The Academy's 2011 Hearst Expedition to the Philippines
Terry Gosliner, Dean of Science
Meg Burke, Director of Education
Tuesday, September 13th at 7:00pm
The Academy recently returned from one of the largest field expeditions in its history having sent shallow water, deep water, terrestrial and education teams to the Philippines to continue our study of one of the greatest biodiversity hotspots in the world. Please join us for a co-presentation from our Dean of Science and Director of Education as they talk about their finding and the ongoing international efforts that the Academy has forged with the scientists and educators in the Philippines.
Meg Burke is Director of Teacher and Youth Education at the California Academy of Sciences.
Dr. Terrence Gosliner is Senior Curator and Dean of Science and Research Collections at the California Academy of Sciences where he has worked since 1982. His research on the systematics, phylogenetics and comparative biology nudibranchs and other sea slugs, has focused on the implications of phylogenetic studies to understanding the evolution of shell-loss, mimicry and other comparative aspects of the evolution of this group of marine organisms. He has studied the diversity of these mollusks along the California coast for more than forty years. Most recently, this work employs evolutionary studies to develop new strategies for conservation of Philippine reefs in the center of the center of marine biodiversity. He has developed key collaborations with research institutions, conservation organizations and large public exhibits to bring these findings to diverse audiences.
Terry Gosliner, Dean of Science at the California Academy of Sciences,
discusses two of the major discoveries his team made while exploring the
shallow seas of the Philippines. In addition to a new species of worm,
he describes a common species he found exhibiting some very uncommon
behavior. "This worm was not an herbivore, it was a voracious predator,"
Island country, western Pacific Ocean, on an archipelago off the southeast coast of Asia. Area: 115,831 sq mi (300,000 sq km). Population (2009 est.): 91,983,000. Capital: Manila; other government offices and ministries are located in Quezon City and other Manila suburbs. Filipinos are predominantly of Malay descent, frequently with Chinese and sometimes American or Spanish ancestry. Languages: Filipino (Pilipino) and English (both official); the other main groups are Cebuano, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, and Bicol. Religions: Christianity (predominantly Roman Catholic; also Protestant, other Christians); also Islam. Currency: Philippine piso (peso). The Philippines consist of about 7,100 islands and islets. The two principal islands are Luzon in the north and Mindanao in the south. The Visayan group is in the central Philippines, Mindoro is directly south of Luzon, and Palawan is isolated in the west. The topography is varied; inactive volcanoes and mountain ranges are the main features of most of the larger islands. The country has a predominantly market economy based largely on agriculture, light industries, and services. The Philippines is a republic with two legislative houses; its head of state and government is the president. First visited by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521, the islands were colonized by the Spanish, who retained control until the Philippines were ceded to the U.S. in 1898 following the Spanish-American War. The Commonwealth of the Philippines was established in 1935 to prepare the country for political and economic independence, which was delayed by World War II and the invasion of Japanese troops. The islands were liberated by U.S. forces in 194445, and the Republic of the Philippines was proclaimed in 1946, with a government patterned on that of the U.S. In 1965 Ferdinand Marcos was elected president. He declared martial law in 1972, which lasted until 1981. After 20 years of dictatorial rule, Marcos was driven from power in 1986. Corazon Aquino became president and instituted a period of democratic rule that continued with the elections of subsequent presidents. The government has tried to come to terms with Muslim independence fighters in the southern islands by establishing the Muslim Mindanao autonomous region in southwestern Mindanao and nearby islands.
this was a great talk and I love love love to hear about expeditions and marine life. one thing bothered me a little; the point about that the Philippians needed to learn about handling their plastics so they dont end up in the oceans. Im sure they do, but lets look at some statistics on plastic usage and waste from countries like the US, Japan and China who also share the Pacific, shall we...? who dumps more? and who has the knowledge and resources to get their sh*t together...