Introduction

Background of the study

Earth is bursting with life, from the huge mammals to tiniest bacteria, fungi, algae
ever lived. It host life everywhere, from the deep ocean trenches to the mountains that
touches the clouds. Every second a species is born and conceive, and also every day a
particular species is being hunt, being endangered or extinct. Biodiversity matters, It
plays a vital part in the survival as well as the , Biodiversity as a whole forms a shield
protecting each of the species that together compose it, ourselves included." (Wilson,
2016)
About 71 percent of the Earth's surface is water-covered, and the oceans hold
about 96.5 percent of all Earth's water. The oceans is home exclusively of most groups
of organisms on earth, whereas the diversity of groups of organisms is much greater
than on land. The ocean provides a vast living space with diverse and unique
ecosystems from the surface through the water column and down to, and below, the
seafloor (College of exploration, 2015). Though some abiotic factors such as salinity,
temperature, oxygen, light, pressure, pH and circulation affects the evenly distribution of
ocean life, the oceans provides a unique life cycle , relationships among organisms and
adaptations that makes it a place suitable for organisms occupy. However biological
diversity in the oceans has diminished significantly since industrialization started in the
nineteenth century, the pollution, different techniques used in fishing, and the alarming
progression of climate change are the primary causes.

The Philippines is a treasure trove of biodiversity or the variety of life on earth

and is one of the 17 mega diverse countries which host 70-80% of the worlds
biodiversity and has more than 52,177 described species. There are more than 1,130
terrestrial wildlife species recorded (49 percent or half are endemic); 157 are threatened
(128 are threatened endemic). Though it is believed to harbor more diversity of the best
and rarest wildlife species than any other country, its biodiversity is disturbingly
threatened, making it a biodiversity hotspot as well.
Among the organisms that occupy the ocean are Echinoderms. They are any of
invertebrate marine animals belonging to the phylum Echinodermata which came from
the ancient Greek words, echinos which means spiny and derma which means skin.
This phylum has approximately 7000 described living species and about 13,000 extinct
species known from the fossil record. This phylum is the second largest without any
freshwater or terrestrial forms of representative. (Brusca and Brusca, 2003; Waggoner,
1999). All echinoderms are benthic life forms that are found in marine environments.
Echinoderms occupy profundities extending from shallow waters at tide lines to the
deep oceans. (University of Paisley, 1998)
Starting from the Cambrian Period, 542 million to 488 million years ago,
echinoderms have a rich fossil history. It has been recognized for medicinal purposes
and as food of ancient Greeks and Romans. During the middle Ages, fossil echinoids
and parts of fossil crinoids were objects of superstition. In the early part of the 19th
century, Echinodermata was recognized as a distinct group of animals and was
occasionally associated with the Cnidarians and selected phyla in a division of the
animal kingdom known as Radiata where its concept of a superphylum is no longer

valid.

Echinoderms are separated into 21 classes, based mainly on differences in

skeletal structures. It has 5 related classes; Asteroidea, (Sea star or starfish)

Ophiuroidea, (Brittle stars, basket stars, serpent stars) Echinoidea, (Sea urchins, heart
urchins and sanddollars) Holothuroidea, (sea cucumbers) Crinoidea (Feather stars and
sea

lilies).. (2016).

In

Encyclopdia

Britannica.

Retrieved

from

https://www.britannica.com/animal/echinoderm
Echinoderms are simply characterized by its pentamorous radial symmetry, the
body parts are arranged in parts of five around a central body or a central disc. The
body actually consists of five equal segments, each containing a duplicate set of various
internal organs. They lack heart, eyes, nor brain but they do have well developed
nervous system and some brittle stars seem to have light sensitive parts on their arms.
Their mouth is situated on the underside and their anus on top except feather stars, sea
cucumbers and some urchins. (http://www.starfish.ch/reef/echinoderms.html)
One characteristic of most echinoderms is a special kind of tissue known as
"catch connective tissue". This collagenous materials can change in a few seconds or
minutes from moving flexibly around the seabed to becoming rigid. This a defensive
mechanism like for starfish from being extracted and for sea urchins to rigidly lock their
spines (Motokawa, Tatsuo 1984). Echinoderms possess a water vascular system, a
hydraulic system that operates through the pressure and flow of water. This system
manipulates external tube feet that acts as a hand and feet in echinoderms and are
involve in gas exchange, locomotion and feeding.
One of the unique characteristics of echinoderms is the power of casting off and
regenerating different parts of their bodies. Not all animals can regenerate, only

selected few are possess this type characteristic. Sea cucumbers often discharge their
internal organs if they feel threatened and starfish constantly replace their damaged
spines. Some species of this phylum detached their arms for specific purpose, asexual
reproduction. A single detached arm can readily develop to a new individual. However in
some species like sea star and sea lilies, a single arm cannot grow to a new adult
because of the absence of at least part of the disc (Pawson, 2016)
Echinoderms important for the ecosystem, they play numerous ecological role.
Species of sand dollars and sea cucumber burrow in the sand of the ocean floor,
providing more oxygen in those depths making it more organisms inhabit there. Some
sea cucumber are inhabited by snails, worms and crabs. Starfish prevents the growth of
algae in coral reef. Echinoderms are also a source of food, sea urchins is a major part
of a sea otters diet. In some countries echinoderms are delicacies, in japan, Peru, and
Spain, the male and female gonads are consumed. They are also useful in medicine, an
example is the sea cucumbers toxin that slows down the growth of tumor cells. As for
farming, the hard skeleton of echinoderms is utilized as source of lime by agriculturists
in areas where limestone is unavailable. Lime is added to the soil to permit plants to
take up more minerals and nutrients. (Hardwood, Wilkin 2012)
The way echinoderms eat and live plays a great role in nature. They are efficient
scavengers of decaying matter on the seafloor, and they prey upon a variety of small
organisms. Sea urchins can devastate sea grass beds when in large numbers, but
some control the growth of seaweeds in corals for it to flourish. Many sea cucumbers
feed by swallowing large quantities of sediment, extracting organic matter as the

sediment passes through the intestine, and ejecting the remainder. Echinoderms
produce vast numbers of larvae that provide food for other planktonic organisms.
Objectives:
The general objective is to identify the different species of echinoderms present in the
surrounding waters of Barangay Diamante, Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon.
1. Determine the occurrence of each species in a certain place specifically in
mangrove, sea shore, and sea water area.
2. Arbitrate the factors that affect their occurrence in each area.
3. Make the possible benefits of the echinoderms known to the local population.
The research was performed in Brgy. Diamante, Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon last
August 27-29, 2016.
Statement of the problem
This research aims to study the distribution of echinoderms in certain areas of Brgy.
Diamante, Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon. Specifically, this tends to answer the following
questions.
1.
2.
3.
4.

What are the species of echinoderms found in each area?

Which area has the most number of echinoderms species?
What species are present in all areas?
What are the factors that make them stay in that areas?

Significance of the Study

This study would hopefully help and equip the local population with knowledge to
preserve the areas ecosystem and help them identify and avoid malevolent species of
echinoderms which could endanger the lives of the locals. Also, this study would allow

them to understand and utilize the benefits of different species of echinoderms. In

addition, this would aid the future researchers in identifying different species of
echinoderms thus providing them with information that would ease their research.
Scope and Delimitation
The research would only include three different areas; the open sea, the
shoreline near the mangrove, and the rocky or coral laddered shoreline. Also, this study
would strictly focus on the echinoderms excluding all organism in the area that are
morphologically the same as the echinoderms. The total measure of the area included
in the research is only about 20 x 100 square meter. Areas outside the said measure will
be excluded.
The researchers may or may not inquire the local population about their
knowledge of the species of echinoderms found only within the research area. The
study will be only executed during the low tides since the researchers are prohibited to
go out on the open sea during high tides as this might put the researchers lives on the
line.