 transition and saprolite zones and the bediock. 膡 5.1.6 Others 雚 The conslruction of limited access road for the easy an